Camping Gifts for Tent, Car and RV Campers
- 20 gift ideas
- From under $10 to $100 and up
- 8 niche picks
Good gifts for campers make the campsite more comfortable: a high-output camp stove, a cast-iron Dutch oven, a thick sleeping pad, a rechargeable lantern or an oversized camp chair. RV campers have their own picks, such as a water filter and levelers. These 20 camping gift ideas cover tent, car and RV campers.
Quick picks
- Best overall: A high-output two-burner camp stove Two strong burners let a car camper cook real meals outdoors. Idea 1
- Best small gift: A Dutch oven lid lifter A small add-on for a camper who already owns a camp Dutch oven. Idea 4
- Best splurge: A rotomolded hard cooler A rotomolded hard cooler built for multi-day trips and years of use. Idea 8
- Best for RV campers: Curved camper levelers Curved levelers help a trailer owner reach the right height fast. Idea 20
Camping gifts land best when they fit how the person camps. A car camper who cooks real meals wants a better stove and a Dutch oven, while a camper who sleeps badly in a tent will notice a thicker sleeping pad. RV and trailer owners have their own small fixes.
We sorted these ideas into camp cooking, coffee and food, sleep and lounge gear, light and fire, and RV campers. For someone who hikes to camp, Gifts for Hikers has lighter-weight picks.
Ideas 1 to 5
Camping gifts for campers who cook
Stoves, griddles and cast iron for cooking real meals at the campsite.
1. A high-output two-burner camp stove
Two strong burners let a car camper boil water and fry breakfast at the same time, which suits someone who cooks real meals at the campsite. The Camp Chef Everest 2X is a portable two-burner propane stove rated at 40,000 BTUs total and is a step up from a basic two-burner. Check that the camper uses propane and cooks outdoors.
Tip: Check the camper uses propane and has a spare cylinder.
2. A tabletop propane griddle
A flat-top griddle cooks pancakes, bacon and smash burgers for a group, which suits a camper who feeds a crowd. This Blackstone is a 17-inch tabletop propane model, a size that fits on a picnic table. Check the camper's table space and fuel setup, and add a spatula or two for a gift that is ready to use.
Tip: Add spatulas or a scraper to make it ready to use.
3. A cast-iron camp Dutch oven
A camp Dutch oven has legs and a flanged lid so coals go underneath and on top, which turns a campfire into an oven for cobblers and stews. The Lodge is a pre-seasoned cast iron 6-quart deep camp Dutch oven with a lid, and it suits a camper who cooks over coals. It is heavy, so it fits car camping best.
Tip: Pair it with a lid lifter and a camp cookbook.
4. A Dutch oven lid lifter
A long lid lifter moves a coal-covered lid without dumping ash in the food, which makes Dutch oven cooking safer and cleaner. This Lodge lifter is 16 inches long and suits a camper who already owns a camp Dutch oven. It is a small add-on for the person who has the big pot, and an easy stocking stuffer.
Tip: Only useful with a camp Dutch oven; check they own one.
5. A folding camp oven
This folding box sits on a camp stove burner and bakes biscuits, cinnamon rolls and pizza, which suits a camper who misses baking. The Coleman oven has a built-in thermometer, so the baker can watch the heat. Check that it fits the burner on the camper's stove before you buy.
Tip: Check it fits the burner on their camp stove.
Ideas 6 to 9
Coffee, cooler and camp food gifts
A percolator, a cook station, a hard cooler and a cookbook for better camp meals.
6. An enamel camp percolator set
Percolator coffee is a camp-morning tradition, and this 12-cup enamel set comes with matching mugs in blue. It is listed as having no aluminum or plastic, which suits a camper who starts the day with coffee by the fire or on the stove. Check the camper's setup and how many people they usually brew for.
Tip: Check how many people they brew for; this is a 12-cup set.
7. A folding camp kitchen table
A cook station gives a camp stove a heat-resistant surface with four side tables and a storage rack, so the picnic table stays free for eating. The GCI Outdoor Slim-Fold suits a car camper who sets up a full kitchen at camp. It is a folding table, so it travels flat in the trunk.
Tip: Check trunk space before you buy; it is a full-size table.
8. A rotomolded hard cooler
A rotomolded hard cooler is built to hold ice over a long weekend and doubles as a seat, which suits a camper on multi-day trips. The YETI Tundra 45 is built to last for years of trips. It is a splurge and a large item, so check the trunk space, and add a bag of ice for the first outing.
Tip: Check trunk space; this is a large hard cooler.
9. A camp cookbook
Dirty Gourmet is written by outdoor cooks and covers car-camping meals, backpacking food and group menus, which suits a camper who wants better camp food than hot dogs. The paperback is easy to toss in the camp kitchen box. Pair it with a Dutch oven or a stove for a themed gift.
Tip: Pair it with a Dutch oven or a stove.
Ideas 10 to 13
Sleep and lounge gifts for campers
Gear for sleeping better and sitting comfortably around camp.
10. A thick car-camping sleeping pad
The Exped MegaMat is a thick self-inflating pad that sleeps close to a home mattress, and car campers do not need to count ounces, so it suits someone who sleeps badly in a tent. This one is the long extra-wide size. Check the tent floor has room for the extra width.
Tip: Check the tent floor fits a long, extra-wide pad.
11. An oversized camp chair
The ALPS Mountaineering King Kong is a wide, tall folding camp chair with a steel frame, 600D polyester fabric, an 800 lb capacity and cup holders. It suits a camper who sits by the fire for hours and wants a sturdy seat. Check the trunk space, since it is a full-size car-camping chair.
Tip: Check trunk space; it is a full-size chair.
12. A two-person camping hammock
A DoubleNest hammock hangs between two trees for an afternoon nap at camp and packs into its own pouch, which suits a camper who likes to lounge. It is a nylon hammock about 9.5 feet long with a 400 lb capacity, weighing about 19 oz. Check that the camper has trees to hang it from.
Tip: Check they have two trees and a way to hang it.
13. A national park puffy blanket
A packable puffy blanket keeps a camper warm by the fire and in the tent, and this Rumpl Original has a Great Smoky Mountains National Park design. It suits a camper who loves national parks, and the print makes it a keepsake of a trip. Check the park design matches a place the camper cares about.
Tip: Check the park design is one the camper has visited or loves.
Ideas 14 to 17
Light, power and fire gifts for camping
Lantern, power and fire starters for evenings at camp.
14. A rechargeable camp lantern
A bright lantern with warm and red modes lights a picnic table without blinding everyone, and it recharges instead of burning through batteries. The Coast EAL30R is rated at 1000 lumens with warm, day and red modes and up to 15 hours of runtime. It suits a camper who still uses a battery lantern.
Tip: Check they have a USB or wall charger to recharge it.
15. A portable power station
A power station charges phones, runs lights and powers a fan at campsites without hookups, which suits a camper who stays where there is no power. The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 holds 1024Wh and has a LiFePO4 battery. It is a splurge for frequent campers, so check what devices the camper wants to run.
Tip: Check which devices they want to run before you buy.
16. A box of fatwood fire starters
Resin-rich fatwood sticks light even when kindling is damp, which suits a camper who builds a fire every night. This Billy Buckskin box holds 10 lb of natural fatwood fire starter sticks, enough to last a season of campfires. Check the campground's firewood rules, since some sites limit what you can bring.
Tip: Check campground firewood rules before packing it.
17. Telescoping roasting sticks
Long telescoping sticks keep hands away from the fire for marshmallows and hot dogs. This MalloMe set covers the whole family, so it suits a family that camps with kids. Add a bag of marshmallows and the makings for s'mores, and remember that an adult should supervise children near the fire.
Tip: Add marshmallows for a ready-to-use gift; supervise kids near fire.
Ideas 18 to 20
RV gifts for campers with a trailer or motorhome
Practical hookup and setup gear for RV and travel trailer owners.
18. An inline RV water filter
RV campers hook up to campground water of unknown taste, so an inline filter on the hose filters drinking water and keeps sediment out of the plumbing. The Camco TastePURE uses GAC and KDF filtration and is made in the USA. It suits an RV or trailer owner who connects to campground water through a hose.
Tip: Check the owner connects to campground water by hose.
19. An RV water pressure regulator with gauge
High campground water pressure can burst RV plumbing, so a regulator protects the lines. This Camco brass model includes a gauge that shows the pressure at a glance, which suits an RV owner who uses city water hookups. It is a small, practical add-on that lives on the hose, and a camper may not have thought to buy one.
Tip: Check they use city water hookups before you buy.
20. Curved camper levelers
Curved levelers let a travel trailer owner roll onto the exact height needed instead of stacking blocks. The Beech Lane kit has two levelers, two chocks, rubber grip mats and a carrying bag. It suits someone with a travel trailer or RV who camps on uneven sites. Check the owner's tire size against the product listing before you buy.
Tip: Check tire size against the listing before you order.
Frequently asked questions
What are good gifts for campers?
Match the gift to how the person camps. Car campers who cook may like a two-burner stove, a Dutch oven or a cook station, while those who sleep badly will notice a thick sleeping pad. A rechargeable lantern, a camp chair or a hammock suit almost any camper, and RV owners have their own picks.
What are good camping gifts for men?
Choose by what the camper does, not by gender: a camp stove or griddle for the cook, an oversized camp chair for the one who sits by the fire, a hard cooler for long trips or fatwood for the fire builder. A rechargeable lantern or a power station suits anyone who wants light or power.
What are good camping gifts for women?
Start with the camper's habits rather than assumptions: a puffy national park blanket, a thick sleeping pad, a percolator set for coffee lovers or a double hammock for lounging. A camp cookbook suits anyone who wants better meals, and a rechargeable lantern is a practical pick for every camper.
What do you give a camper who has everything?
Look for specialist items a camper rarely buys for themselves: a Dutch oven lid lifter, fatwood fire starter, a camp percolator or a rotomolded hard cooler. RV campers may not own a pressure regulator or an inline water filter. A national park blanket adds a personal touch.
What are good gifts for RV campers?
RV and trailer owners use gear tent campers never need: an inline water filter, a brass pressure regulator with a gauge and curved levelers for uneven sites. These are practical, small to medium gifts. Check that the owner connects to campground water and which kind of RV or trailer they have.
