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Every guide, comparison, and review on Camping Challenge, newest first.

Guides

Do Small Propane Tanks Expire? (Years of Service)

Disposable 1 lb propane cylinders are single-use, while refillable DOT tanks need requalifying 12 years after manufacture. Here is how to check and dispose.

Pop-up camper with canvas bunk ends extended on a lakeshore

Guides

How To Clean Pop Up Camper Canvas (The RIGHT Way)

Clean pop-up camper canvas with water, a soft brush and mild soap where your manual allows, deal with mildew safely, and restore the canvas's water repellency.

Guides

How To Get A Title For A Camper Without Title

The main ways to title a camper that has no title, from a duplicate or bonded title to a court order, plus the theft and lien checks to run before buying one.

Recreational vehicles in a park seen from above, showing their roofs, vents, and air conditioners

Guides

How To Install A Rubber Roof On A Camper (What the Job Involves)

What replacing an EPDM or TPO rubber roof on a camper involves, from repair versus replacement and materials to roof safety and when to use a service centre.

Two propane cylinders mounted at the front of a travel trailer

Guides

How Long Does Propane Last in an RV?

Estimate how long RV propane lasts by multiplying tank gallons by about 91,500 BTU and dividing by appliance ratings, with a worked example and safety tips.

Television fixed high on the wall of a camper above the dinette

Guides

How To Attach A TV Mount To An RV Wall (Safely)

How to attach a TV mount to an RV wall safely, by confirming the factory TV backer, choosing a locking RV mount, and knowing when to use a service centre.

Guides

How Much Is A Pop Up Camper? (New, Used & Rentals)

What a pop-up camper costs as of 2026, new, used or rented, with sourced price ranges plus the registration, insurance, storage and towing costs to plan for.

Collapsible lantern hanging in a tent doorway above a lake at sunset

Camping Gear

Best Battery Powered Lanterns

Compare battery powered lanterns that run on AA, AAA, or D cells, with the lumens, battery count, and manufacturer runtime for camping and power outages.

Sleeping bags inside a tent with the door open toward a waterfall

Camping Gear

Best Sleeping Bags

Six sleeping bags from Coleman, TETON Sports and Sleepingo compared, with every temperature rating given in °F and °C and the ISO 23537 system explained.

Lightweight sleeping bag and pad beside an open tent at sunrise

Camping Gear

Best Summer Sleeping Bags

Six warm-weather sleeping bags from Sea to Summit, Marmot, Kelty, REDCAMP and Oaskys compared, with each rating in °F and °C and what the numbers mean.

Touring bicycle with panniers beside a small tent at a forest campsite

Camping Gear

Best Tents for Bike Touring

Compare tents for bike touring and bikepacking by packed length, weight and space, with confirmed specs for Big Agnes, NEMO, Featherstone and others.

Group of dome tents pitched close together at a forest campsite

Camping Gear

Best Tents for Scouts

Durable, simple tents for scouts and scout troops, compared by capacity, setup, poles and weather protection, with confirmed specs from ALPS, Kelty and Coleman.

Small backpacking tent pitched among tall trees in low sunlight

Camping Gear

Best Tents for Appalachian Trail

Seven backpacking tents for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers and section hikers, compared by trail weight, packed weight, packed size and floor space.

Large dome tent pitched on grass in sunny woodland

Camping Gear

Best Camping Tents

Compare five family and car camping tents, from a light four-person dome to a ten-person instant cabin, using published weights, floor sizes and heights.

Two-burner cooktop and sink inside a camper van at sunset

Camping Gear

Best RV Stoves

Compare built-in propane RV cooktops, propane RV ranges with ovens, and portable induction cooktops, with burner output, sizes, and installation needs.

Hands holding a phone connected to a power bank outdoors

Camping Gear

Best Backpacking Power Banks

Backpacking power banks from Nitecore, Goal Zero and Anker compared by capacity and weight, with honest notes on solar charging and FAA carry-on rules.

Child seen from behind walking a forest path with a small backpack

Camping Gear

Best Kids Hiking Backpack

Kids hiking backpacks from Osprey and Deuter compared by age range, body fit, capacity and weight, with conservative advice on how much a child should carry.

Rope hammock hung between two trees on the shore of a lake

Camping Gear

Best Camping Hammock for Two

Seven double camping hammocks from ENO, Kammok, Grand Trunk, Wise Owl, Sunyear, MalloMe and Fox Outfitters, with each maker's capacity, size and kit contents.

Camping Gear

Top 6 Traction Tracks Reviewed (Don’t Get Stuck)

Six traction boards from MAXTRAX, Maxsa and Bunker Indust compared by size, material and rated load, plus the maker's safe recovery steps for sand and snow.

Two motorhomes parked beside a gravel track in a forest

Camping Gear

5 Best Portable Air Compressors for RV Tires

Five 12-volt compressors that reach RV tire pressures, compared by working pressure, duty cycle, hose length, power draw and the largest tire each suits.

Guides

How to Start Overlanding (A Comprehensive Guide)

How to start overlanding with the vehicle you have, covering vehicle prep, recovery gear, navigation, water, communication, group travel and Leave No Trace.

Soft shell rooftop tent with ladder on a vehicle parked by a lake

Rooftop Camping

Tepui vs CVT Rooftop Tents (Find Out Which Ones Are Better)

Thule Tepui vs CVT rooftop tents compared on range, materials, weight, warranty and where to buy, based on each company's own published specifications.

Guides

Sleeping in a Car vs Tent (A Detailed Comparison)

Sleeping in a car or a tent? Compare where each is allowed, warmth, condensation and carbon monoxide safety, with sourced advice for camping either way.

Camping Gear

15 Must Have Camping Gear (The Ultimate Checklist)

A 15-item camping gear checklist covering shelter, sleep, cooking, safe water, light, first aid and comfort, with what to look for in each piece of gear.

Guides

What Temperature is too Cold for Camping? (What you Should Know)

No single temperature is too cold for camping. Judge it by your sleeping bag and pad ratings, wind chill, and wetness, and know the signs of hypothermia.

Camping Gear

Best Overland Shovels

Five overland shovels from Krazy Beaver, DMOS, Rhino USA and iunio, split into full-size and compact folding tools, with length, weight and blade steel.

Inflatable car mattress laid out in the cargo area of a vehicle with the hatch open

Camping Gear

Best Car Camping Mattress For Couples

Five two-person pads and air beds for car camping from Exped, Sea to Summit, NEMO, ALPS Mountaineering and Lightspeed, with sizes and R-values explained.

Off-road vehicle with a raised hard shell rooftop tent at a desert campsite

Rooftop Camping

Hard Shell Roof Top Tents Reviewed (Identifying the Best From the Worst)

Five hard shell roof top tents from Tuff Stuff, Thule, Roofnest and ARB compared on weight, size and setup, with the Tuff Stuff Alpha II as our top pick.

Folding metal camp table with a kettle and mug in front of a tent

Camping Gear

Top 5 Best Camping Tables (Folding and Portable)

Five folding camping tables from GCI Outdoor, Mountain Summit Gear, KingCamp and Helinox, compared by open and packed size, weight and load capacity.

Open rooftop tent with ladder on a small car in a grassy field

Rooftop Camping

Top 5 Smallest Roof Top Tents (Just How Small Can They Get?)

Five compact roof top tents ranked by closed footprint, from the 25-inch-wide Thule Foothill to the 8-inch-tall Roofnest Falcon, with weights and open sizes.

Rooftop Camping

Best Roof Top Tents for a Family of 4 (Space, Safety and Comfort)

Roof top tents from iKamper, Roofnest, Smittybilt, Thule and others compared on rated capacity, sleeping area and weight for a family of four.

SUV with an open rooftop tent and ladder beside open grassland

Rooftop Camping

Top 5 Best Roof Top Tents for FJ Cruiser (Lightweight Picks)

Five soft shell roof top tents for the Toyota FJ Cruiser, from 108 to 122 lb, ranked by weight, with advice on checking your roof and rack load ratings.

Soft shell rooftop tent with ladder on an SUV at a lakeside campsite

Rooftop Camping

Best Budget Roof Top Tents

Five entry-level soft shell roof top tents from Tuff Stuff, Smittybilt, Front Runner and Raptor Series, compared on weight, space and roof load needs.

Portable electric lantern glowing on moss in woodland

Camping Gear

Top 5 Best Rechargeable Camping Lanterns (Portable Light)

Five rechargeable camping lanterns from BioLite, Lepro, Fenix and Goal Zero, compared by charging method, battery capacity, brightness and runtime.

Folding camp table set with bread, vegetables, and containers between two camp chairs

Guides

How to Cook While Camping Without Fire (Flameless Food Preparation)

Four ways to eat well at camp without a campfire, from no-cook meals and flameless heaters to induction and gas stoves, and how to check fire restrictions.

Guides

How to Clean a Camping Mattress (Easily and Safely)

Clean an air bed or sleeping pad with mild soap and water, remove odors and mold safely, and dry it fully before storage, following the makers' care advice.

Guides

How To Shower When Car Camping (Not Public Showers)

How to wash while car camping without public showers, using solar, pump, or battery showers, a privacy tent, and Leave No Trace rules for soap and wash water.

Guides

How to Clean a Tent With Mold (Safely)

Remove mold from a tent with a gentle hand wash and an enzyme cleaner, protect its waterproof coating, and dry it fully, based on tent makers' care advice.

Rooftop Camping

How to Mount a Roof Top Tent (Recommended Mounting Procedure)

How to mount a roof top tent safely, from checking roof and rack load ratings and crossbar spacing to lifting, tightening and re-checking the brackets.