Best Camping Gear for Beginners: What You Really Need

Let’s talk about gear.

We all have that one friend. They always have the best gear. And you think you want it. But should you get it?

The notion of the best gear has plagued the wallets of many outdoorsy folk like you and me. Many times, “best” is associated with most expensive — but sometimes not the best — value. So what do you do?

Let’s take the age old debate of boiling water - Jetboil vs. MSR vs. that $10 pocket rocket stove you saw on Amazon. I have used all three in the wild and guess what? They all were able to boil water. My personal favorite combination is the $10 pocket rocket with a wind screen. A perfect pairing all under $15. 

Here’s the deal:

Don’t let the lack of “the best” gear keep you from experiencing your next adventure. The best gear you can get is the gear you already have. That’s right. I love getting new gear as much as the next guy, but guess what? Your adventure can meet you where you are, with whatever gear you’re using. Adventure doesn’t discriminate.

Let’s take inventory.

• What do you have?
• What do you think you need?
• Where do you want to go?

Don’t have a camping pillow? Bring the pillow from your bed, or that airplane neck pillow that you never use anymore, because COVID. Don’t have a headlamp? Use your iPhone as a light. Don’t have a tent yet? Ask a friend who camps and they will be more than happy to lend you theirs. It doesn’t take much to get outside to camp but it does take determination.

To be clear, I’m not telling you not to spend money on quality products. I’m saying you don’t need to have all the coolest gadgets just to get camping outdoors. The great thing about camping gear is that you can get almost anything on any budget, and the “perfect” set of gear is personal to you - so before you spend all of your time and money collecting the latest and greatest stuff, consider what kind of experience you want, and prioritize from there. There is something for everyone. The key is understanding what is important to you and how much you want to invest in your gear.

For example: if cooking outdoors is really important to you, buy a full Camp Chef kitchen with a 20,000 BTU burner and cast iron cooktop.. If you want to boil water as efficiently as possible and make coffee at the same time, look into the Jetboil Flash Java kit. If you just can’t sleep on the ground one more time, look into investing in a roof top tent.

Here are a few more questions we put together to help you figure out how to prioritize your spending:

• How often do I go camping?
• Am I traveling alone or with others who have gear that can be shared?
• What kind of camping do I want to do? Backpacking? Overlanding/base camping? A night on the beach?
• How long do I anticipate most of my trips to be?
• How much space do I have to pack my things?

There are many other questions you can ask yourself but those will generally point you in the right direction in determining what kind of gear you need. Then it’s up to you on how much you want to invest in it.