If you’re still making do with your ultralight backpacking kit, you’re overdue for an upgrade. From plush sleep systems to coolers that’ll keep the beer cold all week, here’s everything you need to make this the summer of camping.
A Spacious Tent
Your hand-me-down backpacking tent may be light but it’s definitely not spacious. Stretch out. Stay awhile. The  has room for six, a dozen pockets to keep your gear organized, and six feet five inches of headroom so you can change clothes without feeling like you’re trapped in a crawl space.
A Truly Comfy Bed
Leave the thin, three-quarter-length sleeping pads to the ultralight crowd—today’s car-camping sleep systems can be comfier than your bed at home. Pair (which at almost five inches thick and 57 inches wide lives up to its B-word classification) with the sleeping bag, which is more cozy quilt than tight sleeping bag.
A Real Camp Chair
Not all camp chairs are created equal. So choose a proper throne like the , complete with a highly agreeable padded seat and back, dual cup holders, and side pockets for magazines and snacks.
Some Post-¹ú²ú³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Entertainment
The only thing more fun than drinking beer around the campsite: drinking beer while watching your buddy try to make it across .
For a more social game, campground is fun and beverage-friendly (only takes one hand to throw).
A First-Aid Kit for the Unexpected
Minor slackline accidents, bacon-grease burns, and hiking blisters are all signs of a good camping trip. Be prepared with the and let the good times roll.
A Camp Kitchen Capable of Producing Real Food
If you’re eating pouches of dehydrated backpacking food, you’re doing it wrong. With a powerful two-burner like , you can whip up everything from chilaquiles to pork tenderloin from scratch. Essential cookware: the isn’t fancy, but it’ll handle years of abuse and can double as a Dutch oven for baking everything from lasagna to cakes.
A Cooler to Keep It All Cold
The has a collapsible carrying tub attached to the lid, which means fewer trips to and from the car, and burly wheels to make those trips easier. The 60-quart model has enough room for several days of food and a few cases of , the official beer of camping since 1980.
Subtle Lighting for Late-Night Hangouts
We love the , a string of waterproof lights you can hang from your tent, string from a tree, or affix to basically anything at your campsite. Bundle it together, throw it in its stuffsack, and it doubles as a lantern. For extra credit, and extra-awesome campsite vibes, get . Thanks to six different multicolored light modes, it’s basically a lava lamp for your site.
June is National Camping Month, and , wants you to celebrate with car camping, a backcountry overnight, or just by pitching a tent in your backyard. However you decide to enjoy it, make sure you stock up with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale—the Official Beer of Camping— for the adventure.