Skip to content
Search
We independently pick everything we recommend. We earn a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more ›

Camping and Emergency Gear

Emergency radios, 12V fridges and coolers, solar showers and other camping and outage gear compared by stated power draw, battery capacity, charging options, capacity and weight.

What to compare in camping and emergency gear

Gear for camps and outages works best when each item has one clear job. Read the stated specs against what you really expect to use it for.

  • Power source: Note whether an item is solar, hand-crank, USB rechargeable or battery-fed. Backup options matter when a source fails.
  • Lumen output: Check the stated lumens and the lowest brightness mode, since the top setting is not how most nights are spent.
  • 12V coolers and fridges: Compare the listed volume and the stated power draw, and whether a low-voltage cutoff is named.
  • Battery included: See if the cells are built in, replaceable or sold apart, because a dead built-in battery ends the product.
  • Carry weight: Weight and packed size as listed decide what ends up in the bag.
  • Charging options: Items that charge by USB, solar and crank give you fallbacks when one source fails.

Choose gear in layers: a main light, a backup light, a way to charge phones and a way to keep food cold if needed. Each listing's stated specs show which layer an item can fill. Weight and packed size matter too, since the item you leave at home does no good when the lights go out.

Guides to read first