Tents are for sleeping. The Cabana Shelter from Kelty is for socializing with friends, lounging with a book and seeking midday shade. With three generous mesh windows and a full-size door, the shelter provides a spacious hideaway from harsh sun or an unexpected sprinkle. One customer-reviewer even set it up as a place for her kids to play while at camp.  

“Shade anywhere!” says another customer-reviewer. “Have used this on the beach, at the park, in windy conditions, etc. and have not had any problems at all. Easy to set up and much needed for sun protection.” 

The shelter includes a front wall—a piece of fabric you can manually roll up or down—if you need to change clothes or catch a break from bugs. The mesh windows also have covers that can be rolled up for privacy. The entire shelter fits in an included duffel for easy transport and is light enough to schlep to a beach or park when you’re not camping. Included sandbags and stakes ensure it stays put even on blustery days. Buy here. 

Muddy gear? Stinky tentmate? Not with this portable shower from Geyser Systems. This easy-to-use setup can heat water for a shower in as little as 15 minutes. And unlike some other systems that depend on a foot pump or gravity for water flow, this one uses an electric pump to create a steady stream. All you have to do is connect a cord (included) to a car or external battery, add water to the system’s tank and switch on the pump. 

“This cleaning system is the best I have ever used in my 30 years of camping,” says one customer-reviewer.  

The shower heats itself when attached to your car’s 12V plug, but it’s also possible to use it without the built-in heater. For a hot shower, add three Nalgenes-worth of water (two cold and one boiled over a camp stove). Use the included sponge attachment to clean dishes, scrub gear or wash your body. Don’t worry about mixing up your sponges—you can purchase extras in different colors for each purpose. Buy here. 

Maybe you like to stay connected while camping. Or maybe you have medical equipment that requires an overnight charge. Whatever the reason, the RIVER 2 Pro Portable Power Station from EcoFlow is the answer to powering your electronics.  

The device charges quicker than many other portable batteries on the market (from 0 to 100% in about 70 minutes). How long it lasts depends on what and how many electronics you power (it has a capacity of 768 watt hours), but many customer-reviewers say it’s enough for multiday camping trips, road adventures and more.  

“The RIVER 2 Pro Power Station packs a lot of 'juice' in such a small box. It looks great and feels solid with very good quality,” says one customer-reviewer, who used the RIVER 2 to power a portable CPAP machine on an eight-day rafting trip in Utah.  

You can juice up to 11 devices at a time thanks to the battery’s multiple ports and outlets, and there are numerous ways to charge it: Plug it into a wall at home before leaving using a plug or USB-C cable, into your car using a charging cable, or at your campsite using EcoFlow solar panels (sold separately). Keep it charged at home to provide peace of mind in the chance of an unexpected outage. Buy here. 

Cramped quarters are a thing of the past with the Base Camp 4 from REI Co-op. This four-person shelter maximizes space with a deep awning that's compatible with a generous vehicle attachment (like a large vestibule; sold separately). The attachment is spacious enough for four campers to pull up a chair and gather ’round a table for a game of cards or post-hike bevvy. All that, and it packs down to about the size of six Nalgene water bottles.  

Because car camping lends itself to more gear than, say, backpacking, customers appreciate the tent’s organizational features, which include interior and roof pockets as well as hang loops. Additionally, four roof vents encourage airflow (a must when housing several stinky campers) and offer primo stargazing if you ditch the fly. Two wide-mouth doors on either side allow access without crawling over campmates and, if you’ve maxed the capacity, can make the tent feel a little less claustrophobic.  

One caveat: Larger campers may feel squished. Peak height is a little less than 5 feet, 3 inches. Buy here. 

When your vehicle does the heavy lifting, you can choose the extra-plush (read: heavier) sleeping pad for your outdoor overnights. A crowd favorite: the MegaMat Sleeping Pad from Exped. “Comfort to the extreme,” says one customer-reviewer. “This is a quality sleeping pad with high-end cushioning, stability and duration.”  

This self-inflating pad features 4 inches of open-cell polyurethane foam that provides enough cushion to keep your backside from touching the ground. “My sleeping bag was not sliding off, it was thick enough to be off the ground and I only felt like I dipped low enough to feel the ground one time when I was kneeling on it,” says another customer-reviewer. 

The pad is durable to boot, thanks to a laminated top and bottom for water resistance and a 75-denier polyester bottom layer that easily shrugs off dirt and other debris should you decide to cowboy camp. Of course, all that armor and cushion comes with a size penalty; the MegaMat packs down to the dimensions of a bag of dog kibble (about 3 feet by 10 inches). 

Still, at less than 5 pounds (Medium Wide) or 6 pounds (Long X-Wide), the MegaMat is light for its size—perfect for campers who plan to schlep it onto a raft, lift it overhead into a roof-top tent or haul it in and out of the car on long road trips. Credit its horizontal air chambers for shaving the ounces without affecting comfort. Buy here. 

Three-season warmth and spacious geometry make the Siesta Hooded 20 Sleeping Bag from REI Co-op a cozy pick for car campers.  

Fair-weather adventurers will appreciate thoughtful features like a hood that can be used to cradle a full-size pillow and an interior pocket to stow a phone or headlamp. Those who camp in chillier weather (or who run cold) will value the bag’s stay-warm attributes: a recycled synthetic fill that keeps campers toasty down to about 20°F and an offset quilt construction to help prevent air gaps that create cold spots.  

You can zip two of these bags together to form one larger one—great for kiddos or tentmates who enjoy snuggling. It also comes in four sizes (medium, medium wide, long and long-wide) to fit more campers. And at less than $150, the Siesta leaves room in the budget for those nice-to-have items on your gear list. Buy here. 

If you’re the camp chef of your group, you’ll appreciate servingware that’s as functional as it is sleek. This kit from Primus is a visible and practical upgrade to paper bowls and plastic dishes. The four included plates have a bowl-like dip, so you can serve up everything from tacos and burgers to stews and soups. The large serving bowl is big enough for a shareable entrée or salad.  

Importantly, each item is made of food-grade stainless steel, so you don’t have to worry about it retaining food flavors (or worse, giving your camp cuisine a funky taste). The bowl and dishes nest together for easy storage, and a silicon lid for the bowl makes transporting leftovers easy (just make sure to bring a cooler). 

The set can work well for myriad other adventures too, like road trips, van life and picnics. Buy here.

Meet the best camp gadget you never knew you needed. When paired with the Dometic GO Hydration Water Jug (sold separately), this water faucet morphs into an easy-to-use dream for washing your hands, getting a glass of water or filling a pot to boil on the camp stove. Simply attach the faucet to the top of a water jug or table with the included magnetic pucks and let the rechargeable faucet do the rest. With a full battery charge, the faucet should dispense about 150 liters of running water, which is more than enough for a weekend trip. And if you camp with kids who like to play outside after dark, get this: It comes with an integrated LED light that provides a little guidance in those evening hours. Buy here.

Remember that Primus servingware set? You need to put it somewhere, and this REI Co-op Camp Roll Table is our top pick. It's a simple, effective design, with aluminum legs and a heat-resistant aluminum top that are durable yet lightweight, so the table is both portable and hardy enough for camp life.

"Great for cooking with a tabletop grill or stove," says one customer-reviewer. "We use it camping and on our balcony."

Thanks to the included stuff sack, it's easy to carry around and set up, then stores tidily in a car trunk. While it's little and light, it's still mighty: The Roll Top has a maximum weight capacity of about 100 pounds, which is more than enough for a family feast or a rousing game of cards. Buy here.

Coleman is known for its durable, time-tested outdoor camping stoves, and the Cascade 222 is a sleek update on a classic. This Coleman cooker features two independently adjustable burners that can each deliver up to 11,000 British thermal units (Btu) of heating power. That's enough to seamlessly sear a salmon filet or whip up a campsite stir-fry at a moment's notice. Plus, you don't have to worry about the wind blowing out your burners—the stove’s built-in shields on both sides help protect flames from gusts. 

"This is a wonderful camping accessory, and you can also use it at home while grilling out,” says one customer-reviewer. 

The Cascade 222 has a sturdy aluminized steel cooktop that can support medium-size pots and pans, plus a latching lid that keeps everything secure when it's not in use.  This unit can run on propane cylinders (sold separately) or attach to a 5- to 20-pound propane tank with Coleman's High-Pressure 5-foot Propane Gas Hose (not sold at REI). 

To set up the stove, simply attach the fuel cylinder, turn the knob and use the automatic ignition like you would for a gas range at home (no lighter needed). It's not the most fuel-efficient stove on the market, but it's a fan favorite that'll get the job done. Buy here. 

The travel-friendly Roadie cooler series from YETI is a longtime favorite, and the 32-quart model is a just-right capacity: It’s big enough for weekend adventures but still feels manageable for day trips when you don’t need to lug everything but the kitchen sink. Like others in the Roadie lineup, this version comes with a periscoping handle that easily slides out so you can wheel it through your campsite or down to the lakeshore with ease. “Love everything about this cooler,” says one customer-reviewer. “Easy to maneuver, keeps ice for well over a day. Fits more than enough items for my family.” (Note: How long ice stays frozen in the cooler varies based on individual conditions, including weather and type of ice. Learn more with our How to Pack Your Cooler guide.) 

Inside, you’ll find one dry goods basket and enough vertical space for a 2-liter soda or even a wine bottle. While other YETI coolers are rotomolded, the Roadie series uses less-durable but lighter injection molding and packs a respectable 3 inches of insulation. End result: a still-burly and versatile wheeled cooler that will get you where you (and a group of well-hydrated friends) need to go. Need more room? The Roadie also comes in 48- and 60-liter capacities. Buy here. 

Finding room for your favorite gear is rarely a problem when car camping—but organizing it can be. Enter the Trailgate Gear Bin from REI Co-op. This spacious, collapsible polyester tub comes in three capacities—60 liters, 100 liters and 140 liters—and is as useful for toting kitchen items to the campground as it is for stowing outdoor tools and equipment during the off-season.   

“I bought this to help me organize the back of my SUV, and it's exactly what I wanted,” says one customer-reviewer. “It fits everything, keeps it neat and tidy and collapses down when not fully stuffed. I love it." 

Ten handles (two on each of the four sides and two on the lid) make it easy to share the task of carrying awkward, heavy loads to camp. The sturdy fabric has a nonfluorinated durable water repellent (DWR) finish to keep your gear dry during unexpected showers.   

If you're looking for extra organization, note that this bin doesn’t have internal stash pockets, but you can nest several gear cubes inside (not included). Buy here. 

Packing full-size bottles of face wash, supplements and sunscreen can take up unnecessary space at camp. This set from Cadence, which includes one large flex capsule (you can make it smaller or larger depending on your needs) and one medium capsule, keeps things a little more streamlined. The BPA-free medium pod can hold up to 14 uses of cleanser or 12 fish oil–size pills—more than you need for most car-camping trips but in a package far smaller than many supplement or cleanser bottles (the medium is about the size of a lime). The large capsule comprises an extender that you can screw in between the cap and body of the medium-size capsule.

The capsules in this set come in four opaque colors with leakproof lids. “I’ve owned one of the medium Cadence capsules for years and use it to store my supplements on car-camping trips and cross-country travels,” says REI Co-op Camp and Backpack editor Sarah Grothjan. “I keep it on my nightstand when I’m at home and toss it in my pack for camping trips.” 

Our one gripe: For how small the capsules are, they feel heavy in hand (about 5.1 ounces). If you want storage for both car camping and backcountry overnights, consider something lighter, like the GoTubb Medium Containers from humangear. Buy here. 

It's not cool to leave trash at the campsite, so make packing out easy on yourself with a reusable trash container. Just like a regular trash can, you can line this 10-liter sack with a plastic bag to throw out when you're back in civilization. The Trash Dry Sack is fully waterproof and comes with a roll-top enclosure, so nothing gross leaks out. And it's versatile. Thanks to various webbing straps attached to the sack, campers can use a rope and hang it from a tree to keep critters away or secure it to a backpack while on the trail. Buy here.

It’s easy to misplace items at camp, especially after dark. Keep your essentials handy with the Gear Line Organization System from Nite Ize. Just string the 4-foot flat cord between two sturdy points (like trees or the back of a vehicle) or dangle it vertically from a single point. Then use the dual carabiners (six are included) to lash your gear to the line’s wide loops. Hang items like a water bottle, headlamp and hoodie or use the system as a clothesline to dry a soaked rain fly or jacket. At less than 5 ounces, it’s light and compact enough to take backpacking too.  

When you’re not using the system at camp, string it up in your garage at home. The gear line can double as a holder for tools, bike helmets and other important items you want within reach. Buy here.