New Camping Gear for 2026

These comfort-focused products might be just what you need to dial in your frontcountry setup

ByEli Bernstein

Mar 25, 2026

When you buy through our links, we may receive a commission.

It’s time to start thinking about your summer camping schedule—anything to help with the late-winter blues, right? And that, of course, means filling in the gaps of your gear closet. If you discover that your trustworthy tent won’t be able to make it through another season—or if you just decide that it’s finally time to round out your camping kit—you’re in luck. Brands are releasing new products ahead of the season, and there are lots of intriguing prospects in the car camping space. Here are some of the gear that’s been catching the eyes of Better Trail’s staff.

New Camping Tents for 2026

REI Co-op Westward 6 ($549)

The Westward 6 is a direct competitor to The North Face’s popular Wawona 6, which is our top-rated car camping shelter. This is a palatial tent, highlighted by an ultra-spacious front vestibule-cum-mudroom that you can fully seal to protect your gear, leave open for semi-sheltered hanging, and even prop up overhead to create a shade canopy. The Westward’s vestibule design seems more smartly designed than the Wawona’s, which opens from the side rather than the front, and its footprint is larger—80.8 square feet to the Wawona’s 75.7. You can easily fit a family in this tent, but there might be some squabbling over storage. With only seven internal pockets, the Westward falls far short of competitors like, yes, the Wawona, which has nine mesh compartments (though the Westward has two more mesh pockets outside its front door). For about $40 cheaper, though, you might be too busy hanging out in the sun room (yes, the vestibule is that, too) to complain.

New Camping Mattresses for 2026

REI Co-op Westward Dreamer Self-Inflating Bed ($199)

REI Co-op Westward Dreamer Self-Inflating Bed Camping Mattress

We’ve reviewed plenty of budget-oriented REI gear, but the Westward Dreamer sees the brand stepping into the luxury camping space. With 4 inches of self-inflating foam and an R-value of 6.7, this is a thick pad that’s warm enough for four-season camping. The Westward has most of the hallmarks of a premium camping mat—vertical sidewalls to maximize space, a stretch polyester top fabric, separate inflate and deflate valves, and a handy carrying case—but without the premium price. At $199 for the long/wide size, it’s about $60 less than competitors such as the Exped MegaMat, the Therm-a-Rest MondoKing 3D, and the Nemo Roamer. Those pads are the most comfortable in the category, though, and our initial impression of the Westward is that it might not match them for pure plushness. Given the high bar set by those mats, however, it still seems plenty comfortable and like a great value.

New Sleeping Bags for 2026

The North Face Universal One Bag ($270)

The North Face Universal One Bag Camping Sleeping Bag

Along with the Marmot Wraptor, which we covered in our backpacking gear preview, the Universal One Bag is part of a new design trend that features quilt-style “bat wings” (if that’s not the technical term, it should be) that fold over the torso of the bag. Open them, and they provide extra arm room and lots of venting; close them, via an ultra-handy magnetic button, and you’ll be hugged in the embrace of a bag that doesn’t have the more restrictive feel of a traditional zippered sleeping bag. Unlike the Wraptor, the Universal One Bag’s wings are two different weights, so you can further control the temp of the bag by using one of the wings or both together, which would get you to its 20-degree rating. Due to that customizable quality, plus a roomy, expanded mummy design and tall footbox, we have a hard time imagining that the Universal will feel anything less than comfortable—especially if you’re used to slimmer, more traditional bag designs.

Kelty Eclipse 15 Sleeping Bag ($195)

Miss the coziness of your comforter at home? With the Eclipse, you can bring that homey comfort outdoors while sleeping under the stars. Instead of zippers, the top half of the bag features an oversized comforter complete with hand pockets to cocoon yourself tight on cold evenings and sidewall attachment points to seal out chilly drafts. For warm summer nights, fold back the comforter and poke your feet through the integrated foot vent for maximum airflow. Other perks baked into its oversized mummy design include an internal pocket for small essentials and a hood large enough to fit your pillow from home. While you don’t get as precise temperature control as the Universal One Bag, the Eclipse will save you upwards of $75 or more—a tradeoff many zipper-averse campers watching their wallets will happily make.

New Camping Chairs for 2026

REI Co-op Westward Padded Folding Chair ($130)

REI Co-op Westward Padded Folding Camping Chair

Another entry in REI’s comfort-focused Westward line, this folding chair takes the tried-and-true beach chair design and gives it a premium makeover. Instead of the usual stiff webbing seen on your grandparents’ outdoor recliners, the Westward’s back and seat are fully covered with a layer of foam, which should feel great when you’re posted up in camp for hours. It sports high-quality details like a mesh cup holder with a stiffened rim and wooden armrests, and comes standard with integrated backpack straps—an appealing set of design highlights. At 8.5 pounds, the Westward is heavy, but it’s not like you’ll be schlepping it very far from the car, and the chunky aluminum frame looks built to withstand lots of use.

Nemo Satellite Reclining Anywhere Chair ($200)

Nemo Satellite Reclining Anywhere Camping Chair

If you thought the Westward chair above was fully featured, wait until you get a load of the Satellite. This recliner provides full-body support that includes a padded headrest and a customizable lean, thanks to easily adjustable webbing straps like the ones on Nemo’s backpacking-focused Moonlite chair. A cup holder rests on one side, and, like the Moonlite, the Satellite’s ball-and-socket hubbed frame breaks down and packs away to a size that’s easy to carry. Perhaps this chair's neatest trick is that it comes with a daypack-sized, shoulder-sling carrying case that also doubles as the Satellite’s base: a fabric rectangle splays out from the case’s backpanel and locks the chair’s feet in place when spread on the ground. Weighing 4 pounds 2 ounces, the Satellite is also light enough for carrying to your favorite lake hangout spot, away from the crowds.

New Camping Stoves for 2026

Zempire Stealth-Jet Twin Camping Stove ($170)

Zempire is making a name for itself in the camp cooking world with affordable stoves that perform well above their price points, and the Stealth-Jet Twin is another entry in that lineup. It costs $170—not rock-bottom cheap, but much more reasonable than premium stoves that cost more than $200—and has two 10,000-BTU burners that put it in line with competitors like the Coleman Cascade Classic and the Camp Chef Kodiak. Unlike those models, though, the Stealth-Jet has an appealingly slim profile that makes it easier to slot into a storage bin or a small closet, and it weighs only 8 pounds, 7 ounces. It also has pot supports built into its stovetop, dual auto ignition, side wind shields, and clean, clearly labeled dials. Our testing will tell if the Stealth-Jet’s burner control is precise enough for meals that bring the entire campsite joy.

New Camping Coolers for 2026

Coleman Snap ’N Go Cooler ($220)

Here’s something we haven’t seen before: The Snap ’N Go is a line of collapsible, hard-sided coolers that seem to be the solution to the age-old problem of where to put your cooler when you’re not using it. The 55-quart version of the Snap ’N Go can hold almost 100 cans, but when you fold it away, it measures an extremely reasonable 4.7 inches tall. (It also comes in 45- and 35-qt. sizes.) A removable waterproof liner and chunky handles on each side round out the Snap ’N Go’s feature set, but this cooler’s main draw is absolutely its packability. Now, your campsite bevvies and perishables storage can be out of sight, out of mind, and out of the way until you need them next.

Coleman Flex ’N Go 62-Quart Wheeled Cooler ($150)

When is a cooler more than just a cooler? One answer to that question is when it’s built like the Flex ’N Go. The multifaceted model is packed with features, including two wings that fold out to create side tables handy for holding snacks and drinks (each wing has two cup holders), chunky wheels that can cruise over uneven ground, a burly handle to pull the cooler with, and a lid that doubles as a seat, rated to 250 pounds. And, before you ask, yes: the Flex ’N Go also does what a normal cooler is supposed to, with Coleman claiming it can keep ice frozen for more than four days. It may not pack away as discreetly as the Snap ’N Go, but at $150, it feels like a bargain.

get outside