The Best Budget UTV Camping Essentials for 2020

With summer riding season upon us, many UTV enthusiasts are making big plans to spend a weekend out with mother nature and are scrambling to get last minute items to make their stays more comfortable and convenient. While some essentially bring their homes with them by traveling to destinations in their luxury RVs or toy haulers, a lot of us are still camping out of tents and enclosed trailers.

For those of us that are roughing it while out in the woods, UTV Revolution has come up with a list of essentials to make your extended stays just a little bit easier. Just because you don’t have a rolling home away from home doesn’t mean you have to be a caveman (or cavewoman)! Here’s some gear for you that we think is a great value for those on a budget.

Pop Up Canopy

Whether the sun is beating down on you or down pouring rain is trying to dampen your spirits, a pop up tent canopy is the way to go to get out of the elements, while still enjoying the fresh air. We think the TopCamp 10×10 Pop Up Canopy is a great combination of value and quality.

The TopCamp is available in a variety of colors and is not your typical department store cheap pop up canopy, despite being around the same price-point. Most cheap canopy fabrics are only 300 denier. Denier is the unit of measurement that describes the thickness of a fabric. The TopCamp is more heavy-duty and weighs in at 420D. The hardware that comes with the tent is very sturdy considering the price range of this product. We also really like the quick release features for both the legs and folding mechanism.

The tent uses a similar system that expensive trade-show canopies use to attach the fabric. Velcro wraps the upper section of the hardware and then straps are used to tighten the fabric down. The fabric also has velcro strips running along the bottom section of the canopy as well. This allows you to use canopy walls that are much more weather resistant and don’t leave large gaps like traditional hook and loop walls.

While not the same quality as a $1000 EZ-Up, having many of the same features as a high dollar trade show canopy and being higher quality than other canopies in its price range, we think that TopCamp is the perfect choice for a weekend out with friends and family.

Portable Generator

What do you mean there is no electricity? What are we? Neanderthals? Having a portable generator with you while camping has become almost a necessity these days with all the electronics that we can’t leave home without. For your own sanity and for that of your neighbors, a quiet portable inverter generator is the best choice.

Coming in at a price even more affordable than the Harbor Freight Predator, the Wen 2000W Inverter Generator is the best bang for the buck for those that are looking to bring a bit of civilization with them when out in the wilderness. It is even a bit quieter than the Harbor Freight version, only putting out 51 dBs at 1/4 load. The WEN provides two AC outlets, one DC outlet and even a 5V USB port for quickly charging your phone or tablet. Built in overload and low oil protection keeps it running safely and is backed by a two year guarantee.

If 2000 peak watts aren’t enough, you can run them two in parallel with their optional connector with a built in RV hookup. Alternatively, WEN offers quiet models up to 3800W that offer more fuel capacity, longer running time, more power and more, yet it only produces 57 dB of sound. Their larger generators also feature electric start and an RV hookup that doesn’t require their parallel accessory, along with additional outlets.

If a Honda generator is not in the budget, but you’re still looking for a high quality generator that should last for years to come, the WEN is absolutely the best buy in portable generators on the market today.

Portable Stove

We’re not going to judge if you plan on eating beef jerky and trail mix all weekend while you’re battling mosquitoes and ticks. However, if you want a hot meal or two, then the tried and true Coleman Propane Stove is still the best bang for the buck when out camping. The dual burner setup is compact and easily stows away for packing away in your gear. Side panels fold out to block the wind from the propane flames and Coleman’s “PerfectHeat” and “PerfectFlow” technologies help in providing a more consistent grilling experience while being more efficient with fuel usage.

The classic Coleman camping stove has been around forever and is still a popular seller for camping enthusiasts for good reason. They’re rugged, reliable and affordable.

Camping Chairs

Whether it’s time to sit around the campfire or when first waking up and relaxing to take in your surroundings while getting your dose of caffeine, your choice in things to sit in may be more important than you think. Let’s face it, there are a ton of camping chairs that you can get at the chain stores for $10-15, but they’re flimsy, uncomfortable and pretty much disposable. We’ve been using the same Jet Tent Pilot DX chair since 2014 at countless vendor shows, wheeling events, races, camping trips and more. It has been the most durable camping chair we have ever owned. Even though it wasn’t cheap, it was well worth the initial investment.

The Jet Tent chair is a wide design constructed of heavy duty steel and 600D fabric which is rated to hold up to 330 lbs. The carrying bag rolls up and stores inside the headrest to provide extra support for your head. It also features height adjustable lumbar support, an insulated cup holder and handy pouch to store your phone or other belongings. The padded armrests are height adjustable as well. The chair fits very comfortably, but as mentioned before, it’s claim to fame is how durable they are. The are backed by a five year manufacturer’s warranty which is unheard of among camping chairs.

The bottom line is that if you’re looking for a camping chair that is going to last for years, is comfortable and is going to hold up to heavy use, the Jet Tent Pilot DX is a great value for the investment.

However, if that is not in your budget and a fairly comfortable camping chair built for more occasional use is what you’re looking for, then the Coleman Portable Camping Quad Chair may be a good fit for you. The Coleman has lightly padded seating for extra comfort. a mesh cup holder for keeping your drink close, a storage pouch for your small items and even a four can cooler for storing your cold drinks for less trips to your main cooler.

The Quad chair is a very budget friendly camping chair and packed with features that makes it a great value. It is available in black, red or blue and backed by a one year warranty.

Portable Coolers

Yeti started the trend of rotomolded coolers some years back and now nearly everyone wants to have a cooler than can last them a full weekend or three day or more vacation in the woods. Competition on the market has heated up on keeping your food and beverages cool and brought prices down. For those on a budget that are looking for an affordable rotomolded cooler, the Pure Outdoor Emperor Cooler is a solid choice.

The cooler has extra thick walls with pressure-injected, commercial-grade polyurethane foam to fully insulate the contents. It is available in sizes from 25 liters to 80 liters, so there are several affordable options depending on your storage needs. The cooler features a water drain at the bottom and has a built in bottle opener if you need it. In case there are bears in the area or friends that can’t keep their hands off your frosty beverages, the cooler also has steel reinforced padlock holes at each corner to keep them out.

Considering the price-point, the 30 day money back guarantee and lifetime warranty on these coolers, they are a value that is tough to beat for campers on a budget and it comes highly recommended.