11 Unusual Camping Gadgets That You Didn't Realize Existed

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Part of the appeal of camping is getting out into nature, away from technology, noise, and, to be frank, people. While some thrive on pure silence and communing with nature, others prefer to be a bit more comfortable while camping. If you enjoy the great outdoors, but don't want to leave every convenience at home, we have some gadgets you might want to look at.

Camping can be as bare-bones or as luxurious as you prefer, and there's really no wrong way to do it. Personally, I'm not tempted to throw it back to the 1990s and sleep in a tent with no air mattress, no ambient lighting, and only a D-battery-powered flashlight I had to smack to make it work properly.

Whether you want to make a home away from home at your campsite, or just want some reliable gear that does double duty in rough conditions, there's a gadget to suit. In most cases, you probably never imagined they actually existed. There is some camping gear you probably shouldn't invest in, but we'll leave it up to you to decide whether any of these gadgets are worth buying.

Survival bracelets made from paracord may have become more popular over the years. After all, it's smart to carry tools along when you're hiking or camping, and paracord has plenty of uses, whether you need to go fishing for dinner, hang clothes out to dry around the campsite, or keep your hiking boots laced up. A paracord bracelet also doesn't add a ton of weight to your body or pack, and it's unlikely to hurt you. But how would you feel about wearing the equivalent of a Swiss army knife on your wrist instead? 

Leatherman came up with that concept in the Leatherman Tread, although the tool has since been discontinued. That doesn't mean you can't find this sort tool online from other brands, if you so choose. Case in point, this particular camping gadget, available on Amazon for around $30. The onboard tools include a variety of wrenches and screwdrivers, SIM card picks, a glass breaker, and a bottle opener.

Some multi-tool bracelets claim to be compatible with Leatherman's, but you won't find a new Leatherman Tread stocked. Like any other brand, there have been some problems with Leatherman tools, particularly when it comes to the Leatherman Tread. Imagine the corrosion from skin contact and sweat, not to mention the fact that any accessory will get drenched or submerged whenever you are.

Depending on your taste, beverage cozies might be a must-have on your camping, hiking, or lake day packing list. Sure, a standard beverage cozy won't be terribly heavy or take up much space. If your goal is to keep your beverage cool, and maybe make it easier to hang onto, then a sleeve over your can or bottle isn't a bad idea. One unusual camping gadget you may not have realized made its way onto the scene is the accessorized beverage cozy.

Some beverage holders come with flashlights or colored LED lights, which sounds somewhat useful in camping practice. After all, you won't be able to lose sight of any member of your party who's carrying a light-up drink. The only thing that makes an actual flashlight on your beverage holder unusual is the fact that you then have to wave your drink around to actually use it.

If you feel like bringing a light-up beverage cozy on your next trip, there are plenty of options. If your container of choice is a tumbler, a tumbler holder with a flashlight this one from Nebo available on Amazon might be the right fit. Or, go for a battery-powered bottle cozy that lights up the whole bottle like this one available at Walmart.

Packing up is probably the least enjoyable part of camping for anyone who wants to get away from it all. Packing food is, then, a similarly unenjoyable part of the adventure. We already have to cook at home, so why do we have to do it at the campsite too? Good food is essential for any campout, but the definition of good depends on who you talk to.

For example, if you're someone who needs their daily smoothie, it's probably not ideal to pack along your favorite high-powered blender, because then you'll need a generator or a battery pack (or both). However, a hand-crank blender might just revolutionize your camping experience. They do actually exist, so clearly, someone was trying to meet a unique camping or off-grid living need.

Although the unusual camping gadget that inspired this entry doesn't seem to be available any longer, you can find variations of non-corded blenders at various retailers. One retailer that offers a modified hand-crank blender is Cottage Craft Works, but expect to pay a few hundred dollars for this option. Or, you could go the less manual route and try a battery-powered blender from Amazon if you really can't leave the smoothies at home.

Foldable camping equipment can help you save space when packing up for a camping trip, but the idea of an inflatable lantern may slip the minds of many prospective campers. Although it's nice to see the stars and the scenery while camping, it's also nice to be able to see where you're walking or what kind of critters might be in your sleeping bag. We're onboard with whatever lighting option makes sense for your campout.

An inflatable solar lantern is a unique choice, but it's easy to see the upsides. Being collapsible is handy, and the solar function means you won't need to pack batteries or worry about charging. As long as you remember to set it out in the sun during the day, this could be a logical addition to your camping gear.

One option is the LuminAid, which is available on Amazon, claims to be waterproof, shatter-proof, and dust-resistant. The lantern starts at under $30 for a 75 lumen light, while options range up to a 600-lumen model that costs closer to $100. Beyond the light function, there's also a charging port for camping use or in emergencies. The lantern also has an adjustable strap so you can hang it up at your campsite.

Most people who enjoy camping tend to do so despite potential pitfalls like a rash of bug bites or bears snooping for snacks. If you're set on going camping, you'll likely need bug spray at the very least, and a plan for preserving your stuff while venturing into critter territory. But one gadget that's a little unusual is a camping-specific bug defense device.

When you're out in nature, the nature is going to... well, nature. In most outdoors settings, that means mosquitoes, gnats, and any number of other kinds of bugs, including the biting and stinging kinds. Bug spray only goes so far in terms of keeping the bugs out of your personal space, but can you really turn nature into a bug-free oasis?

Mosquito repeller tech has come a long way, and these days there's a device for practically every scenario. From handheld bug zappers to rechargeable insect deterrents, plenty of gadgets can help keep the bugs at bay. For camping, specifically, a solar-powered bug zapper may banish critters from your campsite. While it won't necessarily repel them, it will zap bugs that get close enough, which is close enough to a repellent for it to be so named. If you want to try to minimize bites on your next camping trip, you can find solar-charging bug zappers on Amazon, often for around $30.

One unusual camping gadget that earned SlashGear's vote is a multitool carabiner. While we've explored tons of affordable gadgets for camping, this unique concept might be useful in multiple ways. Think of all the standard ways you could use a carabiner, from attaching equipment to your backpack to organizing items at your campsite to hanging food out of reach of forest creatures. Then, consider how a multi-tool add-on could make it even more useful.

While you can't use this particular multitool carabiner from Funbro on Amazon for rock climbing, it comes with a fold-out knife, bottle opener, glass breaker, and screwdriver. Arguably, it's more of a pocket knife with a carabiner attachment, but if you're trying to lighten your load when packing up to go camping, multi-purpose tools might help save some space. The glass breaker tool and knife combination is also reminiscent of a seatbelt cutting and window breaking tool I keep on hand for emergencies, only the carabiner seems like it would be more useful day to day.

If camping in the colder months is your jam, you probably know all the tips and tricks for keeping warm. From negative temperature-rated sleeping bags to those rip-open hand warmers, having the right gear is important for surviving lower temperatures in a tent. A more offbeat camping gadget that could help keep you warm is a reusable hand warmer.

Like the single-use rip-open types, these hand warmers do the job of keeping your hands (and probably your pockets) toasty. The catch is that the reusable ones are electronic rather than relying on a chemical reaction, and you can recharge them for near-endless use. It's worth noting that concerns about lithium-ion battery fires are valid. Thus, you'll want to read any safety warnings that come with these devices, and follow the charging protocol carefully. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, overcharging is one reason lithium-ion batteries overheat and then fail.

SlashGear previously looked at some of the best reusable hand warmers available online. You can easily find rechargeable hand warmers for around $20, like Unihand's set of two on Amazon. Unihand's warmers only heat up on one side, but you can connect them together for warming both hands at the same time, like in your hoodie pocket or inside your sleeping bag.

Modern camping really has it all. Apparently, gone are the days of even packing matches or flint. Now, you can actually buy a flameless, rechargeable lighter for use around the campground (or at home). For anyone who grew up fighting the wind to start a fire to roast their s'mores, the concept of a rechargeable lighter without an actual flame is a wild one.

This type of device could save a camping trip, particularly if it's windy. Flameless lighters like the Suprus electric lighter on Amazon claim they're windproof in addition to onboard safety features to prevent burns and overcharging or overheating. The tip is ceramic, and there's a cover on the end and a child safety button to avoid accidents.

If you're already convinced that a flameless lighter will revolutionize your camping (and probably cooking) experience, it's worth pointing out that lighters like the one from Suprus start at around $7 each, and you can buy multi-packs, too. In terms of recharging safety, given that rechargeable batteries have a reputation for causing fires, Suprus cautions against using a fast-recharge charger for its device. The company also advertises an 'overload protect' function to avoid potentially fiery failure.

If you've ever spent your first evening at camp manually blowing up a mattress, this camping gadget might not be that unusual. While some of us remember using cumbersome, clunky, corded mattress inflation pumps for our air mattresses back in the '90s, times have changed. Now, you can get a handheld mattress pump that's rechargeable and cord-free.

A palm-sized inflator like Flextailgear's air pump on Amazon might be able to inflate your camp pad in less than a minute. Although inflating a full-sized portable mattress will undoubtedly take longer, Flextailgear's pump can apparently fill an inflatable pillow 60 times on one charge.

Options vary based on which model you choose, but some come with different nozzle attachments for inflating different products. If you take sleep pads, air pillows, and inflatable water toys on your camping trips, it might be appealing to cut down on manual inflation time.

Another highlight of these handheld air pumps is that they can also suck air out of your equipment. Instead of manually pressing the air out of everything when you pack up, you can use an air pump to collapse your campsite. The function also works on vacuum bags for packing and travel. It might be an unusual gear item for camping, but if you're tempted to try out a rechargeable air pump, we'll reserve judgment.

No one who's ever been camping will argue against the fact that flashlights are must-have camping equipment. More light is always better, in terms of navigation and avoiding creepy crawlies. However, have you ever considered flashlight gloves? Someone out there thought they were a necessity, but we'll leave it up to you to decide whether that's the case.

LED lights might be one of the handiest inventions for camping already. Whether you want string lights to make your campsite cutesy, or you stock up on lantern-type lights to create ambiance around the campfire, lighting is a must-have. If you find that you need light close-up when you're working on, say, pitching a tent or making equipment repairs at night, you just might want to try flashlight gloves.

The jury is out on whether having LEDs atop your pointer fingers and thumbs is super useful in every application, but it probably won't hurt. You also don't need full-on gloves to get the benefits of having finger flashlights. Parigo has LED flashlight gloves where the glove runs across the middle of your hand, with finger holes for your thumb and pointer finger only. If you're tempted to try out this offbeat camping gadget, you can find Parigo flashlight gloves (and plenty of others) on Amazon.

If you're one of those people who cannot do anything or go anywhere without coffee, same. The problem is, camping is, by its nature, an off-grid battery-only kind of activity. If you don't want to be "that person" running a generator 24/7 at your campsite (and trust us, your neighboring campers do not want that), it's time for creative solutions.

An outdoor coffee maker might be a useful camping gadget, sure, but if you're aiming to avoid bringing batteries and generators, there's an alternative. Enter the self-heating espresso machine, available at, of course, Amazon. Models like the OutIn espresso machine can make up to 500 cups of espresso on a single charge if you start with already-hot water, which might be doable depending on your campsite amenities.

On the flip side, a full charge promises six cups of hot espresso if you start with cooler water (around 77 degrees Fahrenheit). The portable electric espresso maker we looked at also came with an entire kit for making the perfect espresso. The whole package (it comes with a little pouch to keep everything in) includes a filter, capsule adapter, foldable spoon, a funnel, and a basket removal tool. The only catch that might stop you from trying out such an unusual camping gadget could be the price; the OutIn model retails for around $200.

To come up with our list of unusual camping gadgets, we scoured the internet for gear that could not only be useful, but also a little offbeat. For example, lights are a common gadget campers like to bring along, but the concept of finger lights on gloves and light-up koozies caught our attention as we sifted through more conventional items like flashlights and lanterns. 

I also have personal experience with some of these unique kinds of items, including solar bug zappers, collapsible lanterns, and electronic hand warmers, and was eager to share that these unexpected items exist. However, the exact product models listed nonetheless intended as examples and not specific product recommendations.