What Camping Furniture Will You Add to Your Collection This Year?
It can take years and numerous trips to build just the right collection of camping gear. So where should you start, and what are the key pieces of gear you need now?
What Camping Furniture Should You Have?
If you're starting out, you need to cover the basics; sleeping, sitting, and eating. What you choose will depend on what kind of camping you plan to do most. Will you visit designated campgrounds and arrive by car, or hike for kilometers into the backcountry, with only what you can carry?
Sleep Easy
Start by selecting something for a comfy night's sleep. An air mattress or a cot is a good choice if you're car camping, but can be wildly impractical if you're a backpacker heading for the backcountry.
Evaluate where you'll be most likely to camp, and whether you'll be on foot or on wheels. If you are carrying everything, a compact sleeping pad is a better choice, and it will also work fine if you do have a vehicle. You can also get compact air-filled loungers which double as a soft place to lay your head, or to sit in the sun.
Sit Pretty
How will you take a load off at the end of the day? Large folding camping chairs can be quite comfortable after a long day of hiking, fishing or being outdoors. Smaller stool-style chairs that fold down to the size of a small folding umbrella are also an option if you need to save space and weight.
Camping chairs come in different sizes, from kid size to adult and even ultra big and comfy. Some have more padding, while others are designed to be compact and super portable. Most camp chairs are made of durable nylon fabric which is waterproof, and resists tearing. It’s common for the legs to be made of aluminum, which provides strong support with lightweight construction.
Campfire Cooking
Making tasty meals beside a roaring fire is your other camping priority. You can splash out on a full kitchen set up including a camp stove, dishware, pots and pans and even folding aluminum tables.
Compact stoves that use ‘found’ fuel like twigs and leaves are another option, and there's multipurpose collapsible silicone dishware available too.
Extra Backyard, On-Field Seating
Folding camp chairs, stools and tables are also handy even if you're not heading out to the woods.
Whether you like backyard barbecues, big family gatherings, picnics, or you need a place to sit for your child's outdoor game, having extra seats is convenient and lets you relax in comfort whether you’re keeping score for the team or cheering on the little ones.