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Summer Camping Sleep Essentials
- Plenty of room: The North Face Wawona 6P Tent, $585
- Comfy year-round: Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 30F Sleeping Bag, $315
- Packs smaller than a soda can: Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow, $55
- Camping must-have: Goal Zero Venture 75 Power Bank, $120
- Sleep like a baby: Hest Foamy Sleeping Pad, $263
After spending more than 1,000 nights sleeping outdoors, I’ve learned that a comfortable night’s sleep is one of the biggest factors in whether a camping trip is memorable for the right reasons. Over the years, I’ve camped just about every way imaginable—from backpacking deep into the wilderness backcountry and pitching tents in established campgrounds to sleeping in rooftop tents, overlanding across the country, and setting up camp in just about every landscape imaginable.
Over more than 40 years, I’ve tested everything from cozy sleeping bags to plush, self-inflating sleeping pads, rooftop tents, and more. While plenty of products promise hotel-like comfort in the outdoors, only a handful have consistently delivered after repeated use in real-world conditions.
Whether you’re planning your first weekend at a state park or building the ultimate backcountry sleep system, investing in the right camping gear can dramatically improve your time outside. These are the camping essentials I reach for trip after trip to stay warm and well-rested. Shop my favorite gear from brands like Sea to Summit, The North Face, Biolite, and more.
Related: I Visited 3 Countries in 1 Week—I Couldn’t Have Done It Without These 12 Travel Essentials, From $7
Sleep systems
Choosing the right sleeping foundation is essential. I procured my first self-inflating pad in college, and I thought I was living on Cloud Nine. Over the years, I have become a more discerning sleeper, and now I can typically feel slight variations in the topography under my tent floor without the proper cushioning. Here are my picks for a better night’s sleep.
Hest Foamy Sleeping Pad
I first became affiliated with Hest in 2019-ish when they launched their first products. Since then, I have made the brand a mainstay in my quiver of car camping and basecamp sleep solutions. The Foamy Sleeping Pad comes in a variety of sizes to accommodate nearly every sleeper. The absolute beauty of this pad is that there is no pumping required—just unroll it and prepare to drift off to sleep in bliss thanks to two layers of enhanced memory foam and connector clips on the sides that make it easy to expand your sleeping footprint if you’re sharing with a partner.
The North Face Universal One Bag
I’m a very warm sleeper and easily get hot in the confines of a sleeping bag. This bag was configured to provide three different levels of warmth. It doesn’t use zippers but rather a magnetic fastener, which makes it far easier to get into and out of the bag. It also utilizes two folding wings that allow for three different levels of warmth depending on how hot you get in the middle of the night; use them together when you want to snuggle up, or use them separately depending on temperatures. It’s genius.
Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 30F Sleeping Bag
I have used dozens of Mountain Hardwear sleeping bags over the years, and this 30-degree 650-fill down bag is perfect as a three-season solution. And if you’re looking to cuddle with your partner, the bag has zip-together functionality with a compatible Mountain Hardwear bag (just make sure to utilize opposing zipper configurations).
Sea to Summit Breeze Lightweight Traveler
This liner is a great addition to any sleeping bag or—for those of us who sleep hot—a standalone option. The stretchy knit fabric adapts to fit any sleeping bag shape and provides a cooling feel against the skin. It’s machine-washable and also serves as a means to extend your sleeping bag’s lifespan. It’s also compact for traveling when sketchy sleep accommodations might necessitate the need for a personal sleep sack.
Tents
As a teenager, crawling into a small A-frame tent was a rite of passage. Fast forward to the present, and I prefer slightly more robust accommodations. The camping tents below are tested and approved for outdoor adventures.
The North Face Wawona 6P Tent
The very first tent that I purchased (it still resides in my gear closet) was a The North Face tent. I purchased it after college for a month-long backpacking trip in the Colorado Rockies. Since then, I have procured additional shelters from the brand as my needs have changed. The Wawona tent comes in a multitude of sizes, including a 4-person and 8-person option. I prefer the middle-of-the-pack version as it provides additional space, and at its peak, it allows me to stand fully upright.
Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3
While this tent might be a little weighty by modern backpacking standards, it makes up for it in its space and performance. It’s robust enough for the backcountry, for use in the local state park, or the backyard if the mood strikes. In addition to providing ample ventilation, the full mesh upper canopy provides unobstructed views of the sky when you can be mostly assured that Mother Nature won’t rain on your parade overnight.
Sleep accessories
There are those of us who have become accustomed to certain amenities when sleeping, whether that is at a five-star hotel or a backcountry campsite. Here are a few of my favorite must-haves for making your camping experience a little more enjoyable.
Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow
This tiny bit of luxury packs down to a size smaller than a soda can, making it ideal for backcountry use. While it comes in multiple sizes, I prefer the regular size as it works for both backcountry and car camping, and as a travel pillow. This camping pillow features a top layer of memory foam and stretch-knit fabric for a luxurious feel in a tiny package. It easily inflates and can provide just shy of five inches of thickness that is adjustable depending on the desired firmness. I carry this pillow on planes as well due to its small packing size.
Goal Zero Venture 75 Power Bank
I’ve been using Goal Zero gear for years now and have utilized everything the brand makes, from portable power banks to the larger power stations. The Venture 75 is ideal for stashing in one of your tent’s mesh pockets, your daypack, or your carry-on. I’ve carried a few power banks with me on a trip down the Yukon River, and it recharged my phone (basically my camera, as I had no signal) and served to power my mini Bluetooth speaker, too.
BioLite AlpenGlow 250 Lantern
My Biolite AlpenGlow 250 provides 360 degrees of lighting whenever I need it most. It offers multiple modes, including warm and cool light, color light, full candle flicker, and more. Its small size makes it ideal for packing and carrying just about anywhere you go. I actually keep one in my car (along with a headlamp) as a backup should I ever need additional light while traveling, or if I need to charge my devices since it can be used as backup power.
Fender x Teufel Rockstar Go 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Don’t get me wrong, I love the great outdoors. However, if you’ve ever been in a campground where people stay up late laughing around the campfire, it’s nice to be able to help drown out the noise so you can also enjoy your experience. This waterproof speaker delivers just the right amount of sound for a blissful night’s sleep. Or, if you’re having a backyard cookout or a tailgate party, it can crank up the tunes for that as well.
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