5 Unbeatable Gift Choices For Camping Enthusiasts
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Summer has come to a close in the Northern Hemisphere, meaning the camping season has also ended for the year. As you pack up your gear for the winter and take inventory of which critical bits of equipment survived the season intact and which need to be replaced, it's the perfect time to start building your holiday wish list, as gift-giving season is approaching just as quickly as summer is receding.
Whether you are building your own personal gift list or preparing to shop for the other outdoor enthusiasts in your life, the tremendous variety of products available can make the process of selecting the right gear seem overwhelming. Whether your plans for next year include long backpacking trips or camping beside a retro-style camp trailer or van conversion like the Mercedes Sprinter or Ford Transit, it's important to have dependable gear. Let's take a look at five of the best pieces of camping equipment on the market today according to the experts who test it.
Alps Mountaineering Lynx 2-person Tent
Perhaps the most important piece of gear in any camper's collection is a tent that is easy to set up and take down, condenses down to a compact and light package, and keeps you and your gear warm and dry at night. One tent that meets all these criteria is the Lynx 2-person tent from Alps Mountaineering.
The Lynx comes in three color combinations: the blue/green and grey/navy color combinations retail for $124.99 at Amazon, and the clay/rust combination (pictured above) is currently priced at $171.52.
This tent has a standard two-pole design and comes with two shock-corded aluminum folding poles for assembly. It has two doors and mesh windows at each end.
The Lynx 2 comes with a separate rain fly, aluminum stakes, and guy ropes for securing the fly. The footprint when pitched is 60 inches by 90 inches and the height at the tent's peak is 46 inches.
Gearlab rated the two-person Lynx 8 out of 10 overall, praising its roominess and ease of setup but noting that it was a bit heavy at nearly six pounds. In their review, Gearlab also noted that the windows on the Lynx made it easy for others to see inside, particularly when lanterns were lit.
I personally owned a Lynx 2 for almost a decade, spending more than 100 nights inside it. I found it to be exceptionally easy to pitch and break down, and the seams held up well to heavy use, keeping me and my dogs dry in the heaviest of downpours. I also found the Lynx plenty big enough to comfortably house two people, a large dog, and gear.
Camp Chef Everest 2x stove
Once shelter needs have been covered, another top priority will be making sure the people on your gift list can prepare meals quickly in less-than-ideal conditions. One way to accomplish this is with the Camp Chef Everest 2x two-burner camp stove. This stove ordinarily sells for $169.99 on Amazon but is currently available for $113.98, a 33% discount.
The Everest is fueled by one-pound propane cylinders and can be attached to larger propane tanks using an adapter. The Everest 2x has a pushbutton electric igniter and an output of 20,000 BTUs per burner. The top serves as a rear windscreen when open, and supplements the smaller windscreens on each end. The stove measures 13.5 inches by 23.5 inches, weighs 12 pounds, and has plastic latches to keep the lid closed when not in use.
The Everest 2x won the 2022 Gearlab Editor's Choice award, earning high marks for its power and performance in windy conditions as well as the fine-tunable controls on the two burners. Gearlab's reviewers did note that the Everest 2x was a bit heavy for anything but car camping, and said the cover latches had "proven somewhat flimsy over time."
Alps Mountaineering King Kong Chair
Once dinner is prepared and it's time to sit and enjoy the meal, it's nice to have a comfortable chair to relax in. While most folding camp chairs are limited to a weight capacity of 300 pounds or so, The Alps Mountaineering King Kong chair can handle up to 800 pounds. The King Kong retails for $99.99 at Cabela's and $88.34 at Amazon and is available in 13 different color combinations.
This chair has a cup holder and storage pocket on each arm and an additional storage pocket on the seat back and folds flat for storage and transportation. It comes with a carrying bag with backpack-style straps, and together the powder-coated steel frame and polyester fabric weigh 13 pounds.
The King Kong was Gearlab's 2023 Editor's Choice in the camp chair category, outranking more expensive options from REI, Kelty, and Yeti. In their full review, Gearlab's Maggie Nichols and Trish Matheny praised the King Kong's comfort and strength, calling it "a beast regarding sturdiness and lifespan."
Gearlab wasn't the only outlet to have words of praise for the King Kong. The Chair Institute rated it 4.5 out of 5 stars overall, including 5 out of 5 in the "value for the money" category. The institute's reviewers were impressed by the King Kong's sturdy construction and added kudos for the ample storage pockets and ease of setup.
"We love the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong Chair, and we think you will too," their review concluded. "We highly recommend it."
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT sleeping pad
Unless your loved ones camp only on soft sand during the warmest months of the year, an inflatable sleeping pad to provide comfort and insulation from the ground is a must. One of the most highly regarded pads currently available is the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT, which comes in four sizes that range in price from $199.95 to $239.95, although the regular small size is currently on sale for $150 at Amazon, a 25% discount. The NeoAir Xlite NXT is also available from the Therm-a-Rest website and from REI.
The regular-sized pad measures 20 inches by 72 inches and the regular small size cuts six inches from that length. The regular wide pad is 72 inches by 25 inches and the long pad is 77 inches by 25 inches. All four sizes are 3" thick and have an R-value of 4.5, making the NeoAir Xlite appropriate for all-season camping.
The New York Times included it on their most recent list of the best sleeping pads, touting its 12-ounce weight and small pack size. Switchback Travel named it this year's best overall sleeping pad, calling it "a premium choice for weight-conscious hikers, climbers, and more."
Wired also included the NeoAir Xlite on their list of the best sleeping pads, citing how staffer Matt Jancer had "used it on icy glaciers without a chill sneaking up on his backside."
Osprey Atmos 65 AG backpack
Being well-equipped for a camping trip doesn't mean much if your loved ones don't have an easy way to haul all of their gear. The Atmos AG 65 backpack from Osprey might be one of the pricier backpacks on the market at $340 from REI or $325 from Dick's Sporting Goods, but backpackers.com named it the best all-around backpacking backpack based on its comfort, capacity, and features. "The Osprey Atmos AG 65 is, and has been for a few years, the backpacking pack by which most are judged against," their review states. "The Anti-Gravity suspension system hugs the back for incredible support. There are well-thought-out pockets inside and out, a stretchy mesh pocket for storing quick-access items, and a removable top lid. It is durable, easy to figure out, and fits most people."
The Atmos AG 65 comes in two sizes and three colors and has an internal sleeve that can hold a hydration bladder with a capacity of up to 3 liters. It has water bottle pockets on each side and the aforementioned mesh pocket in front for easy access to vital gear such as maps or a rain jacket. The AG65 weighs about four and a half pounds, has a carrying capacity of 30-50 pounds, and includes plenty of exterior lash points for bulkier gear.
Switchback Travel also named it their best overall backpacking pack, touting the comfortable suspension system and many accessible compartments. "Overall," their review concluded, "the Atmos is an extremely well-rounded backpack that works great for anything from quick overnight trips to extended jaunts into the backcountry."
Clever Hiker included it on their 2023 best packs list, naming it the best high-end pack and the best for carrying more than 35 pounds.