9 Pieces Of Camping Gear Worth Buying From Home Depot (And 3 To Skip)

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Campers have many decisions to make when planning a new trip. Each new camping adventure is unique, and every voyage into the forested lands beyond the manicured streets of civilization brings about its own challenges and rewards. With every camping trip you take, you'll learn something new about yourself, and you'll uncover some fresh 'best practices' that you'll carry into the next trip's planning phase. Sometimes these lessons, usually learned the hard way, will cover packing essentials (or which items are better to avoid). Learning experiences you encounter while camping can also include strategies for protecting food from wildlife, tent setup tricks to keep you warm and dry at night, and even discoveries of toolmakers to consider, like Makita's camping gadgets.

One constantly changing feature of the camping landscape is the gear you invest in to help make it all possible. Without the right mix of essential supplies at your disposal, a trip will naturally end much faster than most would hope. With varying terrain, weather conditions, and other factors affecting each new trip's plan, it's a great idea to consider versatile, year-round camping gear that works across a range of settings and scenarios. While campers have plenty of outlets to help them find the right equipment for their needs, Home Depot is actually a solid choice to add to the mix while searching for something new to elevate your campsite experience. Buyers rate plenty of Home Depot camping gear highly, but perhaps there are a few pieces to avoid.

Tent stakes aren't exciting, but the right set can be game-changing for your camping experience. Long spikes obviously sink farther into the ground to provide a better, secure hold for your tent. The Everbilt 9-Inch Tent Stakes come as a 10-pack and are forged from zinc-plated steel for great durability. The set offers heavy-duty construction suitable for use in both hard, compacted ground and softer soils. This makes them ideal for hikers and campers across a range of locations and camping preferences.

Importantly, the Everbilt pack is cheap. No one wants to overpay for a consumable accessory, and this set is listed at just under $5. The stakes are high for Home Depot buyers, adding yet another layer of value to the conversation about what amounts to a key piece of support equipment that most people rarely think about with any serious focus.

No camping setup is complete without the ability to cook. It's possible to make things work on a shoestring collection of gear. Building a fire and crafting an in-the-field stove can work on some trips, but those looking to bring a stable cooking solution to their packing list might consider the Coleman Triton 2-Burner Propane Gas Camping Stove. It's a $97 portable stovetop that uses a pop-up lid to create both a secure cooking tool protected from wind and other natural elements when in use and a piece of equipment that's simple to transport.

The stovetop features two burners and an Instastart ignition that operates without matches, allowing it to support a range of recipe needs (including both a pot and a pan for sauces and direct searing, for example). The stove can burn for up to an hour on its highest setting when paired with one 16 oz. propane cylinder. It also produces 22,000 BTUs of total cooking heat. It can support up to 12-inch pans and weighs just under 12 pounds.

Camping can be done in many different layouts. Some campers will hump it into their destination, carrying everything they need on their backs as they navigate the landscape to reach their target (and sometimes over considerably rough terrain). In other circumstances, the camping trip can benefit significantly from a cart or another towable solution to carry gear along flat or similar pathways from the parking lot to the setup area. 

The Coleman Camp Wagon is a solid choice in this regard. It features a folding frame that's easy to toss on top of your gear-filled trunk. This makes it possible to pack the wagon last, so it comes out of the car first to support hauling needs right from the jump. The wagon also features a telescoping handle and a swiveling front wheel to make pulling and maneuvering the tool through difficult areas easier.

The wagon is listed at $160 and can hold up to 5 cubic feet of gear and up to 150 pounds in total. The cart's bin is made of rugged polyester fabric, and there's a removable reinforced bottom component. A steel frame and included carrying bag round out the high-spec package of a tool that can easily support grocery shopping, DIY renovation projects, and, of course, a barrage of outdoor pursuits including camping.

Yet another essential when planning a full slate of camping equipment for a trip is a tool like the Fiskars X7 1.4-Pound Camping Hatchet. The ability to limb tree branches for kindling or cut branches for a whole host of support needs is central to a successful camping excursion. A small hatchet is typically the best way to accomplish these kinds of baseline cutting tasks, and it's frequently easy to carry and a joy to use. 

This model features a FiberComp handle that's surprisingly lightweight and sports a "stronger-than-steel" claim from the maker. It's a solid shock absorber, too, adding even more value to the overall package. The hatchet features Finnish-forged steel construction, an impressively sharp edge and a head geometry and weight distribution designed to easily chop through material with little fuss.

This hatchet isn't the right tool for bulk firewood preparation, as is the case with high impact tools like the hard-hitting 8-pound splitting maul from Milwaukee. However, that's not the task any camper will be trying to handle as they cut errant brush away from their site or break down small branches to use as fire-starting material. The hatchet comes with a low-friction blade coating and a sheath for easy use and carrying, and it's priced at a favorable $35. Over 600 buyers have rated the tool as well, resulting in a very favorable aggregate score.

Flashlights are important in any outdoor or low-lighting environment you might encounter. Camping naturally involves extended periods of time out and about after dark. As a result, campers need a consistent ability to illuminate their surroundings to find all kinds of items, directions, and potential hazards. 

Whether you're looking to safely exit the tent to hit the head in the middle of the night or find yourself doing part of the hike to or from your campsite after the Sun's brightness begins to fade for the day, the Defiant 60 Lumen Aluminum Flashlight 8-Pack can be a great addition to toss in your rucksack. The set comes with eight flashlights, each in a different color to help you identify the one you've designated as 'yours' a little more easily. This can also be useful when hunting for the tool in your backpack after dark, with some of the brighter colors providing a little contrast that can make a difference in fast identification.

The set comes highly rated by Home Depot buyers, and why shouldn't it be? The eight flashlights are priced as a bundle for $18, giving them a unit cost of just $2.25 apiece. These are not the brightest lights you'll carry on a typical camping trip, but they're plenty powerful for routine illumination when a simple flashlight is all that's required. They're cheap, effective, and perhaps most importantly, fun!

Those looking for a classic camping aesthetic can pause their search at the Coleman Kerosene Lantern. The lantern is $109 at Home Depot. It runs on a classic kerosene power source, delivering up to 700 lumens with a steady glow and a traditional lantern hue that just can't be replicated by electric power. This pairs the classic design with some more tech-infused gadgets that can make your campsite cozier. The lantern runs on Coleman Kerosene, an incredibly cost-effective option for keeping brightness in your campsite. The tool itself offers up to 8.5 hours of light on its low setting while consuming just 1.5 pints of kerosene to get the job done over this stretch.

The illumination tool doesn't require assembly or disassembly to operate or transport, and starting the flame is as simple as adding some rubbing alcohol into the primer cup and lighting it with a match. The lantern features a wide base that allows it to stand with confidence, as well as a carrying handle that lets it be hung at height. The lantern also comes with a 5-year warranty, providing comprehensive operational coverage for numerous camping trips.

Sometimes the openness of the woods can be freeing, but there will be times when a bit of privacy is essential. The ability to change without anyone seeing you is a luxury of modern living that is often taken for granted, and on a camping trip, this level of privacy is frequently unattainable. However, the GigaTent Portable Pop Up Changing Room is a $33 purchase that requires no poles or tools and simply pops up to create a concealed changing area that can make all the difference.

The unit is lightweight and folds down for easy mobility. It offers a quick way to escape into a temporary, secluded space to get ready for the day or wind down in the evening. Once you're done, it takes a little maneuvering to fold the changing tent back into its collapsed form, ready to go the next time you need it. The changing room tent features a fully enclosed top, as well as guy lines and nylon loops that allow users to set it up more permanently when needed, making it a mobile option or one that can be set up at your campsite for the duration of the trip to suit your group's needs.

Lighting gear makes plenty of appearances on this list, largely because of the importance of reliable illumination when away from reliable electric power. A good camping lantern is one that gives off plenty of light, and if it's battery-powered, it often has additional capabilities, too. The WeatherX Lantern with Power Bank fits this bill perfectly. It's a small light with an elongated, carabiner-style clip to support the top-hang handle. The light is splash-proof, making it suitable for use in wet conditions, and it includes five lighting modes for a wide range of versatility.

The tool is available for $25, making it relatively inexpensive for a dual-purpose tool that supports key tasks throughout the camping experience. The lantern's built-in battery bank offers 5,000 mAh of power and a USB port to charge multiple phones, tablets, or other small personal electronics. The tool's lighting array features 16 LEDs, and it can emit light for up to 70 hours. The tool features strobe and SOS light modes, along with three standard lighting levels.

Glow sticks are great for parties, but they're also an ideal option for low-intensity lighting while out in the Natural environment on a camping trip. The Ready America Green 8-Hour Light Stick 2-Pack is listed for just $4, making it a quick and easy purchase to support emergency illumination needs or serve as a disposable night-lighting solution while camping. These light sticks are waterproof and cool to the touch, even after hours of operation, and they feature a non-toxic design, so even if one breaks open, you aren't putting yourself at risk by using the device.

The sticks feature integrated hooks at the top, as well as lanyards that make them easy to carry or hang from a tree, tent, or elsewhere. The light sticks produce bright green light that lasts up to 8 hours, making them a solid option for keeping the campsite safe and navigable overnight without disturbing anyone in your party. As with other classic glow stick devices, this unit features a bend-and-shake activation process that is incredibly fast and effective. This tool can easily be added to your car's emergency kit and makes a great super-lightweight lighting option while camping.

The two-pack of Blazing LEDz 12-LED Battery-Operated Camping Lanterns is a fairly highly rated option. Still, with so many other lantern tools available from Home Depot, it rates out just a bit lower than many of its competitors. The tool is also a single-function lantern, and among electric options for illuminating around the campsite, plenty of stronger, dual-purpose selections are available at similarly favorable prices. These issues come together to leave the Blazing LEDz model just a bit behind the pack in its category.

Even so, the pair of lanterns is priced at $12, making the product pretty inexpensive overall and possibly a good choice for a buyer who is only looking for a simple option to light their campsite. The tool delivers 360-degree illumination with a dimmer control and "superbright" lighting, although there's no mention of the specific lumen rating for these lanterns. They can be set down on their sturdy bases or hung at a height via the integrated carrying handle, offering a range of illumination options.

The Coleman Queen Camping Cot and Air Mattress Combo features a ComfortStrong coil construction to deliver quality support for a good night's sleep. It also comes with a 4D pump that makes inflating and deflating the mattress simpler. It's factory-tested for leaks and uses a double-lock valve to keep the mattress fully inflated throughout the night. It comes with the cot setup, and the entire contraption fits into its carrying bag when your trip ends and you're ready to hit the road. There are also side tables built into the cot's layout, adding a layer of functional depth to the unit.

However, users don't rate this bundle kit very highly. It has a 3.9-star average rating, with just 59% of buyers recommending it. Its primary issue, according to numerous user feedback points, lies with the air seal. While Coleman makes a big fuss over the airtight seal, users seem to have a different experience with the air mattress, claiming it does, in fact, leak, losing its firmness through the night, as a result. The kit is also priced at $240, making it an expensive air mattress that doesn't perform its job well.

The Picnic Time Sports Outdoor Portable Camping Chair with Side Table is a highly rated product. That makes it something of a misnomer in this part of the list, which features the dubious honor of being tagged as something to avoid. However, it lands here thanks to an odd quirk of fate in which a virtually indistinguishable alternative can be found elsewhere for a heavy price discount. The Foldable Aluminum Sports Chair from Harbor Freight is among some of the outlet's best camping gear to invest in, and it can be found for $33.

In contrast, Home Depot's Picnic Time model features all the same highlights, including side pockets, a fold-out table, and a 'director's chair' style build. But this option is listed for $82, more than double the price of its duplicate. It's hard to justify an overspend like this, especially since the two chairs don't appear to differ in any way beyond the pocket layout on the left side of the seat. If you are inclined to invest in the unit, though, it offers an aluminum frame with a sturdy design that supports up to 300 pounds and an extra-wide seat that's comfortable for any user. It also folds flat and includes carrying straps for ease of mobility.

All of these pieces of gear have been rated by at least 100 Home Depot buyers. The equipment worth considering is listed at the top with all-sport 4.4-star average ratings or better, while the camping gear to think about avoiding tends to get ratings that are notably lower, although in the case of the camping chair, its issue is purely price-driven when compared to a visually identical option from a retail competitor.