Buyer’s Guide: Camping

Camp season is so close, you can almost smell the fireside coffee. From the best tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads to the top stoves, headlamps and camp chairs – we’ve got ‘em all here.

Our team of staff experts – including Katherine, Kiomi and Pierre, who get to decide what camp gear appears at MEC – break down the absolute best gear landing now. See what made the cut.

Best tents of 2023

Sharing a tent? Having more than one door makes it easier to exit on nighttime bathroom mission. But extra doors mean extra weight, so some backpackers prefer to make do with one.

Best for backpacking

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 2-Person Tent

$699.95

Lightweight but with enough space for gear storage or extra leg room for taller folks.

Best ultralight tent

Nemo Hornet Elite OSMO 2-Person Tent

$849.95

Just a smidge over 2lb. – it’s incredibly light, packs super small and is easy to set up too.

Best for family camping

Nemo Aurora Highrise 6-Person Tent

$649.95

Huge living space with room to stand up, plus a nightlight headlamp pocket for a warm glow.

Best value

MEC Ohm 3-Person Tent

$399.95

DriBase™ waterproof floors, strong poles and an enormous door. It’s great quality made to last.

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Best sleeping bags of 2023

Sleeping bag temperature ratings tells you the lowest temps it’s intended for to keep the average person warm. The ratings assume you’re using a sleeping pad and long underwear.

Best for backpacking

Sea To Summit Spark Spll -2°C Down Sleeping Bag

$578.95

Packs up small, thanks to 850-fill-power down that also has a water-repellent finish.

Best ultralight

Western Mountaineering Flylite +1°C Down Sleeping Bag

$599.95

One of the lightest fully baffled bags out there –squishes down to the size of a 1L water bottle.

Best for family camping

MEC Creekside -5°C Sleeping Bag

$149.95

Unzips to become a blanket on warmer nights, and easy to clean in case of s’mores spills.

Best value

MEC Draco -9°C Down Sleeping Bag

$299.95

Can't beat this price for quality, responsibly sourced down. One of our top-sellers.

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Best sleeping pads of 2023

A sleeping pad’s warmth is indicated by its R-value (a measure of a material’s resistance to heat loss). The higher the R-value, the greater the warmth.

Best insulated pad

Exped Dura 8R Insulated Sleeping Pad

$389.95

Insulated with 700 fill-power down instead of open-cell foam, so it’s mega warm.

Best ultralight pad

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad

$339.95

Waaaay quieter than Xlites (light sleepers, rejoice!). Plus it’s thick with warm R-value too.

Most deluxe

MEC Reactor 10 Sleeping Pad

$249.95

Like sleeping on a real mattress, for real. Incredible value for 10cm of pure cushiness.

Best value

MEC VectAir Insulated Sleeping Pad

$129.95 - $165.95

Column baffling keeps it light with extra height. A really great pad at a price we’re proud to offer.

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Best camp stoves of 2023

Most backpacking stoves are best for boiling water for dehydrated meals but some models can also simmer – handy for those who want to cook real meals.

Best liquid fuel stove

MSR DragonFly Stove

$264.95

Simmer control, so you can get gourmet and sauté or crank it up for a speedy boil.

Best canister stove

Jetboil Zip Personal Cooking System

$118.95

Boils water in 2 minutes! Perfect for backpacking meals and coffee in a flash.

Best big stove

Coleman Triton Series 2-Burner Propane Stove

$129.95

Big enough to cook breakfast for the whole crew, plus a regulator so it heats fast on cool mornings.

Best cookware

GSI Bugaboo Camper Cookset

$169.95

Everything you need for 4 people, and it all packs into one pot to save space in your pack. Genius.

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Best camp comforts of 2023

Camp furniture has come a long way in terms of packability. An added bonus? You can use them at park hangs or backyards too.

Best camp chair

MEC Ultra Lite Highback Chair

$124.95

Back support in a highly packable camp chair? Finally. Plus it’s easy to set up.

Best hammock

ENO DoubleNest Hammock Print

$114.95

Nice and roomy for two-person hangs – and we love the fun print that’ll pop in your photos.

Best blanket

Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket 1-Person

$139.95

Once you have one, you’ll wonder how you camped without it. So soft and cozy.

Best cooler

Hydro Flask Carry Out 20L Soft Cooler

$99.95

Keeps up to 38 cans cold for a full day, which is pretty impressive. A bit of a member fave.

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Best headlamps of 2023

A red-light mode is surprisingly useful. Red light is less obtrusive at night, so it’s perfect for reading in your tent without disturbing your tentmates.