Top Camping Must Have Items 2025

I didn't realize that when I moved to Washington state, that it would honestly become my entire personality. The stigma about flannels, embracing rain, cold brew coffee, and endless breweries are a staple and normal way of life. Up here you will see endless people with Thule's on roof racks, snowboards, and people on their way to different adventure spots.

Whether it's a small trail or a back country trip- Bellingham, Washington is directly in the heart of everything. It's the half way point to Mount Baker or the Olympic Peninsula the most important thing I realized is you need gear. And it has to be high quality gear.

This last summer we went to Rialto beach and camped at Mora Campground in the middle of the HOH Rainforest. And our entire tent flooded and everything became drenched. Luckily our friend Kevin came in and helped us dry everything out, but since this experience it's made me realize if we are going to do this camping thing all the time, we have to get better gear to support our travels!

So below here's some major must haves in my opinion for 2025. I am not sponsored by REI in any capacity, but these are just items I have genuinely been eyeballing for a minute. Also all items are going to be compact vehicle friendly.

1) A Solid Tent

I picked this tent specifically because a friend of mine has this specific tent and the thing is HUGE. It's got really good height on it, so even tall people I feel like would fit in this really well. It's only 22lbs when packed up, so considering the size it's actually perfect for a car like mine that's compact and doesn't fit alot in it. My kids and I outgrew our other tent above, and are at the point where now everyone needs their own sleeping arrangement.

This tent sleeps up to 6 people, but there's plenty of space for cots. And this tent will also accomodate our corgi really well. The downside is you definitely need 2 people to set it up. But genuinely is a decent sized tent, and has 2 rooms. Personally I like the idea of the boys having their own space, and then I can have mine. The big concern is with them having autism, they genuinely are not able to be in their own tent yet. So this definitely would meet all the check marks on the list.

2) Canopy Shelter

This is totally optional but it's something I would say yes to! Reason being when we were camping this last time we had no where dry to cook at all. it was pouring rain for 2 of the 4 days we were camping. Having something like this to shelter the family is amazing. So you aren't just cooped up in the tent on those rainy days. It can also be amazing to shield you from those pesky mosquitos! This has a rain fly you can also purchase separately. It's also light weight coming in at 13lbs and is great for compact vehicle packing.

3) Yeti Cooler

I love the color scheme on this one. Specifically this cooler in particular will keep everything nice and cool and barely melts on those warm summer days! I want this one because of the fact that this not only has wheels, but this one can fit comfortably in the front seat of my vehicle. So it makes on the go super quick. We mostly are going to be ready to go meals where you just need a jet boil. But for all those beers you want to keep cool- or Capri Suns this is that ultimate cooler.

The alternate or better option if you have a compact car is to get the Yetti Bags. You can throw an ice pack in there and it'll do the trick. This cooler is 24 lbs dry weight and would be a good option if you are doing a smaller 2-3 day camping trip depending on how many people are going with you that you need to feed.

4) Thule or Yakima Cargo Box (With Roof Racks If Needed)

This is a must. Especially if you have a smaller car, this is going to create space in your vehicle. I know REI has racks you can purchase for your car there with the base if you need them. HOWEVER- if you have a newer car like I do, what I would recommend is calling the dealership where you bought the car. They can usually purchase roof racks and it'll be a fraction of the cost of what you would pay at REI. For everything for my car it'll be $375 for the racks. If I go through REI it's double that. So if you have the ability to check there first. Otherwise they have everything there if you have to.

Now the Cargo box is my number one priority at the moment. I don't have a ton of space for things, and my kids end up getting really cramped. The awakening for me was when we went to Oregon this last spring, and my dog was smooshed in between blankets and toys. He looked really uncomfortable. So this will free up space, so the car isn't a driving safety hazard while we are in travel mode. Plus you can put more food in the trunk or other various items.

The cargo box holds up to 160 lbs worth of gear and is really good for people who snow board, or like me have two kids and a dog and their kids can't choose what sharks to leave at home. So here's what I would do. If you physically don't know what size you need- come in with cash for about $850 as a ball park. Schedule an appointment with the shop ahead of time for an install and one of their guys will professionally install it for you so you know it's done right. They can also measure the top of your car so you don't get one that's too long. And that's it! All the work is done for you and it gives you peace of mind.

5) Cots or Sleeping Pad

Personally the less weight in the car the better. Again keep in mind I'm going really compact. I'm not trying to add a ton of weight to my car. Here is the sleeping pad I recommend. I know there is cots, so if I had an SUV we would be talking a really different game. but the pad is defintiely 100% worth the money.

One thing I noticed was how cold it got at night! So my airmattress would be freezing and it was really hard to sleep. This is temperature regulating and will keep you warm and protected from the ground. Plus not to mention if your tent gets wet for whatever reason, then this will dry out pretty quick. It's self inflating, and is only 5lbs! So this is an easy win for me and will go great in the cargo box.

6) The Best Hammock Setup EVER

My kids LOVE having a hammock, but not every campsite has the most ideal tree situation for hammocks! So this is an awesome alternative to having a ton of folding chairs. This also holds up to 400lbs, which is perfect for multiple small kiddos. Or even me and both boys chilling in the hammock together! They love to cuddle 24/7 so this would give me the ability to sit and read a book with them in the trees.

7) My Recommended Chair

This chair is from Nemo and it's holds up to 300 lbs in weight! It also reclines back and is only weighs 7lbs total! So it's super compact when you pack it up but then you can lean back and look up at the stars for a comfy nap! Personally my plan is to just get the hammock stand and then the chair. I personally brought camping chairs this last trip and found the kids never used them.

They got really nasty with the rain, and the kids didn't seem like they wanted to use them. The hammock they preferred more in my opinion. So I plan to do the hammock for them, and then this nice recliner option for me. The deciding factor on this was the weight capacity.

8) Propane Stove

Specifically this is perfect for when there's fire bans but you need to be able to cook. The HOH had a fire ban in affect when we went so I couldn't keep warm or cook anything. Sometimes you also want a fire, but don't want to make sure everything dies down. So this is such a perfect compromise! It's super small and compact. You can also open the top and cook on top of the stove as an open cook top. It can be immediately shut off and is very easy to travel with. It does not come with the propane tank, however at REI in store they have several size tanks you can buy. One even has a carrying case to protect it in side of the vehicle when not in use.

9) Pillows

I cannot stress this enough good pillows are a must! But you don't want to bring anything home with you from the wilderness like bugs etc. These pillows from Nemo are inflatable, which means you will use less space in your vehicle and the texture on the outside feels like regular material! You honestly only need like 1 per person, and they are super comfy. When our tent flooded out, all our pillows were trashed. So I plan to invest in these specific ones!

10) Blankets

I wanted special blankets for camping. That would be good for around fires, keep you warm, and would dry out fast and Rumpl has been on my heart for a long time now. They just have that "it" factor. There are so many people who camp or do vanlife that I have seen them with Rumpl blankets. They come in so many different colors and patterns, and do very well in cold weather!

So that's it! Those are the immediate top things I would get or want if I was asked for recommendations for camping gear. In my mind, once you have everything then it's a one time purchase, meaning that you wouldn't have to buy things again for a long time. Obviously there's little things here and there I want outside of this list. But I know these things would make the quality of each camping trip alot better over all with time!

And obviously later down the road the next car will clearly be a Subaru to go on all these adventures. But for now our little bucket car will do, and I can't wait to see where we go on in 2025.

For more travel insights on Washington state and other various family adventure updates consider subscribing to us! My whole mission is to bring awareness to parenting kiddos with autism. And that it's entirely possible to live a life full of adventure. Nature is for EVERYONE. *Please note any tips sent will be put towards gas money and various passes that are needed for Washington state.* -Kayla