Top Camping Gear 2016- The Camper’s Must Have List

Technology has come a long, long way from rubbing two sticks together to make a fire. With all the advancements in the world, camping gear has become more practical and multifunctional. Let’s take a look at some of this year’s hottest inventions and see how far they go to make your life more functional.

Thermacell’s Bug Repelling Lantern
There are few things I hate more than being overrun by mosquitos while I am trying to enjoy camping with my family. With this new bug repelling lantern, you can light up the night sky while chasing away the pesky critters that drive us crazy. The lamp uses butane for the light and allethrin to repel the bugs. Allethrin is a natural ingredient found in chrysanthemums that kills bugs. The only downside is that it can also harm bees which might bother some people and the allethrin will need to be refilled.

Read: How Concerned should you be about the Zika Virus?

Read: How to Control Mosquitoes at your Campsite

Solar Powered Gadgets
Solar panels are all the rage these days, but if you have not committed to the complete system you can still reap the benefits of solar power with these new solar powered gadgets. There is a few different solar powered cell phone chargers on the market that are much improved over the original invention. One of the ones that I like is the Solar Paper which is said to be the thinnest solar charger available at 3.5” by 7.5”. This easy to pack charger can charge a smart phone in less than 2 hours. My favorite solar powered gadget is the solar powered cooler. It is like having a portable refrigerator that keeps your food and drinks cooled to 14 degrees. Talk about convenient. I always need extra space in my RV refrigerator and now I can leave the beer and sodas outside and they stay nice and cool all day.

Read: Solar Power in your RV (part 1)

Read: Solar Power in your RV (part 2)

Wind Powered Gadgets
So, I know what you are thinking, wind powered…yeah sure, but seriously? Wind powered. The Trinity wind turbine converts wind power into enough power to charge a tablet or other small electronic device. This is a compact scaled down vertical axis model that allows charging on a smaller more effective scale. This self-contained unit does not require much assembly and can be set up in different directions to increase the amount of wind used to create the charge. These units are easy to use, portable, and are not too expensive at around $300 a piece.
Cell and Wi-Fi Booster
With these and other technical advancement your coach can become a more convenient, practical haven for not just the grown-ups, but for the teens as well. You can camp but still stay connected with your friends and family while on the road. The latest assortments of signal boosters for cell phones and/or Wi-Fi will let you maintain both internet and phone signal for miles and miles longer than you were able to before. Make that a selling point to your tweens (10-13 year olds) when you discuss vacation plans and they will be more apt to jump on board. If you are a full-timer, staying connected could mean all the difference if you telecommute for work.

Read: Call of the Wild-5 Ways to Improve Phone Reception on the Road

These and all the latest gadgets are out there for the taking, or should I say for the buying. Do some research and make sure the reviews for the product are more positive than negative. I do not purchase much of anything these days without checking to see what the previous purchasers thought of the item. Use the internet to your advantage and do not get stuck with the latest and greatest gadget that is only truly useful as a paper weight. Happy Trails!