The best camping gadgets

Camping is a doddle, so long as you've got the essentials nailed down. One of these essentials is a biggie – water. Whether you're hiking, trekking, backpacking, or wild camping, the Survival Filter Pro is a water filtration system that'll give you unlimited access to clean drinking water. The device's filters are proven to remove 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, and reduce the presence of heavy metals, like mercury. Its small size means that it's easy to pack and transport, too. It'll filter 500ml of water every minute, and the hose allows for filtration straight from a wild water source. It's a simple, quick to use, and a trusted friend for our expeditions.Verdict: An essential gadget for campers, hikers, backpackers, and walkers.

A handheld GPS is the ideal gadget for hikers. The eTrex 10 is a simple but highly effective GPS unit, bearing a global basemap and geocaching in order give you the necessary information regarding position and terrain. IPX7-rated and up to 25 hours battery life on two AAs. Verdict: An important device for rural navigation and personal safety (and a great way getting into geocaching).

What3words is one of the most powerful safety tools you can access, and it's free. The app has broken down the entire world into 3 x 3-meter squares, each tagged with a unique three-word combination. In the case of an accident, these words can be passed onto emergency services, allowing your location to be told with extreme accuracy. This allows you to avoid having to repeat complex coordinates in high-stress situations. For example, the peak of Ben Nevis becomes "marble.messaging.hacksaw", rather than 56.7969° N, 5.0036° W. Please note: your smartphone will require activated GPS/Location to work with this app.Verdict: Incredibly simple location app for safety. Also great for finding friends in shopping centres.

The Gerber Folding Shovel is a great tool to have on hand at camp, allowing you to stoke fires, clear debris, and dig latrines (aka. toilet holes) in more rural locations. This shovel's carbon steel construction makes it robust enough to handle any situation, and also doubles as a hammer, allowing you to replace your mallet in a backpack. Plus, it comes with a stow bag. Camping is all about being economical, so anything that has more than one function is a winner.Verdict: Hammer and shovel all in one? Wild campers, take note.

Goal Zero is a very cool company that delivers not only brilliant power solutions, but is itself powered by a great ethos. The Nomad 10 provides 10 Watts of power but weighs a mere 0.51kg. It is foldable and you can easily attach it to your pack so it charges devices as you hike. But the Nomad 10 also has a kickstand to use if you need it. It's no fragile thing either - the Nomad 10 is durable as designed specifically to cope with hiking conditions. Verdict: Go off-grid without losing the convenience of smartphones and GPS navigators.

The Biolite CampStove 2 is a seriously smart piece of campsite technology, with every feature linking and aiding another. Fuelled by sticks and twigs, the stove provides the ideal stove for cooking up a fireside feast. Excess heat is reclaimed by the attached heat probe and converted into electricity, which can be used to power a USB device. Unused power charges an internal battery pack for later use. Some of the power is diverted to internal fans, which stoke the flames and ensure optimum fuel efficiency, and reduces smoke output by 95%. On the side, three LED gauges feedback to the user on fire, fan, and power performance.Verdict: Efficient and sustainable power while you cook. The perfect stove for a rural base camp.

The Pocket Rocket 2 is an ultra-lightweight stove option, and certainly one of our favourites. It locks onto the top of a gas canister and provides the support arms for a saucepan or mess tin. It only weighs 73g but can boil one litre of water in under four minutes, and slips easily into a backpack pocket. The only issue some may find is the lack of windproofing, so some good cover will be needed to attain the quickest boil, or you can use it with a flat, lightweight foldable windshield.Verdict: An efficient and compact stove that weighs less than half a cup of rice.

Arguably the only problem with the great outdoors is the absence of coffee shops. This problem is solved with the Minipresso, as it allows delicious espresso coffee to tasted at base camp with ease. It uses Nespresso and Nespresso-compatible pods, hot water, and internal pressure-creating pistons, the compact device delivers the perfect hillside coffee in a matter of seconds. It's only small too, fitting into a backpack's bottle pocket.Verdict: Easy to use, compact, and keeps the "proper" coffee lover happy at camp.

The ground is a damp and chilly place to sit without protection, but carrying a big old picnic blanket is a waste of space. Thankfully, the Matador Pocket Blanket is here, offering a pocket-friendly, lightweight, and waterproof nylon blanket for any situation. When it's unfolded, it'll comfortably seat two people. Four corner pockets allow for the use of natural anchors like sand or pebbles, and there are also some small tethering pegs included.Verdict: A full-sized ground blanket for picnics without the fuss.

The Helinox Chair One is ideal for camping because of its extremely lightweight design, which incorporates light, but very strong, steel tubes to build up the frame of the chair. The seat itself sits very close to the ground, which also helps to reduce the amount of material needed in the construction. The result is an item that folds down to a small, hike-friendly package and weighs only 960g. It's one of the best camping chairs available.Verdict: Very lightweight and comfortable, ideal for camping, and attaching to a backpack for longer journeys.

If you've got a Petzl headtorch (if not, why not? They're great) then you'll want the Noctilight. A headtorch, headband and all, fits inside to become a lantern with a diffused light. The soft-touch case allows the torch to be fully operated, and the elasticated hook and fabric loop allow for various tent or backpack attachment possibilities. This is a simple and highly versatile purchase. Verdict: A clever and economical way of getting a lantern without the cost (or bulk).

With no flame and no harmful chemicals, the MR300 will successfully repel flying insects like mosquitos, gnats, and midges, preventing them from becoming a blight to your camp. The gadget uses a small butane cartridge to heat a pad dowsed in an odourless natural insect repellent, found in chrysanthemums. The area that's affected is around 4.5m by 4.5m. It'll run for 12 hours, and can be connected to a pack if required.Verdict: A natural insect repellent that works – Highland Midges, be gone!

This travel safe and bag hybrid provides peace of mind when camping. The material is reinforced with steel mesh, and the stainless steel cable both fastens and anchors the bag, with the help of a three-digits combo lock. We use it for all sorts, including watches, cash, Kindles, smartphones, and tablets. The Pacsafe Travelsafe isn't just useful for campsites, but any public place where your attention isn't 100% dedicated to your valuables – beaches, parks, airports, and hotels. This is the smallest of five sizes going up to 25 litres.Verdict: Steel-reinforced peace of mind, wherever you may be.