The Best Camping Accessories of 2022
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- 28 Jun 2022
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Once you’ve dialed in the big-ticket items—tent, sleep systems, stove—you can start to look at really customizing your setup with camping accessories. But with dozens and dozens of outdoor products available in every conceivable category from portable fire pits to rocking chairs to slippers, it can be hard to know where to start. The Outdoor Life gear team and contributors have been testing some of the biggest categories in camping over the last several months. Now, I’ve narrowed down a list of the best camping accessories from those tests that are available today:
Things to Consider Before Buying Camping Accessories
Some great camping accessories can cost hundreds of dollars, while others are relatively inexpensive. Before choosing what you want to spend this year’s budget on, consider what items in your gear closet are most in need of an upgrade. What is starting to wear out? What did you purchase a decade or more ago that would benefit from an upgrade? What most limits your ability to enjoy the outdoors?
Space
Beyond budget, one of the biggest constraints with camping accessories is space, so consider if the amount of space a camping blanket or solar panel takes up in your vehicle will help maximize your camping experience.
Longevity
Before you drop some of your hard-earned money on a fun new camping accessory, it’s important to know if it is a solid long-term investment. The Outdoor Life gear team looks carefully at the durability of the products we test to help you make you this decision.
Best Solar Panel: Anker 625 Solar Panel
Key Features
- USB max output: 15W (5V)
- XT-60 port: 100W (26.5V)
- Weight: 11 pounds
- Ports: USB-A, USB-C, and XT-60 (includes both XT-60 to XT-60 cord and XT-60 to DC7909 connector)
- Dimensions: 56.9 inches x 20.7 inches x 1.8 inches (unfolded); 20.7 inches x 18.5 inches x 3.4 inches (folded)
- Warranty: 18 months
Why It Made the Cut
The Anker 625’s ability to power devices in even heavily overcast conditions makes this a smart investment for car campers across the country.
Pros
- Strongest panel in my test, charged two devices simultaneously under very overcast skies
- Overpower protection
- Integrated sundial
Cons
- Expensive
- Less stable when set up than other panels in my test
Product Description
During the cloudiest part of my best solar panels for camping tests, when dark gray clouds obscured the sun and the other solar panels packed it in, the Anker 625 was still able to charge my phone 5 percent in only five minutes. Then it powered up a 32,000 mAh battery pack 5 percent in a half hour under similar conditions. When I plugged both the battery pack and the phone in at the same time, it kept charging. If there is any chance of less-than-ideal weather on your camping trip, then this is the solar panel solution you’ve been looking for.
The Anker 625 was also only one of two solar panels in my test to incorporate an integrated sundial, which allowed me to optimize the positioning of the panel. This is helpful when it’s tough to distinguish the angle of the sun. Less helpful were the kickstands. Despite the nearly five-foot width of the four panels, there were only two kickstands provided, one on each end. This meant that the unit had a tendency to sag in the middle, and it moved more in the light breeze that blew during testing than other setups with a higher kickstand to panel ratio. Read More...
