Enhance your summer camping trip with these 7 items

Photo collage of people camping, a woman using binoculars, and a product shot of a pair of binoculars.

Roughing it has limits

(Image credit: Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images)

published 22 May 2024

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You have all the camping essentials like a tent, sleeping bag, cooler and cookstove ready to go, but remember to bring a few non-necessities as well. Extra comforts like solar-powered string lights to brighten the campsite and a coffee press for a morning jolt are small, easy to pack and will enhance your experience. Because who said roughing it has to be rough?

AeroPress Go travel coffee maker

You want a cup of coffee to start the day, whether you are at home or camping in the middle of nowhere. This is where the portable AeroPress Go comes into play. Compact and lightweight, it brews a smooth mug of coffee in about one minute and cleans up easily, allowing you to play barista anywhere — and everywhere.

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$39.95, Amazon

Basecamp Cards

Basecamp Cards help the conversation flow around the campfire or on the trail. The set contains 54 cards, each one with a question meant to spark discussion — you might just learn something new about your friends and family. Appropriate for all ages (no wild cards here!), this is a fun way to pass a few hours. Bonus: With every deck sold, Basecamp Cards plants a tree.

$18.95, Amazon

Celestron SkyMaster 15X70 binoculars

Leave the telescope at home. You can stargaze with the higher magnification Celestron SkyMaster binoculars, which are "nice and bright, perfect for getting good views of the moon," Wired said, and also work for "larger clusters and nebulae." These things are hefty (think about getting a tripod to go with them), but they can also be used for birdwatching, wildlife spotting and looking for Bigfoot (you never know!).

$94.95, Amazon

Cliq portable camping chair

The foldable Cliq camping chair that can become as small as a water bottle — This chair can fold down to the size of a plastic bottle

Space is at a premium when packing for a camping trip, but that is not a concern when it comes to the Cliq camping chair. It weighs 3.9 pounds and folds to the size of a small plastic water bottle, so you can stuff it into any bag or tote. The chair "doesn't sacrifice comfort, either," Food & Wine said, and is "designed in such a way as to provide support right where you need it — up to 300 pounds, according to the manufacturer."

$109.99, Amazon

MPOWERD Luci solar string lights

MPOWERD Luci solar lights set up between two cars in a desolate camping site — A string of lights illuminates your camp

Give your campsite pizazz — and welcome visibility — with these rechargeable string lights. The 44-foot-long cord stretches a good distance across an encampment and can be detached from the power hub that doubles as a phone charger. The lights are water-resistant and shatterproof and emit a warm, cozy glow.

$60.50, Amazon

Therm-a-Rest Z seat cushion

Three people sit on their own Therm-a-Rest Z seats in a circle on the ground at a campsite — These insulated seat cushions provide comfort on most surfaces

What hard ground? This insulated camping seat is made of closed cell foam, so when you plop down on it, all you feel is comfort. Weighing only two ounces, this is a "game-changer," Outdoor Life said, folding "like an accordion" and opening to 13 x 16 inches. It is not going to weigh you down and can be placed on nearly any terrain or surface. Use it if you need a break on a hiking trail or are sitting down to eat at a picnic table.

$30, Amazon

Venty portable fan

During sweltering summer nights, this rechargeable, battery-operated fan helps you stay cool — and sleep better — in your tent. It can extend up to three feet and comes with a remote, so you can control the fan's speed and oscillation and turn the LED lights around the base on and off. Each charge lasts for 48 hours, making it convenient to beat the heat during the day, too, without having to worry about the fan running out of juice.

$79.99, Amazon

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.