Camping & Outdoor Gadgets

Off the grid, three questions decide what you pack: how you will keep things charged, how you will see after dark, and what makes the trip better. Every item here answers one of them.

Power first. The 296Wh Portable Power Station is the big one: four 110V AC outlets, a PD100W USB-C port and USB and DC ports, and it recharges from a wall outlet, a car charger or a solar panel (sold separately). At about 3kg with a carry handle, it suits car camping more than a backpack. For a pocket, the Solar Power Bank charges over USB or trickle-charges in the sun and adds an LED flashlight and a splash-resistant build; since its listing calls solar a trickle, charge it fully at home before you go. Two hand warmers double as 5000mAh power banks: the Rechargeable Hand Warmer heats both sides at about 113°F or 131°F, and the Hand Warmer Power Bank has adjustable heat.

For light, the Zoom LED Headlamp keeps your hands free with high, low and strobe modes, a zoom from wide flood to narrow spot and a head that tilts 90 degrees. The Rechargeable Hanging Tent Fan hooks to a tent, RV or canopy ceiling and gives you four fan speeds plus an LED light. Around a cabin, the solar motion wall lights and the 348-LED solar light switch on when they sense movement, and the waterproof LED Flame Torch speaker plays music with a flickering flame effect.

Then the extras: the Portable Espresso Machine heats its own water from a 7500mAh battery and takes ground coffee or capsules, and the 383-Piece Fishing Lure Kit works in freshwater and saltwater. To record the trip, the clip-on action cameras and the 4G solar trail camera sit in our action and trail cameras collection too. Flying to the trailhead? Our travel tech collection lists the power banks that fit the airline carry-on rules, and outdoor and winter gear adds heated apparel for cold nights.