There is a misconception, especially amongst camping naysayers, that outdoor living means you have to be some kind of survival expert.
It’s assumed that somewhere inside lives a dormant Ray Mears or Bear Grylls alter-ego to go toe to toe with Mother Nature. As someone who appreciates her creature comforts yet can camp with the best of them I'm here to tell you that need not be the case.
You may need to know some basics, like how to stack a fire to ensure long-lasting flames (triangles are your friend) or set up a tent so that it doesn't sag in the morning when you're half asleep (tautness is key). Or do you?
This is the 21st century after all, an age when you can summon everything from a takeaway to a taxi from that tiny device in your pocket. So can camping gear keep up?
Sure it can! If you've got the cash to splash, there are endless gadgets and gizmos to make camping a genuine joy.
From enjoying a reviving brew made on a high-tech fire (that can also charge up your devices) to sleeping on a bed-like mattress after a night of stargazing, throwing money at this particular situation can reap serious rewards.
If you’re fed up with living like a caveman or woman in the name of camping, we’ve rounded up a list of the nattiest gadgets to take on the road with you. There’s something for every kind of camper, whether you’re summer-festivals-only or an all-weather type.
Scroll on the discover the best hi-tech camping kit.
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Quechua 4 Person Blackout Air Tent – Air Seconds 4.1 XL Fresh&Black
Ideal if you want to pitch in a flash and get on with your holiday, this inflatable tent feels really spacious inside thanks to a generous 70cm width allowance per person in the bedroom. The entire structure is inflated in one go and the bedroom is pre-assembled for minimum hassle, though be warned there is only one so this tent may be better suited to families with younger children or those who don’t mind sharing personal space.
There are all sorts of other considered features to make your camping trip as comfy as possible including a heat-reducing, sun protection fabric to stop you from roasting inside the tent, a 2000mm HH rating and patented Fresh & Black technology to reflect the sun’s rays and guarantee 99 per cent darkness in the bedroom. Our only gripe is that a hand pump isn’t included – not something you’d want to discover the first time you unroll the tent on a campsite – so make sure you buy before you go.
Buy now £299.99, Decathlon
Coleman Cortes Octagon 8 Tent
If you fancy giving glamping a go – and don’t mind sharing snoozing space with the kids – this tent is a treat. One large octagon-shaped room, there are acres of head height and you can lay out beds however you fancy, sleeping up to eight. If there are only four of you, there’s plenty of space to indulge in some additional glamping décor and pile in the obligatory fluffy throws, cushions and fairy lights. Younger kids especially will love all sharing a room together.
At 20kg, it’s on the heavy side but comes in an ingenious wheeled bag so you won’t need an extra trolley to lug it where it needs to be. It has a breathable inner tent for pitching first if you’re guaranteed a dry night, or add the waterproof 2000mm HH flysheet over the top if there’s a chance of rain.
It also has taped seams, four steel poles and clear PVC windows which let in a surprising amount of light. We especially liked the hinged doorway entrance so you won’t need to crawl inelegantly inside at the end of the night. The price gets a big thumbs up too.
Also available at Outdoor World Direct
Buy now £165.00, Millets
BLUETTI AC200MAX Expandable Power Station
Wattage: 2200W
Fuel type: electric
Weight: 28.1kg
You can tell the rest of your camping party to leave their portable chargers at home when you’ve got this bad boy in the car boot. The modular, expandable power station from Bluetti has enough capacity to power everything from an electric grill for an hour to a fridge for up to 18 hours. There are also two 15W wireless charging pads on the body to charge devices that support wireless charging, alongside plenty of other AC and USB ports to revive all manner of gadgets that are on their last legs.
Recharging takes a few hours depending on the type: you can use solar charging, AC charging from a mains power socket and dual charging. There are smaller BLUETTI devices to shop, but as this is a list of the best, we’ve gone for the top end of the scale.
Buy now £1249.00, BLUETTI
BioLite Firepit
No smoke without fire? Not in this case. Eco-conscious brand BioLite has a barbecue that doesn’t release smoke. Instead, it uses a patented airflow system that injects the fire with oxygen from no less than 51 jets. It’s portable, and a single charge will last you over 20 hours - so it’s perfect for taking along on camping trips.
Buy now £285.00, Blacks
BioLite Campstove Wood Burning Electricity Generating & USB Charging Camp Stove
Simply calling this BioLite kit a ‘stove’ feels like a gross underestimation - in truth, it can do so much more. It burns wood, wood scraps and pellets without generating any smoke, so no more shuffling around trying to avoid the plumes. Burning also generates electricity, which you can use to power your devices via the USB port.
There’s a medley of accessories too, including a portable grill (with space for four burgers) which comes with a rubber lid for clean and easy transportation, a KettlePot which can boil a litre of water in less than five minutes and in which the stove can neatly fit (saving packing space) and CoffeePress attachments so you won’t have to go without your morning brew.
Midnight feasts are covered too - there’s a FlexLight with ChromaReal LED technology included to illuminate the cooktop, letting you cook even when night falls.
Grill, boil, cook and charge all in one. You’ll wonder how you ever camped without it.
Buy now £256.09, Amazon
everdure by heston blumenthal CUBE Portable Charcoal BBQ, Graphite
Elevate impromptu cookouts to luxe chef standards thanks to this portable little grill made in collaboration with food wizard Heston Blumenthal.
The CUBE may be small (at table-top size) but it sure is mighty, allowing you to cook, clean and store with the firebox easily. It uses charcoal to cook your grub, leaving that delicious chargrilled flavour on whatever’s on the menu.
A great little investment for yourself, or a gift for the BBQ lover in your life.
Buy now £149.00, John Lewis
YETI Roadie 24 Cooler
If you could grade coolers on a scale of celebrity hard men, this Yeti design would surely be Ray Mears-standard; able to hold its own against harsh environments and the most blazing of summer days.
The robust tank offers a host of features designed to keep foodstuffs cool. Not only that, but it’s 10 per cent lighter than its predecessor and can fit easily in car footwells, allowing you to pack properly for a camping trip away. Bottles of wine can be stored upright thanks to the taller dimensions too.
It’s heavy duty so not one for short park stays - but it will perform brilliantly on long trips or if you’re catering for a large crowd. Add a seat cushion for a makeshift chair when you need one. Plenty of colours are available.
Buy now £195.00, Amazon
HI-GEAR 28-Litre 12V 240V Electric Cooler
If you’re unwilling to put your faith in insulation and cold packs alone, meet this electric cooler which can be powered with 240V mains and 12V in-car plug cables. It’s the perfect thing to take on long car trips or caravan holidays, with a 28-litre capacity and a power control dial that lets you flip between hot and cold functions.
Buy now £70.00, Amazon
Outsunny Cunninghamia Board Folding Camping Picnic Table Set
Forget eating off your knees all weekend; grand outdoor feasts require a proper table to set the scene.
With enough room for six diners to get around, this folding wood-style camping table is a must-have for laidback camping trips with friends and family. Not only is it a compact design once folded, but it comes with a carry handle for easy transportation and four swivel-out stools that pack up inside too.
Granted, it’s not the most polished thing to look at so throw on a nice tablecloth and add a cordless lamp, and you’re in business.
Buy now £56.99, Amazon
Yawn Double Air Bed
It will take just five minutes to get this spectacular air bed up and running, and while it’s rather heavy, your hard work heaving it in and out of the cupboard will be rewarded when it’s time for bed.
It looks and feels like a proper bed standing 45cm high, and comes complete with a headboard to stop your pillows from tumbling off. Carrying a maximum load of 200kg, the built-in motor inflates and deflates quickly while the flocked top means guests won’t slip and slide across the top. An impressive design for the price.
Buy now £79.99, Amazon
Vanilla Leisure Vesuvius Folding Outdoor Heated Camping Chair
Prepare to turn the rest of your camping party green with envy with a camping chair that heats up. It’s just the thing you want in case the weather takes a cold or wet turn.
Bringing tech to tent life, this clever folding chair comes with a heated seat and backrest which warms when you plug in your portable power bank. There are three levels of toastiness to sink into with padding to make things feel even more luxurious. And there’s an insulated cup holder to keep your drinks at just the right temperature for longer. The dreamiest a camping chair can get.
Weighs 5.1kg and comes with its own carry bag.
Buy now £109.99, Mountain Warehouse
Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
Campfires are great but the smoke that comes with it? Not so much. Get hi-tech with your flames with Solo Stove's Bonfire 2.0 gadget. The firepit, which comes in pretty metallic hues, offers a high level of heat without smoke thanks to Signature 360° Airflow technology, which super-heats air to burn off smoke before it finds its way into your hair and clothes.
The portable device sits on a stand to protect the ground underneath and can be used at home and away on camping pitches, allowing you to bask in its warm glow wherever you go.
Buy now £264.99, Solo Stove
Aeropress Go Portable Travel Coffee
Need a cuppa to feel civilised in the morning? We hear you. Leave your fancy cafetiéres at home and pack AeroPress's travel coffee press instead. The device creates the perfect brew with minimal mess and time with enough to make up to three cups in one go. All accessories - scoop, stirrer, 350 microfilter papers, filter - fit neatly inside for seamless packing.
Buy now £40.00, Amazon
Luminoodle LED Rope Lights
Ropes are part and parcel of any camping experience, but this gadget stops them from becoming a trip hazard at dusk. The piece is fitted with LED lights inside, giving off a decent 180 lumens of light that can be strewn around nearby trees for overhead lighting or on the tent to help you find your way around the camp. A USB battery pack powers it and can be coiled together in the carry bag to create a camping lantern. The rope light is available in 5ft and 10ft lengths with a battery option included.
Buy now £17.99, Amazon
LED Gloves with Lights
The great outdoors may be beautiful, but it sure can be dark. Forget faffing around one-handed with a torch and upgrade to these clever one-size gloves instead. Fitted with LED lights, they allow you to grapple with the contents of your tent freely.
Unlike a headtorch, they won’t blind fellow campers whenever you look at them. Once the long-lasting lights start fading, the batteries can be easily replaced by loosening the case with a screwdriver.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon
Amacool Portable Camping Fan with LED Lantern
Outdoor living is usually a mix of freezing at night and feeling swelteringly hot the second the sun rises.
Luckily you can laugh in the face of heatwaves with this small portable USB fan from Amacool. It may look small but it's got real power behind it with three speed levels to choose from. It can be suspended from the tent ceiling with the integrated hook or set up on its stand to keep air circulating.
The bonus? It comes with an LED light. Just take our money.
Buy now £19.99, Amazon
Outsunny Camping Portable Handwash Sink
No washing facilities at your camp? No problem. Keep hands clean from anything Mother Nature throws at them with Outsunny's portable sink. Simply fill the 17L tank and use the foot pump to generate a stream of water to wash hands and plates. Waste water exits through a hose stretching 150cm so you can divert water away and avoid creating a boggy patch at your feet. The tank is set on rolling wheels for easy manoeuvrability and it even comes with a hand sanitizer dispenser and a small towel rack for added convenience.
Buy now £48.44, Amazon
POEPORE Reclining Camping Chair
Kick back and relax in this next-level camping chair, which can recline through four positions for the ultimate in armchair camping. Both the footrest and pillow are detachable and it comes with two cup holders to keep crucial refreshment close. The padding is an additional bonus and can be used as a makeshift blanket to snooze under if needed.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon
