The best camping tech can make your next trip much more fun. Getting out into the great outdoors, connecting with nature, and spending some time away from the polluted chaos of everyday urban life is strongly recommended. As well as investing in a great cooler and ensuring you have a handy Thermos, these are the essential gadgets we recommend. Thanks to these items, you don't have to miss out on any home comforts. Here's our shopping list of tech that can help you enjoy a hot coffee, a cold brew, and stay connected while you're away.
Light up
Take this clever gadget with you, and you'll have a guaranteed light source no matter what. Waterproof to an IP67 rating, this is a 300-lumen flashlight and a floodlight. It charges up before you go via USB, then when you're away, you can top up the juice levels via the solar panel or by using the built-in hand crank. As well as providing illumination, this can also charge phones and tablets via USB.
Brew up
Just because you're camping doesn't mean you have to go without decent coffee. Wacaco's Minipresso GR needs no electricity or batteries to rustle you up an outdoor cup of Joe. As long as you can provide the boiling water, this gadget's pump-action will brew you up to 50ml of authentic espresso. It's portable and lightweight at under 7 inches and weighing less than a pound.
Cover up
You want to be able to stay connected in case of emergencies while you're in the great outdoors, but really expensive iPhone or Android device doesn't really mix with rain, mud, dirt, and other camping trip hazards. It's well worth investing a very modest amount in a waterproof cover for your phone. This twin-pack from Smartlle gives you two cases certified to IPX8 rating to shield your phone.
Fire up
Old-fashioned matches are useless if they get wet, and lighters can be smelly and messy. This Ronxs arc lighter is a much smarter solution. Once fully powered up by USB, it will provide you with over 500 uses, so it should cover you for a fair few cooking or campfire sessions. Also, it's splash- and wind-proof, meaning you can still use it even if the weather isn't ideal.
Listen up
A super useful bit of tech, this Running Snail radio has an ordinary AM/FM tuner for everyday use but is also NOAA Weather Radio-enabled, just in case. It has a built-in flashlight and the ability to charge phones and other gadgetry via USB. This has three ways of getting juiced — via USB, solar charging thanks to the panel on top, or by using the hand crank.
Drink up
There are some home comforts you can't replicate when you're camping, but a cold beverage and chilled food doesn't need to be one of them, thanks to this product from Igloo. With heavy-duty blow-molded construction, extra-thick foam walls, rubberized T-latches that make for a secure lid closure, and lock in the cold, this cooler can keep ice solid for up to four days.
Tents 'n' tech
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We've got some great products for your next camping trip. A decent torch is a camping essential if you want to stay lit, then the Goal Zero torch 500 flashlight is a fabulous option, especially as it can be used as a lantern, a flashlight, and can even charge your phone.
If you can't face the day without a java jolt, consider investing in Wacaco Minipresso GR. It's the perfect coffee maker for camping as it can rustle you up a shot of espresso without requiring any electricity or batteries, thanks to its pump-action design.
Finally, a clever gizmo that can entertain you as well as illuminate you is the RunningSnail MD-088s radio. As well as providing you with NOAA Weather reports, it has a useful built-in flashlight, and if its power runs low, it can be charged by a hand crank.
