Camping Gear You Need in Your Life.
/New year. New adventures. Time to upgrade your gear?
We love to camp and are forever seeking spots to spend the night, that are off the beaten track. It's the best way to lose ourselves in nature but does mean we need to carry everything in with us. We've tried to perfect the right balance between packing light and squeezing in some creature comforts. Dan is a serial researcher and tech guru so he's forever learning about the latest hiking innovations. You can see a list of all the other gear we love to use here.
Here are our top 20 camping investments...
1.) Vapur Water Bottles and Purifier
These water bottles weigh next to nothing and clip easily onto the outside of your pack. When not in use, simply roll and tuck them away in a side pocket ready for next time. Drink water straight out of a stream or water source, by using the water filter attachment.
2.) GSI Outdoors Kitchen
This full kitchen setup packs down to an incredibly small size. It has all the essential kitchen tools, in one tidy lightweight package. The cookware is non-stick and heats up instantly, so you save on both cook time and camping gas. Washing up is made super easy by utilising the included soft shell wash basin.
3.) Optimus Crux Stove
This pocket stove is great at distributing the heat evenly, in an incredible compact size. Pair this with your GSI pot set for a super efficient camp kitchen.
4.) Jetboil Flash Stove
I insisted on this one and we've had no regrets. As a self professed tea lover, having a jug of hot water within a minute with no fuss is a comfort I can't resist. Our new favourite attachment is an adaptor that turns your Jetboil into a french press, so you can wake up with a fresh cup of java each morning. Camping luxury!
5.) Leatherman Wingman Multitool
A multitool is essential for camping. We chose the Leatherman Wingman because it's the best value for money and comes with all the essential tools. We utilise the knife, scissors, can opener functions every time we hit the outdoors.
6.) Black Diamond Revolt USB Rechargable Headlamp
There is nothing we find quite so annoying as having to replace batteries. Black Diamond rechargeable head torches are our go to. No more scrambling around in your camping gear for batteries, simply charge them with the usb adaptor. Black Diamond also have great customer service if you have any issues with your headlamps.
7.) Kelty TN2 Tent
A high-tech easy to assemble tent with a completely separate mesh inner shell. Roll back the outer shell and you can sleep under the stars while still protected from mosquitos.
8.) Matador Daylite 16 Packable Backpack
Our go to day bags. I travel everywhere with one of these tucked into my bag ready to use. The double mesh pockets mean that we can tackle early morning hikes with a flask of coffee and bottle of water.
9.) Matador Beast 28 Technical Backpack
This larger backpack is Dan's go to bag for travel, which fits his entire life. It's also the perfect size for his hiking needs on long day hikes or ultralight overnight hikes.
10.) Matador Pocket Blanket
We always carry two of these with us and utilise them for preparing food, protecting our gear from dewy grass and often as a ground sheet for our tent.
11.) Discovery Trekking Towels
These towels are lightweight and feel good against your skin, unlike the other microfibre options that flood the market. They contain silver and are odour resistant.
12.) Thermarest Prolite Plus Mattress
Daniel swears by his minimalist mattress which packs down to a minuscule size and weight. There are lighter and smaller versions of mattress out there, but he finds this the best balance between insulation, warmth and weight.
13.) Nemo Cosmo Insulated Mattress
I favour a more luxurious sleep, so I love my nemo with internal foot pump. It is thick enough that you can sleep on your side comfortably. Which ever mattress you choose, make sure you grab one that has a good insulation rating. Nothing worse than feeling like you are sleeping on the freezing ground on a cold night.
14.) Sea to Summit Inflatable Pillows
These minimalist pillows are not only great for camping with but also for train, plane or car journeys.
15.) Mountain Hardwear Heratio Sleeping Bag
Buying a good sleeping bag is an investment. The lighter, warmer, and smaller they pack down the more expensive. Down sleeping bags are superior to synthetic in all these areas.
PRO TIP: if you are looking for a sleep system as a couple, get 2 sleeping bags that have the zipper on the opposite side. That way you can zip them into each other and have a big cozy sleep together.
16.) Cocoon Silk Travel Sheet
For a little bit of luxury, we swear by our silk camping sheet. It packs down tiny, keeps you cool and resists odour.
17.) Helinox Chair One Foldable Chairs
My absolute favourite camping accessory. We've lugged these chairs all over the world and couldn't do without them.
18.) Dr Bronners Soap
A great all purpose natural Castille soap. You need very minimal product to get a good lather and it works great to clean clothes, dishes and even yourself. The best part is that the solution is natural, so it's not harmful for the environment. We choose peppermint as it is the most versatile for most purposes.
19.) Scrubba Wash Bag
For longer trips, washing your clothes is a massive pain. The Scrubba bag allows you to do your laundry with minimal water and fuss.
20.) Solar Travel Charger
While it's great to disconnect from technology, being able to charge your devices comes in handy. When you don't have access to power, having the ability to charge by solar is great.
