I love gadgets.
Having tools around that just make life easier or more fun is an amazing thing.
So it would only make sense that I would also be into camping gadgets.
Being able to combine tools to lighten the load, bring fun things that are also super useful, use tools that have improved upon the originals; all are awesome.
I wanted to compile a list of all the best camping gadgets I found, and split them up into separate categories to help you find them faster.
Whether you’re searching for a gift for a loved one or want to try out something cool for your next trip, this list has something for you!
Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these.
Car Camping Gadgets
Car camping, in my opinion, is an amazing way to get started camping.
It allows you to pack some extra items that you wouldn’t normally pack on a backpacking trip.
You aren’t stuck with trying to fit everything in just one pack, so you can afford to bring additional gear on your trip.
That includes car camping gadgets!
Power inverter with USB ports
Let’s start with the practical gadgets.
If you’re car camping, you’ll likely be bringing along some extra items that require charging or need to be plugged in.
That could include your phone, bluetooth speakers, portable chargers, and more.
Having a power inverter is a great way to keep everything charged or to be able to have a few outlets for things that need to be plugged in.
And this Foval car power inverter comes with both 2 110V outlets as well as 4 USB ports for charging multiple devices at once.
2-in-1 portable charger & electric hand warmer
When you’re camping in the winter, things can get freezing cold.
And you don’t have your house with a heater to run into, so you’ll need to find ways to stay warm.
A great gadget to carry with you for this purpose is Karacel’s 2-in-1 portable charger with electric hand warmer.
It is a 5200mAh portable charger with a function that allows you to turn it into a double-sided hand warmer.
The best part?
It’s rechargeable!
That means no buying boxes of single use hand warmers, and having it attached to a portable charger means you can cross 2 things off your list in one!
The double-sided hand warmer is great for holding between both of your hands, or you can purchase one for each hand and have an extra portable charger included.
Night vision monocular for nighttime fun
Keeping lights at your campsite is a necessity to be able to illuminate everything.
But, what if you want to have some fun and see what roaming around in the dark?
If you want to spot the wildlife around you at night without a flashlight, check out Solomark’s night vision monocular.
Not only will you be able to see in the dark, but you can also take pictures and video.
See if you can spot some deer or other critters roaming around while you’re out in the wilderness!
Keep things cool or frozen with this car fridge/freezer
Want to bring along some food or drinks with you that need to stay cold?
Check out Ausranvik’s 26-quart portable fridge/freezer!
It has a range of -4F to 68F, so you can bring frozen items as well.
And the cool part about this model is that it has a battery monitor that will automatically shut off the compressor if your car battery gets too low.
That way it won’t leave you stranded just because you want to keep some drinks cool!
A jump starter just in case
With a lot of my recommendations for car camping gadgets requiring the DC outlet of your car, it seems only fitting to include a jump starter.
What’s cool about the DBPOWER 600A 18000mAh Portable Car Jump Starter is that it’s small enough to fit in your glovebox.
And it will also be able to jump your car just in case your battery gets drained while using all of the gadgets I mentioned above.
The jump starter will also charge your phone, laptop and other electronic devices if you need it too!
Camping Gadget Gifts
Do you have a family member or friend that loves camping?
Getting them a nice gift related to their hobbies is always a great idea.
That’s where these gadgets come in.
They are super cool to own yourself but will also make a great birthday or holiday gift.
Check them out!
Collapsible solar-powered lantern with power bank
Everyone needs some sort of light source to see while their out in the wilderness.
And this one is a pretty cool multi-tool style lantern.
Kyng’s Solar Rechargeable LED Collapsible Lantern will illuminate the darkness, charge itself with solar power (or USB), and contains an 800mAh portable charger.
While that’s not enough to fully charge a phone, it can be enough to get it charged back up in case of emergencies!
The lantern collapses for easy portability, and will charge itself if left out in the sun.
A lantern, flashlight, power bank combo
Keeping on the theme of lighting is the Wsky Rechargeable Camping Lantern + Flashlight + Power Bank combo.
As the title states, it works as both a lantern and a flashlight.
It also comes equipped with a 3600mAh power bank, perfect for charging your devices.
The included battery is rechargeable so you won’t need to bring any extra batteries.
The flashlight has 6 modes, including low and high beam, red light, and SOS modes just in case.
This is an overall awesome camping gadget to keep around!
Inflatable lounger
It’s a hammock.
No, it’s a sofa.
Nope, it’s an inflatable lounger.
Well, technically the WEKAPO Inflatable Lounger Air Sofa can be any one of the 3.
But this cool gadget inflates to provide you with a great place to relax and kick your feet up.
It’s super easy to inflate and doesn’t require any extra pumps or tools.
Just whisk it in the wind and watch your lounger blow up into a comfy seat.
When you’re done let the air out and roll it up, then slide it into your pack.
Easy as that!
Anyone who receives this as a gift is bound to love having it with them on their camping trip.
A bear-proof container
Do you want your friends to get eaten by bears?
Then this is the perfect gift for you (insert sarcastic laughing face here)!
The BearVault BV500 Bear Resistant Food Canister is used to store up to 7 days worth of food and seals up tight so bears can’t detect what’s inside.
Not having the scent of food around will help to keep them away while you or your friends are camping!
A super compact java drip
Do your potential gift receivers drink coffee on their trips?
If so, the GSI Outdoors Ultralight Java Drip is probably a perfect gift for them.
It’s super lightweight and compact, and will help deliver groundless coffee.
The way it’s designed prevents the grounds from seeping and will also keep coffee grounds out.
A perfect way to have camping coffee!
Family Camping Gadgets
Camping with the family can be an awesome experience.
And it’s also a great time to break out the camping gadgets!
Check out these gadgets that the whole family will love.
Portable mosquito repellant
Bug bites aren’t fun for anyone.
And you don’t want you or your kids getting bit up by bugs while trying to enjoy the great outdoors.
So having a way to repel bugs is a must.
That’s where the Thermacell MR300 Portable Mosquito Repeller shines.
Each pad will provide you with up to 12 hours of protection.
It also has a 15 foot zone of protection, so you should only need a couple for the entire family to stay bug-bite free!
Multi-panel LED lantern
Bringing kids or other people on your camping trip means multiplying your camping supplies.
That remains the case for light sources.
That’s why I recommend picking yourself up a Coleman Multi-Panel LED Lantern.
It has 4 removable panels that all act as their own lantern.
That means one light source can light up 4 people’s paths at once!
With a 20 hour battery life (~3 hours for the panels themselves) and a portable charger built in, this is an awesome light source to have for the family.
A family-sized tent
When bringing the family camping, you have two options for tents.
Either bring many smaller tents or one big tent.
And if you have young ones bringing multiple small tents isn’t an option.
You’ll want them to stay with you, and that means bringing a tent big enough for the whole family.
The number of people sleeping in your tent will vary, but getting one large enough to fit everyone is a must.
And if you don’t have to carry your tent very far, getting a larger capacity tent than you need can often add some much needed comfort space.
A few great options are the Coleman 8-Person Tent, the Ozark Trail 10-Person 3-Room XL Family Cabin Tent, and the Ozark Trail 12-Person 3-Room Instant Cabin Tent with Screen Room.
Each of these allow you to have 3 separate rooms, and the 12-person Ozark Trail tent comes with a built in screen room for additional living and relaxing space.
Depending on your needs you may need a different style tent.
These were just 3 I’d recommend for larger families!
Outdoor changing station + camp shower
Camping outdoors can lead to a lot of great times, but it can also lead to something else: B.O.
With everyone roaming around and working up a sweat, things are bound to get stinky.
That’s why it’s nice to have a shower at the ready to get everyone washed off and smelling good again.
The Texsport Instant Portable Outdoor Camping Shower doubles as a changing station and has everything you need to take a nice shower or get changed in private.
The only thing you’ll have to worry about is refilling the 5 gallon shower bag.
Gadgets Under $20
Sometimes you want to try some cool gadgets out but you’re on a budget.
I get it!
That’s why I created this section of the list: to cater to those looking for some cool camping gadgets under $20 to bring on their next trip.
Waterproof plasma lighter
Knowing how to get a fire lit is a super important skill to have.
And sometimes it can be difficult if you don’t have the right tools.
That’s where the lcfun Waterproof Plasma Lighter comes in.
This gadget is a waterproof and windproof lighter that will help you light a fire easily.
The crazy part?
It’s plasma, which means it’s flameless!
Hatchet/hammer multi-tool
I love multi-tools.
Some of them are pretty ridiculous, but it’s always fun to take them along and see what they can do.
For that, this hatchet/hammer multi-tool is perfect.
It’s got knives, saw blades, allen keys, and more all included in a handle with hatchet and hammer heads attached.
While it’s not super big and definitely shouldn’t replace a hatchet in your gear, it’s pretty interesting to use for smaller projects and uses!
LifeStraw
You’ve probably already heard of LifeStraw.
It’s a really effective portable water filter.
And I always recommend bringing along a way to filter water just in case you get away from camp and need it.
Bringing a LifeStraw Personal Water Filter will allow you to quench your thirst from pretty much any water source safely.
Gadgets Under $50
Some gadgets aren’t as inexpensive but are still worth mentioning, so I created the under $50 category.
This gadgets are a little more pricey but make it up for it by being more awesome.
Portable espresso machine
Having a morning cup of coffee is a ritual in many people’s lives.
Don’t let that ritual die just because you’re going camping!
The Wacaco Minipresso GR is a portable espresso machine that is manually operated and will make you a nice cup of coffee wherever you’re at!
Collapsible water bottle
Some camping trips will require a bit of planning for how you’ll fit everything in your pack.
Every little bit of space counts.
And that goes for your water bottles too!
That’s what cool about the Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle.
It’s 22 ounces, BPA free, and collapses down to fill just a tiny little space in your bag.
You can unroll it and fill it up when you need it and collapse it down when you’re done.
2-in-1 camping lantern bug zapper
When you’re in the wilderness you’re in the bug’s domain.
There’s no escaping inside your home.
They’ll follow you inside your tent if you aren’t careful.
You need a way to get rid of bugs to prevent getting bites all over you.
For that, check out the ENKEEO 2-in-1 Camping Lantern Bug Zapper.
It is exactly what its name suggests: both a camping lantern and a bug zapper!
It also comes with a hook to hang on your tent, and the zapper feature can last up to 15 hours.
Solar Camping Gadgets
You won’t always have electricity while camping.
And portable chargers can run out quickly if you’re trying to use it to charge all your gear.
That’s where solar power comes in.
These solar gadgets will recharge themselves and help keep your gear running.
Inflatable lanterns
Need a decent light that can fold up for easy transport on your pack when not in use?
Check out the LuminAID Solar Inflatable Lanterns.
They last for up to 12 hours, have 9 color modes for extra fun on the go, and are only 1” wide when collapsed.
A perfect addition to your solar collection!
A powerful solar charger
If you’re packing a ton of gear that requires recharging, having a dedicated power bank is necessary.
And having it recharge itself in the sun is a huge plus.
That’s where the Hiluckey Solar Charger 25000mAh Portable Solar Power Bank comes in.
It’s advertised to be able to charge your phone up to 10 times on one single charge (tablets up to 4 times).
It also straps to your pack so the 4 panels can charge while you hike!
A different kind of solar lantern
This lantern style is just plain cool.
The SUAOKI Collapsible Clover Style Camping Lantern is an 18 LED, solar powered lantern that folds up for easy transport.
When you’re ready to use it, you can fold it out like a clover for some unique lighting.
Each LED panel has a solar panel on the back so it charges while not in use.
A not-so-solar camping stove
I wasn’t sure where to put this one, but it’s an awesome gadget nonetheless.
Check out the BioLite Campstove 2.
It’s a woodburning stove that converts the heat generated from the fire into energy.
That energy is stored in the battery to help charge your devices.
So you can cook your food while generating battery charge!
Gadgets For Everyone
Hopefully this list of the coolest camping gadgets showed you some awesome new things to bring on your next trip.
I like bringing things that have multiple uses and can eliminate the need to bring along additional items.
And some of them I like to bring along just because they are awesome!
Did I leave out any gadgets that you love to bring on your trips?
Let me know in the comments below!