As camping is one of our favorite things to do as a family, we’re always looking into camping gear upgrades. Having high-quality camping gear can make all the difference to your outdoor experience. And just knowing that your time out in nature will be as dry, comfortable, and convenient as possible will only encourage you to get and experience the great outdoors more often.
We’ve found that since we’ve upgraded our camping gear, the entire family—kids included—is more excited to set off on the next adventure. So, to help enhance your camping experience, here is our latest camp setup that’s been tried and tested by yours truly.
Big Agnes Bunk House Tent
One of the first camping gear upgrades we made was our tent. And as a tent is one of the most crucial elements of your camping gear, we made sure to focus on size and quality to ensure we always had a comfortable place to sleep.
We recently invested in a new six-man tent, the Bunk House, from Big Agnes. And although we’re only a family of four, Nick and I have always felt that getting a tent that’s two people bigger than what we need provides us with extra space for gear and a play area for the kids.
Here are some of the things we love about the Big Agnes Bunk House.
Tent Height
One of the coolest things about the Big Agnes Bunk House is its height. This thing is absolutely massive!
Now, I’m pretty short. But we had a friend of ours, who is over six feet tall, stay over because we had the extra space. And he found that he was able to stand up fully and be comfortable in doing so, which is something that isn’t very common in tents.
Airflow
Another thing we absolutely love about the Bunk House is how airy it feels. There are openings on both sides of the tent to encourage airflow. So, we typically tend to open up both sides of the tent once we’ve set up camp to allow the fresh air in.
Pockets
Pockets are something you don’t think about when going camping. But let me tell you, the Bunk House’s 20 mesh panel pockets really come in handy. If you need a spot for your toothbrushes or your socks, for example, then the panels offer you a storage solution and allow you to keep your stuff semi-organized.
For me, I appreciate having the extra mesh panels. They help me know where everything is should I need it—especially in the middle of the night.
Other Design Features
One of the other features that I really like is the tent’s hanging loops. What we like to do is string our lights from the two little loops at the top of the tent. But we also like to use them for hanging things like bathing suits to dry.
As there are loops in all four corners and three more on top of those, you can hook plenty of things up with the help of a carabiner.
Two Panels
A major selling point of the Bunk House is the fact that it is a two-paneled tent that consists of an outside tarp and a mesh inside panel. Nick and I have used both one and two-shell tents over the years. And overall, I’m just not a big fan of one panels.
One panel tents often leave a dewy residue in the mornings. However, we’ve found that two-panel tents with that extra mesh liner on the inside keep you separate from the waterproof liner and the subsequent dew.
Having the extra panel also means that when it is really hot out, we can remove the outer panel during the day to encourage airflow before placing it back over the top to prevent dew and to shelter us from any predicted rain.
Storage
An additional thing I love about the Bunk House is its front storage area. The front panel of the tent extends out further than the opening to provide you with a sheltered area to store extra gear.
In our case, it’s always my son's shoes or clothing that is wet. My son refuses to wear socks with his shoes, so his shoes absolutely reek. Obviously, I don’t want them with us in the main sleeping area of the tent. But he also doesn’t want them outside getting wet.
Front storage areas mean we can keep our gear protected from the elements while also not having them cluttering our sleeping space.
Sustainability
Sustainability is something we always think about when purchasing camping gear upgrades—or any gear upgrades, for that matter. Many tents are made overseas. However, some companies are a lot better when it comes to sustainability practices.
I am a firm advocate for trying to be as sustainable as possible. And that's one of the reasons that we invested in the Bunk House by Big Agnes. So I highly recommend looking for a tent that falls in line with your core values.
A lot of the work Big Agnes is doing is in line with my specific sustainability values. And I know that as a company they’re making conscious efforts to grow and improve their environmentalism.
Durability
A factor that ties into sustainability is durability. And we always like to make sure that we’re investing in products that are going to last. A tent, for example, is not a purchase you’re making every year. You’re going to hold onto your tent for a long period of time.
For this reason, investing in a high-quality tent that may be a little more expensive than others on the market will mean that you’re only making that purchase once, and you aren’t contributing to any wastage.
With that being said, I do understand that investing in an expensive, high-quality tent isn’t possible for everyone. So, if purchasing a cheap tent is the only way you can get out and enjoy the outdoors, then that's great, you do what you need to do. But if you can save a little more money and purchase a sustainable and durable tent, then it will definitely change the game for your camping experience.
Customer Service and Warranty
A further benefit of purchasing a Big Agnes tent is the company's customer service and warranty teams. We’ve found that Big Agnes has a really good policy in terms of warranty. So if there is anything wrong with your tent, they’re going to help you fix it.
Not all companies are like that, however. So it’s definitely something to think about when making your decision.
Weight
The cool thing about the Bunk House is it only weighs 19 pounds and packs down into a backpack with straps. In past camping trips, my son has even managed to throw the tent on his back and carry it down to the campsite for us. So, although it is a pretty big tent, it is extremely portable—even a ten-year-old can carry it!
Kids Sleeping Bags by Big Agnes
Another of the camping gear upgrades we made this year was our kid’s sleeping bags. Both of our kids got new sleeping bags from Big Agnes. And what’s cool is that they make them in different lengths and sizes.
Both Parker and Tucker have different sleeping bags—Tucker uses the Torchlight Youth and Parker the Wolverine. But both bags go down to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit, so they are extremely warm.
It’s important to remember that the length and coziness of the bags also impact how well your kids will sleep. So, the different lengths and sizes of Big Agnes’ bags really make a huge difference.
Air Mattress Pocket
Something I found really cool about Big Agnes’ sleeping bags is that they have a pocket on the back. And you’re probably wondering what that pocket is for, and well, it’s for an air mattress.
Big Agnes’ have what they call the Big Agnes divider, which slides right into the back of their sleeping bags. Before purchasing bags from Big Agnes, I had never seen this feature before. So this was a completely new thing to me. But we’ve found that the back pocket has been an absolute game-changer.
Before, our kids were always sliding around, and we’d wake up, and they’d be shoved down in the corner of the tent. But now, their bags with their attached air mattresses keep them in place.
I’ll even admit that we loved the idea of the attached mattress so much that Nick and I actually invested in a two-person sleeping bag and a two-person mattress, so we also aren’t slipping around.
Size Adjusters
Some of Big Agnes’ sleeping bags also have hooks. And at first, I was wondering what the hooks were for. However, I realized that the hooks allow you to roll up the sleeping bag and adjust it to your kid’s height.
Not only does this mean your kid’s sleeping bag can grow with them. But it also helps with warmth and ensures they arent sliding down into the bag.
King Soloman Sleeping Bag by Big Agnes
The two-person sleeping bag that I mentioned before is the King Soloman by Big Agnes. And it's another of the camping gear upgrades we made this year—I couldn’t recommend it more.
The King Soloman, like Big Agnes’ kids’ sleeping bags, also has a pocket on the back to slide in an air mattress. So this means that Nick and I stay put.
Warmth
The King Soloman sleeping bag goes down to 35 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there is also a 20-degree bag for those who camp in colder temperatures. For me personally, I don’t need a warmer sleeping bag because if it’s that cold, then I’m not going camping. So we found that the 35-degree bag kept us warm enough even when camping in the mountains.
Fastenings
Big Agnes’ has included little snaps down the side of the bag so you can keep your sleeping bag shut. I’m pretty anal when it comes to my children not being in my sleeping bag because of their sandy, dirty feet. So, I appreciate the little toggles that allow me to shut the sleeping bag and keep them out.
Weight and Size
Now, you’re probably thinking that a two-person sleeping bag is going to take up a lot of room. But because the King Soloman is a 35-degree bag, it’s actually pretty light and packs down really small. I’d say that it compacts down to a pretty normal sleeping bag size.
Air Mattress Inflation Sack
Many air mattresses now come with inflation sacks. And although I used to take a lot of pride in my ability to blow up air mattresses, I must say that the inflation sack makes the process a whole lot easier.
The inflation sacks, if you didn’t already know, are wide open on one side and feature a valve on the other side. And all you have to do is attach the valve to the air mattress, allow the air to come into the bag through the wide opening, and simply roll the bag down, pushing the air into the mattress.
These inflation bags save you a lot of time and energy. And once you figure out how to use them, you’ll have your mattresses blown up within minutes.
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