5 Camping Gadgets Under $25 That Are Definitely Worth Buying

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Summer weather is upon us and there’s no better time to get outdoors. Camping is a summer activity worth pursuing this time of year, as the season brings warmer nighttime temperatures and less need for heavy equipment. Technology is always a great accompaniment to a weekend getaway, and devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches are obvious options to consider. Even inexpensive smartwatches can track your activities while you’re camping.

When it comes to technology and the outdoors, designers and manufacturers have taken a “the more, the merrier” approach. All kinds of gadgets can come in handy on a camping trip, with portable power stations, solar chargers, electric grills, coffee makers, portable games consoles and even some types of audio equipment all compact enough to fit in the back of a vehicle. But there are more practical gadgets, especially more affordable ones.

We set a budget of $25 per item and are looking for gadgets that can contribute to a camping trip in some way. If you want to spend some time in nature this summer, we’ve found headlamps, portable lights and ways to keep you cool and warm that are all cheap and definitely worth buying.

Summer temperatures can create uncomfortable camping situations. Portable cooling devices, such as neck fans, are an option for staying cool outdoors. But one of the most versatile cooling options we’ve found is the Comlife portable-sized fan. It’s priced at just $20 and can be attached to a belt, pants waist, or several other ways using the included strap.

The Comlife portable size fan also includes a rechargeable battery that charges via a USB-C connection. The fan can keep you cool for up to 25 hours per charge, and it only takes three hours to recharge. There are four fan speeds to choose from, and a shockproof silicone case lets you take it on the trails as well as around a campsite.

Like any portable fan, the Comlife Portable Size Fan won’t provide the kind of temperature drop you’d get with a larger fan or more powerful technology, but it seems to do a great job of keeping people cool. It has 100% favorable reviews on Amazon, 91% of which are 5 stars. Several reviewers even noted their use of the fan around the house and on job sites, adding some value for those who want to use it beyond the campground.

On the other side of the temperature spectrum are these Lerat rechargeable hand warmers. Camping at altitude can bring much colder temperatures, even throughout the summer. Campers who engage in outdoor activities like whitewater rafting may also find themselves immersed in very cold mountain waters. And of course, camping isn’t limited to summer, with some of the best outdoor activities of the year taking place during the transition from summer to fall and during the tailgate season that accompanies football.

These can all be accompanied by the option to release a set of hand warmers like this. Lerat uses a premium heating chip in these hand warmers, which only takes three seconds to start producing heat. They can produce consistent heat for up to six hours before needing to be recharged, and they come with a USB-C cable for recharging them. Lerat rechargeable hand warmers can fully charge in 2-3 hours.

Although they can be useful to campers at higher altitudes, the need for a set of hand warmers won’t arise for most campers until later in the year. But they’re incredibly affordable, at just $13 a pair, and they have 92% favorable reviews on Amazon. Overall, the Lerat Rechargeable Hand Warmers received a 4.5 star rating, with only 5% of reviewers giving them 1 star.

It’s imperative to see what you’re doing after dark while camping, and a quality flashlight is one of the essential survival gadgets for camping. But one incredibly affordable lighting option is the Samuun Solar Camping Lantern. It’s fully rechargeable via USB-C and also has a built-in solar panel that lets you harness nature to keep it powered while you’re out in the wild.

Priced at $27, the Samuun Solar Camping Lantern is a bit beyond our budget for these picks, but it’s a gadget that Amazon carries regularly. It’s not uncommon to find this device priced at $20, and it goes for as low as $16 on Amazon. Some value is also available by purchasing the 2-pack, priced at $39, which is less than $20 per lantern.

This camping lantern delivers 2,000 lumens and includes a range of white light temperature settings and four-color red light switching. Customers on Amazon speak highly of it, with one reviewer even calling it one of the best emergency items they’ve purchased. Overall, it has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars, with 93% of reviewers giving it a favorable rating.

While a pair of binoculars is one of the coolest gadgets any birder can appreciate, it’s also something campers can use. They can be used to admire the scenery around you or to keep an eye on the horizon to find a nice place to set up camp after a hike. The Yuanzimoo 12×42 HD Binoculars are one of the most affordable options, priced at just $24.

These binoculars offer 12x magnification and the 42mm objective lens provides a wide field of view. While these binoculars aren’t necessarily the techiest gadgets we’ve spotted, they do come with a smartphone adapter that lets you connect your phone’s camera. When set up this way, your smartphone can take photos or record video directly through the binoculars, making them especially useful for campers looking to connect with wildlife along the way.

The Yuanzimoo 12×42 HD Binoculars are also well-reviewed by customers on Amazon. They received 91% favorable reviews and an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. One reviewer notes that these binoculars are not pocket-sized, which may be a drawback to consider if you’re looking for ultimate portability in a camping gadget like this.

The previously mentioned Samuun solar camping lantern can help keep a general area lit, but to ensure your line of sight is always on, a headlamp is worth keeping in your camping gear. The Energizer LED Headlamp Pro has a recognizable name and costs just $23 for a 2-pack. It also comes in several color options, as well as 4-, 8-, and 16-packs for those who frequently camp in groups.

The headlamp itself has a brightness of 260 lumens and a beam distance of 80 meters. This should keep trails well lit when hiking after dark. This will also make it easier to stay visible to your friends on group hikes, and provide light whenever you need to find something in your tent after dark. The headlamp also has three different lighting modes and an adjustable headband ranging from 5.5 inches to 14.25 inches.

A downside of this gadget is that it does not use rechargeable batteries. It runs on three AAA batteries included with purchase or on rechargeable AAA batteries purchased separately. This is another extremely highly rated item on Amazon, with an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars and 97% favorable reviews.

We started with a budget of $25 per item when searching for these gadgets, and each of our selections are often found priced below that budget limit. Staying within this range has brought a lot of camping gear to our attention. Some of it was excluded due to price, and some of it was within our price range but didn’t compare from a quality perspective.

When looking at budget tech devices, you’re often looking for brand names that aren’t recognizable and products that can quite easily be considered junk. To make sure we don’t pass on such camping gadgets, we’ve done extensive research on reviews and ratings from people with hands-on experience on Amazon’s product pages.