Save $$$ with Amazon Prime Day deals on hiking and gear including tents, sleeping bags, hiking boots and more.
The great outdoors. There’s nothing like it.
Ironically enough in 2023, that fresh air and connection with nature begins… on your smartphone, laptop, or any other electronic that connects you to Amazon.
This year’s annual Amazon Prime Day has all your outdoors needs covered. That includes camping gear like tents, sleeping bags, flashlights, boots, and other outdoors apparel. And make sure you don’t forget the perfect backpack to carry it all in.
Ahead of your next trip down the trail or up the mountain, check out some of 2023’s best Amazon Prime Day deals. Start with our camping collection below or our running collection list right here.
If you’re a beginning camper, you’ll need certain essentials for the experience to be appealing enough to want to repeat. The right food, clothing, and shelter are what it’s all about. You’re trying to replicate the comforts of home, up to a point. While you’re probably never going to feel as cozy in a tent as you are in your own bed, you want to be able to sleep well enough that you don’t pack everything up in the middle of the night and head for the nearest hotel. So, consult this handy camping checklist, and don’t head out into the wilds of a campground without these basics.
Is your dad a camper? Then Father’s Day is the time to help him gear up. Every dedicated camper wants the best new stuff, whether that’s a more efficient stove or a comfier sleeping pad.
If Dad is a car camper who likes to have it all outdoors, maybe he dreams of deluxe camp furniture. Or if he’s a backpacking dad, we know he’s always searching for a tent that weighs two ounces less.
You’re in luck if you have a camping dad because they are so much fun to shop for. Get ready for Father’s Day with these gift ideas for dads who love camping.
If you use a wheelchair or travel with someone who does, you know how quickly your day can go downhill when a destination has no ramps or accessible restrooms. That’s why Elysia Everett and Dave Jensen co-founded the Friendly Like Me app — so people could know this vital info before they go.
“People are more than just one thing, and accessibility means something different for everyone,” said Everett, CEO of Friendly Like Me, in a statement. “Disability is very individual, sometimes temporal, always in front of us, and yet–continues to surprise us.”
The folks at Friendly Like Me helped us put together this list of the 10 most accessible national parks in the United States. Now, let’s all go out and explore.
Camping requires a lot of gear, and it’s taken time to refine the systems that keep campers and the environment happy. In the United States’ roughly 150 years of camping history, there have been many well-intentioned missteps and some unbelievably dangerous traditions. Discover the stories behind all of these moments in author and architect Martin Hogue’s new book, “Making Camp: A Visual History of Camping’s Most Essential Items & Activities.”
Described as an exploration of one of America’s favorite pastimes, “Making Camp” uses photos, illustrations, and fascinating narratives to explain various facets of camping. Hogue’s book focuses on eight camping components: water, campfires, campsites, maps, picnic tables, tents, sleeping bags, and trash.
A Yosemite National Park campfire program at Camp 15. / Photo via “Making Camp”
Each chapter offers gripping stories about these elements. In the campfire chapter, Hogue discusses the now-defunct tradition of summer firefall ceremonies at Yosemite. Photos in the campsite section share how camping set-ups have evolved. Even the trash chapter provides captivating (if gross) tales of how campers have and haven’t managed to keep the outdoors clean.
Get a preview of what “Making Camp” has in store with the excerpt on firefall below. Released on May 9, 2023, “Making Camp” can be found here and on Amazon.
The history of firefall at Yosemite National Park
Firefall at Yosemite National Park is a stunning phenomenon. Under the right conditions, sunlight illuminates the waters of Horsetail Fall. The result is a photo-worthy spectacle, with the waterfall lit up a fiery orange color.
Today, Yosemite’s firefall is a natural occurrence. But from 1872 to 1968, summer firefall ceremonies involved actual fire. Until the National Park Service ended the tradition in 1968, Yosemite would host firefall events wherein people would push hot embers off Glacier Point.
In “Making Camp,” Hogue describes the tradition, saying:
James McCauley (1841–1911), an early pioneer of Yosemite Valley who ran a small hotel with his wife, Barbara, first conceived of the dramatic Firefall in 1872, a nightly summer event that emulated a waterfall by dropping burning embers down 3,200 feet from the top of Glacier Point. The Firefall proved so successful that it ran for nearly a century.
The Firefall, Glacier Point. / Photo courtesy of the California Historical Society
Next time you plan a camping trip, venture outside the forest for a unique experience. There are many interesting campsites to explore, from treehouse adventures to dispersed camping spots. However, few options offer all the fun available at beachside campgrounds.
Beach camping combines all the best parts of camping and beach vacations. If the views alone don’t draw you in, think about how nice it would be to surf all day and make s’mores by the fire at night. Even if you don’t live in a particularly beachy state, there are tons of stunning shores to visit throughout the United States. Plan your next trip to one of these six incredible beach camping spots.
The term boondocking likely conjures images of empty, rural places. The boonies, in other words. But for campers, boondocking is more than just setting up a tent and building a fire in a remote area. So, what exactly is boondocking? And why do some campers prefer boondocking over more traditional types of camping?
Campendium writer Sara Sheehy provides one of the most simple, clear-cut definitions of boondocking. “Boondocking is dispersed camping on public land,” Sheehy explained in a 2020 article. “Dispersed camping is camping outside of a designated campground, on lands that are managed for this purpose.”
For the van life and RV communities, boondocking means camping in an area without hookups. This kind of camping is also described as off-grid or dry camping, as the campers don’t use and/or have access to public utilities like water or electricity.
Why do people go boondocking?
When traditional camping grows boring, some adventurous campers turn to boondocking for a novel experience. Boondocking can also provide some stellar views of nature. By veering off the beaten path, boondockers may find gorgeous sights that aren’t available at established campsites.
Boondocking also presents experienced campers with a fun challenge. Without hookups or amenities provided, boondockers must carefully plan what to pack in and how to pack it out for a camping trip.
What to expect from a boondocking trip
When planning your first boondocking trip, it can be helpful to explore Bureau of Land Management (BLM) resources. Many public lands only allow boondocking or dispersed camping for a set period of days, and the BLM can direct you to information on a specific site’s limits.
Responsible boondockers should also stick to existing campsites. This rule may seem like it’s against the spirit of boondocking, but it helps protect camper safety and the health of local habitats. Sticking to pre-existing sites also lets boondockers do some research before their trip. Look online for reviews of any prospective boondocking site to see what past campers have said about it. Helpful tips from past visitors can lead you toward a region’s best sightseeing spots.
With an RV, you can camp (almost) anywhere that’ll fit your vehicle. These handy vehicles make long-haul trips and cross-country adventures more comfortable, allowing you to enjoy the great outdoors in a new place every night. RV camping is also an ideal option for people who want to enjoy nature but don’t like sleeping in a flimsy tent all night.
So, where are the best places to go RV camping? For people throughout the United States, national parks may come to mind first. These sites not only feature spectacular views, but they also often welcome RV campers. In 2022, over 1.5 million RV camping trips were tallied across 34 national parks. Which parks were the most visited? Find out in this list of the 10 most popular national parks for RV camping.
When it’s time to unplug and reset, glamping can help you relax and enjoy life. But first, you need to choose what kind of glamping accommodation is right for you. Should you book a forest getaway in a charming treehouse? Is there a place where you can rent a luxury caravan for a taste of the #VanLife experience? Or does a traditional tent suit you best? Learn more about these three common glamping set-ups to discover what will work best for you. Weigh each option’s pros and cons, then get ready to go on the glamping adventure of your dreams.
No fancy techniques necessary for this tasty treat.
S’mores — the classic fireside dessert known and loved by countless campers. How do you make them? All you need is a crackling fire, graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate. If kids can make a s’more over a campfire in the middle of the woods, it should be almost impossible for people to mess up the recipe. Unfortunately, “The Great British Baking Show” achieved this seemingly impossible task in its disastrous s’mores challenge episode.
Twitter was quick to call out the show’s less-than-faithful interpretation of s’mores. A quick look at celebrity chef Paul Hollywood’s s’mores recipe illuminates how “The Great British Baking Show” needlessly complicated the simple sweet. Digestives? Homemade marshmallows? Dark chocolate ganache? Who needs all that when you can toast a marshmallow over the fire and sandwich it and some chocolate between two graham crackers?
If you want to make the perfect s’more on your next camping trip, just follow the steps below. Trust the process and incorporate one clever trick to make the tastiest s’mores you’ve ever eaten.
How to make s’mores
A basic s’more is easy to make. Skewer a marshmallow on a stick, toast it over a fire, then put the toasty, melty marshmallow and a piece of chocolate between two graham crackers. But how do you make a perfect s’more? How do you ensure the ideal combination of toasted marshmallow and melted chocolate as you bite into your graham cracker-y snack?
The trick is to set up a melting block to warm up your chocolate in preparation for the marshmallow. Before you start toasting the marshmallows, set up a block of wood by the fire but away from direct flame. Here, you can place your chocolate on a graham cracker and let the fire’s warmth start to melt it. Once you finish toasting your marshmallow, the chocolate will be perfectly gooey. Sandwich all the ingredients together and get ready for the best s’more you’ve ever tasted.
