I love camping – a lot. If I had the time, I would be camping every day and no one would ever see me again. It’s physically challenging (if you choose to backpack into places), mentally challenging, and peaceful. There’s nothing quite like being outdoors, surrounded by nature, and breathing good, clean, fresh air. Not to mention minimal to no electronic use, critter friends (or foe), and lots of campfires. (I mean come on -- who doesn’t love campfires.) As I have been camping a lot, I have come across quite a few items that I truly enjoy using during my time in the wilderness. If you love the outdoors and camping, then you will definitely want to have these items with you the next time you head out on a big adventure!

1. The Scrubba Wash Bag – Portable Washing Machine

We all know how it gets out there: dirt between your toes, shirts that smell like campfire and sweat. Out camping, it is just something that we deal with -- until we get home, that is. The company Scrubba Global has created the perfect solution. It’s a portable, reusable, environmentally friendly washing machine. It’s made out of super durable material that is resistant to tearing and makes your stinky socks smell wonderful again. And the best part is, it fits in your pocket. That’s right: an entire washing machine in your pocket. It’s pretty cool. Of course, you have to put in a little extra work, but it’s a small price to pay for, say, a regular $600 washing machine. And it gets the job done just as well and the instructions are simple. You can also purchase a drying component that will effectively dry your newly cleaned clothes. Efficient and much more environmentally friendly than your traditional washing machine. So check out the Scrubba Wash Bag and feel just a little cleaner out there in the wilderness.

2. Inflatable Solar Light

Need some more light than what your flashlight can give you, but only something that weighs less than a giant camping light? Look no further! The inflatable solar light is something I’ve used for awhile now, and it’s great -- super light-weight and very good light coverage. It shrinks down to the size of a small disk and then you blow it up when you want to use it -- super convenient when you’re trying to save space in your pack. You also won’t need to worry about batteries, well, because it gets all of it’s energy from the sun! So stick it out in the sun during the day (or clip it to the back of your pack), and use it all night. It also comes in a multi-color changing light, just in case you want to spice things up a bit. Both are available on Amazon for less than $25, so grab these to light up your nights!

3. Portable Camping Shower Bag

If you are car-camping or just want to keep yourself clean, this is a great investment! It’s certainly compact enough to throw in your car and, if necessary, it can be put in a pack. Many of these shower bags are solar-powered and can be heat up in the sun, which is always a nice bonus. Simply fill it up with water from the nearest source and bath away. Hang it in a tree or on your car, make sure to have a little privacy, and rinse off all the camping grime. Amazon has a plethora of options for you to choose from (as Amazon does), and mostly for a reasonable price. Amazon also has a nice pocket shower -- it provides about an 8-minute shower and is super light for backpacking! There is no solar-power option at this time, but it can probably be laid out in the sun for a fairly warm rinse-off in the depths of the wild.

4. Jetboil Cooking Supplies

The company Jetboil makes the best portable cooking system that I have ever used. Everything that they provide is lightweight and easy to bring with you on long backpacking trips. This personal cooking system comes with the propane canister, a prop for the canister, an adjustable burner, and a cooking cup with an insulator. It’s great for boiling water, making dehydrated food, making tea, and anything else that requires water, really. Again, lucky for us, Amazon provides us with the whole set up, or the option to buy things separately if you’d like. I highly recommend this product as it has served me well and has been very reliable.

5. Personal Water Filter

This item is a must for any long-term backpackers. It means that you don’t need to lug gallons of water with you, and any source of water can be cleaned and ready to drink (without boiling). So far, my favorite is the SteriPEN, found at REI. It uses an ultraviolet light to sterilize the water from a natural source. What’s really nice about this filter is that it doesn’t require any pumping as many portable water filter do. You simply put it in whatever container the water is in, place the tip of the pen in, press a button, and voilà -- clean drinking water. It’s small (about the length of a pen, but thicker) and compact, perfect for backpacking or to keep for emergencies in the car.

6. Rumpl Throw Blanket

This blanket is amazing! Highly recommended for any sort of camper. It’s a waterproof throw blanket that’s made out of some pretty durable material, but very comfortable like the comfy blanket on your couch at home. It fits in a tiny bundled up bag that is still a good size for backpacking and will keep you warm while camping on the side of that mountain. The Rumpl is a little pricey, but if camping is a frequent thing for you, then it is a good investment to make for sure.

7. Cinch Pop-Up Tent

This is not a product I have used, but it looks super amazing! These tents pop up in seconds and have some pretty incredible features on them. It is a solar-paneled tent that includes LED lights and tent pegs. The tent itself is waterproof and double skinned. There are 2-, 3-, and 4-man tents, with a disc-shaped rucksack. It’s a little bit odd shaped for backpacking, but I think it could work -- the 2-man tent weighs 11 pounds. These tents seem pretty cool, and they aren’t overly priced for the amount of cool features that they come with. I hope to try it out one day or maybe one of you can try it and let me know!

Any and all of these items are a must for a camping fanatic. From washing your clothes and yourself to keeping warm, and to the very tent you stay in, all of these are excellent additions to your growing camping collection. Happy camping!