Camping is supposed to be fun, which is why you should consider bringing some of these items on your next camping trip. Especially when bringing kids camping, there needs to be more than just a campfire to keep them occupied and happy. The editors at 50 Campfires have chosen their favorite items that will easily make you the most popular campsite in the entire campground. Read below for our gear of the year.

Slackers Slackline

If you’re looking for an activity to keep the kids (and adults) occupied then you definitely need to pick up the Slackers Slackline. Slacklining is a practice in balance that typically uses 1 inch nylon webbing tensioned between two anchor points. We love the slackline because it is fun for everyone and easy to set up. Just find 2 trees, throw the rope around, and use the ratchets to tighten. The slackline immediately provides hours of bouncing and jumping for the beginner but takes much longer to master, making it an activity your kids will return to again and again. It is an affordable way to liven up any campsite.

Visit the Slackers Slackline website

MSRP: $79.99

Advanced Elements PackLite Kayak

Many of us would love to bring a kayak on camping trips but don’t have the room to store or haul it. We’ve found the perfect solution with the Advanced Elements PackLite Kayak. This kayak is truly the first of its kind and is designed to be an extremely compact and lightweight recreational inflatable kayak. The coolest feature of the PackLite Kayak is that the mesh bag that sits on the top of the kayak for storage when out on the water is also used to store and carry the kayak. At only 4 lbs and no bigger than a purse when packed, it is an easy option for hours of fun on the water.

Visit the Advanced Elements website

MSRP: Available in 2014

Braven BRV-1 Speaker

Remember when listening to music at your campsite meant dragging out the large, battery powered boombox? Well those days are over. Now you can easily crank up tunes at your campsite with the Braven BRV-1. This compact, portable speaker packs a punch. It provides quality sound, bluetooth syncing plus a USB port to charge your phone. Easily stream music straight from your phone as this speaker has a 12 hour battery life. The Braven BRV-1 is rugged and can get dropped with no issues. Did we mention it’s water resistant? It’s even IPX5 certified. This palm-sized speaker is set to rock in any environment.

Visit Braven’s website

MSRP: $179.99

Geomate Jr

Geocaching has become a popular pastime and is a perfect family activity while out camping. There are hundreds of GPS units to choose from but we like the Geomate Jr. It is designed specifically for geocaching, and comes pre-loaded with 250,000 geocaches, covering all 50 states. It’s easy to use: just turn it on and it points out the 20 nearest caches. The Geomate Jr also gives you information about each geocache such as cache ID, difficulty, terrain and size. It even saves your found items. The Geomate is a no brainer for an affordable means of entertainment on your next camping trip.

Visit the Geomate Jr. website

MSRP: $69.99

Celestron Cometron 114AZ Telescope

Camping is about escaping the hustle and bustle for a little peace and quiet. The chance to sit by the campfire and look at the stars can go a whole new level with the Celestron Cometron 114AZ. We had never brought a telescope with camping, but after using this, we now have to bring one every time. It was a blast for the kids and adults alike! The Cometron was created to easily view comets, but the star gazing from this telescope is amazing too. It was perfect for viewing objects in our solar system. It’s very lightweight and portable for your next camping trip.

Visit Celestron’s website

MSRP: $179.95

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