Thanks to instant coffee, which has been commercially available since the late 1930s, saving weight in the backcountry and still getting zooted on caffeine is not new. When I started raft guiding a century ago in the late 鈥�90s, we used to mix up heaping spoonfuls of Folgers with General Foods International Coffees Suisse Mocha and Orange Cappuccino powders to get fired up in the morning. We called this our 鈥渃oncoction,鈥� and while it was efficient, it tasted horrible and put every guide who drank it in immediate gastric distress.

So while instant coffee鈥攁nd its usefulness to weight and time-conscious outdoor enthusiasts鈥攊s not new, we are experiencing a relatively new phenomenon of super delicious premium instant coffees. These can please a genuine snob and will not necessarily send you directly to a porta potty or cathole once ingested. We tested 24 different instant coffee varieties to bring you our favorites so you can maximize your enjoyment without having to sacrifice ounces.

Watch: The Instant Coffee Winners

Best Instant Coffee Blends

Generally speaking, blends are more approachable and less bold. If you like to put cream or sweetener in your coffee, I would suggest opting for one of these blends.

Doma Deep Instant Craft Coffee

• Weight: 7 g
• Tasters鈥� Rating: 7/10

The first word testers used to describe the flavor profile of this special edition blend from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, was 鈥渂ig.鈥� The boldness of this blend was matched with well rounded sweetness. 鈥淚t is so caramel-y I almost get butterscotch, and then the finish is like cherry juice,鈥� said Case. 鈥淚t is more three dimensional than some of the other blends.鈥� The Doma Deep Instant manages to be extremely drinkable while also having, well, depth at the same time. I found it to be a killer start to the earliest mornings thanks to its inviting sweetness.

Swift Coffee Mainstay

• Weight: 6 g
• Tasters鈥� Rating: 7/10

Swift has their own instant offerings, but it鈥檚 also the instant coffee manufacturer that independent roasters like Doma, Case, and Verve use to make their instant coffees. It is not a surprise that they have so many winners on this list鈥攖hey have their hands in most of the best instant coffees available to us. Their Mainstay Blend features flavors that were the most pleasantly integrated of the coffees that we tasted. 鈥淚 like the balance of it,鈥� Case said. 鈥淭here is no sharp acidity, but it has sweetness and is a little bitter, which is what I want in instant coffee.鈥� Testers noted that what the Mainstay Blend may have lacked in subtle notes, it made up for in a lovely even mouth feel.

Verve Wilder

• Weight: 6 g
• Tasters鈥� Rating: 7/10

I was thankful that we performed the cupping blind when testers described this blend as 鈥渨ild.鈥� The fact that testers used the same adjective the name uses to describe the blend鈥檚 fruitiness followed by a little bit of wildflower notes at the end proved that the Santa Cruz roaster absolutely nailed it. 鈥淭his one’s really juicy,鈥� Case said. I found that juiciness to be delightful and refreshing as an afternoon cup, and, hot or cold, this will be the blend I bring for trips with long days when I need a late pick-me-up.

Case Epiphany

• Weight: 7 g
• Tasters鈥� Rating: 6/10

Case made this list even though testers gave it a six because it was my personal favorite and, frankly, I wanted to reward my local coffee shop for being honest enough to give their own blend a number below its competitors. Coffee taste is subjective, and this super-rich and caramel-forward blend is extremely drinkable and reminds me of working from the coffee shop down the street from my house. That nostalgia is what put it on this list for me, personally. When asked about giving his own blend a score of six on a blind test, Case felt great about it. 鈥淲e aimed to make a chuggable blend, and I do think it absolutely is that,鈥� Case said.

Best Single Origins Instant Coffee

A single-origin coffee comes from one bean that delivers an extremely unique and often bold flavor. With a single-origin coffee, roasters are really married to the taste of an individual bean because they can鈥檛 blend it with others.

Swift Burundi Heza

• Weight: 6 g
• Tasters鈥� Rating: 8/10

The depth of flavor on this single-origin coffee was off the charts and a clear standout for the connoisseurs. 鈥淚t has acidity, but is also so savory,鈥� said Case. Testers caught notes of berries on the front with a savory finish that delighted those who enjoy a flavor profile with a lot going on.

Swift Brazil – Cerrado

• Weight: 7 g
• Tasters鈥� Rating: 8/10

One taster who traditionally does not like the taste profile of single-origin coffees from Brazil was surprised that this one proved one of his favorites during the blind test. 鈥淭his is much more fruity than other light coffees here,鈥� said Case. Tasters noted a distinct creaminess in this single origin instant from Swift which was offset by a pleasant sharpness on the front that smoothed out in the end. Swift says it can hold up to cream, but after testing it with oat as well as cow鈥檚 milk, I found it to be significantly better on its own.

Canyon Instant Coffee

• Weight: 6 g
• Tasters鈥� Rating: 8/10

The acidity in this coffee was lemon or lime like on the front but offered a sweetness that balanced out the intensity. 鈥淒efinitely fruit forward,鈥� Case said after slurping a spoonful of this Ethiopian. The liveliness of this coffee was really enjoyable as a wake up in the dark hours of the morning and was also a great refresher after lunch. My personal preference was to drink a cup after a big daytime meal to stave off a siesta thanks to its brightness.

Tandem Coffee Roasters Danche

• Weight: 7 g
• Tasters鈥� Rating: 7/10

The Danche from this Portland, Maine鈥揵ased roaster delivered a more acidic taste than the other Ethiopian blends (that dominated this test). While the Danche still offered enough balance between acidity and sweetness to remain enjoyable, the extra kick made it stand out from the other 24 coffees and drink more like a traditionally brewed cup. 鈥淚’m tasting lots of acid. It’s really nice to have this contrast in the table for sure. It really tastes less like an instant coffee,鈥� Case said.

The Instant Coffee Test

I started by trying to find the newest offerings of instant coffees from brands that I have tried in the past. While I haven鈥檛 ever performed a head-to-head instant coffee evaluation before, I have, by my estimation, tested more than a dozen different instant coffees for one-off review consideration for 国产吃瓜黑料.

I scoured the internet for best instant coffee reviews and took note of which brands received the highest marks. I reached out to those brands and received hundreds of servings of instant coffees. For ten weeks, I only drank instant coffee when making coffee for myself at home, making notes on the flavor and user experience. (I work from home and drink a minimum of two cups of coffee a day, so I had ample opportunity to get through the lot.) I also weighed a single serving of each of the coffees in their packaging on my kitchen scale to give an accurate idea of how many grams you are adding to your pack per serving.

I then took 24 of the coffees I tested to my satellite office, in Ashland, Oregon. Local award-winning roaster and coffee shop owner Tim Case helped me set up the last part of the test, which was a proper cupping of all 24 of the instant coffees we tested. Case and his team of two seasoned roasters poured eight ounces of water that was right around 170 degrees (as per the brewing instructions of the instant coffees) and stirred them up. We tasted them blind, waiting until the coffees cooled enough that the heat wouldn鈥檛 overload our palettes. We gave each one an individual score out of one to ten and took tasting notes. It is worth noting that coffee is pretty subjective, so we did our best to make sure the top picks would make everyone happy.

The instant coffees listed here made our final list because they taste as close to the coffee you can make at home with a pour-over or french press. While they would probably lose in a taste test to a properly brewed version of themselves, any coffee on this list tastes better than a traditionally brewed mainstream coffee like a Folgers.

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Few things can tank morale on a camping trip like a bad night鈥檚 sleep. Fortunately, with plenty of stellar sleeping pad options out there, there鈥檚 no reason for your gear to prevent you from getting your beauty sleep, especially when you鈥檙e car camping and you鈥檝e got the room to go big. We spent 42 nights sleeping on a variety of pads (and even cots) that prioritize comfort over weight and packability鈥攆rom smart options designed for literal car campers to pads so plush they can pull double duty as a guest room mattress. These provided us with the best nights of sleep.

Updated May 2025: We added six new pads to this list, including our new “Best Overall” pick, the NEMO Roamer Double Sleeping Pad. We also updated pricing and info on the Big Agnes Circleback, a pad we previously tested but still recommend.听

At a Glance

• Best Overall:
• Best for Camping In Your Car:
• Best Value:
• Easiest Inflation:
• Most Luxurious:
• Most Efficient:
• Most Sustainable:
• Other Sleeping Pads We Tested
• How to Choose Your Sleeping Pad
• How We Test
• Meet Our Main Testers

Don’t miss: The Best Tents for Camping in Comfort and Style

Best Overall

NEMO Roamer Double Sleeping Pad

Weight: 7 lbs 8 oz
Thickness: 4.0 in
Available sizes: XL Wide, Double
Dimensions: 78鈥� x 52鈥� (double)
R-value: 6

Pros and Cons
鈯� Supple upper
鈯� Best in test for deflation/packing
鈯� Expensive

The Nemo Roamer, available as a double or extra-wide single pad, is our top pick because of how comfortable it is and how easy it is to deflate and pack. We only tested the double, which at 78-by-52 inches, was generous enough to comfortably fit two adults and a six-year-old child.

The Jackson family put in over a dozen nights on the double version while camping, and we even used it as a guest room mattress for visitors. The deluxe four-way stretch polyester fabric and TPU topper is incredibly soft next-to-skin. That four-way stretch fabric also makes the NEMO Roamer one of the quieter pads we tested鈥攊t didn鈥檛 crinkle or rustle like unbrushed polyester pads do鈥攚hen our very mobile six-year-old sleeper thrashed around through the night. One tester noted that it felt like the mattress conformed to her body even when it was stiffly inflated. It also lived up to its R-value of 6: One tester found it offered plenty of insulation from the cold ground on a 28-degree night on the Scott River in California.

The Roamer Double was one of the few self-inflating mattresses in our test that actually completely self-inflated in about 15 minutes thanks to the pad鈥檚 large air channels (that鈥檚 not exactly fast, but it鈥檚 respectable for a double pad this thick). Testers who wanted to speed up inflation time or preferred a firmer surface used the included inflation bag. When it came to packing up the Roamer, every tester noted how quickly the pad deflated thanks to the very efficient dual deflate valve system. We let out all the air in about 90 seconds in a single roll鈥攁 revelation for seasoned car campers used to having to roll and re-roll pads during packdown to get all of the air out. Packed down into its duffel bag it鈥檚 about the size of a couch cushion.

We really have no complaints about the Roamer. It鈥檚 one of the priciest double mattresses on the market, but it also affords exceptional comfort for a camping mattress. If you鈥檙e on a budget and don鈥檛 need a double, the XL Wide pad (78鈥� x 30鈥�, $250) offers the exact same tech specs at a more palatable price.

Best for Camping In Your Car

Luno AIR + FOAM PRO Camping Mattress

Weight: 6 lbs
Thickness: 4鈥�
Available sizes: Short, Regular, Tall
Dimensions: 72鈥� x 25鈥� (regular)
R-value: 11.4

Pros and Cons
鈯� Versatile for car and tent camping
鈯� Incredibly durable base
鈯� Topper not as supple as others in price range

Luno has been at the forefront of making ultra-plush sleeping mattresses specifically designed to fit in the back of vehicles for literal car campers. The 4-inch thick Camping Mattress uses Luno鈥檚 Air + Foam technology, which sandwiches open cell foam between sturdier protective layers to create a memory foam mattress-like cushion and serious insulation (11.4 R-value). It also comes with a head support bridge that connects the mattress to a car seat headrest to bridge the rear footwell and maximize every inch of sleeping space.

But the Camping Mattress isn鈥檛 just for those who camp in their cars. At 72 inches by 25 inches (regular), the rectangular mattress fits as seamlessly in the back of a Honda Element as in a crowded four-person tent.

With a 150-TPU bottom, this mattress was one of the most rugged we tested. Testers used it on a volcanic rock-strewn campground along the Klamath River and it came back with nothing more than minor scratches. The 30-denier elastic polyester upper is just as hardy, and while comfortable enough to sleep on without a cover sheet, it鈥檚 not as supple against your cheek as other mattresses in the $250-plus price range.

The Luno Camping Mattress landed in the middle of the pack when it came to inflation time. While Luno claims it self-inflates in 60 seconds, we found that we had to top it off with its included inflation bag to make it sleep-ready, bringing the total inflation time closer to two minutes. But when it came to packing up, testers loved how tidily the Camping Mattress rolled up and cinched down in Luno鈥檚 cam-strap headrest accessory. Once rolled up, the Camping Mattress was about the size of a pillow.

Best Value

Kelty Kush Airbed

Weight: 4 lbs 15 oz
Thickness: 6鈥�
Available sizes: Queen
Dimensions: 79″ x 55.5″
R-value: N/A

Pros and Cons
鈯� Affordable
鈯� Included rechargeable pump
鈯� Packs down small
鈯� Loud topper
鈯� Not comfortable against bare skin

Unlike the other pads on this list, the Kelty Kush Airbed does not offer fancy foam integrations, a luxuriously brushed topper, or self-inflation system. But it made this list because it costs a fraction of what other mats cost and still offers enough warmth, comfort, durability, and air retention to get one tester through a 35-degree night camping in late fall near Mt. Ashland, Oregon.

At a whopping six inches thick, it was the fattest mattress in our test, which likely explains its ability to handle near freezing temps even without the foam you find in other pads. The lack of internal foam also means the Kush Airbed packs down smaller (to about the size of a laptop) than other mats at this thickness.

While not self-inflating, it easily blew up in about four minutes with its included USB rechargeable pump, which holds a charge really well. One tester was able to inflate the Airbed and top off three other pads on a single charge. The Kush held air like a champ, remaining plenty sturdy with no need for top-offs during a weekend trip in Ashland, Oregon.

A few niggles: The zip-zip sound of a tester tossing and turning on the mat鈥檚 peached polyester upper drove his tent mate nuts. That top was also pretty rough against skin, an issue easily mitigated by staying in our sleeping bags or packing a top sheet.

Easiest Inflation

DOD Soto Sleeping Pad

Weight: 13.9 lbs (medium)
Thickness: 4鈥�
Available sizes: Small, Medium, Large
Dimensions: 82鈥� x 45鈥� (medium)
R-value: 8.3

Pros and Cons
鈯� Best-in-test inflation
鈯� Soft, cotton upper
鈯� Bulky valves were ankle hazards

The Soto鈥檚 dual valve inflation system proved the most user-friendly in our test. Using either the pump integrated into the included pillow or our own electric pump, we had the Soto sleep-ready in under a minute.

While it didn鈥檛 boast the highest R-value in our test, its four-inch-thickness and open cell foam insulated one tester on a night that dipped below freezing on the Scott River in California. The Soto was the only sleeping pad in our test that featured a polyester-cotton upper, which made it feel more naturally soft and comfortable to the touch. It also proved surprisingly durable thanks to its hardy TPU-coated polyester body material: Six rowdy, cooped-up kids used the Soto as a wrestling mat during a wet, three-day camping trip and it looked no worse for wear after a light towel cleaning. What鈥檚 more, it remained fully inflated and needed no top-ups even after that multi-day ruckus.

The Soto comes in three available sizes (small, medium, large), and all are the same height (82 inches), so you should consider the number of sleepers rather than sleeper height when choosing the right size for you. We tested the 82-by-54-inch large pad, which was big enough to sleep two adults and a six-year-old.

Our only complaint: The dual air valves that make the Soto so easy to inflate are bulky鈥攖hey stick out from the top of the air mattress and proved to be trip hazards in one family鈥檚 crowded tent.

Most Luxurious

ExPed Megamat Duo

Weight: 11 lbs 14 oz (queen)
Thickness: 4鈥�
Available sizes: Medium, Long-Wide+, Queen
Dimensions: 80鈥� x 60鈥�
R-value: 8.1

Pros and Cons
鈯� Extremely durable
鈯� Includes carrying handles
鈯� Inefficient pump
鈯� Long inflation time

We have been testing versions of the ExPed Megamat for over three years now and can confidently say that it sets the benchmark for comfort and warmth in the camp mattress category. This year, ExPed updated the iconic mattress by coring out 30 percent of the foam to make it less bulky and improve packability. The result is a mattress that still delivers the same R-value (8.1) as the previous model and some of the best cushioning on the market in a package that is easier to roll up and store.

The ample foam in the interior meant that the Megamat Duo was still extremely comfortable even when not stiffly inflated, something side-sleepers appreciated. Aside from the Nemo Roamer Double, this mattress was the most comfortable in our test. Case in point: One tester slept on the Megamat Duo for seven straight days on a camping trip in Crescent City, California, then slept on it in a guest bedroom at home for two more weeks.

Its recycled 50-denier polyester and TPU polyether-laminated upper showed three superficial scuffs after our kid stress testers put it through the wringer as a play mattress, but it held air and its 75-denier polyester bottom looked no worse for wear after the unfair treatment. Another small detail we really appreciated about the Megamat Duo: The included handles made it the easiest two-person mattress we tested to move around once inflated.

The MegaMat is an exceptionally plush pad once inflated, but it was the most challenging of the high-end pads to inflate. While it self-inflates to some extent, it requires pretty extensive top-up with the included pump, which worked at half the speed and required double the effort compared to other hand and foot pumps we tested. When all was said and done, it took about eight minutes to fully inflate this pad with the pump and some hard labor.

Lightest Foam Mattress

Klymit Insulated Klymaloft Sleeping Pad

Weight: 3.1 lbs (extra large)
Thickness: 3.5鈥�
Available sizes: Regular, XL, Double
Dimensions: 72鈥� x 23鈥� (regular)
R-value: 7

Pros and Cons
鈯� Incredible comfort-to-weight ratio
鈯� Cush upper
鈯� Not as comfortable when not stiffly inflated

Testers loved the Klymaloft for its integrated soft stretch-knit polyester fabric cover鈥攃onsidered the most luxurious topper after the top-rated Nemo Roamer. No need to remember a separate topsheet. The supple, sheet-like cover only spans 80 percent of the mattress (where you need it most), minimizing additional weight and bulk while maximizing comfort.

The combination of the plush foam topper and the i-beam air chambers created an excellent sleeping platform for testers who prefer a stiffer mattress but was not as comfortable at lower PSIs compared to the other premium mattresses on this list. That foam and i-beam combo also gives the Klymaloft a respectable R-value of 7, offering enough insulation for nights that dipped into the low 40s.

At just 4.4 pounds, the Klymaloft is pounds lighter than the other full-size, foam-integrated mattresses on this list鈥攕omething one tester greatly appreciated after setting up a campsite a quarter mile from where he parked on the Scott River in California. While we rarely had to lug our testing mattresses long distances, weight is worth considering if you want something more portable than the plushest car camping pads.

While not self-inflating, the Klymaloft鈥檚 straightforward, twist-pull valve made inflation painless with an electric pump. It was also one of the quickest and easiest pads to deflate and pack up, taking fewer than four minutes to fully deflate fully and roll up into its stuff sack. Packed down, it鈥檚 roughly the size of a 5-gallon jug鈥攕till too large to take backpacking, but significantly smaller than the other single mattresses on this list.

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EXPED Ultra 1R Mummy Sleeping Pad

When the weather’s warm and every ounce counts, the EXPED Ultra 1R Mummy Sleeping Pad is perfect for backpacking trips and summer excursions. Made to fit underneath your mummy bag, it features a 7 cm thick air cushion to support your body weight with air chambers that run head to toe. The included Schnozzel Pumpbag means you don’t need to huff and puff to blow up the sleeping pad, while the 20-denier ripstop provides abrasion resistance without adding to pack weight.

Most Sustainable

Big Agnes Circleback

Weight: 2.1 lbs
Thickness: 4.5鈥�
Available sizes: Regular, Long
Dimensions: 72鈥� x 25鈥� (regular)
R-value: 4.7

Pros and Cons
鈯� Circularly recyclable
鈯� Versatile
鈯� Hard to fit back into the stuff sack

In the world of sustainable product design, the gold standard is circularity鈥攊tems made so that they can be broken down and remade without a constant input of new materials and output of waste. We鈥檝e never tested a camping pad that achieves that standard鈥攗ntil the Circleback, which uses a TPU air bladder that is 100-percent recyclable and an insulating cover made entirely of recycled and recyclable polyester. When it鈥檚 time to retire the pad, Big Agnes will take it back and reuse every last scrap.

Sustainability aside, the Circleback鈥檚 modular insulation system is worth close consideration from anyone looking for a classic, do-it-all inflatable sleeping pad. With the removable cover, the Circleback has an R-value of 4.7, making it plenty comfortable in three seasons.One tester stayed warm and snug on an October trip in the North Cascades with overnight temps around freezing. Without the cover, the Circleback becomes a stripped down, lightweight summer pad.

Testers praised the extra polyester insulation, cushioning, and noise-muffling properties the polyester taffeta removable cover affords, but some testers found themselves sliding off the slick surface. 鈥淓ven at a flat tent site, I woke up a couple mornings on the ground, with the pad next to me,鈥� said a Seattle-based tester who used the 4.5-inch-thick pad on a three-night trip outside of Bozeman, Montana. Keeping the pad at a moderate to low firmness helped, but testers cautioned that it might not be ideal for restless sleepers.

The whole kit packs down to 6-by-13 inches (regular), making it a solid option for short backpacking trips where the priority is comfort over size or weight.

Other Products We Tested

• : The Arpenaz offers great value, and we found it extremely comfortable when coupled with a cot, but it didn鈥檛 provide enough insulation on colder nights to be one of our picks for campers who sleep on the ground.
• : While this pad has the potential to double as a car camping mattress and a base-camp style backpacking pad, it lacks some of the comfort details car campers look for in a mattress.
• : The Campmeister truly amazed testers with its incredibly light weight coupled with its respectable R-value of 7, but it didn鈥檛 impress testers as much in the comfort department.

How to Choose Your Sleeping Pad

Foam-Filled vs. Air-Filled Sleeping Pads

Self-inflating foam pads should inflate most of the way within roughly a half hour, depending on the model, and come with inflation sacks or pumps to finish the job. Our favorite pumps have a snug connection point with the pad and a large air chamber that鈥檚 easy to roll and push with minimal effort. Campers who don鈥檛 want to wait can invest in an electric pump, like Exped鈥檚 battery-operated Widget Pump. Almost all foam-insulated camping pads have high enough R-Values for winter camping (above 5), but it鈥檚 worth double-checking the rating if your adventures will include sub-freezing nights.

Sleeping Pad R-Value

This ubiquitous term will inevitably crop up when searching for the most appropriate pad for your outdoor activity. R-value is a universal measurement that rates a sleeping pad鈥檚 ability to resist heat transfer. R-values in sleeping pads typically range from 1-7, but some go well beyond R-7, especially in the case of car camping pads or expedition-level pads.

A pad with an R-value up to 2 works in temps with an expected nighttime low of 50 degrees Fahrenheit; an R-value between 2 and 3.9 works in temps with an expected nighttime low of 32 degrees; an R-value between 4 and 5.4 works in temps with an expected nighttime low as cold as 15 degrees; and a pad with an R-value of 5.5 or higher works in temps down to an expected nighttime low of zero degrees.

Pads with R-values above 7鈥攕uch as luxury car camping mattresses, self-inflating foam pads, or heavy-duty expedition mats鈥攐ffer extreme insulation for subzero temperatures, but also serve cold sleepers in more moderate temps (around freezing). Some premium car camping mattresses or self-inflating pads can reach R-values of 10 or higher, offering maximum comfort and warmth retention. These extremely high R-values are particularly useful when sleeping directly on cold ground, frozen surfaces, or inside unheated vehicles. While backpackers often aim for the lowest R-value that still keeps them safe, car campers may want to consider pads with R-values of 7 or higher since a pad鈥檚 weight and packability are not high priorities when accessing a campsite by car.

Does Packability Matter for a Sleeping Pad?

When you鈥檙e car camping, packability isn鈥檛 as big of a concern as when you鈥檙e backpacking and need to cram all of your gear into one bag. For that reason, the best sleeping pads tend to be thick, wide, and much heavier than their backpacking counterparts. Still, if you have a small car or limited storage, packed size might still be a major consideration. Some of the sleeping pads on this list pack down quite small (about the size of a large bag of potato chips), while others are beasts.

What Kind of Materials Do Sleeping Pads Use?

Aim for a higher-denier material on both the top and bottom of the pad, especially if you plan on dragging it outside for stargazing, or share your bed with a canine. While many backpacking pads use nylon uppers for weight savings and better durability, most car camping pads feature a polyester upper material to balance durability and next-to-skin comfort. Some of our favorite car camping mattresses on this list even feature brushed (or peached) polyester or stretch-knit uppers for enhanced comfort.

How We Test

• Number of Pads Tested: 12
• Number of Testers: 15
• Number of Days Camped: 42
• Number of states tested in: 3
• Number of kids lightly injured while wrestling on mats: 4

We set up three different main camps with these mattresses and invited 13 testers to use them as 鈥済uest beds鈥� and provide feedback on comforts or grievances. During the camping trips, we encouraged a lightly feral group of seven children to wrestle and play on the mats to rapid test their durability. To test air retention in a more controlled setting, we inflated all the mattresses and left them inflated for four days in an insulated garage where temps fluctuated from the high fifties to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Then we hand tested them. For one last layer of nuance, test director Joe Jackson spent at least one night on every one of these mattresses in a guestroom that he often sleeps in to offer his wife respite from his snoring.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Joe Jackson听has been testing gear professionally for 国产吃瓜黑料 for over a decade. By his best estimation, he has tested over 75 sleeping pads ranging from gram pinching ultra light backpacking pads to the luxurious mattress-replacing numbers you see on this list.

Miyo McGinn is a former assistant editor at 国产吃瓜黑料 based in Bozeman, Montana. She has camped in a dozen different states and four continents, but Washington state, where she grew up, will always be her favorite place to pitch a tent. Miyo got her start reviewing gear as 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 gear editorial assistant in 2021.

Saylor Flett runs the outdoor recreation and leadership program at Feather River College in Quincy, California. He has slept on sleeping pads in a cave in Yosemite for a month and on hundreds of riverbanks.

Josie Jackson is Joe Jackson’s seven-year-old daughter and arguably the most mobile sleeper of our 16 testers. She is also the least likely to be subject to brand bias because she could care less about who makes a sleeping pad, just if it’s comfortable.

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When taking a sleeping bag deep into the backcountry or high into the alpine, you have to balance comfort with portability鈥攜ou do have to drag them up there, after all. This is not the case with a car camping sleeping bag.

As far as we鈥檙e concerned, car camping is all about comfort鈥攕ave the rehydrated meals and paper-thin foam sleeping pads for the backcountry. And if there鈥檚 any part of your kit where you shouldn鈥檛 cut corners, it鈥檚 your bedding. The scenery always looks that much nicer after a good night鈥檚 sleep.

The good news about shopping for sleeping bags in 2025 is that there鈥檚 something for every type of camper, but the downside of that abundance is that it can be hard to parse all the models and features to find what you really want. Our testers, a mix of men, women, and children with different sleeping preferences (hot/cold; side, stomach, back sleepers, etc.) put 24 sleeping bags and blankets to the test on cold, windy shoulder-season trips and balmy summer nights. These sleeping bags and quilts came out on top.

Updated April 2025: We added five new sleeping bags to this list, including our new “Best Overall” pick, the Rumpl Wrap Sack. We also updated pricing and info on the sleeping bags we previously included and still highly recommend.听

At a Glance

• Best Overall:
• Best Value:
• Roomiest:
• Most Versatile:
• Best for Families:
• Best Blanket:
• Best Wearable Bag:
• Other Sleeping Bags We Tested
• How to Choose a Sleeping Bag for Camping
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Testers

Don’t miss: The Best Tents for Camping in Comfort and Style

Best Overall

Rumpl Wrap Sack Sleeping Bag 20

Weight: 5 lbs
Sizes: Standard
Dimensions: 82鈥� x 35鈥�
Comfort rating: 20-30F

Pros and Cons
鈯� Wide temperature range
鈯� Roomy
鈯� Smart design
鈯� Too cold below 30F
鈯� Clips could be uncomfortable to roll on

This unique sleeping bag is the most comfortable and innovative bag we鈥檝e tested in a while.

The best way to describe the Wrap Sack is a hybrid between a sleeping bag and an adult swaddle. Two wings on either side of the bag offer two different amounts of Rumpl鈥檚 proprietary recycled synthetic insulation. Depending on how mild or chilly it is at night, you can wrap one or both of these sides around yourself and secure them via four easy-to-close clips; when it鈥檚 cold out, zip the outer layer of the Wrap Sack like a traditional sleeping bag.

This layering design made the Wrap Sack versatile enough to accommodate big temperature swings at night. It proved ideal for summer nights that start out in the 80s and drop down into the 40s, which is common in the parts of far Northern California where we tested. That said, one tester cautioned that the Wrap Sack does not have enough insulation to live up to its stated 20-degree comfort rating. Even with the bag fully cinched, he woke up cold on a 28-degree night on the Scott River in California.

While it鈥檚 not a bag for nights that dip below freezing, the Wrap Sack鈥檚 ability to handle big temperature swings above 32 degrees and its roominess made it a tester favorite.The rectangular shaped bag allowed active sleepers enough space to toss and turn, and our 6鈥�2鈥� tester had enough room to stretch out even with the Wrap Sack鈥檚 hood stuffed with a camp pillow.

Even after over 20 days in the field and two machine washes, the robust, fully-recycled nylon exterior showed no visible wear. The Wrap Sack packs down to the size of a watermelon鈥攏ot exactly small, but smaller than the Big Agnes Echo Park, the other extra-roomy option on this list.

Best Value

The North Face Wawona 20 Sleeping Bag

Weight: Regular 4.9 lbs (Regular); 5.3 lbs (Long)
Sizes: Regular, Long
Dimensions: 78鈥� x 32鈥� (Regular)
Comfort rating: 20F and 35F

Pros and Cons
鈯� Good value
鈯� Soft liner fabric
鈯� Incorporates recycled materials
鈯� Large pack down size for a single
鈯� Comfort rating is off
鈯� No hood

The Wawona is reasonably priced yet doesn鈥檛 feel like a budget bag. Testers gave it top marks for its next-to-skin comfort thanks to a cozy, brushed high-pile fleece that comprised the top interior of the bag. At 78 inches by 32 inches (regular), this rectangular bag is also comfortably roomy.

With only a $10 price difference between the 20-degree and 35-degree versions, we opted to test the Wawona 20 to see how well it performed in lower temps. While the recycled polyester fill proved sufficient in 40-degree temps, testers noted that it didn鈥檛 live up to its stated 20-degree comfort rating. The lack of a hood left one tester wishing he had worn a beanie and needing to layer up in a down jacket to make it comfortable during a 28-degree night on the Scott River in Northern California. We would have expected a bag that packs down to no smaller than a five-gallon cooler to have more insulation power.

Still, testers had plenty of good things to say about this more affordable sleeping bag. The 50-denier polyester ripstop outer proved surprisingly durable鈥攊t was no worse for wear after we used the Wawona as a blanket on bare, rocky ground for some stargazing. And the hearty YKK zipper (usually the first thing to go on a budget bag) worked just as well after a season of camping as it did at the start. One tester especially appreciated the storage pocket built into the bag鈥檚 lining at chest height, where he stashed his essential ear plugs when not in use.

And perhaps the Wawona鈥檚 biggest flex: At such a reasonable price, campers could buy two Wawona bags and zip them together to enjoy an affordable double bag.

Roomiest

Big Agnes Echo Park

Weight: 4 lb 16 oz
Sizes: Regular
Dimensions: 80鈥� x 30鈥�
Comfort rating: 0F and 20F

Pros and Cons
鈯� Good value
鈯� Roomy design
鈯� Integrated pad and pillow sleeves
鈯� Heavy and bulky

While technically a little bit smaller than Rumpl Wrap Sack, the Big Agnes Echo Park is the roomiest traditional bag we tested with a higher temperature rating, making this our top pick for larger campers who want a comfortable, spacious bag that can hack it in lower temps.

The Echo Park comes in 0-, 20-, and 35-degree temperature ratings and uses Big Agnes鈥� proprietary FireLine Max Eco synthetic insulation. We tested the 20-degree version ($200) to see how it stacked up to the other bags in the same price range (at 0 degrees, the Echo Park bumps up to $230). It proved toasty on a 28-degree night in Northern California, yet testers were also able to dump enough heat via full-length zippers on the either side to stay comfortable on nights that didn鈥檛 dip below 60 Fahrenheit. The cotton-polyester blend on the interior felt supple next to skin and as comfortable as our bedding at home.

Big Agnes lists max user height for the Echo Park as 6鈥�6鈥�, which we found to be accurate; a 6鈥�5鈥� tester commented that this was the first bag he鈥檇 tested where his feet had room to spare. It is wide without being as boxy as the Rumpl and North Face sleeping bags on this list, with a 74-inch hip girth and a 64-inch foot girth, which feels snug but not constricting like a mummy bag. This lightly tapered design enhances space and comfort while still keeping the bag close enough to the body to help insulate.

On top of being incredibly roomy and high on the creature comfort scale, the Echo Park is packed with features we would expect to see on higher priced bags, making it a great value. The integrated sleeping pad sleeve accommodates pads as wide as 30 inches and successfully kept our pads from moving around at night; the pad sleeve also features a separate pillow pocket to keep your camp pillow in place. While incredibly comfortable, the Echo Park also proved plenty durable鈥攖he 40-denier ripstop exterior showed little wear and tear after two months of use.

The large footprint and quantity of synthetic insulation did make this bag a beast to pack down. It doesn鈥檛 get much smaller than the size of a carry-on bag, so you won鈥檛 fit the Echo Park into a backpack. But if packability isn鈥檛 a priority, this comfy, extra-roomy bag is a good buy.

Most Versatile

Kelty Supernova 20

Weight: 3 lbs (regular)
Sizes: regular and long
Dimensions: 75 inches (regular)
Comfort rating: 20F

Pros and Cons
鈯� Versatile
鈯� Good temperature regulation
鈯� No hood

No single sleeping bag will be optimally comfortable and functional for every body type, sleep style, and trip destination, but for the frontcountry camper, the Kelty Supernova Down comes pretty darn close.

This summer, lead tester Miyo McGinn brought it on a very loosely planned summer road trip that she knew at the outset might include sea kayaking; backpacking in the alpine; and car camping in the mountains, desert, and beach. At each disparate location she stopped for the night, the Supernova worked beautifully鈥攊t fit comfortably in a backpacking pack, and felt light and unrestricting even when fully zipped up. The 550-fill down offered ample warmth for high elevation overnights with temps around freezing, opened up flat like a quilt for mild seaside nights with 55-degree lows, and the zipper allowed for plenty of venting for everywhere in between.

The roomy mummy-ish shape (with some extra space around the knees and hips, in addition to the shoulders, before tapering around the feet and lower legs) is particularly comfortable for side sleepers and anyone with wider hips, without sacrificing all the insulating benefits that a form-fitting cut provides.

The recycled 50-denier recycled polyester taffeta liner fabric felt buttery soft next to skin, and 20-denier recycled nylon taffeta exterior held up well over three weeks of constant use. The Supernova isn鈥檛 quite ultralight, nor does it pack down as tiny as some dedicated backpacking sleeping bags, but it still tilts the scales at a perfectly respectable 3 pounds and fits in a stuff sack about as big as a family-sized bag of potato chips.

鈥淢ost bedding that鈥檚 as luxurious as I want on a comfortable car camping trip is too bulky or too delicate for more rugged adventures, like short backpacking or sea kayaking trips鈥� said McGinn. 鈥淏ut the Supernova was great for all of the above鈥攊f it replaced all the other three-season quilts and bags in my gear closet, I wouldn鈥檛 miss them.鈥�

Best for Families

NEMO Jazz Double

Weight: 8 lbs 15 oz
Sizes: double
Dimensions: 78鈥� x 129鈥�
Comfort rating: 32F

Pros and Cons
鈯� As comfortable as home bedding
鈯� Integrated, removable bed sheet
鈯� Passed its comfort rating with flying colors
鈯� Bulky packed size

Thanks to its versatility, the NEMO Jazz Double became test director Joe Jackson鈥檚 go-to family sleeper for his crew of three last summer. The 78-by-129-inch double bag was roomy enough to comfortably sleep two adults (5鈥�9鈥� and 5鈥�11鈥�) plus a six-year-old kid. Most impressively, this 30-degree bag鈥攎ade with a supple, recycled taffeta interior, and featuring Nemo鈥檚 proprietary synthetic recycled Stratofiber insulation鈥攚orked for all three of their different heat preferences.

The double zipper pulls on either side of the bag are a smart design feature that let campers dump heat from their upper body or from their feet if they get too toasty. The Jazz Double鈥檚 incredibly soft, integrated polyester-stretch bedsheet offers an in-between layering option and proved warm enough on its own on milder nights in the 50s. Bonus: The sheet is removable for easy washing.

For a bag this plush, the Jazz Double also impressed us with its hardiness. One tester used the Jazz Double coupled with the NEMO Roamer Double sleeping pad鈥攕lipped into the bag鈥檚 integrated pad sleeve鈥攐n a night on the Scott River that was below 30 degrees and reported that it really did live up to its 32-degree comfort rating. Credit the insulated quilted layer added to the top of the pad sleeve for adding extra comfort and warmth. The bag鈥檚 50-denier recycled polyester outer also survived more than two dozen nights of camping and two washes and dries without breaking down in any visible way.

Our biggest gripe is that this almost-nine-pound bag is extremely bulky. Packed down into its stuff sack, the bag still measures 33-by-16-inches, which took up the entire driver鈥檚 side seat of one tester鈥檚 Toyota Tacoma during transport.

Best Blanket

Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown Quilt

Weight: 1 pound 15.4 ounces
Sizes: 0/S
Dimensions: 82鈥� x 59鈥�
Comfort rating:听N/A

Pros and Cons
鈯� Incredibly versatile
鈯� Durable
鈯� Comfortable
鈯� Expensive for a blanket
鈯� Not warm enough in 30-degree temps

Featuring the same sterling materials that Mountain Hardwear incorporates into its highest-end jackets, the Stretch Down Quilt is the most high-tech camp quilt we鈥檝e ever tested.

Weighing in at just shy of two pounds, this 650-fill down quilt offers an incredible warmth-to-weight ratio for a blanket. While we don鈥檛 think anyone would be comfortable using it as their sole cover on nights that dip below 40 degrees, this blanket makes a versatile layer for those who camp in milder climates where a sleeping bag would be overkill.

The stretchy 20-denier nylon and elastane exterior meant this 82-by-59-inch blanket had enough give to comfortably envelop a family of three sitting by a campfire and was notably pleasant next-to-skin. Testers also appreciated the corner snaps that let them turn this blanket into a wearable poncho for lounging around the campfire.

For how supple it feels, the Stretch Down Quilt held up admirably after we used it as a picnic blanket on abrasive volcanic rock and rocky beaches that would have shredded lesser exteriors. Its durability is a good thing, too, because at $300, we would hope to get many years out of it.

Best Wearable Bag

Mountain Hardwear Yawn Patrol 30F

Weight: 2.1 lbs
Sizes: regular, long
Dimensions: 72鈥� x 62鈥� (regular); 78鈥� x 64鈥� (long)

Pros and Cons
鈯� Convenient temperature regulation; Packability
鈯� More restrictive than some rectangular bags

Most sleeping bags that also claim to be loungewear tend to be more on the gimmicky end of the spectrum. Not the Yawn Patrol, which is a sleeping bag, quilt, and extra long poncho all in one, thanks to clever zipper design.

One smooth-running zipper extends from the top of the bag to the feet to split it into a quilt. Another runs a third of the way down for easy entry and to create sleeves for reading or drinking while inside the bag. Josie Boulding, a Union Bay, B.C.-based tester, loved the bag鈥檚 poncho mode. 鈥淚 could wear the whole thing in camp to stay warm around the campfire,鈥� she says.

Tougher, 45-denier nylon protected the bottom of the bag from dirt, while a lighter-weight 30-denier nylon top shell and the interior were both soft next to skin. When she actually slept in the nearly rectangular bag, the insulated hood with a pillow pocket, phone pocket, draft collars, and 650-fill down kept Boulding toasty and all those zippers gave the bag a huge comfort range, from the 60s to its 30-degree limit. Bonus: At just 2.1 pounds, it can be pressed into service for short backpacking trips.

Other Sleeping Bags We Tested

• :听The Xenith II had the best warmth-to-weight ratio of any bag we tested in this category. But for most car campers, this bag would be overkill, especially at this price.
• :听We tested the Exped Megasleep head-to-head with the Nemo Jazz Double. We preferred the Jazz for its supple, integrated sheet.
• : The Boost features brilliant arm holes (which doubled as vents) and a great heat-dumping center zipper, but felt like a better fit as a backpacking sleeping bag than a car camping option.

How to Choose a Sleeping Bag for Camping

Finding the ideal sleeping bag or quilt is a little like finding the ideal life partner. When you start looking, the options might seem overwhelming. But the more you focus on what you really want, the easier it is to narrow down. Here are four aspects to consider.

Seasons and Temperature Rating

Bags generally fall into three temperature categories: Summer (rated 30 degrees F and warmer); three-season (rated between 15 and 20 degrees); and winter (rated 15 degrees and lower鈥攕ome expedition bags are rated as low as -40 degrees). These temperature ratings are based on 鈥渁verage鈥� sleepers and don鈥檛 consider external factors like the thickness and rating of your sleeping pad; climatic factors like wind or humidity; or how quickly your body regulates heat loss or gain. Even if you tend to prefer cold sleeping environments, we recommend erring on the side of buying a higher temperature bag鈥攜ou can always open zippers, but making a bag warmer requires extra layers.

Camping vs. Backpacking Sleeping Bags

Car camping, or camping at a campground or near your vehicle, is about comfort: look to prioritize roominess, fabric feel, and features, like pillow pockets and multiple zippers, rather than weight and packability. Cotton, fleece, or flannel-like interior linings will make sleeping that much more cozy than the usual polyester stickiness you experience with backpacking bags. Pockets help corral slippery pillows right where you want them; an additional pocket to keep a headlamp, phone, or watch close at hand is a nice bonus feature. And extra zippers provide options for customizing warmth and lounging in camp.

What Type of Insulation Is Best in a Sleeping Bag?

Down bags are generally warmer for their weight and more compressible than bags with synthetic insulation. But if down bags get wet, they lose insulating capacity and take longer to dry out than synthetic bags. Many manufacturers use down processed with a hydrophobic chemical that prevents it from absorbing as much water. Others keep the insulation dry with a water-repellant finish or fabric.

Pay attention to fill power. That number measures the volume taken up by the amount of down in your sleeping bag; the more loft your sleeping bag has, the more efficiently it will trap warm air. It will also weigh less and pack down smaller than bags with a lower fill power rated to the same temperature. Synthetic bags are more affordable, and therefore an excellent choice for new campers who are unsure how often they want to sleep outside, or backpackers who are headed to wet environments.

How Roomy Should a Sleeping Bag Be?

Bags come in many shapes and sizes鈥攔ectangles, mummies, modified mummies, and double bags. Mummies are warmer and lighter-weight than rectangular bags, but can also be claustrophobic. Rectangular bags are excellent for restless sleepers who need to move and don鈥檛 have space or weight constraints. Some quilts can be opened up to act as comforters, although they require a warm sleeping pad and don鈥檛 come with hoods. Women-specific bags often come in modified mummy shapes to accommodate the curvier parts of a woman鈥檚 body. Doubles are simply sleeping bags built for two, although many solo bags can be zipped together to create a double bag.

How We Test

• Number of Sleeping Bags Tested: 24
• Warmest Temperature Tested In: 80F
• Lowest Temperature Tested In: 20F
• Number of Nights Camped: 42
• Number of Testers: 16

In this category, we primarily considered sleeping bags designed for car campers versus backpackers. This meant focusing on more affordable options with comfort-forward features and weeding out the highly technical and expensive bags that would be overkill for most recreational campers.

In the end, we tested 24 sleeping bags that fit the bill on multiple camping trips along the Scott River. We then pitted the top contenders against each other in a head-to-head test in Crescent City, California, where we kept one camp up for an entire month and invited testers to try the different options. We asked testers to rate things like next-to-skin comfort, warmth, feature-set, and packability.

The bags that made this list were rated as the best picks for casual campers who care more about comfort and affordability than packability and performance in cold climates.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Joe Jackson

Test director Jackson has been testing gear professionally for 国产吃瓜黑料 for over a decade. By his best estimation, he has tested more than 100 sleeping bags for this publication. His most trying sleeping bag test took place on an incredibly cold night on Donner Summit, where he intentionally soaked sleeping bags to see how long each wetted bag could keep him warm in freezing temps.

Saylor Flett

Saylor Flett runs the outdoor recreation and leadership program at Feather River College in Quincy, California. He once spent a month sleeping in a cave in Yosemite and has spent hundreds of nights camping out on portaledges and riverbanks.

Josie Jackson

The test director鈥檚 daughter is arguably the most mobile sleeper of our 16 testers, and as a seven-year-old, is the least likely to be subject to brand bias鈥攕he could care less about who makes a sleeping bag, all she cares about is if it鈥檚 warm and comfortable.

Miyo McGinn

Miyo McGinn is an assistant editor at 国产吃瓜黑料 based in Bozeman, Montana. She has camped in a dozen different states and four continents, but Washington state, where she grew up, will always be her favorite place to pitch a tent. Miyo got her start reviewing gear as 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 gear editorial assistant in 2021.

More Gear Reviews

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The post The 7 Best Sleeping Bags for Car Camping appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Nothing quite beats having a place to rest your butt at camp. We鈥檙e talking about more than just a rotting stump you found trailside. From the ultra pared-down, highly portable bucket seat to the high-end armchair we鈥檇 consider using as living-room furniture, there is a camp chair that will enhance every trip.

While you can buy cheap camp chairs for $10, you will see a lot of chairs with price tags north of $100 on our list. We believe that a comfortable, well-made camp chair is a worthwhile investment because of how integral it is to an enjoyable camping trip. After all, the best part about camping is lounging comfortably around a campfire with friends and family for hours.

At a Glance

• Best Overall:
• Best Value:
• Most Versatile:
• Most Portable:
• Splurge:
• Best for Families:
• Other Products We Tested
• Products to Avoid
• How to Choose a Camp Chair
• How We Tested Camp Chairs
• Meet Our Testers

Best Overall

Big Agnes Big Six Armchair

Chair Weight: 3.9 lbs
Deployed Dimensions: 24″ x 26″ x 40″
Packed Dimensions: 5″ x 6″ x 22″
Maximum Weight Capacity: 300 lbs
Seat Height: 20鈥�

Comfort: 9/10
Stability: 8/10
Portability: 8/10

Pros and Cons
鈯� Killer back support
鈯� Great packability
鈯� Functional cupholders
鈯� Legs sink into fine sand
鈯� Complicated setup

The Big Six Armchair beat out all other camp chairs on this list because it checks all of our boxes: it鈥檚 comfortable, stable, and very packable for a high-backed chair. Testers were surprised how supportive the Big Six proved for a two-piece, sub four-pound chair that packs down small enough to fit into a 25-liter daypack. Credit the 20-inch seat height, generous 20-inch back height, and the high-tenacity Robic nylon upper that stretches tightly against six connection points on the chair to provide firm upper back support.

On top of a killer comfort-to-size ratio, testers appreciated that this relatively packable chair features two luxurious armrests with two solid cupholders. 鈥淭his would be a great chair even if it never left camp,鈥� said one tester. But the beauty of this chair is that you can easily take it with you on short outings. One tester鈥檚 family slid it into their beach bag and hiked a quarter mile from camp to a secluded rocky beach in Crescent City, California.

Our only gripe: The chair can be confusing to put together鈥攊t takes about a dozen times setting up the octopus-like pole structure before it starts to become intuitive.

Best Value

GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker

Weight: 12 lbs
Deployed Dimensions: 24鈥� x 24鈥� x 43.8鈥�
Packed Dimensions: 25″ x 4.9″ x 34.8″
Maximum Weight Capacity: 250 pounds
Seat Height: 19.7鈥�

Comfort: 9/10
Stability: 8/10
Portability: 3/10

Pros and Cons
鈯� Great value
鈯� Durable
鈯� Very comfortable
鈯� Awkward and large when packed down

An oldie but goodie, the Freestyle Rocker has been our go-to for everything from camping to tailgating to soccer games for years because it鈥檚 so comfortable. The nearly 20-inch seat height, taut, mesh backrest, and spring-action rocker make this chair a delight to fall back into after a long day of outdoor activities.

The chair鈥檚 sturdy base and gentle rocking motion meant we never worried about tipping backwards even when perched on riversides and sandy beaches. Despite being a more budget-friendly option, the Freestyle Rocker has proved remarkably durable thanks to the powder-coated steel frame that only folds at the seat, a design that creates fewer potential failure points and provides solid structural integrity overall.

Our biggest complaint about this chair is that it doesn鈥檛 pack down small enough to comfortably fit into the trunk of small vehicles (like a Honda Element). Unusually, it folds flat on the vertical axis, so its packed dimensions retain the chair鈥檚 31-inch height.

Most Versatile

DOD Sugoi Chair

Weight: 5 lbs
Deployed Dimensions: 24鈥� x 26鈥� x 37鈥�
Packed Dimensions: 4鈥� x 15鈥� x 18鈥�
Maximum Capacity: 250 lbs
Seat Height: 12鈥�-17鈥�

Comfort: 8/10
Stability: 7/10
Portability: 8/10

Pros and Cons
鈯� Soft, supple seat material
鈯� Variable seat height
鈯� Can sit upright or recline
鈯� Does not dry quickly

The soft, cotton canvas seat made the slingback-style Soto stand out in our test. It delivers a delightful give that enhances comfort while still providing enough back support. The chair鈥檚 adjustable seat height also won us over.

The Soto鈥檚 telescoping legs have four height settings鈥攆rom 12 to 17 inches鈥攖hat not only let you dial in your preferred seat height, but let you turn this chair into a recliner by dropping the rear leg heights to a lower setting than the front legs. No matter which height the legs were adjusted to, the Soto proved stable for testers up to 280 pounds, even when set up on uneven terrain.

A classic skin-on-frame style makes setup and takedown straightforward. It鈥檚 also very portable鈥攊t folds flat and tucks into a briefcase-sized canvas carrying case. The only downside to this canvas-backed chair is that it retains moisture. After getting soaked during an early morning rainstorm on the Scott River, it didn鈥檛 fully dry out until the next morning.

Most Portable

Helinox Chair One (re)

Weight: 2.5 lbs
Deployed Dimensions: 28″ H x 21.5″ W x 20″ W
Packed Down Dimensions: 14.6鈥� x 4.7鈥� x 4.3
Maximum Capacity: 320 lbs
Seat Height: 14.5鈥�

Comfort: 6/10
Stability: 7/10
Packability: 10/10

Pros and Cons
鈯� Easily fits in a daypack
鈯� Lightest-weight chair we tested
鈯� Low seat is not great for those with knee problems

While not the plushest or most luxurious chair, the Helinox Chair One (re) is a smart pick for campers who value packability. It鈥檚 the only chair on this list that packs down small (and light enough) enough to fit into a sub-30-liter daypack鈥攏ot a prerequisite for a camp chair, but nice for those who want to pick up and find a serene spot to relax miles beyond their campsite.

This updated version of a perennial favorite is sturdier thanks to a stiffer frame made from repurposed aluminum and the addition of a second tension line (there used to be just one). For a low-back bucket seat chair, it鈥檚 surprisingly supportive thanks to the rigid materials that are stretched tautly by the two tension lines.

With a 14.5-inch seat height, the Chair One (re) is also 30-percent taller than the original Chair One, which made for more comfortable sitting without diminishing its packability. That said, it still sits relatively low to the ground, making it a tad more difficult for folks with knee issues to get in and out of.

But if you鈥檙e looking for a camp chair you can take with you on short hikes from the campsite, the Chair One (re) offers the best balance of comfort, stability, and packability.

Splurge

Yeti Trailhead Camp Chair

Weight: 13.3 pounds
Deployed Dimensions: 24.0″ x 29.9″ x 36.3″
Packed Down Dimensions: 4鈥� x 4鈥� x 42鈥�
Maximum Weight Capacity: 500 pounds
Seat Height: 16.75鈥�

Comfort: 9/10
Stability: 9/10
Portability: 2/10

Pros and Cons
鈯� Best back and seat tension in test
鈯� Durable and solid
鈯� Sturdy feet on loose terrain
鈯� Very expensive
鈯� Large and heavy

If it weren鈥檛 for its large size and hefty price tag, the Yeti Trailhead might have won our test because it鈥檚 damned near structurally perfect. Two heavy-duty click points鈥攐ne with a handle on the back of the chair and one at the front of the seat鈥攕tretch the Trailhead鈥檚 highly breathable mesh tightly over the alloy steel and plastic frame. This made the Trailhead as sturdy as a lawn chair and provided best-in-class back support.

Its four, heartily padded feet offered plenty of stability on rocky shores and sandy campsites alike. Our bigger tester (6鈥�4鈥� and 280 lbs) especially appreciated the two-foot-wide seat that sits 16.75 inches above the ground and the 20-inch seat back height.

The downside to that robust build is weight: at 13.3 pounds, the Trailhead is a seriously heavy camp chair that makes transport cumbersome. While it comes with a carrying case that made schlepping it nearly a quarter of a mile to a campsite in Scott River, California, manageable, this chair is not for campers who value portability. Another drawback is the eye-watering $300 price tag. But the fact that the Trailhead is comfortable, stable, and durable enough to pull double-duty as a patio chair softens the blow a bit.

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Helinox Sunset Camp Chair

Kick back in Helinox’s Sunset Camp Chair and enjoy big comfort anywhere. A bit of neck support goes a long way after full days spent hiking, and the Sunset’s stuff sack doubles as a pillow that you can strap to the chair. Select models have mesh panels for extra durability, and the rest have unique styles that fit in perfectly at concerts and park hangs. Lightweight DAC poles pack small and make setup easy.

Best for Families

Kelty Lowdown Couch

Weight: 21 lbs
Deployed Dimensions:64″ x 23.5″ x 80″
Packed Down Dimensions: 35鈥� x 13.5鈥� x 9鈥�
Maximum Weight Capacity: 600 lbs
Seat Height: 12.5鈥�

Comfort: 9/10
Stability: 8/10
Portability: 3/10

Pros and Cons
鈯� Balances comfort and stability
鈯� Extremely burly materials
鈯� Very heavy
鈯� Huge packed size

Our crew of 25 testers have collectively spent hundreds of hours on this three-person couch over the course of three summers鈥� worth of testing. When all was said and done, the Lowdown established itself as the unequivocal favorite among kids and families.

While all of the other chairs on this list depend on rigidity for support, the Lowdown has an almost hammock-like back that allowed testers to sink into the low seats. We don鈥檛 always love this style of seat because it can feel like you鈥檙e melting into the chair (not in a good way); but the Lowdown features light padding on the seat and back that offers just enough support while enhancing comfort.

And although it鈥檚 five feet wide, this camp couch is incredibly stable. Credit the steel frame that boasts eight connection points to the ground. The design proved so sturdy, kids felt confident standing on it, and we had to repeatedly ask them to stop using it as a wrestling platform . Save for a tiny hole left by a campfire ember, the 600-denier polyester seat cover continues to look almost new after multiple summers of use.

As a three-seater, the Lowdown doesn鈥檛 score high marks for portability. It packs down to the size of a large couch cushion and weighs a whopping 21 pounds, which makes it bulkier to transport than many car camping tents. That said, setup and takedown is not complicated for such a large chair鈥攐ne piece folds out/in like an accordion and the carrying case simply wraps around the collapsed chair. We just needed a truck bed to throw it in once packed up.

Other Products We Tested

• : While we loved the added comfort of a higher-backed Chair One (re), part of the original chair鈥檚 appeal is its incredible packability, which is diminished by the higher back on this version.
• : This chair received high comfort marks and is an engineering marvel that rolls down skinnier than a frozen bean burrito and weighs only 29 ounces. But it was outmatched in comfort compared to the big dawg chairs that made our final list.
• : This proved to be an awesome lightweight counterpart to the Chair One (re) in terms of packability and weight, but it was less comfortable.
• : The decision whether to feature the GCI Pod Rocker or the GCI Freestyle Rocker was heavily debated amongst our testers because they were both well-loved, but too similar to both be included on our list. We chose the Freestyle Rocker in the end because it has a better cup holder and was slightly easier to transport.

Products to Avoid

Cheap Kids Chairs: Our lead tester bought his daughter cheap kids camping chairs from big box stores three summers in a row, only to throw them away after each summer. Most of these kids’ camp chairs are too unwieldy and are prone to collapsing. They鈥檙e simply not worth the lower price because they don鈥檛 hold up to extended use.

How to Choose a Camp Chair

Consider Seat Height and Level of Support

Camp chairs are often an afterthought because we tend to overlook the small pains of sitting in a slouchy chair or bending down to sink into a chair that is just a few inches off the ground. But if you camp a lot, it鈥檚 worth investing in a quality chair that suits your body鈥檚 needs. If you have bad knees, don鈥檛 get a chair with a low seat height. If you have back problems, avoid slingback style chairs and go for a chair with firm support.

Packability vs. Features

Be realistic about how you are going to use a camp chair and what features are important to you鈥攏ot all camp chairs come with all the bells and whistles, like cupholders, reclining back, adjustable leg height, etc. If you have a tendency to pack heavy for your camping trips, you might not be able to fit the plushest, bulkiest camp chairs on this list. If you have to hike into your campsites, you鈥檒l want a chair that鈥檚 lighter and portable. Do you want a camp chair that could double as a backpacking chair? You鈥檒l want to pay close attention to a chair鈥檚 weight and packed dimensions and realize that you will sacrifice comfort in the name of packability.

Budget

Car camping chairs have traditionally been looked at as a place to save money. We suggest splurging here. Good chairs are like good bedding; we spend significantly more time on them than we think, so maximizing your comfort with a comfortable chair made to last is a worthwhile investment.

How We Tested Camp Chairs

• Number of Chairs Tested: 17
• Total Testers: 16
• Number of Campfires Sat Around: 36
• Number of Kid Disputes Over Chairs: 10+

We cast a wide net in the camp chairs we tested, from the cush and fully-featured to the pared down and more packable. Since size and packability aren鈥檛 always the biggest priorities for car campers, we mainly focused on big loungers with seat heights north of a foot, though we did include some minimalist chairs that can reasonably be stuffed into a pack.

Our group of 16 testers spent hundreds of hours in different campsites鈥攚ith main hubs being on the Scott River in Northern California as well as a month in Crescent City on the far northern California coast. We hiked these chairs into remote beaches and set them up on rocky river banks. On top of the major factors like overall comfort and portability, we also paid attention to the nuances like how easy they were to set up and take down, how stable they were on uneven terrain, and how well their cupholders fit our bevvies.

Meet Our Testers

Joe Jackson has tested over 75 camp chairs for this publication during the more than 10-years he has professionally tested gear as 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Gear Guy. He takes testing camp chairs very seriously鈥攈e once hiked a collection of camp chairs into one of the most remote class V whitewater runs in California in the name of credible product testing.

Zach 鈥淩ed鈥� Williams was our designated van camper for this test. He and his family use camp chairs more than their chairs at home during the summer on multi-week road trips and regular weekend camping trips.

Josie Jackson (7) has been testing gear since she left the hospital as a newborn. Her father (Joe) has asked her opinion on hundreds of pieces of gear, and she never avoids telling him the cold, hard truth about the gear she doesn鈥檛 like.

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Stooping in a lightweight, minimalist backpacking tent while camping out of your car isn鈥檛 much fun. Neither is getting blown over in a flimsy big-box store shelter. With that in mind, we tested 17 tents designed for car campers and families who prioritize spaciousness, convenience, and storm-worthiness over all else. These six options had us lounging in comfort and style no matter what conditions rolled through the campground.

Updated April 2025: After months of additional testing, we added four new tents, including our new top-pick, the NEMO Aurora Highrise 4. We’ve also updated info and pricing on some of our previous picks that we still highly recommend.听

Best Car Camping Tents at a Glance

• Best Overall:
• Easiest Setup:
• Most Durable:
• Best Budget Buy:
• Most Convenient:
• Best for Glamping:
• Other Tents We Tested
• How to Choose Tents
• How We Test
• Meet Our Testers

Don’t miss: The Best Sleeping Pads and Camping Mattresses

Best Overall

NEMO Aurora Highrise 4

Weight: 13.8 lbs
Peak height: 75鈥�
Interior space: 90鈥� x 100鈥�

Pros and Cons
鈯� Easy setup/takedown
鈯� Effective ventilation
鈯� Spacious vestibule
鈯� High ceiling
鈯� Floor gets dirty fast

The Aurora Highrise 4 stood out in our test thanks to its supreme livability. Unlike many other four-person tents out there, this one does, in fact, comfortably house a family of four thanks to its 75-inch peak height, steep sidewalls, and two generous 19.5-square-foot vestibules.

During testing, two families of four remarked on the internal geometry, which maximizes space and freedom of movement. Its steep walls create more headroom above the 62.5-square-foot floor area than other dome tents鈥攁 6-foot-2 tester could easily stand upright and move around freely. Two doors on either side allowed campers to enter and exit the tent without disturbing others and were tall enough that our 6-foot-2 tester didn鈥檛 have to crouch to get in and out.

With just two base poles that set up the main body of the tent and two cross poles that pitch an awning at the top, the Aurora Highrise proved easy enough for first-time campers to set up without having to look up directions. One veteran tester was able to set it up by herself in about 15 minutes. It was just as easy to break down and pack up thanks to its oversized stuff sack.

Testers who camped out in Crescent City, California during a 17-hour rainstorm applauded the tent鈥檚 waterproofing and ventilation. The hearty 68-denier polyester body material and burly 150-denier polyester floor make this freestanding tent a hoss. It proved impervious to 20 mile-per-hour wind gusts without any help from the included guylines. The PU polyester rainfly, rated to 1,2000-millimeters, boasts a structured overhang that extends six inches beyond the mesh windows, which kept the tent dry even with its two windows opened for ventilation

We loved the small details on this tent that made a big difference in comfort and convenience, like a light-diffusing pocket in the canopy for pre-bed rituals, and the slightly opaque mesh on the windows that offered shade on the hottest days but didn鈥檛 spoil views.

Our only dig on this tent is its mostly-white floor, which proved impossible to keep clean鈥攁 problem for anyone bringing kids or pets along for the ride. Overall, the Aurora Highrise 4 is a standout in the car camping category for its balance of comfort and performance at a reasonable price.

Easiest Setup

Big Agnes Big House 4

Weight: 12.6 lbs
Peak height: 70鈥�
Interior space: 90鈥� x 92鈥�

Pros and Cons
鈯� Very easy setup
鈯� High ceiling
鈯� Blew heavily in high winds
鈯� Vestibule sold separately

Testers loved the Big House 4鈥檚 simplicity above all. Though big and boxy, the 90-by-92-inch tent was the easiest to set up across the category. A veteran tester was able to get the Big House 4 up on her own in under ten minutes thanks to its straightforward geometry and color-coded webbing and snaps.

With a 57-square-foot floor area, the Big House 4 is billed as a four-person tent, but testers reported that you鈥檇 need to purchase the vestibule鈥攕old separately ($180)鈥攖o make room for four folks and all their gear, from the stuff you鈥檇 want to keep outside like mud-covered shoes to wet swimsuits.

That said, the generous 70-inch ceiling height meant our six-foot testers could stand upright and move around the interior freely. Testers also appreciated the tent鈥檚 two giant doors鈥攕panning 80 percent of two walls鈥攚hich allowed them to enter and exit the tent without crouching. Eight internal pockets were more than enough for a family of three to stash personal items like toothbrushes, phones, and headlamps.

The Big House 4 also impressed us with its waterproofing and durability. A 75-denier polyester taffeta rain fly with a 1,500mm waterproof polyurethane coating kept the tent body (made from the same material) and the interior perfectly dry through three days of rain in Crescent City, California. That hearty PU coating also appeared to reinforce the durability of the tent鈥攊t showed very little wear and tear after over three months of testing.

Our only gripe: The tent鈥檚 height proved suboptimal in high winds. Even when secured with its guy lines, the tent blew heavily in 25-mile-per-hour winds.

Most Durable

Snow Peak Alpha Breeze

Weight: 24.2 lbs
Peak Height: 73″
Interior Space: 109″ x 102″

Pros and Cons
鈯� Four points of entry
鈯� Excellent ventilation
鈯� Durable
鈯� Heavy

The Alpha Breeze showcases Snowpeak鈥檚 emphasis on designing elegant, simple products with a decidedly luxurious fee. The top-tier materials鈥攊n this case, polyester fabric and duralumin poles鈥攁re strong and functional, and durable enough to stay that way for quite a while.

The extra-thick copper-aluminum poles gave us confidence when a sustained 15 mph wind picked up during an overnight on Camano Island in Washington. The structure barely flinched under the gusts, and the forearm-length Douglas fir boughs they knocked down onto our campsite. The 75-denier, DWR-treated polyester taffeta rain fly and 300-denier polyester tent floor both looked brand-new after two dusty, rocky trips in Montana鈥檚 Bitterroot Mountains.

Besides the fact that it felt indestructible, Seattle-based tester Maeve Axtell loved the boxy tent鈥檚 four doors, with one on each side. 鈥淚t was easy to get in and out without disturbing other people sleeping in the tent, and when it got warm we could get cross-breezes from every direction,鈥� said Axtell. The tent鈥檚 high ceiling and two mesh-covered 鈥渨indows鈥� on opposite walls contributed to the spacious feeling inside that the four doors created, although all those openings only left space for four mesh pockets and 10 loops to stash small essentials inside.

All good things come at a cost, though, and with the Alpha Breeze, the cost is weight. Despite its heft, it鈥檚 not excessively bulky and doesn鈥檛 take up an unreasonable amount of trunk real estate. Another ding? It鈥檚 not especially easy to set up: and the tent鈥檚 6-plus-foot height makes the Breeze a tad unwieldy to pitch. Testers ultimately forgave those shortcomings, since both features made for a rock-solid pitch and roomy, comfortable interior.

Best Budget Buy

Coleman 8-Person Darkroom Skydome

Weight: 21.6 lbs
Peak height: 68鈥�
Interior Space: 12鈥� x 9鈥�

Pros and Cons
鈯� Great price
鈯� Blocks sunlight
鈯� Poor wind performance

At $230, the eight-person Darkroom Skydome costs less than half what other popular eight-person tents cost (like The North Face Wawona 8 and Big Agnes Bunk House 8), making it a great entry-level option for families. You don鈥檛 get the same high-performance materials with that price, but for casual frontcountry camp trips in mild temperatures and weather, the Darkroom Skydome gets the job done.

Besides the price and easy setup, the tent鈥檚 light-blocking fabric is what made this tent stand out, especially for folks with little kids. Coleman uses a dark-coated polyester on the rain fly and inner panels of the Skydome to block out 90 percent more light than the brand鈥檚 normal car-camping tents. Besides creating ideal sleeping and napping conditions even when the sun is still up, the dark fabric also helps keep the interior cool during the day.

While inexpensive tents don鈥檛 always have the best track record in terms of durability and weatherproofing, the Darkroom Skydome proved surprisingly robust for a budget option. After over a dozen days in the rain, testers gave its 300-millimeter-rated polyurethane rainfly high scores for waterproofing in spite of the low rating. One tester used it for over 30 nights鈥攊ncluding on three different rafting trips, which are notoriously rough on tents because they鈥檙e exposed to the elements not only when they鈥檙e pitched, but also while being transported on the water. It held up admirably to rain and rough pack jobs until sustained 20 mile-per-hour wind gusts snapped one of the two aluminum poles.

At 68-inches tall, it鈥檚 slightly shorter than the other tents on this list. That made it easier to pitch鈥攕etup was incredibly simple despite its massive footprint鈥攂ut didn鈥檛 offer the same generous standing height. Testers taller than 5鈥�10鈥� had to crouch significantly in the tent. And like many large-capacity tents, this 鈥渆ight person鈥� shelter is stretching it with six occupants.

It鈥檚 not our pick for seasoned campers who head out into the wild no matter the weather, but for families with young kids and the budget-conscious, the Darkroom Skydome is a smart buy.

Most Convenient

MSR Habiscape 4P

Weight: 12.7 lbs
Peak Height: 73″
Interior Space: 95″ x 95″

Pros and Cons
鈯� Lots of livable space
鈯� Highly weatherproof
鈯� Mediocre ventilation

There鈥檚 a lot we liked about the Habiscape, from the generous elbow room (86 square feet including the vestibule) to the ample standing height (73 inches), but it was a dual-sided pocket that hooked us. Next to the door MSR built in something they call a 鈥減ass-thru pocket鈥濃�攁 bug mesh-lined portal that鈥檚 accessible from both inside and out. Without opening the door, testers could reach through to grab car keys, bug spray or a headlamp. 鈥淚t seems like a little thing, but the convenience was huge,鈥� says Chris Baikie, a British Columbia-based tester. 鈥淭here were definitely fewer bugs in the tent because of it.鈥�

Set-up for the Habiscape requires two people, but the asymmetric design and color-coding helped make it quick and easy. The dome structure and low-hanging 68-denier polyester fly stood up to a 20 mile-per-hour windstorm with little flapping. The rest of the tent is equally tough, with the same 68-denier poly on the floor, 40-denier ripstop nylon walls, and 7000 series aluminum tent poles.

We had to duck under the vestibule door to get inside, but it provided enough room for a cooler and gear, and kept drips out of the tent during rainstorms. A second door came in handy for frequent nighttime bathroom excursions. The Habiscape packs down easily, and ends up smaller than many tents of its size, at roughly nine inches by two feet. 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost perfect,鈥� says lead tester Ryan Stuart. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 not even that heavy.鈥�

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The North Face Wawona 4 Tent: 4-Person 3-Season

Set up more than just a place to sleep鈥攕et up a basecamp for adventure. The North Face Wawona 4 Tent delivers just that with enough room to stand up inside, stash all your gear, and even set up a cozy lounge area. The extended front vestibule keeps gear organized and protected, while large mesh windows and a top vent ensure you stay cool on warm nights. Sturdy DAC poles and a waterproof fly provide confidence in unpredictable weather, and an easy-pitch design means you can pack up in no time.

Best for Glamping

White Duck Outdoors Rover Scout Tent

Weight: 62 lbs
Peak Height: 84鈥�
Interior Space: 8鈥� x 13鈥�

Pros and Cons
鈯� Durable materials
鈯� Very weather-resistant
鈯� Complicated setup
鈯� Heavy

Tester Saylor Fleet, a longtime wall tent lover who used the previous version of the Rover Scout Tent for over a decade, likened this updated model to a sprinter van. 鈥淚t’s big enough to stand up in, sleep in, and cook in,鈥� he said. Heck, this 8-by-13-foot tent is essentially a canvas-sided cabin that easily sleeps six adults. Its size and sturdiness make it ideal for families or hunters looking to set up a basecamp for extended stints in the backcountry.

During testing, we set up a luxury camping situation for two adult testers with individual cots and a small kitchen鈥攊ncluding a Coleman stove, dishware, and a small wash bin on a roll-a-table鈥攁nd still had plenty of space to walk around.

But the Rover Scout isn鈥檛 just for those who like to spread out; it鈥檚 also got performance chops. Testers appreciated how well the Dynatek cotton and recycled polyester canvas held onto heat on a night in the low 40s on the Klamath River in Oregon. On the flip side, they liked that they could easily roll up the two doors and two walls of the tent to dump heat when temps rose into the mid 70s during the day.

Unlike car-camping-oriented tents with traditional pole structures, the Rover Scout necessitates the use of guy-outs to stay upright and storm-worthy. You have to be selective about your site because you have to be able to drive stakes in the ground to firmly secure those guy-outs鈥攜ou鈥檒l have a tough time pitching this tent on loose sand and bedrock.

While it took a while for two testers to hunt down an ideal site鈥攁nd a good 30-minutes to erect鈥攐nce it was up, it wasn鈥檛 going anywhere. Category managerJoe Jackson pitched it on the Klamath River in the fall and left it up for two weeks between camping stints. During that time, it saw four days of rain and wind gusts of over 30 miles-per-hour, yet Jackson returned to find it unscathed and fully dry after his time away.

White Duck鈥檚 canvas not only proved durable, but it avoided the achilles heel of canvas tents: It did not get covered in mildew when it was put away slightly wet. The downside to the Rover Scout鈥檚 design? While the canvas is lighter than that of wall tents we鈥檝e tested in the past, the aluminum and steel frame is heavy: At 62 pounds, it was too heavy for our smaller testers to handle on their own.

That said, it packs down to roughly the size of a couch cushion, compact enough to fit into the back of a Honda Element with room left over for camp supplies.

Other Tents We Tested

• : We used this as a base camp for a raft guide weekend. We loved it as a communal shelter but found it too large and expensive for most campers.
• : This tent really did pop up in under 30-seconds thanks to a two-handled ripcord that erects the tent from the top. Ultimately, it鈥檚 too small for most recreational campers.
• : The Fernweh felt like a member of the Jackson family at the end of three summers of testing because of how comfortably the massive living space accommodated months of family camping. But it takes two adults over an hour to set up properly, even with practice.

How to Choose a Camping Tent

Size and Dimensions

Start with the number of people who will be sleeping in the tent and add at least one. No one ever complained about a little extra elbow room, and ultra-wide camping pads often need extra space. Next, consider packability: If you have limited storage or trunk space, a more packable option will make jamming it between all of the coolers and propane easier. Height is crucial, but comes with a tradeoff: Being able to stand up to get dressed or stretch your legs is nice, but means it will be harder to set up, especially if you鈥檙e doing it solo.

Feature Set

Look for ample pockets for staying organized, big vestibules and/or high bathtub walls that protect the interior from blowing rain, multiple venting options, and roomy doors. Of course, a tent鈥檚 principal job is to protect you from the elements, so weatherproofing should be a primary consideration. A fly that reaches to the ground provides the most coverage, but can also limit venting, making for uncomfortably stuffy conditions when it鈥檚 hot. A tall pole structure is susceptible to high winds, so make sure the tent has plenty of guy-out points for stabilizing and protecting the tent from gusts.

Budget

Price is always important, but try to prioritize value. Spending a bit more for a tent with more durable materials, like higher denier fabrics and burly aluminum poles, will save you money in the long run. You can find a no frills, serviceable four-person summer tent in the $200 range, with waterproofing, durability, and reparability generally improving as you start getting into higher price ranges.

But if you鈥檙e looking for a tent to use three seasons of the year, that you expect to get a lot of use in stormy weather, or that you鈥檇 like to use for the rest of your life, we recommend budgeting between $350 and $600. That鈥檚 the cost of more reliable construction and waterproofing鈥攚hich, as all of our testers who have woken up to puddles inside their tents can tell you, is priceless when you really need it.

How We Test Car Camping Tents

• Tents tested: 17
• Number of nights camped: 50+
• Number of testers: 17
• States tested in: California, Oregon, Washington

For this test, we mainly considered four- to eight-person, three-season tents because they tend to be the best fit for most car campers who prioritize comfort and space over weight and packability. When all was said and done, our crew of 17 testers tested 17 tents鈥攏ewer options on the market as well as some perennial favorites鈥攖o find the best for frontcountry campers.

We tested these tents in the beaches, rivers, and mountains of California, Oregon, and Washington from September through November. Conditions included everything from sub-freezing temps and sustained rainstorms to blazing hot rafting trips on the Klamath River in Northern California.

After a number of weekend camping trips, testing concluded with a month-long field-testing stint in Crescent City, California, to whittle down the final contenders. Testers included four families with kids ranging in age from two to eleven, and parents in their early thirties to their mid fifties. Some were first-time campers, while others could measure the amount of time they鈥檝e spent in years.

We asked all testers to evaluate tents on their functionality, ease of setup and take-down, standout features, and overall comfort and livability.

Meet Our Testers

Joe Jackson has been professionally testing gear for 国产吃瓜黑料 for over a decade and has pitched and slept in over 90 tents during that time. While he is proud of the breadth of tents he has tested for this publication, his biggest flex is that he lived out of an in Oregon for eight months.

Miyo McGinn is a former assistant editor at 国产吃瓜黑料 based in Bozeman, Montana. She has camped in a dozen different states and four continents, but Washington state, where she grew up, will always be her favorite place to pitch a tent. McGinn got her start reviewing gear as 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 gear editorial assistant in 2021.

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Two years ago, I had a mild midlife crisis when I turned 40. I say 鈥渕ild鈥� because I did not make any negative life-altering choices or obsess over opportunities missed in the first 40 years of my life. I did, however, make the stereotypical massive purchase which had a toe hold in vanity.

Driven by the determination to maintain some level of athleticism as I age, I cleaned out my garage鈥攚hich had long been a gear hoarding space鈥攁nd turned it into my ultimate home gym.听 When all was said and done, my out-of-pocket expenses came to around $5,000鈥攖he third-largest single purchase I鈥檝e made in my life (after my home and my Tacoma).

It鈥檚 still not the fanciest home gym in the world, but I did splurge on some top-tier equipment that I knew would enhance our workouts at home. My wife uses our garage gym six to seven days a week, while I am in for a solid three workouts per week. I used to open my garage and shudder at the mess, and now I see nothing but opportunity to better myself.

Essentials: The Must-Haves for a Basic Home Gym听

A kettlebell, yoga mat, and speaker are where it all started for me. I would put my daughter (then a newborn) down for naps and rip a fast kettlebell and core workout in my backyard while listening to tunes and obsessively watching our baby monitor. Both my workout time and space are much more plentiful now, but these three products still remain key parts of my fitness routine.

Paradigm Pro Elite 33 mm kettlebells

I would suggest that a kettleball be the first purchase for your home gym due to the dozens of powerful exercises you can do with it. I have tested and written about a variety of kettlebells and, after having used the Paradigm Competition Kettlebell for seven years, it is still my favorite and the one I go to for swings as well as presses (my main two kettlebell movements). Its hollow core makes it feel balanced in my hand and the oversized handle delivers plenty of real estate for moves that require both hands, like swings.

JBL Boombox 2

If a kettlebell is the first purchase you make for your home gym, I would suggest buying a premium speaker as your second. At $400, the Boombox 2 is crazy expensive, but the price tag comes with a huge audio upgrade from its smaller counterparts. We have had two different friends purchase this speaker after working out in our garage with us because they were so impressed with the sound quality.

With 24 hours of solid battery life, we charge the thing about once a month even when using it six-plus days a week. It is also really loud. I can clearly hear my wife鈥檚 pump-up music through a closed garage door from a hundred yards away. In my opinion, listening to the music you want loudly is one of the great joys of having your own exercise space.

If you are on a budget you can get by with a smaller bluetooth speaker like our favorite budget option, the TriBit Xsound Plus2, or you can stick with the earbuds you already have. If you have the extra dough, though, solid robust sound brings pure magic into a workout space.

Lululemon Reversible Mat 5mm

This 5-millimeter mat is meant for yoga, but thanks to a polyurethane top and natural rubber bottom, it鈥檚 robust enough to pull double duty as a core workout landing space or even a platform for squats. While cheaper, thinner yoga matts tend to get ratty quickly after extensive use, this one has remained intact after over two years of heavy use.

Nice to Haves: Equipment that Will Enhance Your Gym Experience

Once I created some more time in my life for fitness as well as more physical space in my garage, I started to accumulate specialty pieces of workout gear that would allow me to focus on parts of my body that are especially injury prone (like my chest and shoulders).

R-B Rubber Stall Mats

These 4-by-6-foot mats designed for horse stalls will turn what is likely the least comfortable floor in your home into what feels like a professional gym at a sub-$60 price tag (I got mine at my local Grange). The mats use recycled tire crumb and a polyurethane binder that has proved soft enough for me to walk around on barefoot (how I prefer to lift) and sturdy enough to handle the impact when my wife and I drop the bar after our heaviest deadlifts.听

You can purchase significantly more expensive, gym-specific flooring, but I鈥檝e found that these mats work just fine and show little wear and tear after two years of heavy use. Plus, the budget price point made growing our garage gym space scalable.

Everlast Fight Sports Conditioning Rope

This 50-foot-rope made from a blend of polypropylene (80 percent) and polyester (20 percent) offered me great respite from the many stressors of the Covid lockdowns, and they continue to deliver a great stress-relieving workout today, even though they do look haggard four years later. While the rope has frayed from hundreds of uses and many thousands of slams into the floor of my garage and driveway, it still holds its weight and delivers the kind of resistance you need for a high-intensity workout.

Everlast Slam Ball

This 25-pound slam ball holds a great deal of expressed rage inside of it. Slamming it on the ground of my padded gym floor and grunting like a gorilla is one of the single best ways to release frustration鈥攁nd it鈥檚 a great core exercise when done correctly, too.

Rogue Adjustable Bench 3.1 – Black – Black – Premium Foam Pad

A solid bench is a very important safety investment when building a home gym. If you鈥檙e thinking of cutting corners with this purchase, I suggest you do a quick web search for videos of benches failing while people were bench pressing. I trust this heavy, solidly built steel bench with my life. I also love how easily I can move this bench to any incline and back to flat thanks to its slick adjustment mechanism and sturdy handle. Though hefty, it鈥檚 easy to roll the 52-inch-long-bench out of the way when not in use.

PAPABE 150-pound Dumbbell Set

My wife and I decided to get the least expensive dumbbell set that we could find, which is how we landed on Pababe. While affordable, these weights get the job done just fine. They鈥檙e rubberized, so we can drop them and create minimal damage to our mats. The light knurling on the handle delivers a just right grip that doesn鈥檛 rip up my palms during high-rep exercises but isn鈥檛 slippery when my hands are sweaty.

Rogue Flat Pack Games Box

We use this 30-inch by 24-inch by 20-inch cube for box jumps to build our explosive energy. I鈥檝e also found that doing one-leg step ups to failure is one of the best ways to get the legs in shape for backcountry skiing. You can find cheaper plyo boxes, but I chose to spend extra on this one because I鈥檝e learned that Rogue makes quality equipment that鈥檚 made to last.

NordicTrack X22i Incline Treadmill

I love this treadmill for its high-quality screen, iFit compatibility, and dainty 70-inch by 39-inch footprint that fits nicely in my garage. But the X22i鈥檚 best feature is its 40-percent incline. The steep incline means I can get in a proper skimo workout (with nerdy poles and all!) and burn out on vert to get my legs prepared for big ski objectives.

Splurge: Turn Your Home Gym Into a Legit Workout Space

The equipment above is all you really need to maintain your fitness as a mountain athlete. The following pieces will elevate your home workout space into a real gym, as I did on my 40th birthday. You will notice that everything in this splurge tier is from Rogue Fitness. While I believe you can get excellent equipment from Rogue鈥檚 competitors, I chose to pay full price for every Rogue item in my garage because of their durability and the brand鈥檚 lifetime warranty on all of the structural welds and frames. Buying all your equipment from one brand can also save you a lot of money on shipping costs.

Rogue RML-390F Flat Foot Monster Lite Rack – Single 1.25″ Pullup Bar

This 48-inch by 49-inch rack slips perfectly into the corner of our garage and has an ample 30-inches of space within, giving us plenty of space to perform squats and bench presses. The Flat Foot option makes it a stable, sturdy platform to do pull ups on even without bolting it to a wall or into the floor. Assembly is straightforward鈥擨 enlisted the help of a handy neighbor and we had it up in under an hour.

Rogue TB-2 Trap Bar

A friend purchased a Rogue TB-2 Trap Bar while I was saving money to build this gym and after using his I begrudgingly realized I needed to save another $415 to add this item to my purchase list. It offered a much better deadlift experience than the regular barbells I had been using. The trapezoidal design and raised handles help me maximize each of my deadlifts without having to bend too far and challenge my spine.

Rogue 45LB Ohio Power Bar – Black Zinc

While there are myriad barbells on the market that can serve you extremely well, with different designs aimed at maximizing different lifts, I chose the Power Bar because it is built specifically for my three favorite lifts鈥攖he squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. The shaft doesn鈥檛 flex much, which is nice for when we want to lift heavy. I also find that the extra hearty knurling (the textured areas on the bar) gives me extra grip while bench pressing.

Rogue 260 LB HG 2.0 Set

I have to be honest with this purchase: I bought Rogue plates because I had purchased enough gear from Rogue to qualify for free shipping (which is where plate manufacturers can get you). I could rattle off all of the benefits of these weights, like the fact that they are in killer shape after almost two years of use and thousands of drops, or how seamlessly they slide on and off the barbell and trap bar after thousands of uses.

But in my opinion, you could be well served by a more budget-plate company and save yourself around $100. That said, I would highly suggest sticking with rubberized bumper plates if you plan on lifting heavy weight and potentially dropping them.

The post How to Turn Your Garage Into the Ultimate Home Gym appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Gear is a generous Valentine鈥檚 Day gift. Picking something other than the usual chocolate, flowers, or booze shows that you acknowledge your partner鈥檚 interests and listen to their needs. Beyond that, the right gear gift can enable you and your Valentine to plan a romantic outdoor getaway.

Below we list some of our favorite gear specifically designed for two. Each product offers your partner (and yourself) something that is both extremely practical for your adventures together and romantic in its thoughtfulness.

When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.听Learn more.

Exped MegaMat Duo sleeping pad

This wildly comfortable, two-person mattress is a brilliant Valentine鈥檚 Day gift because it invites intimacy while also offering better sleep.

I have slept more nights on the MegaMat Duo over the course of the past three years than any other inflatable camp mattress on the market. By my best estimate, that amounts to around 90 good nights of sleep. The secret to this comfort is the ample amount of super springy, open-cell polyurethane foam that鈥檚 both soft and supportive, whether or not you inflate it to a rock-hard PSI.

My wife and I are not alone in our听 deep love of the MegaMat: 国产吃瓜黑料 columnist Wes Siler used the MegaMat as the base point of an essay on why it鈥檚 smart to invest in high-end camping gear and apparently had 鈥渁n awful lot鈥� of good sex on one, too.

Exped MegaSleep Duo sleeping bag

Pairing a pricey camping mattress with the same brand of sleeping bag system may sting during the initial purchase, but it鈥檚 usually a smart investment. Just like in partnerships, compatibility goes a long way.

The MegaSleep鈥檚 measurements perfectly match the MegaMat Duo sleeping pad and offers two different insulation levels and temperature ranges depending on which side of the sleeping bag is facing up. One side (colored burgundy) is heartily insulated, and when it is oriented on top, performs like a 25-degree sleeping bag. Flip it over to its less insulated blue side, and it lands more in the 40-degree bag range that鈥檚 ideal for summer nights.

It also has a full-length zipper that detaches, so you can create two different sleeping bags (one 25-degree and one 40-degree) if you and your partner have wildly different sleeping temperatures like my wife and I.

Lifestraw Peak Series 3L gravity water filter system

Nothing says 鈥淚 love you鈥� like saving your partner from a fortnight of water-borne diarrhea. Before my wife and I started splitting rent, we split up our pack weight in the backcountry. A 3-liter gravity filter was the first piece of gear I added to our shared backpacking load鈥攃lean water is something that I never want to ration unless I absolutely have to.

We love the Peak Series 3L because it鈥檚 exceptionally user-friendly鈥攋ust fill it, hang it, and let gravity do the filtering. It also has NSF certification鈥攁 rigorous certification level that not all water filters go through鈥攕o I know it will actually filter out bacteria, parasites, and microplastics that would make us sick. Lastly, it stops letting water move through it when it can no longer safely filter water, which means I don鈥檛 have to keep track of how long we鈥檝e used it and risk catching giardia.

MSR Windburner Duo Stove System

As I said, I believe splitting pack weight is one of the great advantages of partnership. A solid two-person stove like MSR鈥檚 Windburner Duo will allow both you and your Valentine to eat more quickly and efficiently in the backcountry.

My wife and I used a Jetboil Sumo for years but switched to the Windburner Duo six years ago because the wind-shield around the heat source works better for tailgating out of the back of my truck in our ski resort鈥檚 comically windy parking lot. I have not organized a formal test, but I can anecdotally say that the boil time is around four minutes, and its 1.8 liter-capacity delivers plenty of hot water for a freeze-dried meal and a couple of eight-ounce hot drinks for a delightful backcountry date night.

Miir Tomo thermos

The 1-liter Miir Tomo has been our go-to ski resort coffee solution for three years now because it does the best job of keeping our coffee warm throughout an entire ski day. When I start getting my family ready at 6:30 a.m. to ski at our local hill, I fill the double-walled, vacuum-insulated thermos with boiling-hot coffee. Two hours later, my wife and I are drinking piping-hot coffee out of the two 8-ounce cups built in as the lid and bottom of the Tomo. Even when I leave this thermos sitting in our truck on mornings that are below freezing, we always have steaming-hot coffee to enjoy hours later at lunch.

Backpacker鈥檚 Pantry Pad Thai meal pouch

My wife and I both agree that a fantastic view beats a fancy indoor meal every time. The Pad Thai from Backpacker鈥檚 Pantry has a delightful sriracha kick and feels fancy thanks to the included peanuts you can sprinkle on top of the noodles to complete the dish. One sub-$10 package delivers 730 calories of spicy and peanut-buttery noodles that鈥檚 ready to eat in under 20 minutes. My wife and I find that one pouch serves up a light alpine dinner for a couple.

While the end result is backpacking-good (i.e. not on the same level as my favorite Thai restaurant in town), my wife and I can both eat it from the same container while enjoying an unreal sunset in the high alpine, which is plenty fancy for us.

The post 6 Valentine鈥檚 Day Gifts for Adventurous Couples appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Having tested outdoor gear as my main gig for over a decade, I am used to finding myself on the same side as the experts when it comes to gear advice. We agree that cotton doesn鈥檛 always kill; waterproof running shoes can actually make your feet wetter on runs; and yes, you should always pack a headlamp. One area where I heartily disagree? Socks. I am a big proponent of wearing synthetic (rather than wool) socks for winter pursuits.

I have tested over 150 socks鈥攔anging from ski socks to running socks鈥攆or 国产吃瓜黑料 and interviewed professional athletes, thru-hikers, and product designers in the process. Most of these folks believe that wool socks are the best choice for winter wear because of the fabric’s natural thermoregulating and odor-mitigating properties.

There鈥檚 no arguing that wool is a better insulator from the cold. It remains warm when wet,听 so your sweaty feet are less likely to freeze in your ski or hiking boots. Textile manufacturers have experimented with brilliant weaves and fancy chemicals to make synthetics (like polyester, nylon, rayon, and spandex, to name a few) as effective as wool at regulating temperature and mitigating odor, but most haven鈥檛 been able to match mother nature in those departments.

Still, I swear by socks made from synthetics and here鈥檚 why: I have brutally sweaty feet that blister like the dickens. Synthetic materials are better than wool at wicking moisture.

The right synthetics will actively grab moisture off of your skin and move it away to the exterior of the fabric, mitigating friction that can lead to painful blisters. When well made (from reputable brands like my personal favorite, Polartec), synthetics make the most of the fibers鈥� hydrophobic properties.

That said, every body is different, as are feet. Even two feet on the same body can even be different (my left foot blisters more than my right). So instead of letting you know what socks work best for me in the winter, let鈥檚 dive into the pros and cons of each.

Wool vs. Synthetic Socks: Pros and Cons

Are you concerned about odor? Go with wool.听

One of the biggest benefits of wool is its natural odor-resistance. While it is not technically antimicrobial, the keratin protein that wool is made from and the waxy lanolin that many wools contain do not allow our stinky bacteria to thrive on it the way it does on synthetics, like polypropylene (or polypoopaline, as I like to call it).

鈥淥ne of the things that I like least about the synthetic socks is that they’re embarrassing on a multi-day trip when your sock is dried and you can hold it out like a flag in a gale force wind,鈥� said Saylor Flett, an 国产吃瓜黑料 gear tester and program director for 鈥檚 outdoor program. 鈥淎nd it’s actually just a rigid shape that you have to reconform to your foot every morning until it gets wet again.鈥�

If you plan to spend multiple, consecutive days in the same pair of socks this winter, socks with high wool content are the best option.

Do you have sweaty feet that are prone to blistering? Choose a sock made from synthetic materials or a synthetic-blend.听

鈥淲ool just doesn’t dry very quickly. So once you get it wet, it stays wet,鈥� said Tyler Maheu, a textile guru who has worked on connecting brands with products for over 20 years. 鈥淵ou get a little bit of grit or whatever in your shoes in that moisture and it forms blisters.鈥�

Since synthetic moves moisture off the skin so efficiently, it can significantly mitigate the chances of getting painful blisters. My personal favorites for skiing are the socks. For running, my go-tos are .

Do your feet get cold in the winter? Wool鈥檚 your answer.听

While wool doesn鈥檛 dry as quickly as synthetic materials, it stays warm when wet鈥攊t鈥檚 like neoprene, explained Robert Fry, an expert in material sourcing who was previously in charge of wool product at Mountain Hardwear and The North Face. So if moisture is to blame for your cold feet (and your feet aren鈥檛 prone to blistering), then wool might actually help keep your feet warmer because holding the moisture close to your feet allows your body to warm it up.

On the other hand, if the moisture is moved away from your feet (i.e. by a moisture-wicking synthetic sock) and gets trapped under the plastic shell of a ski boot or the vapor barrier of mountaineering boots, the cold from the outside can really bring down your boot temp.

Do you like drying your feet by a fire on hut trips or in a ski resort parking lot? Choose wool.听

鈥淚 like drying my feet around a fire,鈥� said Flett. 鈥淚 don’t have to worry about wool melting.鈥� While this one might seem obnoxiously specific, wool鈥檚 fire-resistant qualities can be very important to those who use fires to get warm for much of the winter.

Are you freaked out by microplastics getting into waterways? Wool鈥檚 the only option.听

鈥淚’d be remiss if I didn’t mention microplastics,鈥� said Fry. 鈥淪ynthetics like air-spun or ring-spun polyester shed a lot of microplastics every time you wash those socks,鈥� said Fry. 鈥淲ool doesn’t shed the microplastics. Micro-wool isn’t harmful the way microplastic is.鈥�

Charles Ross, performance sportswear and design lecturer at the , has closely watched the effect of microplastics as well as treated cotton on London鈥檚 aging infrastructure and had a particularly interesting story about researching outflow pipes with hundreds of years of waste built up. 鈥淲hen we dug up the outflow pipe, we had synthetic waste, we had cellulose waste, but we had zero wool waste,鈥� said Ross.

Still not sure whether to go with wool or synthetic? Go with a wool/synthetic blend.听

鈥淭he best compromise is by blending wool with a synthetic yarn,鈥� said Ross early in our conversation. When done correctly, there is an opportunity for the materials to deliver the best of both worlds. This blending has to be done very carefully, though, to make sure that the warmth of wool and sturdiness and stretch properties of synthetic are being fully utilized.

One way companies achieve this is by putting the bulk of the synthetic materials in the heel and toe to help the socks move and minimize wear, while using wool elsewhere to allow the bulk of the foot to stay warm. Another method manufacturers use听 is to place soft wool content next to skin to enhance warmth and synthetic away from the skin to increase the sock鈥檚 durability.

On the flipside, poorly blended fibers can offer the worst of both worlds. Some of the original wool/synthetic blends are pure garbage because their only goal was to cut down on the amount of wool going into the sock. They were blended in such a way that they held onto moisture and odor.

Be wary of socks that use an 鈥渋ntimate blend,鈥� a process in which wool and synthetic fibers are woven together equally, sometimes strand by strand, which makes the end product take on some of the worst properties of both ingredients.听

The post Are Wool Socks Really the Best Choice for Winter Wear? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I have a confession to make: I am super intimidated by ski boots. I have written about ski boots many times in the past decade and interviewed more than a dozen experts; I鈥檝e skied hundreds of days in that time frame and worked as a professional ski instructor; and I still have a ton to learn about this complicated product. Without doubt, ski boots are the most challenging piece to buy in a ski kit. They also happen to be the most important when it comes to improving your performance and enjoyment on the hill.

I lucked into a pair of K2 Recon boots that worked for me in 2018, and am still using them out of fear of messing with the esoteric magic spell that delivers comfort to my misshapen feet.

Because I know I鈥檓 not the only one overwhelmed by the idea of finding new boots, I interviewed four experts to get to the bottom of what the everyday skier needs to know when shopping for ski boots. I ended up compiling 63 pages of notes and transcripts to try and demystify this piece of gear. Here鈥檚 your cheat sheet.

Related:

The Experts

The Bootfitters鈥� Bootfitter

Sam McDonald has been fitting boots for over a quarter of a century and his ability to distill down the nuances of the ideal fit for different feet, skiers, and body types is incredible. He has been working for Surefoot since 1997 and has been the manager of since 2010.

The Boot Tester

My friend Kelly Bastone has been my go-to personal resource for boot questions for years. She鈥檚 been a gear tester for 国产吃瓜黑料, Backpacker, and SKI for around a decade and has tested over 200 pairs of ski boots.

The Lifer

is a lifelong skier, writer, ski company marketing pro, and backcountry ski guide with deep roots in the ski industry. He鈥檚 the friend I turn to for ski gear advice because he knows a lot and tells it like it is.

The Boot Designer

is the lead ski boot engineer for K2 and a professional ski instructor. I challenge you to find someone who spends more time in or around ski boots.

4 Tips for Finding the Right Ski Boot

Flex is Tricky

The refers to how stiff the boot is and how much force it takes to get the cuff of the boot to flex forward. A higher flex number means a stiffer boot. Generally speaking, the stiffer the boot, the more a skier can crank on the skis to initiate a turn,听making stiff boots best suited to expert skiers. Flex numbers for adult ski boots range from 80 to 130, with 80 considered soft and anything above 115 considered stiff.

Ready for a myth I am excited to bust? Stronger skiers don’t听necessarily need a stiffer boot.

鈥淕et over this whole idea of, I’m an expert skier, I should be in a 130 boot,鈥� Bastone advised. 鈥淚f you ski moguls, if you’re jumpy, if you like lots of air and lots of little landings and things, you might want to go down a little in flex because as soon as you hit something unexpected, you’re going to feel like the rodeo horse just bucked you really hard in that boot.鈥�

Just because a stiffer boot is more expensive doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 the best performing boot, Burrow added. 鈥淭ypically, the stiffer the boot, the less comfort it provides.鈥� Even though Burrow is an excellent skier, ski instructor, and has made a career designing boots, she doesn鈥檛 always prefer the stiffest option. 鈥淚’m in my boots all day and I’m also pretty small, so having a super stiff boot for me can be really challenging.鈥�

Rather than blindly looking at a flex number, test out the flex for your body type and weight when you try boots on. 鈥淥nce you put it on, do some forward flexes into it, and if you feel like you’re almost falling forward, then that boot’s probably going to be a little bit too soft,鈥� said Burrow.

Flex is relative from boot company to boot company, so one brand’s听130 does not equal another’s. The first time I found that out, it made my head spin. If flex is causing you a similar level of stress, it is a good idea to go to a reputable shop to talk it out with an expert. 鈥淔lex and stiffness is hard because the numbers can be quite confusing. Going to see somebody that you trust or that your peers trust is super important,鈥� McDonald said.

Good Fit Starts with Awareness

The best place to start is by looking down at your own feet and trying to gauge your (i.e. your food width and instep height). While a bootfitter can measure the contours of your foot to the millimeter, starting with a general idea of your foot volume and shape is going to narrow your search significantly.

These days, most boots come in three different volume options: high volume (HV in the model name), mid volume (MV), and low volume (LV). 鈥淒etermining where you fall in that category can be really helpful when you’re looking at a wide range of boots, just to narrow down your selection,鈥� Burrow said.

Trust yourself, here. 鈥淢ost people know if they have a wide foot, a high arch, or narrow foot. I mean, they’ve been wearing shoes all their life,鈥� Bastone said. Burrow agreed. 鈥淔oot volume can be determined by a bootfitter or if you just know yourself,鈥� she said. If you鈥檝e experienced instep pain in shoes or boots, that could indicate that you have a high-volume foot; if your foot is really narrow, chances are you belong in a low-volume听boot. 鈥淪o just thinking about problems that you’ve had in everyday shoes, things like that and how you want your boot to fit is really important,鈥� Burrow said.

Starting with the right volume is a non-negotiable for Bastone.鈥淲ith my tester team, I was always really careful to match up the self estimated foot volume with the foot volume that the boot promises to fit,鈥� Bastone said. 鈥淚t’s awesome that even the stiff, high performance boots are often now made in a higher volume option. So it doesn’t have to be just the skinny-footed people that get the really great ski boots.鈥�

You Can Have Comfort AND Performance

Another myth I鈥檓 stoked to bust: Ski boots are supposed to hurt if you want great performance. That鈥檚 simply no longer the case in 2024. “It鈥檚 totally possible to get ,” Bastone said.

While the line between tight and too tight might feel like a tough one to toe, Bastone has a killer analogy she received from a bootfitter years ago that she has held on to. “A great ski boot should feel like a friend’s handshake鈥攅ven, warm, and supportive, but not aggressive,鈥� she said.

It is worth noting that boots that feel comfortable in the ski shop or your living room might not always provide the same comfort on a full day of skiing. 鈥淪ki boots are not crocs. Going for something too comfortable means you’re going to have something that’s a little too big,鈥� Hunt said. 鈥淎 boot might feel great when you’re standing in the shop or sitting in the lodge. But once you start moving, it’s too loose and your feet start rubbing.Then you鈥檝e got blisters.鈥�

Aftermarket Insoles and Liners Are Worth It

Hunt offered some blunt advice when it comes to a ski boot鈥檚 stock components: “The stock insoles that come in ski boots just need to be tossed immediately,鈥� he said.

鈥淭he two things that custom insoles do is make skiing easier and more comfortable,鈥� McDonald added. He mentioned that the key to extended comfort in a boot is proper foot positioning. 鈥淭he only way to effectively change your foot position is with a good custom insole. Ski boots are designed around a foot that’s in a certain position and you have to make sure you get an insole that holds you in that position.鈥�

If you are looking for an extra layer of personalized comfort, investing in aftermarket liners ( and 听are some of the most popular options) that can be easily molded to your foot and ankle shape is a good idea.

Custom footbeds and liners are pricey and might deliver sticker shock if you are already dropping hundreds of dollars on boots, but McDonald maintained that his customers are always happy they made the purchase. 鈥淏reaking in a stock liner, even the highest quality, overly engineered liner that comes from the manufacturer, can take up to 30 days,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you are willing to invest $10,000 a week in skiing at Whistler, or Aspen, or Vail, invest in some form of custom liner. It makes things way better and way easier for sure.鈥�

The post 4 Tips to Make Shopping for Ski Boots Way Less Intimidating appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

There鈥檚 a whole lotta hubbub about Black Friday in the outdoor industry. If you鈥檙e on one side of the issue鈥攊.e., hating Black Friday and the capitalist excess it stands for鈥攜ou are unlikely to get pumped about the rest of this article. But if you鈥檙e like me and you do research beforehand and hold out on purchases until they are on sale, then Black Friday is a great way to save on things you were planning to buy anyway. Below are six items I have either tested for this publication in the past or use on the regular in my day-to-day life. I swear by every single one, even in normal times. But this week, you can snag up to 30 percent off, making now a great time to strike. This is the stuff that’s worth waiting around all year for.

Swiftwick National Park Socks

The Product: Blister-proof socks with flair
The Deal:听11/25 to 12/2, you can get 25% off sitewide

By my best calculation, I have put more than 500 miles into my pair of Swiftwick Yosemite National Park Socks and they are still the first pair I grab from my drawer when I鈥檓 headed out for a run. They were my sock of choice for a 50-mile race I ran back in 2021 because the six-inch cuff helped keep rocks out of my socks, and the Yosemite print added a little flair to my kit. In my opinion, Swiftwick socks are the best at blister mitigation, which is why this pair remains my favorite a few years and hundreds of miles later.

DUER Performance Denim Slim

The Product: The highest performing slim-fit jeans I have tested
The Deal: 11/25 to 12/1, up to 50% off sitewide

Back in the summer of 2018, we published an article boldly titled, 鈥淒uer Makes the Best Jeans. Here Are Our Favorites,鈥� based on the fact that an inordinate number of people putting this publication together at the time were all wearing DUER jeans as our daily drivers. While I did not contribute any writing to that article, I was one of the louder voices suggesting we write about the Canadian brand due to the fact that I was wearing a pair of slim-fit performance-denim jeans at least three days a week for everything from work meetings to re-working the irrigation in my garden. Ten months later I wrote about how their fleece lined jeans 鈥渃hanged my life. Superlative headlines aside鈥擨 am still wearing a pair of the slim-fit performance-denim jeans the DUER sent me back in 2018. They continue to fit in such a tailored fashion that I can pull them off when business casual is the expected attire and stretch like the dickens thanks to the two-percent spandex, 28-percent polyester, and 70-percent cotton weave. So yeah, after six years, I can say that they are indeed the best jeans.

Buff Tech Fleece Hat

The Product: The ultralight, ultrawarm hat of your dreams
The Deal: 11/25 to 12/3, up to 40% off select styles sitewide

Back in 2018, I did a comprehensive test of cold weather running hats and absolutely gushed over Buff鈥檚 extraordinarily comfortable fleece option. At the time, I wrote: 鈥渢he Tech Fleece elicited notes like 鈥楲UXURIOUS!!鈥� and even an 鈥榦oh la la!!!!鈥欌�� Embarrassing number of exclamation points aside, the brushed polyamide interior was so supple on my ears and forehead that I forgot I was wearing it while running. This beanie is still a go-to six years later. Buff鈥檚 current technical fleece hat looks a little different from its predecessor, but is still extremely comfortable thanks to the four-way stretch DryFlx material it was built from (this, by the way, is an upgrade from the hat I have held on to all these years.) Forgive the brand’s intentional misspelling and credit DryFlx鈥檚 71-percent recycled material and hearty four-percent dose of elastane for a build that doesn鈥檛 pin down your ears and provides a similar, wildly soft feel.

ARMRA Immune Revival

The Product: Stomach-settling superfood supplement
The Deal: 11/28 to 12/2, get 20% off jars and bundles with promo code MYREVIVAL20, and 10% off sitewide with code MYREVIVAL10

My wife and I are definitely planning to buy this colostrum from ARMRA when it goes on sale because we typically pay full price鈥攁nd it鈥檚 always worth every penny. I am always skeptical of superfoods that use as many superlatives as ARMRA does, but we have been using this stuff daily in our household for months and have noticed serious benefits to our guts and digestive systems. I will spare you details, but can say with confidence that Immune Revival helps keep our stomachs feeling good and settled鈥攕omething I鈥檓 grateful for both while running and during everyday life.

KT Tape Pro

The Product: Stretchy support tape for muscles and joints
The Deal: 11/19 to 11/30, get 25% off sitewide

I am falling apart at 41 as a result of treating my body like it was invincible in my 20s (and most of my 30s). In the past six months, I鈥檝e watched a massage therapist, chiropractor, and physical therapist all wrap up different parts of this breaking body using KT tape, and every time, I鈥檝e walked out of their offices feeling like I had a little hug supporting my injuries. It鈥檚 a great way to help relieve pain and speed up recovery. I even have a roll of KT Tape at home that I bought to treat my own plantar fasciitis. KT Tape is comfortable going on, stretchy as hell so it doesn鈥檛 feel too binding, and comes off without much hassle.

Kane Footwear Active Recovery Shoe

The Product: Cloud-like slip-ons for post-workout recovery
The Deal: 11/20 to 12/2, BOGO 25% off

I named the Kane Revive Active the most versatile recovery shoe in a recent footwear test because it helped me cushion and support hammered legs but still wore like a regular shoe in all the ways I wanted it to. The footbed texture and smooth ride made the Kanes feel like a recovery shoe, while plentiful heel support, decent breathability, and a more streamlined silhouette made them functional enough for running errands. This is actually my second pair of these funky-looking recovery kicks鈥攁nd likely won鈥檛 be my last.

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