All-Time Favorite Camping Gear

[Unplanned Overland]

My Engel fridge is by far the best camping item. Ice sucks around camp unless in your evening cocktail.

Next inline are my WWII surplus wool pants. Warm in the evening. Huge cargo pockets. And cost me like $13 almost 20 years ago and still going strong.

Finally my GSI Outdoors mini espresso maker. Take it backpacking and in the Cruiser. Four shots of espresso just gets the morning started in so many ways.

Gotta upload photo of those

 

[Corbet]

Really nothing special. But here hey are. (Stock photos)


I've recently changed over to this kind of espresso maker for the truck but still use the GSI backpacking as it packs down smaller.



The Fridge is by far the best piece of gear. Even my wife will say the same. It's been running in my truck since 2008 nearly non-stop. We live 1/2 hour out of town so I use is almost daily to haul groceries. Actually got a second smaller unit for her Subaru. We both work in sales and work from our cars. So the fridges make hauling a lunch much easier in the summer months. Not to mention ice cream home from the market. Camping is so much better without having to stock ice in a cooler.

 

[MOAK]

I cannot think of a single best piece of camping gear, but over the last 25 years or so I can narrow it down a bit. #1- Dual fuel Coleman Stove. We just bought a new one two years ago, to replace the one I found at a garage sale back in the mid 70s. We should easily get 20 years or so out of the new one. #2- Oz Tent. After years of experimenting with tents we finally found a tent that is easy to deploy and large enough to live in during really bad weather. We had an REI Kingdome 6. After being stuck in it for 3 days during the rainstorms of 2013 in the RMNP, we gave it to our kids and got the OZ Tent's Jet Tent 25X. #3- Engel fridge. We have the small one that is our dedicated ice maker to keep the Yeti 75 well supplied. #4- French Press. My wife drinks tea, I drink coffee, and for years we drug around an old 16 cup stainless steel coffee pot. I don't know why I waited so long to get the press, ( stubborn or purist, you choose ) but now I enjoy a hot cup o joe with no muss, no fuss, and it fits in my back pack. I might add that we have finally, after 25 plus years, reached a point where we no longer feel the need for any more or better gear. ( unless I find a really good deal on a used ARB fridge to replace the yeti ) Had I known back then what I know now, I wouldn't have wasted, easily thousands of dollars, on inferior gear. Buy the best you can get, without going hog wild, and it'll last for decades.

 

[The other Sean]

Coleman folding cots for in the tent. I'm not old by any means, but I'm not a young buck anymore, so, sleeping on the ground is NOT for me.

 

[Kelly]

Some may consider this a "Glamping" item, but hear me out. It makes 2lbs of ice an hour. Runs great on an inverter (draws < 1 amp). Now, the only limit to how much food you can keep cold is the size of your cooler. It's under $200, and they make smaller/cheaper units as well.

 

[Robby]

Some may consider this a "Glamping" item, but hear me out. It makes 2lbs of ice an hour. Runs great on an inverter (draws < 1 amp). Now, the only limit to how much food you can keep cold is the size of your cooler. It's under $200, and they make smaller/cheaper units as well.

ok, that is awesome right there. "Glamping" or not....nothing like sipping a tall glass of sweet iced tea, while sitting in a folding chair, in front of your tent, with your rig parked right next to ya....

 

[Kelly]

ok, that is awesome right there. "Glamping" or not....nothing like sipping a tall glass of sweet iced tea, while sitting in a folding chair, in front of your tent, with your rig parked right next to ya....

12v Freezers are expensive, and not much storage capacity. Big coolers are cheap. Plus, when you get home, these are awesome to have out back by the barbecue !!!