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.

More Gear Reviews

The Best Tents for Camping in Comfort and Style
The Best Sleeping Bags and Quilts of 2025
The Best Sleeping Pads and Mattresses for Car Campers

The post The Best Camping Chairs for Fireside Lounging appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you鈥檝e been alive the past two decades, you鈥檝e probably heard of Coachella. The famous California music festival takes place in the desert haven of Palm Springs (first home of the Cahuilla Native Americans) amid the , Santa Rosa, and Little San Bernardino Mountains. The festival comes at the beginning of every April and runs over two weekends. The catch? Because people flock from around the world to the bask in Coachella鈥檚 revelry, the prices of accommodations can soar. The best way to avoid these hurdles but still make the most out of Coachella is to pay homage to the original festival lodgings: tents.

I鈥檝e camped all over the country, but Coachella camping stands as one of my most favorite experiences. It offers a secret portal into the festival amenities and experiences that are inaccessible once inside the venue. In fact, I鈥檝e opted to pitch a tent and camp every time I鈥檝e gone. Want to give it a try? Here鈥檚 what you need to know.

Why Camp at Coachella

One of the truly memorable parts of Coachella (and most festivals) is the people you encounter, and there鈥檚 no doubt that the close camping quarters is a fast pass to long-lasting friendships. Camping means sharing gear, cooking breakfast with strangers, and sharing midnight mirth with someone you met days ago. That tends to lead to deeper connections.

At my first Coachella, my friendly Canadian neighbors cooked me an egg every day for after I told them I love to take Instagram videos of splitting egg yolks. Several acquaintances from Los Angeles became close friends of mine after we camped near each other and danced under the lights of the silent disco until 4:00 AM. Yes, there is magic at every single festival, but there鈥檚 something different about the divine spirit and community that is found under the lights of Coachella鈥檚 silent disco.

There鈥檚 also the practical element. With your home for the weekend being so close to the venue, you can be more flexible. We often ran back to camp between sets to grab supplies we needed, more , or outfit changes. Having resources so close helped us save on typically expensive festival food. Our morning breakfast routine included huddling around the cooler and rehashing the previous night over coffee. Camping didn鈥檛 limit us, it allowed us to personalize our experience to our taste and preferences.

All that said, it鈥檚 not always easy. The desert heat is real, and if you’re not used to roughing it, sleeping in a tent might come with a little bit of a learning curve. However, I find that camping turns the festival into a richer and more immersive experience. Plus, it’s only $150鈥攈undreds less than you might spend at a hotel. Give it a try, discover a profound sense of community, and dance all night under the silent disco lights. If you鈥檝e been car camping before, you鈥檙e more than capable of camping at Coachella.

Coachella鈥檚 Campground

The amenities at the campground are so far and wide that it has a site map separate from that of the venue. At the general store, you can buy that one item you completely forgot about despite swearing not to (i.e., earplugs). There鈥檚 also an activity tent where you can play pickleball, have a water balloon fight, or win a VIP upgrade. You can enjoy a meal hosted by Treetop Journey, a farm-to-table outdoor dining experience to break bread and connect with new friends.

If your legs are tired from the endless dancing, wrap yourself in a cozy hammock and cool off at the camp lounge, where no one will give you a second look if you decide to nod off for a mid-day nap. If you haven鈥檛 found a partner through your local run club yet, consider running the Coachella X Electrolit 5K and get some extra miles in.

For a spiritual experience, visit the Desert Sky truss tent, where you can relax with a yoga class or catch a guest speaker. Return to the Desert Sky later at night after the festival ends for a Kafakesuqe silent disco鈥攆or me, a non-negotiable experience.

Looking to heal your childlike wonder? Head to the Field of Dreams, where you can have a field day playing dodgeball and other fun games. If you鈥檙e a thrifter at heart, enjoy an exclusive shopping experience of vintage Coachella merchandise. And honestly, this still doesn鈥檛 even scratch the surface of everything the campground offers鈥攊t鈥檚 just my personal greatest hits. One more can鈥檛-miss? The Coachella Art Studio.

The Art Studio is a creative summer camp. Last year, I was able to redecorate my cowboy hat with a new fringe and patches at one booth, and unwind by crafting a collage at another. Over the years, I鈥檝e made air fresheners, perfumes, bracelets, earrings, and more.

The Ultimate Coachella Packing List

This festival packing list was gifted to me by a friend years ago. It still guides me today.

Camp Kitchen

• Water bottles
• Silverware & plates (we did disposable for easier cleanup)
• Cups
• Paper Towels
• Electrolytes
• Cooler
• Trash bags

Toiletries

• Wet wipes
• Towels (shower)
• Toothbrush/paste
• Shampoo/conditioner/body wash
• Toilet Paper
• Ear plugs
• Skincare products
• Sunscreen

Camping Gear

• Tents
• Camping chairs
• Air mattress & pump
• Plastic storage bin for our food
• Speakers
• Portable charger
• Pillows
• Blankets & Bedding
• Tapestries, tarps, or sheets to block the sunlight and create shade
• Clips to hang up your tapestries, etc.
• Pop Up
• Folding table
• Bluetooth speaker

Other Essentials

• Fan
• Hats
• Wristbands
• ID
• Credit Cards and cash for shower tokens
• Power bank
• Eye Mask

The post Everything I Pack to Camp at Coachella appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The Outdoor Media Alliance show hosts gear journalists twice annually in a converted warehouse in Denver, where we hear about upcoming products from dozens of top-shelf brands. After two days at OMA, I curated a list of six new products that got me excited for the upcoming camping, trail running, and skiing seasons.

Helinox String Trees Game

Any time I camp with kids, my first directive on arrival is to tell them to bugger off and go explore. I don鈥檛 worry if they鈥檙e gone for hours and don鈥檛 care what they do as long no one comes back bleeding. However, at some point their games of tag in the forest wear off and they start complaining about boredom. The next time that happens I鈥檓 breaking out this game, which I know will entertain for hours.

String Trees is loosely based on shuffleboard and consists of a rope that you string horizontally between two trees, pillars on a shade structure, or the like, and a series of rings that can be slid across the rope. Both players stand at one side of the rope and take turns trying to shove one ring at a time down the rope so that it lands in one of several color-coded sections that represent various points. The farthest section of color equals the highest number of points. But because players alternate shoving rings from the same side, they can push each other鈥檚 rings past the color-coded sections into the black, which erases previous points. The person with the highest number of points wins.

La Sportiva Prodigio Pro Running Shoes

I鈥檝e skied in La Sportiva boots and spent many miles on the trail in their hikers but had never once run in their shoes because they were so darn stiff. The company designed听 shoes for mountain runners who wanted burly soles and tons of stability, but I grew up in the Hoka generation and wanted a little more squish. Then I got my hands on the Prodigio Pro at the OMA show and became a La Sportiva running shoe convert.

Thanks to a much more forgiving midsole, these shoes ate up chunk on trails, padded my feet when I came screaming down steep sections, and delivered lots of bounce-back when I was striding out on the flats. Like all Sportiva shoes, the last is fairly narrow, and the clever, reinforced mesh upper completely swallowed my foot for a conforming and protective fit with zero movement. I loved the knit collar around my ankle that kept all debris out, and chunky lugs gripped at all times, even in loose kitty litter that sometimes leaves me on my ass.

For more details on the Prodigo Pro read from our RUN editors.

Pelican AVP-D ModPak AV Double Pouch

Sometimes I want to bring a mirrorless camera on my trip but don鈥檛 want to carry around a camera bag. I don鈥檛, however, want my camera and lenses just floating around in a regular pack with no protection. Now I can get that protection without the bulk thanks to this Pelican pouch, which is just big enough to hold a mirrorless camera and two lenses.

The protection comes from a smart internal design that keeps everything snuggly in place, combined with a rigid EVA and Cordura outer that prevents pricey gear from getting smashed. A giant zipper opens the entire front of the pouch for easy access, and molly straps on the back let you attach the pouch to your backpack, as long as it鈥檚 equipped with a molly system.

Nite Ize CamJam SlideLock Rope Tightener

At this point in history, you鈥檇 think we would have thought of every possible clever way to tie something down. But no, the nerdy and very smart engineers over at Nite Ize are still putting in long hours and finding new ways to help us secure whatever it is we need to stay in place. One of their newest inventions is the SlideLock.

Up top, the SlideLock is a carabiner, but at the bottom there鈥檚 a device that you can feed a medium-size rope through. You then keep pulling the rope until you鈥檝e adjusted it to whatever length you want, at which point听 teeth in the device bite onto the rope to keep it from slipping back out. The uses are endless, but I plan on using mine to help me string up camping tarps (the carabiner will go through the tarp holes and the rope around a tree) or help me tie down junk in the back of my truck.

Deuter Freerider Pro 32 +10 Backcountry Pack

[Available Fall 2025]

Backcountry ski packs have always presented a goldilocks gear problem. You need several types because you don鈥檛 want a huge pack on single-day adventures, but smaller packs aren鈥檛 big enough for weekend hut trips. Deuter aims to solve that conundrum with the Freerider Pro, which holds 32 liters when packed down but grows to 42 liters if you expand the roll-top closure. Some people will say that 32 liters might be too big for one-day trips but I think it鈥檚 actually perfect because there鈥檚 enough room for extra gloves, a puffy jacket, or extra food. And while 42 liters isn鈥檛 enough for a week-long hut trip, it will store enough gear to get you through a couple days out in the woods.

As you would expect, the bag carries both snowboards and skis in multiple configurations. It comes with a dedicated avalanche gear pocket, and a hefty waist belt helps deal with the heft when it鈥檚 loaded down. You can access your gear through the top, but there鈥檚 also a zipper around the backpad that flays open the entire bag for easy access to everything inside.

Fjallraven Bergtagen Mountain Cap

[Available Fall 2025]

Every brimmed hat with ear flaps I鈥檝e ever come across was made exclusively for winter wear, with both the hat and the flaps insulated, making them way too hot for spring or summer. Thanks to some out-of-the-box thinking, however, Fjallraven has now created an all-season hat with ear flaps that I can鈥檛 wait to test. I鈥檓 calling it 鈥渁ll season鈥� because the hat itself is made from a polyester/wool/cotton blend that breathes well enough for use during high-output activities throughout the year, and the ear flap is made from a light wool/polyester blend that will cut the chill when backcountry skiing but not make me overheat if I want to use the flap for sun protection in the summer. The ear flap is also thin enough that it nearly disappears when tucked into the hat, adding to the cap鈥檚 all-season prowess.

The post Six Pieces of New Outdoor Gear I鈥檓 Most Excited About Trying appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

November is the time of year when we in the northern hemisphere get that sweet reminder of how shitty it feels to be too cold. If you are one of us who depends on a fire to stay warm through the winter, you know this fact: kindling is king. Whether it鈥檚 for your wood stove at 6:00 am when your house is as chilly as the dickens, or when you get off the river with frozen fingers on a fishing trip, the answer remains the same: If you want good kindling fast, you need a good hatchet. To help you find the right one for your needs, I tested some of the best models on the market. Here are my five top picks.

At a Glance

• Best Value:
• Best for Wilderness Survival:听
• Best for Precision Cutting:
• Most Ergonomic:
• Lightest:
• How I Tested

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

Best Value

CRKT Chogan Hatchet

听

Weight: 1.5 lbs.

Overall Length: 13.2 in.

Pros and Cons:
鈯� Insanely capable
鈯� Extremely affordable
鈯� Not powerful enough for most hardwoods

This one-and-a-half-pound, sub-14-inch hatchet proved small but mighty. The head is made from one solid piece of 1055 carbon steel鈥攌nown for its durability and edge retention鈥攚hich was heavy enough in relation to the glass-reinforced nylon handle to provide a hefty swing. This concentration of weight behind the blade allowed it to work its way through softer woods like cedar and fir, but it did find its limitations with the harder woods like madrone and oak. While I could get through the heavier woods, it typically took me at least a dozen strokes, with some feeling dangerously taxing on the nylon handle. It was a heck of a little hammer on the stakes, though, and I found it particularly easy to swing accurately; in fact, it’s about the same size and weight of the hammer I keep in my toolbox back home.

Best for Wilderness Survival

Gerber Bushcraft Hatchet

听

Weight: 2.4 lbs.

Overall Length: 15.3 in.

Pros and Cons:
鈯� Handle doubles as waterproof match storage
鈯� Heavy enough for hardwood
鈯� Rubber gets mangled if you miss a strike
鈯� Blade is small compared to rest of hatchet

My wilderness survival game is relatively tight, but I would by no means call myself a bushcrafter. (In other words, I can reliably make a good fire with a single match, but can鈥檛 use a bow drill for shit). Still, I found this hatchet a blast to play with, even with my novice skills. There are five feet of ever-useful paracord in the handle, which contains a hollow, waterproof compartment big enough to store five waterproof matches and half a handful of wood shavings. The Bushcraft鈥檚 hefty two-and-a-half-pound weight and more than 15-inch length allowed it to work through oak and madrone quite easily鈥攚hen it came to hardwoods, it felt more like a small ax than a hatchet. For all the advantages that extra weight gave for the Bushcraft in terms of swing, its heft didn’t do it any favors in the carrying test. This would be my last pick to take on a long hike. It also lacked some blade length compared to the Ono and James Brand options. That made it harder to get through the thickest pieces of wood. The back of the head was a proper hammer that drove even the toughest stakes. The rubber insets around the back of the handle felt good in the hand, but it did get pretty mangled after a few missed strikes on the stakes. While this didn鈥檛 hurt the overall performance of the hatchet, it did become a bit unsightly.

Best for Precision Cutting

Silky Ono Hatchet

听

Weight: 1.8 lbs.

Overall Length: 12 in.

Pros and Cons:
鈯� Crazy-sharp blade
鈯� Very sexy look
鈯� No real ability to hammer

鈥淥oooooh,鈥� my friend and I moaned audibly as we took this premium Japanese-crafted hatchet out of its hand-wrapped and -written-on packaging. I don鈥檛 fault us for our gratuitousness: this hatchet is sexy. It’s a big-ass piece of alloy steel with a perfectly grippy, textured, rubber handle and a four-and-a-half-inch blade. It looks like a meat cleaver you鈥檇 want by your side during a zombie apocalypse. The blade is so damned sharp鈥攔ight on par with the frighteningly sharp Hellgate below鈥攖hat I could shave pine logs as if they were giant bricks of Parmesan cheese. I really appreciated the superior grip of the handle while I made a 6:00 am fire with frozen fingers, and the swing weight from that large-bladed head let it crush through hardwood in spite of its kinda-short 12-inch length. I couldn鈥檛 really hammer tent stakes in with the back of it, which puts it at a disadvantage as a do-it-all camping tool. Still, I was willing to forgive the Ono due to how well it ate through wood to make kindling.

Most Ergonomic

The James Brand TJB Hatchet

Weight: 1.9 lbs.

Overall Length: 14 in.

Pros and Cons:
鈯� Ergonomic wooden handle
鈯� Great swing momentum for extended chopping
鈯� Too big to pack into the backcountry

The James Brand partnered with legendary German ax-making company Adler to craft this beaut. The delightfully contoured, U.S.-sourced hickory handle and big old C60 steel head combine for an incredibly classy-looking hatchet. The blade was plenty sharp enough to make matchsticks out of oak. The TJB also boasted the second-largest striking surface in the test at four inches. The combo of that large, efficient head; the dampening factor of the wood handle; and a nice texture at the base of the grip just felt so damned good, strike after strike. I could make kindling with it all day. In fact, on my camping trip, I got carried away splitting cedar for over an hour straight without feeling much fatigue. It a little on the larger side to bring camping, and is suboptimal to pack in anywhere at its nearly two-pound weigh-in, but this hatchet is definitely the one that will live next to my woodpile at home if The James Brand lets me keep the sample. It feels a little lame to complain about the packaging, but I found myself not knowing what to do with it: When I first received this hatchet, I thought the ornate wooden box it came in was a nice touch, particularly for the price. Unfortunately, I broke the box while transporting the hatchet to my camping trip and had to put it in a landfill pretty quickly into my testing process.

Lightest

Montana Knife Company Hellgate Hatchet

Weight: 0.9 pounds

Overall Length: 10 inches

Pros and Cons:
鈯� Beautiful craftsmanship
鈯� Perfectly balanced swing
鈯� Portable and lightweight
鈯� More than twice the price of most competitors

I know that comparing this hatchet to the others on this list is inherently unfair: It鈥檚 like bringing a gun to a proverbial hatchet fight. Or, perhaps more accurately, comparing a cottage-built ultralight thru-hiking pack to a clunky, big box-brand backpacking pack. Here鈥檚 the thing, though: I couldn鈥檛 leave this truly beautiful tool off this list because it was so remarkably capable. It weighs less than a pound but was still able to cut through softwoods like butter, thanks to its razor-sharp blade and perfectly balanced swing weight. The lack of swing weight meant that hardwoods like madrone put up a hell of a fight, usually taking half-a-dozen hits or more to split, but I wasn鈥檛 complaining about the reps thanks to the Hellgate鈥檚 aforementioned balance. The lightly textured handle has a slight curve on the back that made it feel like it was made for my palm. This is a very subtle detail that delivered a notable amount of comfort over extended use. I found myself using it consistently for 20- to 30-minute increments without really thinking about the fact that I had a hatchet in my hand. On top of that, the Hellgate was made for hiking. While walking the 60-acre property during my portability test, I barely noticed I was bringing it along. The biggest bummer: The $375 price tag is certainly worthy of sticker shock. Still, I stand behind it: It hit like a heavy weight in a bantamweight package.

How I Tested

I made an absolutely obscene amount of kindling for this test. Over the past three weeks I have offered my kindling-creating services to all the wood-stove users in my friend group (there are four) and invited myself over to chop away on their wood piles for as long as it took to get a feel for each axe. I also took these hatchets on an annual fishing and camping trip with friends. While my buddies fished, I stayed back at camp and played with the hatchets.

I tested each blade on five different kinds of wood (pine, cedar, fir, oak, and Oregon madrone) and created all different sizes of kindling, from curly-gossamer shreds to solid thumb-size chunks. I used the backside of each hatchet to hammer in tent poles at the beginning of the trip. I also carried these hatchets around the 60-acre campsite we stayed on to gauge portability, and I weighed them on a kitchen scale (when I got home of course) to compare each one’s weight to its manufacturer-listed specs. Here are the results.

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Awnings can be a great addition to an adventure rig. They can effectively double your covered living space and provide a nice shelter from the sun or rain鈥攂ut they don鈥檛 come without their downsides. After testing many different awnings throughout the years, I鈥檝e come to conclude that a permanently affixed awning is just more trouble than it鈥檚 worth

I鈥檝e owned several different rigs that had awnings bolted to their roof racks鈥攊ncluding a teardrop trailer that had both a and a legless 360-degree awning mounted to it at different times鈥攑lus multiple truck campers and travel trailers with awnings. Every single one of them had issues. They were heavy and added considerable wind resistance to the rig. Legs snapped in high winds. And set-up and break-down were never easy. Most took a long time to pitch, and most were a pain to pack back into their infuriatingly small cases. Permanently affixed awnings are also very expensive, often 鈥攐r more.

Once, I foolishly left my campsite with my trailer鈥檚 fancy, seemingly bombproof permanent awning deployed, and a huge storm cropped up while I was away. There wasn鈥檛 anything on the radar when I left, but I came back to a taco鈥檇 awning and a scratched-up trailer. Hell, I bought a used Airstream a few years ago that was missing its awning completely and had some scratches on one side. When I brought it to a shop for some other work, the shop owner immediately recognized the scratches as 鈥渁wning damage,鈥� meaning the awning had likely been left deployed and ripped off by wind, and told me that was one of the most common issues they see.

Needless to say, I鈥檇 pretty much given up on mounting an awning on my rig and generally thought they were more trouble than they鈥檙e worth. Lately, though, I鈥檝e seen several new, more modular products at trade shows that had me take a second look. (Plus, I do still recognize that it鈥檚 nice to sit outside in the shade sometimes.) Finally I decided to cave. Here are two of the best new 鈥渁lternative awning鈥� solutions I鈥檝e tried.

Moon MoonShade

First up, the . This product isn鈥檛 brand-new鈥攊n fact, I鈥檝e been testing and using one for a couple years now. If you鈥檙e unfamiliar, it鈥檚 a portable awning that sets up easily and attaches to pretty much any rig imaginable. The Original MoonShade provides seven-by-nine feet of coverage, and the upcoming MoonShade XL will provide twelve-by-nine feet, which works well for larger rigs like vans and is big enough to set up a serious outdoor kitchen underneath. The original MoonShade I鈥檝e been using weighs about eight pounds once it鈥檚 all packed up, and can be quickly attached to a vehicle鈥檚 roof rack, the side of a van or camper, or literally anywhere else thanks to a whole host of , like the included suction cups, or optional magnets and more. It detaches and packs down just as easily.

The structure of the MoonShade consists of two cross poles, which clip into a pitched sheet of 420-denier ripstop polyester, similar to the way you might set up a tent fly. There鈥檚 also another support pole that can be used for 鈥渘arrow base mounting,鈥� meaning you can set it up against something narrow, like the trunk of a vehicle, plus two telescoping support legs. Setup is fast and intuitive, and you can basically have shade anywhere within a couple of minutes. I鈥檝e found that it holds up well in the wind if it鈥檚 properly staked out, and the fabric sheds rain easily. As a tall person, I also love the domed shape of the MoonShade鈥攊t provides way more headroom underneath than a traditional awning, and the reflective fabric on the underside creates a nice ambiance if you string up a lantern at night.

The two best things about the MoonShade, though, are the price and the versatility. At $395, it costs significantly less than most permanently attached awnings, and since it鈥檚 not permanently affixed, it solves a lot of the problems I mentioned above, like excess weight on the rig. That also means you can easily move it from one rig to another, which is handy if you want to use it for a day at the beach but don鈥檛 need to take your overbuilt truck with you.

Dometic HUB 2 REDUX

If you want more versatility and an even simpler setup鈥攁nd don鈥檛 mind paying a premium to get it鈥攖he might be your shelter. I saw the HUB 2 REDUX for the first time at Overland Expo West in 2023, and was immediately intrigued. It鈥檚 an inflatable shade structure that Dometic calls an 鈥淥utdoor Activity Shelter,鈥� which is actually a pretty good descriptor. It鈥檚 a 7.5-by-7.5-foot, freestanding unit that鈥檚 similar in shape to one of those shade tents you might see at a kid鈥檚 soccer game or an outdoor trade show. The difference? There are no metal poles鈥攖he legs and roof section are made from inflatable tubes.

The Airpoles, as Dometic calls them, look and feel a lot like the baffles in a high-end packraft or inflatable kayak. The material is made from recycled plastic bottles, feels very durable, and is totally weatherproof. In truth, I was apprehensive the first time I took it out of the bag and set it up, assuming it would take a good amount of fiddling to get right. Surprisingly, it鈥檚 incredibly easy鈥攜ou just stake out the bottom of the structure, and then hook up the included hand pump to one of the corners. Within about 30 seconds, you鈥檝e got a very sturdy shade structure. Frankly, I was blown away by how fast and easy the whole process was.

I鈥檝e had good luck setting up the HUB 2 REDUX near the tailgate of my truck and on the side, and using the truck itself as an anchor point. The cool thing about the HUB 2 REDUX is that you can add several different accessories, like to the sides, a , or even an annex for an SUV that turns the whole thing into a giant tent connected to your rig. You can also easily use the HUB 2 REDUX on its own, say at a soccer game or tailgate, and you鈥檒l never have to worry about poles breaking in the wind, or damaging your rig. It packs down to the size of a backpack and weighs about 19 pounds鈥攏ot bad for a structure this beefy. At $750, I鈥檇 call it a pretty good value, too.

So, if you鈥檙e in the market for an awning for your adventure rig, I鈥檇 recommend you take a hard look at either the MoonShade or the HUB 2 REDUX before you bolt an expensive, heavy, damage-prone awning to the side of your ride. It may not look as cool, but you鈥檒l thank me later.

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Kids use blankies鈥攖hose soft, individual-sized, personal hugs like the one Linus from the Peanuts carries around鈥攖o provide comfort from nightmares and bullies, not so much to keep warm. Adults have supposedly outgrown the need, but couldn鈥檛 we all benefit from a cozy camp blanket that can provide comfort from life鈥檚 stresses and also keep us warm while we sit at sporting events, campfires, and backyard dinners after the sun goes down?

Because I like to be outside in all weather, or need to be, at times (youth sports!), I keep at least one camping-oriented blanket in my car or in my giant soccer mom bag at all times. I like them so much I decided to review the available options.

Over the past six months or so, I鈥檝e been alternating between using different blankets and sharing them with parents whose teeth are chattering on the sidelines of youth soccer games. I鈥檝e taken note of their feedback on each, while filing my thoughts on them each time I snuggle up comfortably somewhere outside. For my final test, I sat in my backyard on a 52-degree day and cozied up in each blanket while I wrote up its review on my laptop. It just so happened to be my oldest son鈥檚 sixteenth birthday, and I was feeling a little nostalgic and mourning how time is passing way too quickly, so I certainly didn鈥檛 mind the blankie-like comfort.

I鈥檒l be putting these picks to good use car camping in the Colorado high country this summer, and whenever I need a little warmth鈥r an enveloping hug. This isn鈥檛 a comprehensive review, as there are dozens of camp blankets on the market. But I thoroughly tested these six:

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Most Weather- and Wear-Resistant

Rumpl Original Puffy

My favorite thing about this blanket is the soft, slick exterior shell. That shell, and the light insulation inside, are made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled polyester. I鈥檓 surprised by how much warmth this blanket creates despite how thin and stow-able it is. And I love that it鈥檚 stain- and water-resistant, as well as machine washable. I鈥檝e let my wet dog lie on it in the back of my car, and it has always wiped clean. Another great feature is what Rumpl calls a 鈥淐ape Clip,鈥� paired with simple loops in each corner and in the middle on one side, which allows me to secure the blanket around my waist or my shoulders. Besides a snuggly wrap, this blanket can serve a variety of purposes鈥攍ike as a picnic blanket, for instance.

Most Packable

Rumpl NanoLoft Flame Blanket

This Rumpl, though not as warm as the Rumpl Original Puffy, has gotten the most use out of all the blankets I鈥檝e been testing because it conveniently rolls up and stashes into a stuff sack to the size of a Nalgene bottle or a gigantic sausage roll (3.5 x 11鈥�) if you try hard enough (if you just shove it in the stuff sack it鈥檚 the size of an extra-long Nalgene bottle). I鈥檝e been keeping this in my soccer mom tote bag and pulling it out to wrap around my legs during spring games and high school track meets. Like the Original Rumpl Puffy, the NanoLoft Flame Blanket has a small clip and loop on the opposite ends of the short side that, when connected, creates a cape-effect. I do wish there was an additional loop midway along the longer side to create a skirt-like blanket; it鈥檚 my legs that are usually cold. Another great thing about this blanket: One side is fire resistant. Those sparks that combust off a campfire won鈥檛 stress me out as much.

Best for Keeping Legs Warm

The Mozy Wearable and Waterproof Thermal Wrap

Parents on the sidelines of a late-fall soccer game got a good chuckle when I pulled out this thing and Velcro鈥檇 it around my legs, but let me tell you: The Mozy keeps legs warm, stays on, has pockets, and makes a ton of sense. Most often when sitting at a campfire or cool-weather sporting event or concert, I鈥檓 wearing a puffy jacket or, at least, a cozy hoodie. It鈥檚 the bottom half of my body that suffers from the cold while wearing jeans or all-but-the-plushest sweatpants. The Mozy wraps securely around the waist with easy Velcro fasteners. You can also personalize it with Velcro patches, available in a wide variety of themes (like adding National Park or camp patches to a backpack). The Mozy鈥檚 exterior is waterproof nylon, which I appreciate for varying Colorado weather. And the two large, simple pockets are perfect for things like a headlamp or lighter (for the campfire, people), an iPhone, and/or a deck of cards. One knock: The Velcro grips aggressively and frayed the stitching on my sweatpant cuffs.

Most Complete Coverage

Voited Slumber Jacket

This piece stretches the definition of blanket, but if I were into cold-weather camping, or a hockey mom who had to sit at an outdoor ice rink, I鈥檇 be using the Voited Slumber Jacket all the time. And I have happily used it at cold evening soccer games in early spring, and loaned it to a friend鈥檚 mom on the sideline of a frosty morning game. This thing is bomber, offering the most warmth and coverage of anything in this roundup. It鈥檚 like a waterproof swim parka鈥攚ith jacket arms, fleece-lined handwarmer pockets and a hood鈥攑lus, it has a sneaky, insulated bit of material tucked away at the foot. Unzip the stash pocket, unroll the material, and zip it to the bottom of the parka and you鈥檙e suddenly in a sleeping bag with arms. It鈥檚 a brilliant contraption. Adjustable sleeve cuffs and stretchy hand covers with thumbholes add to the apparel-like functionality of this piece, although I find the thumbholes make the arms rather restrictive when trying to strum a guitar. (Still, playing a guitar in gloves would be impossible, so this piece offers some warmth to cold campfire hands playing music.)

Most Versatile

Voited Cloudtouch Pillow Blanket

I鈥檓 kind of in love with this versatile blanket with one waterproof side, and the other side the softest, coziest, manmade Sherpa fleece-like material ever. It doesn鈥檛 pack down very small; shoved into the stuff sack, it鈥檚 about the size of a large sleeping bag. But, what this thing has going for it beyond warmth and coziness is ingenuity鈥攁nd I love a smartly designed product. The blanket stuffs into its own pocket with the fleece side facing out to create a very comfortable pillow. Unzipped, it鈥檚 a blanket. Snapped closed along three sides, it becomes a warm-season sleeping bag (rated to 46藲F). And snapped just around the shoulders, it鈥檚 a warm cape that leaves hands free for things like roasting marshmallows. I also love that it is made of 100% recycled materials and is machine washable.

Best for Road Trips

Thermarest Vela Quilt Double

My family and I first used this quilt on a two-week camping road trip six years ago, and we all still love it. The 650-fill Nikwax Hydrophobic Down is luxuriously warm while remaining lightweight, and it dries quicker than regular down, should we get caught in the rain. The Box Baffled Construction keeps all that fluffy down in place, so it stays evenly distributed instead of piling in a corner. And the 20D polyester taffeta interior with a 20D polyester shell with DWR coating is soft to the touch; my younger son even stole this blanket for his bed for a few weeks. Weighing 2.7 pounds, the blanket is intended for backpacking and has a tapered toe box for sleeping. We bring it car camping and have used it at many outdoor sporting events.

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If you鈥檙e an active, outdoorsy adult with children, there鈥檚 a solid chance you spend a good amount of time as a doting spectator of youth sports. (The offspring of active people tend to be active young people.) And if you鈥檙e an adventurer of any sort, you know that conserving energy is key to success. (If someone in your expedition needs to stop for a bathroom break, for example, you lie down on the ground and put your feet up.) So when you find something that helps maximize both, like the, which I dropped $65 on at my local REI store last summer, you get a bit obsessed.

I鈥檝e been a soccer mom for years. I used to awkwardly lug a heavy but comfortable aluminum-framed camp chair and a large bag of stuff across giant sports complexes to the sidelines of a game. The big seat kept me happy during the games, but I always arrived at the field somewhat exasperated.

As a parent to a new high schooler as of last year, I now find myself sitting in the bleachers of high school track meets, football games, and other sports where kids鈥攎y own or other peoples鈥欌€攁re out there giving it their all and becoming young adults in like, a John Hughes-movie sort of way. I鈥檝e realized that I freaking love high school sports鈥攂ut I hate being uncomfortable on bleachers that lack a backrest, are often too cold or too hot and always too hard.

Last summer, I decided it was time to ditch my inconvenient soccer mom chair for a do-it-all seat. I wanted a lightweight, super-portable chair I could throw in my tote bag and easily carry across seven soccer fields. I wanted something incognito that I could take into a stadium and not embarrass my teenager. I craved padding and a backrest while I waited for soccer practices to end so I could 听sit outside of my car and work comfortably on my laptop. My research led me to the .

I used to think that Crazy Creek chairs were reserved for hippies who insisted on being closer to the earth than those sitting in off-the-ground camp chairs. If you own a Crazy Creek, you鈥檙e also great at hacky sack and wear tie-dye t-shirts. You whip out a foldable Crazy Creek at a group campsite, and you鈥檙e instantly telling stories of rock climbing at Camp 4 in the 鈥�70s. Although I have hippie tendencies, I had never owned a Crazy Creek chair myself.

What Crazy Creek chairs have that the majority of other camp chairs don鈥檛 is portability鈥攜ou can鈥檛 put a large aluminum-framed chair in a tote bag or tuck one under your arm. What the Hex 2.0 has over the is the ability to roll up to the size of an extra-long Sunday newspaper instead of simply folding in half.听 The Hex 2.0 is also lighter than the original, weighing in at 1 lb 4.8 oz (vs. the 1 lb 10 oz of the original). The slight cushioning鈥�8mm high-density cored EVA closed-cell foam鈥攊s enough to turn a hard, cold bleacher into a padded seat with a back. An inner surface of breathable coated ripstop nylon stays cool when I鈥檓 hot, and the outer shell of a thicker coated ripstop nylon lets me sit on damp grass and assures me this thing will endure my abuse. (It has so far.)

Since buying this chair, I鈥檝e used it in ways I didn鈥檛 anticipate鈥攁nd love it even more. After a run in a drizzle during one of my son鈥檚 soccer practices, I had work to do. I flattened the seats in my Subaru and crawled into the back with my dog, leaving the hatch open. (I鈥檓 not ashamed to be kind of a dirtbag.) I opened up my Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 Chair and fired up my laptop. An hour later, I had a finished story and a happy dog鈥攂ut not a sore back.

At an ultramarathon where I paced a friend through 14 miles at night, I opened up the chair all the way to lay flat, and used it as a minimalist sleeping pad. The cushioning is slight, but there was no inflating to be done and the chair softened鈥攅ven if just a little bit鈥攖he back of a Chevy Suburban where I took a little catnap.

Having this chair at the ready for spectating sports has made me more comfortable, which puts me in a better mood all-around鈥攁 win for me and everyone in my family. This stealthy, simple piece of gear allows me to conserve my energy anywhere I am, whether I鈥檓 cheering for a goal, comparing the football field to the one in the final scene of “The Breakfast Club,” or resting up before a mountain adventure. It鈥檚 like a secret weapon for life. And by saving time and energy, the chair adds balance to my day-to-day. A little adventure mixed in with a lot of being a doting sporting mom makes me a better version of myself, which, again, is good for everyone around me.

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Some of the best gifts are ephemeral. They鈥檙e meant to be enjoyed for one very important moment: a beautiful cake, a vacation, tickets to a concert. Other gifts, however, are intended to stick around. These gifts will get used hundreds, if not thousands, of times and eventually develop their own unique patina. These gifts may also last long enough to be passed on, so that they鈥檙e not only enjoyed by one person, but by many. I love gifts with staying power. Below you鈥檒l find seven of my favorites.

Classic Jackets

The reason Patagonia sells thousands and thousands of and jackets, and always will for decades to come, is because they landed on an iconic design that鈥檚 timeless. The anorak cut of the Snap-T and the fluffy fleece of the Retro scream cozy and comfortable, which are the characteristics we want most from a warm jacket. Patagonia, as a company, is also so imbued with heritage that your jacket recipient will love being associated with them for the years, even decades, they wear the fleece.

Leather Boots

A good pair of will set you back several hundred dollars so your recipient needs to be someone special. But your investment will give them something that will last a lifetime, and beyond. I inherited a pair of Red Wing boots from my dad that were in rough shape, but I have so many good memories of him wearing those boots that I wouldn鈥檛 want them any other way than worn in. I also have my own pair of boots I鈥檝e worn so many times they now fit like a glove, and with any luck I can pass them on to my son, too.

Camp Stove

How many of your parents still have the green Coleman stove they bought 20 or 30 years ago and continue using it every time they camp? Today鈥檚 Coleman stoves, as well as many other basic two-burner stoves, have improved over those decades-old models, but they鈥檙e just as bombproof. If you gift your friend or family member one of these stoves, you benefit, too, because they will undoubtedly use it to brew you coffee in the morning and cook up an amazing dinner at night when you head out into the woods together.

Folding Knife

Knives are very personal things so they can be hard to gift. But the from Benchmade is a great all-around model with a huge audience. It can be used as an everyday carry knife that slices through boxes and salami. It鈥檚 also beefy enough to help a hunter on your list butcher a large animal (thus the name, Taggedout). Made from high-quality steel, the blade retains an edge but is also easy to sharpen. If your giftee doesn鈥檛 hunt, a more affordable but also gorgeous knife is the from The James Brand. It鈥檚 smaller and not as strong, but still has the chops to cut through anything from fishing line to a rare steak.

Nalgene Bottle

Nalgene bottles continue to be popular because they鈥檙e so light, cheap, and indestructible. Like leather boots, are also great because they develop a patina over their lifetime. That patina could be a long scratch when you dropped it on a grueling hike, or it could be a sticker from a beautiful place you visited on vacation. Nalgenes are easy to replace, but I mourned when I lost the Nalgene I had for the past 10 years because it had been nearly everywhere with me, and showed it, but still functioned as well as it did when new.

Great Book

Somewhere around age 60 my dad decided that he wasn鈥檛 going to read any new books. He had no use for The New York Times鈥� 鈥�100 Best Books of the Year鈥� article because he鈥檇 read so many good books over his lifetime that he wanted to go back and revisit. His library was full of the type of books that make great gifts for their lasting stories. If I were picking books that one could read and then reread again with the same excitement five years later, would be at the top of that list. This book is an 国产吃瓜黑料 favorite, and for good reason, because it鈥檚 a phenomenally written piece of journalism that weaves history and adventure together in a way that鈥檚 unmatched in my opinion. Your giftee will be rapt the entire time and want to book a trip down the Grand Canyon as soon as they can get their hands on a permit.

Hardy Plant

Talk about a gift that keeps on giving! With a little water and light, plants give back constantly by growing, flowering, and making your living space that much friendlier (and for some varieties, even cleaner). Consider a jade or geranium because both are easy-going plants that grow fast and are not too picky, so they stay alive if you forget a few waterings. That, and when your friend grows those plants into monstrosities they can give you cuttings that will brighten your home, too.

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Fire making is one camp chore I鈥檓 always trying to make easier. Whether it鈥檚 simply collecting enough wood to enjoy a summer evening in the mountains, or desperately trying to keep the stove in my canvas wall tent hot enough to survive a sub-zero winter night, chopping and splitting logs into useable sizes involves a ton of time and effort. But for the last year or so, things have improved, thanks to the ($180).

What Is a Froe?

A froe is a traditional wood working tool that鈥檚 shaped like an “L”. Used to precisely split logs apart along the grain, it features a heavy, wedge-shaped blade attached to a handle at a 90-degree angle. You use one by placing the blade atop a log in parallel with its grain, along the exact line you want to split apart, then whack the back of the blade with another log or a mallet. The long 90-degree handle then makes it easy to counter the rotational force applied by those whacks, keeping the blade perpendicular to the log as you separate it.

That鈥檚 the same way you use a big survival-style knife to baton logs in camp. Only, as anyone who鈥檚 used a knife to do this knows, it鈥檚 more a tool that can get the job done, rather than one purpose designed to split wood. Why? Knife blades need to be able to slice, too. And combined with a need for portability, that often creates profiles that are too thin to make good wedges. To perform other tasks like meal prep or detailed wood work, knives also prioritize a balance point close to where the handle and blade meet, reducing their ability to chop. Valuable blade real estate is also lost to pointy ends, limiting their ability to span the full width of larger logs.

Why the 108 Compadre Froe Makes Splitting Wood Easy

That said, knives are easier to pack into the backcountry than some big L-shaped doohickey. And that鈥檚 the problem Buck set out to fix when it designed the 108 Compadre Froe. It takes the blade from the traditional tool, and adds a handle similar (if ingeniously a little different) to a large survival knife. The result is a dedicated wood processing tool that鈥檚 easy to carry, and incredibly useful.

Let’s start with that blade. It鈥檚 a full-tang design鈥攖he material forms the length of the tool, with Micarta handle slabs bolted to it鈥攎ade from spring steel. Lee Althen, a Senior Industrial Designer at Buck, tells me the flexibility inherent in that material, 鈥渉as some shock absorption properties to make it less fatiguing on big jobs.鈥�

It鈥檚 also .230-inches thick, and features a mid-grind that runs about halfway up the blade鈥檚 width, to form a wedge that鈥檚 much broader than that of most knives. The blade also swells toward the end to shift the balance point forwards, something Althen says, 鈥渕akes for a great chopping swing.鈥�

The blade is also angled downwards from the handle, forming what Althen describes as, 鈥渁 slight recurve shape,鈥� which, 鈥渉elps keep the froe in the material [you’re splitting].鈥�

The handle slabs bolted to the steel are made from Micarta, which is virtually indestructible, and provides comfortable traction for your hand even when it鈥檚 wet. You鈥檒l notice that handle is very long, taking up seven and 1/4 inches of the tool鈥檚 entire 16 3/4-inch total length, and that a swell separates that handle into two parts. Grip it forwards for fine control during small tasks, or rearwards to maximize leverage while chopping or batoning. You get a lot more power over this froe鈥檚 blade than you do with the shorter handle on a traditional knife.

A hole in the blade just ahead of the handle also allows you to attach a lanyard, which you can then wrap around your hand to prevent it from sliding forward onto the blade.

Bottom Line: Opt for a Froe Instead of a Hatchet

I asked Althen why he鈥檇 choose this froe over a hatchet for wood-processing duties. 鈥淎 froe is more versatile, and easier to use,鈥� he explains. 鈥淭he weight balance is much closer to the handle, which means less strength is needed to use it (assuming the same weight between the froe and hatchet). The extra length makes it much easier to baton. And, you ultimately still have a knife edge that can be used for cutting or biting into wood enough to get started. From a safety standpoint, it鈥檚 way harder to miss on a swing with the froe.鈥�

The only real downside here is weight. Just like a hatchet, you aren鈥檛 going to want to carry the 23.2-ounce froe on your belt over long distances. But it鈥檚 slim and portable enough to easily tag along in a truck, canoe, or ATV, and its nice leather sheath keeps it from cutting you or your things to pieces when it鈥檚 not in use.

And that鈥檚 where mine is right now, riding in my truck鈥檚 Decked drawers alongside a first aid kit, a roll of trash bags, and a can of bug spray, ready to help make my next campfire.

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is back again, this year on July 11-12. Sometimes it鈥檚 hard to know whether or not a product is a good deal or a worthy purchase when you get so caught up in the excitement of the biggest sale of the year. That鈥檚 why we put together a list of cooking gear you鈥檒l want to snag for all your camping and outdoor adventure needs.

Primus Firestick Backpacking Stove

Originally: $119.95, Prime Day Deal: $76.55

If size and weight is the most important factor when selecting your backpacking stove, the small Primus Firestick might be for you. With pot supports that compactly fold up and a lightweight titanium pot, this set weighs a total of 3.1 oz.

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter听

Originally: $19.95, Prime Day Deal: $17.49

If you don鈥檛 already own one, you need one. The LifeStraw is a microfiltration system that removes parasites, bacteria, and microplastics from water. This little life saving device ensures you have access to clean water while camping, especially in an emergency situation.听

Zulay Marshmallow Roasting Sticks听

Originally: $14.99, Prime Day Deal: $11.99

Have you ever been in a situation where you had all your s鈥檓ores and hot dog ingredients ready, but can鈥檛 find a decent roasting stick on the ground? Sometimes you don鈥檛 want to risk losing your marshmallows on a skinny, dirty stick, which is why you want these Zulay Roasting Sticks. They鈥檙e made with non-toxic, heat-treated stainless steel and can extend up to 32 inches.听

Bonsenkitchen Food Sealer

Originally: $36, Prime Day Deal: $31

This might not be a kitchen product you鈥檇 ever think to buy, but once you have it, you won鈥檛 go back. You can vacuum seal or package almost anything from asparagus to steak to potato chips 鈥� yes, potato chips! This comes in handy when packing for a long thru-hike or camping trip, as Bosenkitchen sealing extends food freshness for up to a week.听

Coffee Gator Pour Over听

Originally: $40, Prime Day Deal: $20.31

For those who want to replace instant campfire coffee with a more 鈥榣uxurious鈥� pour over brew, this coffee maker is great for beginners. What makes this stand out among others is the stainless steel filter, which keeps in flavor, is reusable, and cost effective. Plus, there鈥檚 no need to pack all those extra paper filters.听

YETI Rambler Mug

Originally: $36.05, Prime Day Deal: $24

What can we say – we鈥檒l never say no to a good YETI deal. These 14 oz. mugs are made of insulated stainless steel and a MagSlider lid that鈥檒l keep liquids in and pesky bugs out. No more lukewarm coffee, cold chili, or lackluster oatmeal.听

Coleman Classic 2-in-1 Camping Grill and Stove

Originally: 149.99, Prime Day Deal: $94.99

The Coleman Classic is multifunctional and built to withstand weather with WindBlock protection to shield flames from high winds. It鈥檚 multifunctional with a grill and stove, allowing for more controlled, easy cooking. Easy to clean, portable, matchless, and a good price.

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