12 Best Gear Picks for Backpacking & Camping in 2023
Planning a camping trip and looking to update your gear? Or never camped before in your life and want to dip your toes in, but don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered on the backpacking essentials.
We did not grow up camping, so we had to muddle through all the gear research, trial, and error on our own. So if you’re a total beginner to backpacking gear, we hope to make the learning process a bit quicker for you!
What Gear Do You Need for Camping and Backpacking?
All you need to get started camping is a tent, something to sleep on, a sleeping bag to keep you warm, portable kitchen gear to prepare food, and a way to purify your water. But beyond those essentials, we’ve curated our gear collection over the years to optimize our experience. And for backpacking, you’re carrying all your gear with you up a trail to your campsite, so you need a few more items to make your camping experience safe and comfortable.
We know camping gear can get expensive, so if you need to limit yourself to just two items on this list, our absolute favorite backpacking products are the Crazy Creek Chair and the Jetboil Flash Cooking System. You’ll see why below.
It’s perfect for taking on backpacking trips, because after a long day of hiking you just want to relax with a little bit of back support. Honestly, our Crazy Creek chairs live in our cars and have saved our spines many times from the discomfort of sitting on the ground. We’ve even packed them in our suitcases for international trips when we know we’re going to be chilling at the beach and don’t want to pay for a beach chair rental.
The Crazy Creek chair also works if you like to do puzzles or play board games on the floor. Your friends will be jealous of your comfy floor set up!
Every time we pull our chairs out, people want to know where to get one! Our Crazy Creek chairs are the one and only cool thing about us, really.
We first tested the Jetboil Flash when some friends insisted that we borrow theirs for an upcoming backpacking trip. We were used to bringing matches, trying a gazillion times to light a wood fire or fight with an old camp stove, and then wait 10 minutes for water to boil in a pan.
But boy did the Jetboil revolutionize our camping cooking experience! The Jetboil allows you to heat your water in seconds, and have it blazing hot for your coffee, tea, or dinner, with no hassle. (For dinner when backpacking, we love to bring a few freeze-dried packs, like the Adventure Meals surprisingly good Chicken Fajita Bowl. You just heat up the water on your Jetboil, pour it inside the meal pack, shake, and voila! Dinner in minutes.)
You can also drink hot water right from the Jetboil, which saves you the time of having to clean out yet another item in the woods. It’s perfect for both camping and backpacking because it packs small and light.
I’ve been using an Osprey Ariel since 2018, and it has not disappointed. It’s made of durable and stretchy material that always seems to let you stuff in just one more item.
I also like that the top snaps off and you can wear it as an oversized fanny pack for shorter hikes. It’s also incredibly resilient! It has endured rainy days and still looks brand new. If you get this pack dirty, just wet a towel and you can easily wipe off all the dirt stains.
When picking out your backpacking pack, be sure you get the sizing right so that your hips effectively support the weight of your pack.
The only con I can think of for my Osprey pack is the fact that it rubs on my shoulders if I decide to go sleeveless. But, to be frank, this has been an issue with every other backpacking pack I’ve worn, so I think it’s an occupational hazard. I’d thus recommend wearing a breathable long sleeve when carrying any pack!
Do you really need an inflatable backpacking pad? Yes! Admittedly, we used to think that inflatable pads were for old people who couldn’t handle the imperfect ground of earth. But over the years, we’ve grown a bit wiser. Do not hesitate to buy an inflatable backpacking pad, because when you’re pushing your body on the trail, it’s important to be kind to yourself and support your body as it recovers overnight.
We have tried a few different kinds of inflatable pads, but this Klymit insulated sleeping pad packs light and can easily be stuffed into an Osprey Ariel pack. We’ve slept on it at least 10 times now, and it holds in the air well.
Beyond giving you added comfort, an inflatable pad also gives you an added layer of warmth by creating some distance between you and the typically cold ground.
If you’d rather not eat a heavily processed dinner every night of your camping or backpacking trip, we’d recommend a portable backpacking stove top. Want to cook up some carrots, pasta, tuna cakes? The world is your oyster.
I love this set because it comes with utensils that fold up nicely and fit inside the pots. However, you will have to buy the isobutane canisters separately! (Which is normal.)
It comes with two pots. Depending on the size of your group, you might only need to take one, leaving the larger one behind. But we sometimes bring a friend along on our backpacking trips, so it’s good to have the option of taking both pots to feed more hungry backpackers if necessary.
Obviously, an essential item to any camping backpacking trip is a reliable tent. You want to make sure that the tent comes with stakes, a complete rain fly, and is relatively lightweight for packing and carrying. And you also want to check the capacity (e.g. if you’re camping with a partner, you want a two- or three-person tent).
We made the mistake of using a cheap tent of poorly made materials for several camping trips. Though it made it through about five trips without too many problems, on one backpacking trip the poles completely snapped as we were setting it up late at night in a crowded campsite. We then had to try to jerry-rig a sort of lopsided set up to at least keep us covered through the night, and then we had to cut our backpacking trip short and head home the next day because of our broken tent.
To avoid such a fiasco while backpacking, we recommend getting a reliable brand tent like the Marmot 2-Person Camping Tent. This particular tent comes with a “footprint,” which is an extra waterproof layer that goes between your tent and the ground. A footprint helps your tent last longer, and it is especially helpful for backpacking tents, which are lightweight, and need an extra layer of protection.
Trekking poles may very well be the difference between life or death. We didn’t think they were necessary, but when Mir broke her leg halfway through a 31-mile hike, trekking poles were the only thing that made survival possible. A couple of hikers saw Mir struggling to walk and offered her their trekking poles. She ended up using them as a crutch and we somehow managed to descend the mountain and make the long hike back to our car safely.
The point here isn’t that trekking poles are only necessary for when you break a leg, but it could very well be the thing that keeps you from breaking a leg. 15 miles into this hike, Mir was quite exhausted and more prone to slipping, which led to her falling and breaking her leg. Thus, if she had had trekking poles, it could have helped her balance and stabilize her footing.
All to say, these trekking poles were the ones that were lent to us, and they successfully endured the remaining 16 miles.
Should you cave and finally buy the EMO hammock? We vote yes. Mir has the double person hammock, because even for one person it’s nice to have the extra fabric to stretch out your legs. Mir has actually spent a whole 30 days sleeping on an EMO hammock.
So it’s definitely durable and adjustable to your needs. However, if you are getting an EMO hammock to use as a bed instead of sleeping in a tent, do know that it may take 2-3 days to adjust if you’re used to sleeping on a memory foam mattress. 🙃
Also, pro tip: contrary to popular belief, you should not follow the natural curvature of the hammock when you sleep. Instead, lay on it slightly diagonally for optimal comfort and a flatter back. Your spine will thank us.
And if you do go for the EMO Hammock, don’t forget to also get the hammock straps to attach it to trees and such.
Are headlamps necessary when backpacking? You’d be surprised how essential they are.
Okay, so maybe you don’t intend on hiking when it’s dark out. But more times than you expect, life happens, and you might find yourself wishing you had planned for the worst. Especially since darkness comes sooner when you’re on the trail and hemmed in by hundreds of oak trees.
Plus, a headlamp is super handy when you’re at your campsite at night. If you’re trying to build a tent, build a fire, or cook a meal, the headlamp gives you the light you need while keeping your hands free. The headlamp is especially clutch when you have to go to the bathroom. Trust us, you won’t want to have your iPhone flashlight in your hand when you’re trying to wipe, pull your pants up, and watch for spiders. 🕷️
Mir’s had some cheap head lamps from Walmart before, and they maybe lasted a season or two before the batteries corroded. This Black Diamond headset that we recommend is not too expensive, and it’s rechargeable! So you won’t need to worry about replacing batteries or replacing the headset altogether. It’s been a great investment.
We recommend getting some type of large water bladder or hydration pack with a tube and bite valve so that you can keep your water easily in reach on the trail.
When backpacking, a hydration pack is key because you need to bring large quantities of water with you. You might have to trek many miles from one water source to another, and you don’t want to be stuck on the trail without water. We recommend carrying at least 85 oz of water on the trail. Steph has had a 70 oz hydration pack for years, and she always has to supplement it with another water bottle whenever we go backpacking.
It’s also very convenient to have the tube and bite valve clipped into your backpack strap so that you don’t have to constantly reach behind you or take off your backpack in order to grab your water bottle and stay hydrated. Especially when you have a large, heavy pack on, the last thing you want to do is take off your pack and go hunting for a water bottle. A hydration pack is a huge help on the trail.
The CamelBak hydration pack is reliable and sturdy. Both Mir and Steph have used CamelBak products for years, and we have found that they are high quality products that last for many years. When you’re on the trail, you don’t want to worry about your hydration pack springing a leak and leaving you with no water.
What is a Garmin safety satellite communicator? It’s a small device that enables you to send simple text messages and SOS signals from anywhere. Unlike ordinary cell service, which is limited by how close you are to a cell phone tower, the Garmin device connectivity is based on satellites. You can send messages on the device itself, or you can pair it with the Garmin Messenger app on your smart phone. The app will enable you to send messages to anyone, even when you have no cell service. And their SOS signals connect you to 24/7 rescue services.
You should know that you do have to pay a small subscription fee for the SOS and text messaging service. At the time of this article, it was around $15 per month. You can check Garmin’s website for their current subscription plans.
Do you really need to bring a safety satellite communicator on a backpacking trip? This is one we have debated over the years. We tend to travel and camp on a budget, and it felt like a bit of a luxury item. However, after our near-death experience when we were stranded in the woods overnight after Mir broke her leg, we 100% recommend getting some kind of satellite or radio communicator for any longer hike.
It’s easy to view ourselves as invincible when we’re on the trail. But for us, being stranded on the mountain with no camping gear, no cell service, no park rangers (we were hiking in May, and the ranger season didn’t start until June), and below freezing temperatures, we realized just how dangerous hiking can be. Mir was in incredible pain as she hiked out 16 miles on a broken leg, and would have given any amount of money to be able to call for help. We regret not having a satellite communicator on our long hike, so we highly recommend it if you’re undertaking any long trails yourself.
When you’re on any hiking trail, but especially when you’re backpacking, it is critical to have supportive hiking boots with good traction. While backpacking, you’re carrying 20 to 30 pounds on your back, so you want boots that will keep your ankles and legs supported and protected. It’s really easy to twist an ankle or break a leg on the trail, and having sturdy boots can minimize those dangers and get you across the trail safely.
In fact, as mentioned above, Mir did break a leg halfway through a 31 mile hike when she slipped on a steep rock. But her doctor said that her sturdy hiking boots (specifically she was wearing the Salomon X Ultra Boots) prevented her from doing worse damage to her leg as she walked the remaining 16 miles of the trail to get safely back to our car. So having reliable hiking boots may very well save your life, or at least save you a few pricey doctor’s visits.
But scary stories aside, even on mild hikes, having good hiking boots will enable you to get a good grip on gravely or rocky trails. Your legs won’t tire as quickly, and you’ll be less likely to get stress fractures in your feet and shins. We’ve done plenty of light hiking trails wearing just our sneakers, only to regret not wearing our hiking boots a couple miles in.
We’ll be camping out at Yosemite National Park this fall, and 100% all of the items above will be coming with us.