Top 10 camping gear needs for the upcoming season!

Who loves to camp? I’ve camped my whole life and it’s finally camping weather here in Michigan and we are set to go camping in a few weeks!!  We hope to squeeze in a few more trips this summer also but with school starting so early and getting out later and later each year, the weekends are numbered in the summers!!  Another reason for me to work towards having a full time business at home so I can enjoy breaks with my kids!!!

Anyways- I wanted to share some of our favorite things we bring with us when we go camping.

#1-CORE 12 Person Instant Cabin Tent – 18′ x 10′

We bought a new tent this year- we had our old one for YEARS and it was finally time to invest in a new one.  We decided against a camper for now so we found this tent at Costco- similar linked above at Amazon on sale for $149!  We haven’t used it yet but it will be super roomy and great for the 2 boys and our golden retriever Abby.  She’s the main reason we need a new one anyways, she could escape our old tent!! We’d wake up and our door would be open and she’d be gone!  She could push her nose in the area where all the zippers came together and open the door.  Silly girl!

#2- Quest Q64 10 FT. x 10 FT. Slant Leg Instant Up Canopy – (Crimson)

So many times we’ve went camping it’s either scorching hot or raining, so this year we bought our own canopy to use instead of borrowing from someone else.  We have also used this at my son’s soccer tournament and working out in the driveway while working on the car for some shade.  It’s lightweight and super easy to use.  Believe me when I say, you’ll thank me later when you get one!

#3-  Intex Comfort Plush Elevated Dura-Beam Airbed with Built-in Electric Pump, Bed Height 22″, Queen

We invested in a new airbed last year- one that’s easier to get on and off because it’s not right on the ground and much more comfortable too.  It doesn’t break your back quite as bad as the flatter style ones.  It also comes with the pump attached and can be blown up by an electrical cord or batteries.

#4- Pelican Argo 100 10 ft Kayak Blue
We actually bought these at Dunham’s, it was the cheapest price we could find locally.  We bought 4 of them- 1 for each of us.  My husband built a nice little trailer to haul all 4 of them and our bikes and other camping gear we want to take so it’s less inside the actual car when we go.  I’d recommend getting a life jacket and a waterproof bag for your phone/keys/wallet if you take them with you.  But these are pretty lightweight, easy to carry and SO much fun to use.  Your arms get a workout while your enjoying the scenery!

#5- Camping Hammocks Garden Hammock Ultralight Portable Nylon

We actually purchased 2 of these style hammocks for our son’s to use while we are camping, but I’ve been known to use them myself too.  They hook onto tree’s and they’ve actually put them up like bunk beds so they can lay on top of each other.  They play in the and try and sleep in them and just keep them occupied.  And it’s another place to sit/lay to relax.  It’s the perfect spot to lay down and ready a book or take a nap!

#6- Presto 07061 22-inch Electric Griddle With Removable Handles
An electric griddle is great to take camping!  You don’t always need to have a fire going to cook your food and you can cook breakfast, lunch and dinner on here.  I’ve made eggs and bacon, chicken quesadillas and grilled cheese on here before.  You could also use it to cook burgers and hot dogs too.  Lots of things to make and it’s easy to clean up and sometimes easier than getting the fire all ready.

$7- Hamilton Beach 25430 Sandwich Maker, 4″, BLACK

If you’ve never used one of these, you don’t know what your missing!! It’s again another easier way to cook without the mess of the big fire.  You can make pizza sandwiches, little apple pies, and ham and cheese sandwiches!  We LOVE these in my family and have used them for YEARS!! If you walk around our family camping trip, you’ll probably find one at each one of our campsites.  Pizza sandwiches are a staple for camping!

#8- Kijaro Dual Lock Portable Camping and Sports Chair
Camping chairs are another must.  You need them for the beach, sitting around the campfire or going to your kids ball games.  Invest in a great quality chair and it should last you a few years.  You can even pick a fun color that no one else will have to help from someone stealing yours!  Add your name to the tag/back so you can figure out who’s who just in case someone has the same ones!

#9- Coleman Xtreme Series Wheeled Cooler, 50 Quart

I’m not sure where we bought this cooler from but I love it because it’s big enough to hold a lot of food and drinks but it has the wheels so it’s easy to move around to the beach and other places.  It also makes a great seat! HA  The cupholders are nice if you are at a picnic or something and you need a place to keep your drink.  It also keeps ice in there for quite a few days.  And it’s a great size to fit in the back of your car/van.

#10- 2 Pack LED Camping Lantern, Portable, Great Addition to Survival Kits for Hurricane, Emergency, Storm, Outages, Outdoor Portable Lantern, Black

Lanterns- these are great for carrying to the bathroom when it’s dark outside, playing cards on the picnic table when it’s getting darker or just having in your tent so you can see at night.  These ones are collapsable and super portable and have LED lights so they should last a long time.

If you have any of your own favorite camping gear you’d like to include, add it in the comments! I’d love to see what others use to make their camping experiences even easier!

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