Campers Say These 13 Costco Finds Are Always Worth Buying

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There are a lot of essentials to pack for a camping trip. Luckily, many campers find that a Costco run can check off some highly rated and necessary items in one go. And it's not just the expected pocket snacks and easy meals: Campers found big‑ticket gear like tents, sleeping cots, coolers, and seating. Getting all this in one lap around the warehouse is a big time-saver for the weekend warrior. Bear in mind that Costco camping gear is best for car camping rather than a multi-day backpacking trip, though some ultralight items can be scored there as well.

The items below came highly recommended from experienced Costco‑savvy campers (including myself). Costco scores include roomy tents with built‑in lighting, folding chairs reviewers actually felt supported in, functional rolling coolers, and bin storage that makes gearing up for a trip much more dialed in.

At $119, the Core 6‑person lighted dome tent has many Costco members raving about the built‑in interior LED lighting, 6-ft headroom, and its 10-ft x 9-ft interior space (enough room for a queen-sized bed and a table). While it only has 3.9 stars out of 5 on the Coscto website, a reviewer with the handle Happy Campers confirmed the tent's weather resistance: "We ended up with it raining for 4 hrs, which turned into ice, then snowing for 5 hrs. Although this is definitely not a cold-weather tent, it handled the rain and snow amazingly and did not leak at all!"

As someone who runs cold, I like that the double camping chair by Mac Sports chair allows for an even cozier campfire hang. And it turns out Costco campers also can't get enough of this roomy loveseat. Rated 4.8 stars, this folding two-seater blocks the wind well and lets me snuggle up with my pup and pals in the 450-lb capacity loveseat. Costco reviewer Bookwerm said it is, "super strong, holds me and my girl up just fine, at or above the rating for load (I am a big guy, over 250), NO sag or issues noted."

Costco shoppers have quite literally elevated their sleep system with the Cascade Mountain Tech folding cot. With 4.2 stars out of 5, reviews suggest it's a worthwhile upgrade if you know the ground will be rough and uneven. Users like that it is lightweight, packable, and sets up easily. When broken down, it packs down to 22.6 inches long in the included carrying bag. When set up, the cot rests six inches off the ground and is sufficient for anyone up to 6 feet tall. For many campers, this could be a must-have piece of camping gear for better sleep.

Inevitably, campers and campsites get grimy, enduring everything from dirty dishes and muddy dogs to sandy gear and dusty hikers. The RinseKit Pro portable shower gets 4.5 stars from Costco members and is appreciated by most anyone who would find roughly 6 minutes of pressurized water useful when there's no sink or shower. With 3.2 gallons of water capacity, Costco reviewer G Pho said they "used it for over two days camping to wash dishes, wash vegetables, and to take over 7 showers without charging the battery." Costco member Colin insists it was his "single best contribution for a 5-day car camping trip."

For just under $50, four sets of Cascade Mountain Tech 30-foot string lights make it easy to illuminate cooking, sleeping, and eating or seating areas. These aren't just string lights: They also work as a puck light, flashlight, and reading light. One pack includes four individually charged lights (up to 10 hours per charge), each featuring seven light modes. So far this product only has four 5-star reviews, but already it is receiving glowing praise. Costco user VJD1 was wowed by the "very bright" flashlight, and the total 30-foot strand when all four strings are used.

As an avid backpacker, I know the ideal backpacking meal is low-weight, calorie-dense, easy to cook, and has little to no cleanup. We stock up on the 4.7-star Mountain House meal kits when they land on Costco's shelves. All they need is boiling water and about 10 minutes to rehydrate into a filling meal. My favorite is the chicken and dumplings, but reviewer Chris T shared, "Lasagna was everyone's favorite," on his recent family camping trip. He also pointed out that, "Overall a good price compared to buying individually from the average outdoor store."

Power all your modern camping gear with the Jackery Explorer 600 solar generator with 200W solar panels. This quiet power station has multiple universal ports and outlets. Its 640 Wh battery takes about 1.5 hours to charge on a plug and 4.5 on solar. Costco reviewers give it 4.3 stars and use it to charge camper refrigerators, coolers, sleep apnea masks, telescopes, camp lighting and more. Costco reviewer Joy rider swapped another model for the 600 saying, "For camping, this is more than sufficient and much easier to set up and use. The only drawback is that it's not app-compatible, so remote monitoring isn't available."

Call it an ice-free option, or call it the Igloo ICF40 electric cooler. It's basically a mini-fridge freezer that can be set from 0 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit and plugged into your car or outlets as needed. With a total 4.8-star rating, Costco reviewer Clifford said it, "Works good, only uses about 40-50 watts. Kept my food cold for a week long camping trip." For a more mobile, unplugged option, the Igloo MaxCold 90-Quart rolling cooler or the smaller Igloo MaxCold 62-quart both feature chunky wheels and locking telescopic handles that withstand being dragged over gravel, packed sand, wood chips, and grass.

More than 1,000 Costco members gave 5 stars to the Cascade Mountain Tech trekking poles, for an overall rating of 4.7 stars. For just under $80, you'll get two pairs (four poles total) of telescoping carbon poles with cork grips. That's unheard of in the outdoor industry! A comparable set from REI costs around $230 per pair. If you haven't tried any out before, you ought to consider bringing trekking poles on your next outing. One review under the handle YA CO said, "They were very handy, especially in gauging where ice won't cave, it was a fun 2-night camping trip."

Reviewers of the Mac Sports folding utility wagon are hauling all kinds of things and have given it 4.9 out of 5 stars. Costco member Ashleigh gushed, "This past weekend, it carried about 100 pounds of kids, fishing gear, a small cooler, a beach bag and two camp chairs over a gravel path and if it could talk, it would have asked me 'is there anything else I can do for you?'" Users like that the all-terrain wheels, steel frame, and rugged polyester fabric can handle up to 350 pounds.

Over 925 Costco campers felt passionate enough to rate the 12-gallon Greenmade storage totes, giving it a 4.7-star score. These containers can help you stay sane on a camping trip, organizing all the essentials. YouTubers Where We Wild suggest laminated inventory lists and labeling bins "kitchen," "sleep," and "food," keeping them packed, even between trips. In camp, they can be used as tables or seats (just mind that the tops aren't heavy duty). Costco member boardhead says, "love them, great for camping and road trippin, just the right size to not overload and be to heavy to load in and out. positive lid latch, very stackable."

The fact is, there are a lot of ways aluminum foil comes in handy while camping. But many people have experienced a frustrating moment when lightweight foil sabotages a precious camp meal. Costco member TexasLevi "trusts nothing but Reynolds Wrap for all my aluminum foil needs." Thankfully, Costco sells 4.8 star-rated Reynold's Wrap Heavy‑duty foil. YouTubers Where We Wild, who shop for camping gear at Costco, call it "camping gold" and buy it at the beginning of the season for foil‑packet meals, easy cleanup, grill linings, and leftovers.

Costco's 4.3-star Kirkland bottled water — whether in individual 16.9 ounce bottles or 1-gallon jugs — doubles as hydration and as ice for a cooler. The Where We Wild duo have a great hack with the jugs (available in-store only): "You can freeze these up ahead of time, throw 'em in your big cooler, and they are solid blocks of ice for days." As the ice melts, pour off the water into drinking bottles to stay hydrated, wash dishes, and more. Reviewer Dan Costco Fan says his group is "picky about water taste, and this Kirkland water tastes great (not plasticy)."

We compiled this list of Costco camping finds by focusing on products that showed up positively in multiple places: In the author's own camping kit, bloggers' reviews of Costco camping gear, Costco‑member reviews, YouTube vloggers like Where We Wild, and Reddit's r/Costco forum. From there, we selected items that address the top camping pain points (staying dry, sleeping well, storing food, and staying clean and organized), as well as items campers wish they'd doubled up on.