Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved to camp. I love all of it … sleeping outdoors, the sense of adventure, being away from home and living in nature. 

The older I got, the more I learned the importance of Glamping (Glamorous-Camping). Because a few key creature comforts makes the camping experience that much nicer!

Whether I’m in a tent in the remote mountains, road tripping out of a camper van, or living in an RV at a music festival, I’ve created a list of essential Glamping must-haves, and I want to share my favorites with you.

And in the comments below, I would LOVE to hear from you. What are some of your favorite Glamping items? I’m always up for improving my Glamping experience!

Here are my favorite “glamping” must-haves:

1. Inflatable sleeping pads

Ditch the air mattress bed!! I’m not kidding, those motorized in-law beds suck for camping. They never stay inflated, you know in the middle of the night you’ll be drooping into the middle of the bed. And you certainly don’t want to be that schmuck inflating the dang thing in the dark with your car’s cigarette lighter sounding like you’re running a dust buster in the middle of the woods! <been there, done that, not cool!>

I admit it, I was a hold-out. I didn’t want to give up my air mattress. “Sleep on the ground? no way!” But 10 years ago, my husband Rick convinced me to try the REI inflatable camping pads and I’ve been hooked ever since. They inflate with several pumps with your hands (well, about 97 to be exact) and each single sleeping pad can hook to another pad, making a double bed sleeping cocoon cozy enough for any couple. After several years of solid use in all types of conditions, ours are still as good as the day we got them.  

My favorite kind: REI’s co op Kingdom sleeping pad

2) Solar-powered inflatable lanterns

No batteries required and they collapse down flat to fit in any bag. In some models, the lights can be set to a number of different colors. We take ours everywhere we travel. The sun recharges them in a few hours! 

My favorite kind: MPOWERD Luci Lux Inflatable Solar Lantern

3) A good, packable sleeping bag

This snuggly must-have keeps me toasty warm and it can unzip fully to create a blanket or an extra layer around the camp fire. It packs down really small so you can take it almost anywhere. I brought my North Face sleeping bag with me to Iceland and I felt like a cozy kitty the whole time. 

My favorite kind: North Face Cat’s Meow 20-degree sleeping bag.

4) Folding camping table

A table that packs small but is sturdy enough to cook on is a great investment for your glamping kit. We use ours camping, at the beach or wherever we need an extra table (I throw a sequined table cloth on it when I need a small sturdy table at vendor shows!)  

My favorite kind: Cabela’s roll-top camp table

5) Down/insulated jacket

I love everything about a down jacket. They are warm enough to wear in the snow or on a chilly beach day in Oceanside, without being super bulky.

I have a few different down jackets, the warmest one I own is made by Patagonia, one of the most eco-friendly and socially conscious companies operating in America. Not only do I love everything that Patagonia stands for, they make stuff that lasts. For decades. 

I got my parka in teal, which is one of my favorite colors to wear (it goes with almost everything and it really pops in photos) 

My favorite kinds: Patagonia and Mountain Hard Wear

6) koozies! 

Man, do I love a koozie. These little guys keep a beer cool, while also keeping your hand from getting wet and cold. Plus you can keep track of who’s drink is who’s if you all use different koozies.

7) Mason jar with lids

It took me a while to learn this gem of a Glamping tip, but once I discovered the beauty of drinking wine from a mason jar, I never looked back.

The lid is great for keeping bugs out of your wine. Also, drinking wine out of glass just feels better than plastic. You can also turn this mason jar wine glass into a to-go cup for a sunset walk or bike ride.

In addition to wine, the mason jars can hold leftovers, small camping supplies, or lots of other different goodies. 

8) Headlamp

An essential item for finding your way in the dark. You can put it in the netted bunk part at the top of your tent for a nice soft light, you can use it to read, or if you don’t plan dinner early enough you can use to to cook your food in the dark.  

Also these are great to wear around your neck at festivals, it really helps when navigating a thick crowd of party-goers at night. 

But DON’T be that tool and wear it on your head all the time: you are blinding people and they don’t like that. 

Don’t waste your money on the cheap ones, spend a little extra for a re-chargeable headlamp that will last you for years.

My favorite kind:  Headlamp in a beanie

Two great things that are even better together! A warm hat with a headlamp built in (re-chargeable of course)

9) Ugg boots or Wellies (and let it be noted that it pains me to recommend these … Crocs) 

If it’s not wet out, Ugg boots are my #1 choice of foot wear when camping. It’s essential to have shoes that slip on and off easily for popping in an out of the tent or camper van. And Uggs keep my feet super warm and somehow they defy the laws of body odor and never make my feet sweaty or smelly.

If it’s rainy or wet, Wellies (rain boots) with knee socks work great to keep the feet dry and happy. 

And yes, it does pain me to recommend these super dorky, highly UNfashionable, rubbery footwear – BUT I see how much my husband loves his Crocs when camping. He has TWO pairs of Crocs: one pair is for wet environments, and one pair is lined with fur. And man, he loves his fur-lined Crocs. Rick swears by them so I feel that I need to mention it in this post. I’m not proud.

10) portable speaker

You can get great music out of a speaker that’s no bigger than a Cinn-A-Bon. A good portable speaker should be able to play your tunes loudly with sound quality would please even the pickiest audiophile. 

Get one that connects to your phone via BlueTooth and has a USB re-charge. These speakers are great in rentals cars with crummy stereos — which is usually the case.

My favorite kind: Ultimate Ears (UE Roll)

11) Collapsable water bottle

I’ve had a few versions of these and I love them. They hold a lot of water and when they’re empty they fold down to almost nothing. 

My favorite kind: Vapur

12) Eye Mask & Earplugs

Just because the sun comes up early, doesn’t mean I have to. I love nothing more than sleeping in a tent with no rain fly on top (just a net between me and the sky) The view of the stars and the sensation of sleeping out in the open is heaven on earth. But when the sun comes up, there is nothing better than putting on my trusty eye mask and sleeping in until I’m ready to start my day. 

13) Apron

Cooking outside can get a little messy, but you can stay cute while you’re makin’ the bacon. On our cross-country camping road trip, my husband got me a vintage apron at a shop in Vermont and I love that thing! I keep it with the camping kitchen supplies so I always have it when we camp.

14) Baby wipes

Keeps the body parts clean, and they can also be used for cleaning all kinds of other things around the camp site. Just not after you’ve cleaned your body parts. 

15) “Woobie” blanket

In my house we call it “greenie”, but my husband, a former Marine, tells me the unofficial name for these in the military is a Woobie. 

The Woobie is technically a poncho liner, and is a standard-issued item in the Marine Corps. You can buy them at most Army-Navy supply stores. They come in any shade between green and camouflage. Don’t expect to find these in cute colors or trendy designs, but what you CAN expect is the best blanket known to Glampers. The warm filling and satin finish keeps you so snuggly. 

They are also great because you cannot get them dirty. Somehow they repel filth and nothing sticks to them. They are perfect for the beach too. 

We have no fewer than 4 of these in our household! Because they pack down so small and are as light as air, a Woobie comes with us everywhere we travel. And the best part is that they dry almost instantly!

16) Powdered sunscreen

I love powdered sunscreen. It’s the perfect sun protection to put on your face when liquid sunscreen doesn’t appeal to you. Sometimes sunscreen feels so icky – especially when my normal skin-care/cleansing routine isn’t possible when I’m camping. Put this powder on and you’ll never feel sticky or greasy. 

My favorite kind: Arbonne sunscreen powder – SPF 15

17) Rinse kit / portable shower

This is perfect for showering after surfing, or washing dishes when camping. The foot pump model from Helio provides you with fresh water at a stable pressure. You don’t need to hang this from a tree like the traditional solar showers. The spray nozzle is perfect for doing dishes.

If you want to go next-level I recommend the Rinse Kit which is pressurized and easy to use.

Keep it in the sun for a nice warm shower!

my favorite kind: Nemo Helio Pressure Shower

18) Outdoor rug

Camp sites are often dusty and dirty, but these outdoor rugs are the bomb diggity at keeping your camp site and tent clean and dust-free. The kind I love is made from 100% recycled plastic. These eco-friendly rugs are tightly woven so they’re strong and hard-wearing but soft and comfortable underfoot. And dirt and sand just slips right through, plus they dry instantly.

my favorite kind: Fab Habitat outdoor rug

---

These are just some of the items I’ve learned to love when I am Glamping. 

Now I would love to hear from you, my fellow Glampers. Share in the comments below… what are some of the things that make your camping experience that much more glamourous?

Thanks for reading, and happy Glamping!!! 

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave