let's nerd out on gear, shall we?
HERE'S SOME OF what WE USE & LOVE, ON TRAIL MAVENS ADVENTURES AND ON PERSONAL TRIPS.
Most of what you'll see below is backpacking gear. Why? While you can use backpacking gear to camp, it's a lot harder to use camping gear to backpack. Example: you can take a lightweight tent to a drive-in campsite, but carrying a 10 lb. tent on a backpacking trip would be miserable.
If you see camping and backpacking in your future, start by investing in backpacking gear. If you know you'll only be car camping, scroll down to the camping-specific section below (and let's talk, because backpacking is great).
*Most of the products below are linked to an Amazon product page. Should you purchase anything via these links, an eensy fraction of your purchase will support Trail Mavens, at no additional cost to you. Bottom line? Shop around and find the best prices! If you end up selecting Amazon, we'd be super grateful if you went through us.