Cool Camping Gear – The Tech Camping Accessories You Need!

In need of a weekend away? Over 40 million people choose camping in the US in 2017 – and that’s some incredible scenery. From Yosemite National Park to the Grand Canyon and all the amazing places in between, you need to make sure you’ve got cool camping gear and great camping accessories to keep you safe and happy! This isn’t just about tents, though as you’ll see below, these are incredibly important. In the modern world you need your electronics and you need them fully powered. So your list of camping essentials is going to change slightly.

Quick note, this might involve a car battery charger… check out our full list below!

Which Camping Accessories Do You Need?

Before we get to the tech, let’s go over the regular equipment you need that’s important.

If you’re vacationing in a national park or somewhere similar, you need to make sure you’re safe. You’re going to have the elements against you and you need to stay protected, so warm clothing for night-time is important. Deciding on the right kind of tent is key – learn more about that here. Make sure you have the right size!

You also need to make sure that you have an adequate supply of food and water; hugely important camping essentials. Keeping healthy and hydrated is key, especially if you’re off on a rugged trail somewhere!

Use this checklist to make sure you have the basics:

• Tent: It should be water proof, big enough for yourself and your equipment, and you should be able to easily put it up and down!
• Sleeping Bag: Arguably one of the most important, and potentially overlooked, camping essentials is a sleeping bag. You’ll need one that is lightweight but warm and comfortable.
• Supplies: This covers things like food and water, and anything else you feel is key to you staying fit, healthy and hydrated on your trip.
• Water Filters: For the more intrepid out there, water filters will be an important means of enjoying the weekend whilst getting close to nature.
• First Aid Kit: With everything from band aids to antiseptic wipes, this will be a vital part of any weekend away. You don’t want to be held back by a blister, as much as you don’t want a small cut to get infected!
• Navigational Tools: Make sure you know where you’re going. If you’re a map and compass person, don’t forget the latest version of these. If you rely more on Google Maps or Apple Maps, keep reading…
• Appropriate Clothing: For keeping warm and safe in the cold and to stop yourself overheating in the day.
• Flashlight: Necessary for the evenings!

This isn’t a full extensive list – but it should help! If you’re looking for the really cool camping gear, carry on reading…

Why Tech Is THE New Camping Essential

With the exception of the flashlight, these camping accessories have one thing in common: they don’t need electricity to work. That’s all well and good – especially if you want to escape the modern world for a weekend. But what about making your life easier? There’s definitely tech that can help with this.

It doesn’t have to be super high tech either. It’s about finding the balance between being Bear Grylls and going for full glamping luxury. The best cool camping gear will help you out without weighing you down and keep you on the move, making your trip more enjoyable without being the focus of the journey.

Bringing electronic camping accessories with you can genuinely help, particularly if you like exploring off the beaten track. Having chargers that can help keep your devices at full power could be vital to finding your way back to your car; having a charger that will help your car get back on its feet if you’ve been camping for a few days is also going to stop you getting stranded.

Plus, having a built in flashlight to your electronics cuts down on the amount of camping accessories you have to bring on your trip.

Now the Good Part – Cool Camping Gear!

One: Power Station

If you’re taking a long ride out to reach your camping spot, and if you’re driving an older car that tends to lose battery if left alone for a few days, the perfect tech is out there. Taking a car charger with you can be cumbersome and feel pointless; it helps do only one job. So why not take something that’s multipurpose, like a power station?

Power stations are cool camping gear because of their lightweight versatility. Our favourite is RAVPower’s 14000mah Power Station, which has three charging options: as a car charger, wall charger, or power bank. With the included DC5V/2.1A AC charger, it can be fully recharged within 5.5 hours to charge an iPhone 7 up to 5 times and a Galaxy S7 3 times. This means you’re going to be able to charge your phone over the weekend and give your car a boost, as it will kick start all gasoline and diesel engines (up to 7L with a 12V battery) up to 20 times with only one charge.

Not bad for a weekend away. Get yours here!

Two: Solar Panel Charger

This might seem like an Elon Musk moment – but we’re not saying to cover your tent in solar panels like an island in the Americas. One of the best camping essentials to take with you is a solar panel charger. Whilst they might sound fragile and cumbersome, they’re anything but. Rugged, foldable and lightweight, solar panel chargers provide a non-polluting, inexhaustible energy source. You can feel great knowing you’re charging your device whilst you protect the natural world.

When you hang a solar panel on your tent or back pack, highly efficient solar cells convert solar power into free energy. You can use this to charge your phone, GPS system and any other devices you might take no matter how long your away – as long as you’re not out in a thunderstorm. The charging might be slower than you’re used to, especially if you use PD charging, but you’re probably not going to need your phone at all times! You can go all out with a powerful 120W, 18V Solar Panel, or you can stick to a budget with the excellent 24W Solar Panel.

Three: Solar Power Bank

Not prepared to carry a full solar panel with you? Easy – swap it out for a solar panel power bank. These handy devices can be charged at an outlet or by leaving them in the sunshine, meaning you’ve got a power source as an emergency back up solution for as long as you’re away. Whilst it definitely won’t jump start your car, solar power banks will keep your phone or GPS and other USB devices charged for days on end.

Our recommendation for wilderness thrill seekers is to get a powerbank with at least 20000mAh, to ensure you get a good few charges from one pack. Thats why we recommend RAVPower’s 25000mAh Outdoor Portable Charger with solar panel. It can power up to three smartphones or tablets at once with iSmart, quick charge 5V/6.4a. It also has a built-in flashlight so you don’t have to drain the battery on your flashlight or use your phone to check something in the night. Perfect!

Plus, it’s built for the outdoors, so it’s pretty rugged. Click here to check it out!

Conclusion

If you’re looking for cool camping gear, we have you covered. We really recommend getting some hardy solar power equipment to keep you powered even when it’s cloudy; a solar panel charger is great for this, but you can also use a solar power bank. For total peace of mind we also recommend a power station that can jump start your car. Getting any of these gadgets can help improve your trip immensely!

Check out RAVPower’s full range of charging tech here!