8 Types of Camping Gear You Should Avoid Buying

We all love camping, and as avid campers ourselves, we know how important the right gear is to making an outdoor adventure memorable and enjoyable. Camping can be an excellent opportunity to get back to nature, crack a beer with your mates, roast some sausages and sleep under the stars — all in one weekend.

Are you planning your next camping trip? Are you looking to buy some essential and compact camping gear to help make your stay more convenient and comfortable?

If so, you should read our other blog – 19 Important Camping Items You Should Never Forget.

In this blog, we’re going to talk about the other types of camping gear, the ones you should avoid buying.

1. Odd-Shaped Sleeping Bags

Image source: Planet Camping

After a long day outdoors, sometimes you can’t wait to jump in your warm and cosy sleeping bag underneath the moonlit sky.

Don’t regret your purchase decision by getting an odd-shaped sleeping bag. You may think it’s funny at first, but you’ll probably regret your decision when you realise how uncomfortable and impractical they can be.

2. Inflatable Lounge Chairs

Image source: Camping Secrets

Sometimes when you’re camping, you can miss the luxuries of home—especially the comfort of your lounge chairs. But packing a full suite, including an armchair, two-person sofa and footrest? That seems a bit impractical.

You are taking your home away from home quite literally.

3. Squat Strap

Image source: PR Log

Why waste valuable space for food, supplies or medication when you can store the squat strap? We can’t even tell you a reason you might need this.

Not only does it look hilarious, but we would also like to pay our compliments to the company that can charge campers for a strap. Bravo!

4. Hiking Heels

Image source: Toxel

Hiking heels… aren’t the most practical footwear to bring with you camping. We understand that you want to look stylish. But with all the uneven surfaces, the thought of rolling your ankle in a pair of these gives shivers down our spine.

Not a good idea if you don’t have a good signal or access to a local hospital!

5. Camping Storage Cupboard

Image source: Cabelas

To be completely honest, if you fork out over $140 on one of these, you probably shouldn’t go camping. We understand it’s important to store your cans of food etc., but is a storage cupboard really worth it?

6. Umbrella Tent

Image source: Amazon

Is there such as thing as having too many tents? Also, when does a tent not count as a tent anymore? Does an umbrella with sides still count as a tent?

Although it may seem like a good idea, we all know that umbrellas are useless with a strong gust of wind. Plus, the advantage of having a regular tent means you don’t have a pole right in the middle of your useable area.

7. Electric Marshmallow Toaster

Image source: Amazon

Sometimes after a long day of camping fun, it isn’t easy to rotate marshmallows by hand using a normal rod or stick. If you’re thinking the fantastic electric marshmallow toaster is a great invention, think again.

The device may be unsafe because it is made of plastic and might become too hot if the batteries overheat, which could burn your whole camp down. Best avoid this one.

8. Canned Sandwich

Image source: Food Business News

It’s hard to know where to start with this one. Basically you should never put some things into a can, and sandwiches are one of those things.

Avoid useless camping gear and buy the good stuff

The truth is there are a lot of bad camping items out there, and this blog post could have easily been 1,000 items long. It may sound obvious, but when you invest a lot of money into camping gear, you want to ensure it’s the right choice.

Check out our list of important camping gear and bring it with your when you book your next stay at Broken Head Holiday Park. We look forward to seeing you soon!