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To find the best outdoor gear, we assembled a list of products, taking a close look at the factors that would make each great for a camping trip or other outdoor adventure, including each product’s overall size, weight, and durability. If you’re heading out for a weekend in the woods, we’ll help you find the best products to take on your journey. You may need a sleeping pad for overnight camping or a dry bag to keep your gear safe. No matter the adventure that you have planned, we’ve got the best equipment to enhance your experience.
The best piece of outdoor gear is the Intex Excursion Pro Kayak; this professional series inflatable fishing kayak is great for time out on the lake. The kayak is built from a sturdy laminate PVC material and features a polyester core; it’s also lightweight and resistant to sunlight damage. Fit two on this watercraft, and don’t worry, as it includes a manual pump and two oars to get started. To learn more about the Intex Excursion Pro Kayak, and other great options from the best outdoor gear brands, keep reading.
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: This option from Intex makes it easy to get out on your favorite lake with adjustable seats for two people and a 400lb carrying capacity; it even includes two integrated fishing rod holders and mounting brackets for additional accessories.
Read Full Review: Intex Excursion Pro Kayak Review
Jump into this kayak and enjoy the great outdoors, paddling across your favorite lake. This option from Intex, the Excursion Pro Kayak, is built from durable laminate PVC and features a polyester core. With an inflatable body, it’s easy to transport and can carry up to two passengers, or up to 400-pounds. And, if you want to bring a pool for the kids to play in, check out our best kiddie pool.
The kayak includes two removable skews for deep and shallow water, two floor-mounted footrests for comfort, two integrated fishing rod holders, and two adjustable bucket seats. We do like that Intext included a pump in the box and a set of oars, but as the pump is manual, it will take a bit of effort to get your kayak ready. This Kayak from Intex is by far one of our favorite best outdoor gear 2020 options. If you want to use your new kayak for birdwatching, check out the best compact binoculars too.
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: Keep your gear dry with this option from MARCHWAY; it’s a durable waterproof backpack that will float in water. Fitting up to 40-liters, it’s the perfect option for kayaking, boating, camping, hiking, and mountain bikers.
Read Full Review: MARCHWAY Floating Waterproof Dry Bag Review
This dry bag option from MARCHWAY is the perfect choice for transporting your gear on your next outdoor adventure; its design is waterproof, allowing you to protect it from elements, and the bag will float if thrown into the water. The tear-resistant welding and durable buckle help to create a product that will last the rigors of the outdoors. If you need sturdy rope to help keep things tied down, you need to check out our vetted best rope products.
These MARCHWAY Floating Waterproof Dry Bags are available in a variety of sizes, depending on your needs, from 10-liters to 40-liters. This bag is a perfect companion for anyone kayaking, boating, camping, or hiking; the only downside is that, due to water pressure, it won’t keep your gear dry if submerged underwater for long periods. This bag will be perfect to tuck your best caribeaner into on your next rock-climbing trip.
Award: BEST OVERNIGHT GEAR
WHY WE LIKE IT: Great for overnight camping trips, this product from ECOTEK is easy to inflate and deflate with a rapid one-way valve. The design features air-spring cells that contour to your body, providing a comfortable sleeping experience.
Read Full Review: ECOTEK Hybern8 Inflatable Sleeping Pad Review
If you’re having fun in the good old fashioned outdoors, you might want to stay for the night. This ECOTEK Hybern8 Inflatable Sleeping Pad will help you get a good night’s sleep thanks to its air-spring cells that contour to your body, allowing you to achieve the most essential 8-hours of your day in any sleeping position.
The Hybern8 is easy to transport thanks to its tote bag, and the entire unit can be rapidly inflated or deflated, thanks to the one-way valve — less than ten breaths to full inflation! The sleeping pad also comes in different colors to match your style. Just know that this is only a pad and won’t protect you from rain or other elements. You might want to also bring your best cooling towel along on your best camping trip.
Award: BEST FOR RELAXING
WHY WE LIKE IT: After a long trek on the trails, this product from Wise Owl allows you to kick back and relax in comfort; it can hold up to 500lbs thanks to the soft & comfortable parachute nylon material. If you get it wet, it’s also quick to dry.
Read Full Review: Wise Owl Outfitters Hammock Review
One of the best parts of the great outdoors is kicking back and relaxing, and this Outfitters Hammock for Camping from Wise Owl makes a great choice. Able to hold up to 500lbs, the parachute nylon material is soft and comfortable; additionally, if the hammock gets wet, the material is breathable and fast to dry.
You won’t need to hunt down other accessories for the Wise Owl hammock as the kit includes everything you need, straps, carabiners, and a carrying bag. While this version of the Wise Owl hammock is for a single person, two-person variations are available. Just know that the set up may be a bit tight for some individuals. This will be among the rest of your best camping and hiking gear soon enough.
Award: BEST CLOTHING
WHY WE LIKE IT: This product keeps your body dry when out hiking or camping, thanks to the spandex and polyamide material. Built to be thin and light, the lining won’t weigh you down, but it will keep out water and prevent tearing.
Read Full Review: TBMPOY Men’s Outdoor Quick Dry Hiking Pants Review
Jeans might be the more traditional option for outdoor adventures, but TBMPOY brings a more modern offering to the table with its Outdoor Quick Dry Hiking Pants. These men’s pants are fashioned from 85% polyamide and 15% spandex, resulting in a fabric that is both stretchable and breathable — a comfortable experience for the wearer. This is the base for your backpacking kit.
The fabric is also lightweight, allowing you to move freely without being weighed down when you are out and about in the wilderness. If you happen to get wet, the fabric is quick-drying, so worries over rain and other splashes of water are dissolved. It should be said the pants aren’t completely waterproof, though, more water-resistant, but perfect for day hikes. If you’re going on more of a rock climb than a hike, you might want to consider a pair of tactical pants instead.
Award: BEST FOR COOKING
WHY WE LIKE IT: When it’s time to eat, this option from Coleman utilizes a 16.4 oz container of propane to run for over an hour, providing you with two adjustable burners; it even stores flat, making it easy to transport on your next outdoor trip.
Read Full Review: Coleman Gas Camping Stove Review
You’ve caught a fish on your boating trip, and now it’s time to cook dinner. This Coleman Gas Camping Stove helps bring a modern gas range to the wilderness thanks to its dual burners. Using a 16.4oz container of propane, you can run the unit up to an hour on the highest setting. Two wind-blocking panels help to keep your flames lit; it boils water without issue, as well as cooks your favorite meals far from home.
The burners themselves are adjustable, allowing you to select the strength of the flame you use for cooking; however, we did find that the valves were a bit difficult to adjust without modifying them slightly — we found some users applying lubrication to ease the force needed to adjust each valve. Overall, the Coleman Gas Camping Stove still presents an excellent mobile solution that folds up to the size of a large briefcase.
Award: BEST FOR WEATHER PROTECTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: Keep everyone dry with this option from Lingito; built from PE waterproof material, these are perfect for any sudden storms or bursts of rain. The set includes four pairs total, two for adults and two for children.
Read Full Review: Lingito Rain Ponchos Family Pack Review
Whether you are venturing into the great outdoors or have decided on that trip to Disneyland, but got hit by bad weather, these ponchos from Lingito will keep you dry. A family pack, the set includes two ponchos for adults and two for children. Best of all, the children’s ponchos are brightly colored to keep them insight.
The design is 100% waterproof and assembled from 0.03mm PE material, and can be reused; these aren’t ‘use once, throw away’ objects. While we found these ponchos to be a great size, they are a one size fits all design, meaning that some individuals may find that the poncho doesn’t fit them as desired.
To find the best outdoor gear available for your next trip, we began by compiling the best options we could discover across a wide range of categories. Next, we established factors that were essential to all chosen items, including each product’s size, weight, and overall durability. Lastly, we set a collection of minimum criteria, making sure that each thing that makes it onto our guide is something that you can trust to purchase.
For starters, we took a look at each product’s size. When you go camping or need to carry around outdoor camping gear, space can be a premium. We ensured that all of the products on our list are small enough to be transported, with many options, including drawstring bags or other travel options. Weight also played an essential factor; we selected only products that could be easily moved around — we don’t want you to break your back on weekend camping trips.
In the end, one of the most important factors was durability. Each product we selected needed to be of the highest quality so that you could depend on it during your adventure. Many of our product selections are both waterproof and toughened, allowing them to survive the harsh conditions brought on by nature. We know that the gear from this list won’t be used once, you’ll be able to reuse it and enjoy it for a long time.
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