Whether you are a seasoned, veteran camper, or a newbie, one of the perks is always having some clever camping gadgets to makes your life easier.
Camping can be unforgiving, so having something that can cook your food faster, chop some wood down easier, or just to help you see better at night, a camping gadget can make your whole trip that much more enjoyable.
Everybody loves a gadget and campers are no exception, bring on the clever camping gadgets!
A clever camper uses gadgets
The more things you take into consideration the better when out camping. If you can find a gadget that can do the job of a few tools put together, then invest. The more space and weight you can save while traveling the better.
So be clever about what you need to take with you when camping, think of all of the places you will be going and what tools you will need and get the perfect gadget to help you enjoy your adventures in the wild.
Below we have picked an array of clever camping gadgets to get you started.
1.Axehead multitool
Now everybody loves a good axe, when you add another 6 tools on top of it, then this gadget can have pride of place in your camping arsenal.
One of the great things about this axe is that you can fashion a handle out of any piece of wood and clamp it to the axe head. When you don’t need it anymore, you can dispose of the handle, which saves space and is less weight to carry around.
Although an axe can be very useful and fun to use, please remember to check if you can chop trees in the area you are camping in. The area you are camping in may be protected and you don’t want to be ruining the landscape for wildlife and other campers. It is best to use branches that have already fallen, then cutting parts of trees down.
2. Colorful Inflatable lights
Now, these little beauties are space saving, waterproof and very practical. Charge them up in the day time while walking around, or just leave them at the camp and inflate them at night. Then behold the beauty of the colored lights while you sit around telling stories and eating your camp food.
Because these lights are waterproof and lightweight, they are the perfect gadget for nighttime camping. Whether you hit an unexpected downpour or are traveling down rivers or across lakes, you can take them anywhere. So they really become a great bit of kit to keep on you! Also because they deflate, you can carry around multiple lights, which will brighten up your camp on those nights where the moonlight just won’t do.
While these lights will not replace a good old fashioned flashlight for practicality while camping, they can be the perfect compliment to your camping experience and can be great decoration for your camping area.
3. Pocket flashlight and first aid kit.
This handy gadget combines two of your must-have items when you go camping, the flashlight, and your first aid kit.
While the flashlight isn’t the brightest, it is a great back up light for those emergency situations. We recommend getting a more powerful flashlight for everyday use, maybe a head strap light that frees up your hands for cooking etc but the light is more than capable to help you in those awkward situations.
The first aid kit is neatly packed and contained within the cylinder and you also have a whistle when you need to attract attention. It has everything you could possibly need in a first aid kit and will keep you going until you reach more substantial provisions.
So when you get the first aid kit and an emergency flashlight, you have to take it. As mentioned above you are looking for gadgets that reduce your weight and create more space in your inventory for other important things. Killing two birds with one stone and having both of these together, really will help you out and can be great for taking on a day trip.
4. A portable solar charging unit
Now, we always promote switching off from your day to day life while camping, so that you really do get away from it all. But we are also realists and understand you need to keep your phone charged. Maybe not for leisure, but just as an extra “safety blanket” if anything goes wrong.
So here you have a great way to charge your devices on the go, it folds out to create a unit with maximum exposure to the suns rays. It is a bit bulky when folded out, but if you strap it to the back of your rucksack, or place it on top of your tent, you will barely notice it.
One downside is that it does not hold the charge in the pack itself, so you can’t charge your devices at night, but during the day, you get a high powered charger that should charge all of your electrical gadgets ready for those evenings under the stars.
Also, because of its flat-pack nature, it is easily stored away and can be put inside your rucksack when you no longer need a charge.
5. GPS Tracker
Now you may think you can do the exact same thing with your mobile phone, but your mobile phone cannot be relied upon to give exact locations wherever you are. If you are planning on doing a lot of trekking and camping in remote places, then you need a real GPS tracker.
It can be expensive as there is also a monthly service charge attached, but if you get stuck anywhere you can connect your mobile phone to the tracker to let people find your exact location, or you can find your camping buddies and even your equipment if you need to.
It may not be needed if you are not in a remote area, but having peace of mind that people can pinpoint your location in case of an emergency, can relieve some worry when you are out and about.
6. Portable wood burning stove
This is a must have, some places will not let you make a campfire so you will need an alternative. This wood burning stove will quickly and effectively create a great fire for you to start cooking away. Even if you make a campfire, having your own portable stove just means you can cook your food more efficiently and much faster.
The fact you can take it anywhere, it takes up very little space and you can be up and cooking in a matter of minutes are some of the reasons why you should always consider owning a portable stove, even on a pitstop if you want that quick dose of caffeine, you can easily fire it up and boil some water. Sometimes making a fire after a long day of trekking will not be your priority, so having an alternative is always a good thing.
7. Camp chair
Sitting on the floor or on a log can get you back to nature, but sometimes you need a little comfort to get you through the days and nights. Having a light, foldaway chair can be an essential bit of kit.
Your back can suffer a lot while trekking or because of sitting by the campfire for long periods of time. So having some support and sitting back to relax can make you enjoy roasting your marshmallows on the fire even more.
Even if you are not at a campsite and just having a 10-minute rest, having a chair with you can really rest those aching bones and recharge your energy for that final push to your destination.
8. Mosquito Repeller
If you have done any kind of trekking or camping, you will have all suffered at the hands (Wings) of mosquitos. Save yourself the scratching time and invest in a gadget that will make your adventure that much more pleasurable.
Even if you are trekking around or using a camper van, mosquitos will find you anywhere. Having a gadget that can keep mosquitos away from your close vicinity, means that not only that you are protected, but also your family or camping buddies are protected.
So instead of spraying yourself with horrible smelling oils, get a clever gadget that will do the job instead. It could be one of the most underestimated pieces of camping gadgetry that we have on the list, a lot of people don’t think about mosquitos until it is too late, don’t be one of those people.
9. Fire torch and bottle opener
You might want to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together, but if you want to save a bit of time, having a ready-made fire maker in your pocket can be a godsend.
This torch is durable and will withstand heavy winds, getting your fire up and running in no time. It has the added extra of a bottle opener, so if you fancy a cold one while your food is heating up, you can do so easily.
Having an instant fire in your hands, without the frustration of matches blowing out is a no-brainer, you need to have some device dedicated to starting/creating a fire and one that is wind resistant ticks all of the boxes.
10. Water filter
Now, this could be the coolest gadget in this guide and the most vital. The life Straw literally allows you to drink from any water source, just insert and suck and you can be refreshed in moments.
It could be a life saver allowing you to get much vital H2o if you are running low on supplies. The life straw is revolutionary for those people in third world countries that do not have the luxury of fresh running water, but why not take advantage and add this gadget to your camping tools and make sure you can stay hydrated anywhere.
11. Reflective Cord
This might not be very exciting, but it definitely is practical. Putting reflective cord to stabilize your tent means that at night when you are walking around with your flashlight, you can easily see the cord pitched into the ground. So instead of tripping over and squashing your tent, you get to plan your route to the toilet that much better.
The cord can also be used for many other uses, fixing things around camp or replacing cord from your hammock. Tying things up, like food parcels hanging from a tree to stop animals getting to them. You can have worse ideas than keeping some of this cord on you at all times, just in case something happens.
So there you have it, if you take even some of these gadgets with you on your next camping trip your friends and family will be looking at you in a whole different light with your new camping gadgets.
