If you are looking for budget-friendly and enjoyable ideas for your next outdoor family holiday, camping is bound to top that list. Very few activities are as exciting and as enriching as camping. While it’s definitely a much-liked pastime among bachelors, it also has much to offer to families. A family has people of all ages, including toddlers, seniors, teenagers, and adults, and luckily, they all can enjoy camping together. Planning a camping trip can help all members of the family to bond and spend some quality time together, away from the hustle-bustle of their city life. Being close to the natural habitat also has a therapeutic effect and might help you resolve or let go of petty family issues.
While the benefits of a family camping trip are uncountable, planning for it requires some attention to detail. Solo campers have the freedom to explore their adventurous side and prefer being minimalist when packing for their trips. However, since you have children and seniors involved in a family trip, you need to pack the best camping gear for families.
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You have the option to camp in the woods or on the mountain-top, but make sure that comfort, safety, and convenience are your top priorities. The best camping gear for families has to be easy-to-carry, compact, and durable. Remember, you are going on this trip to relax, not to film an episode of “Surviving in the wild.” To ease the planning process for your ultimate camping experience, we are going to provide you a handy checklist of the best camping gear for families and review 5 of the must-have products you should invest in.
Basic Checklist for Best Camping Gear for Families
As the first step in planning a camping trip for your family, you should make a list of things that you’ll need. Once you have decided the location, time, and duration will you be camping with your family, it’s time to pack!
Here’s our basic checklist so that you won’t miss out on anything important or forget to take the essentials. Go through the list and hit your nearest camping store, or place your order online to get all the camping supplies delivered to you on time.
- Tent, preferably rainproof.
- Air mattresses or sleeping pads
- First aid kit and medications
- Flashlights with spare batteries
- Camp chairs and portable crib for babies
- Insect repellent and sunscreen
- Toiletries, wipes, and towels
- Camping cookware and Stove with lighter
- Camping games
- Clothing
- Camera
- Ready to eat meals and baby food
- Portable cooler
The 5 Best Camping Gear Products for Families
Apart from these, you can pack various other camping accessories for the campsite. Here are Top 5 items for the best camping gear for families:
1. The Best Camping Tent: CORE 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent
Made up of highly durable 68D Polyester (600mm hydrostatic rating) fabric, the Core 9-Person Instant Cabin Tent covers a 14’ x 9’ space on the ground and a center height of 78 inches. This tent is designed to sleep nine adults, making it ideal for a big family or a small family with a lot of luggage. The tent poles are made up of telescoping steel, and it comes with 20 steel tent stakes. What’s best about this product is it’s easy to setup. It will only take you 60 seconds to put it up. Two queen-sized mattresses would easily fit into it to make it a cozy sanctuary for your family. It also features a room divider to ensure your privacy and wall storage pockets to save you from camp clutter. Your tech-crazy teen would love the in-built electrical cord access port in this tent. The vents are adjustable to suit the weather, allowing cool air in and hot air out. The tent also has extra rain protection that protects you from the rain and wind with a removable rainfly.
Pros
- Spacious and sturdy
- Removable rainfly and adjustable vents
- Comes with a carry bag
Cons
- Tent stakes susceptible to bending
2. The Best Camping Air Mattress: SoundAsleep Camping Series Air Mattress with Eco-Friendly PVC
As the name suggests, SoundAsleep Camping Air Mattress is designed with the impressive ComfortCoil Technology with I-Beam Air Coils. It demonstrates great durability and sturdiness when used outdoors. This product is queen or twin-sized with Queen-inflated Dimensions of 78″ x 60″ x 9″ and Twin Dimensions of 75″ x 42″ x 9″. This air mattress would ensure that your family enjoys a comfortable sleep. You can quickly and easily inflate and deflate the mattress with the help of the external rechargeable pump. You can recharge it in your car if planning to stay long at the campsite. It takes just about 3 minutes to get fully inflated in a firm, cozy mattress with no unwanted sliding. The material is pretty thick and puncture-resistant. Designed with multiple layers, it can withstand the stones and sticks lying around at the campsite. You don’t have to worry about your toddler spilling their drink on it as it has a waterproof top. Pack and carry this mattress easily in the car or to the campsite in the carry bag that comes with it.
Pros
- Easy to inflate and deflate
- Elevates you 9 inches off the ground
- Smart carry bag
- 1-year warranty
Cons
- Has a poor one-way valve system
- Might have a slight leak
3. The Best Camping Cookware: GSI Outdoors – Pinnacle Camper, 4-Person Camping Cook Set
An ideal choice when you’re going backpacking or car packing, GSI Outdoors – Pinnacle Camper Cook Set is compact, lightweight, and ideal for 2 to 4 people. It comes with 4 plates, 4 insulated mugs and sip-it tops and sleeves, 4 bowls, 2L pot with strainer lid, 3L pot with strainer lid, fry pan, folding handle, and stuff sack/washbasin. The cookware is non-stick, and the dishes are durable. The plates, bowls, and mugs are even color-coded for each member of the family. The handle locks are sturdy, and the heat-resistant, crush-proof lids and rings will not trouble you when packed.
Pros
- Perfectly-sized pots and pans
- Lightweight and compact
- Easy to store and work with
Cons
- No additional pot grippers
4. The Best Camping Game: Elite Ring Toss Game
Camping without a bonfire, marshmallows, and some fun games is no fun. Here’s a fun game for anyone over the age of 3. The Ring Toss game from the Elite Sportz Equipment is a complete set to keep you and your family entertained during an outdoor trip. It’s very easy to set up and pack away. Even your kids will take just a couple of minutes to place the wooden pegs in the wooden scoreboard. It comes with 5 rope rings and additional 10 plastic rings for maximum fun. Toss the rings and hit the pegs. You can plan a family tournament and see who wins! While boosting your kid’s hand-eye-coordination, this game will come in handy even when you aren’t camping as a backyard game.
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Great for all ages
- Improves motor skills in children
- Free carrying bag
Cons
- Might be too small for adults
5. The Best First Aid Kit for Camping: Be Smart Get Prepared 100 Piece First Aid Kit
This 100-piece First Aid Kit is a must-have during your camping trip. The easy side latches keep the contents secure and easy to take out when needed. It offers great portability due to its compact size and dimensions of 7.5in x 2.5in x 6.8in. The first-aid products are efficiently organized in the compartments of the rugged, high-density plastic case. The Kit meets the United States FDA Regulatory Standards and is a top product when traveling with family. It includes:6 Antiseptic Towelettes,12 Alcohol Wipes, 20.9 g Antibiotic Ointment Packets, 10 Cotton Tip Applicators,1 Instant Cold Compress, 1 First Aid Guide, 50 Adhesive Bandages in two different dimensions, 1 Adhesive Tape Roll –5 Butterfly Closures, 4 Wooden Finger Splints, 6 Gauze pads in two different sizes, and 2 pairs of Examination Gloves.
Pros
- Meets US FDA standards
- Impact-resistant case with compartments
- Latex-free products
- Easy sliding side latches
Cons
- Very basic; not meant for serious injuries
Our Final Thoughts
We hope that these best camping gear products for families will make your planning phase easier and your camping more enjoyable! These are just five of the top pieces of gear you’ll want for camping. There are many others as well.
