Picked by a gear nerd who spends more than half the year camping

Camping gear, compared by the official numbers

I'm a camper who spends more than half the year camping around Japan. Tent waterproof ratings, sleeping bag comfort temperatures, mat R-values: I line up the numbers the makers publish, check them against store prices, and settle on one pick.

Tents →Sleeping bags →Mats →Lanterns →Tables & chairs →Cookware →Tableware & cutlery →Coolers →Tarps →Fire pits →BBQ grills →Gas stoves →Water jugs →Wagons & containers →Trash boxes →Kids' gear →

Photos (Unsplash): Timon Wanner / Sebastian Unrau / James Rathmell

English edition. Prices are in Japanese yen (JPY) from Japanese online stores, and most shops ship within Japan only. Links marked JP open pages in Japanese.

Reading spec sheets:
my time for choosing gear

Tent waterproof ratings, sleeping bag comfort temperatures, mat R-values. I line up the numbers the makers publish, add numbers I calculate myself, and check them against store prices. Then I settle on one pick.

Latest articles

Product in the image (Rakuten Ichiba): Sabbatical RYNEL-2Sabbatical RYNEL-2 reviewRelease date, price and how it differs from RYNEL-1. The Sabbatical RYNEL-2 is my pick of 2-person tents for people who camp by train or bus or have a walk to the site. Released April 3, 2026, JPY 51,700 incl. tax, total weight 1,630g. It is 170g heavier than RYNEL-1.Solo camping / Oct 18, 2026
Product in the image (Rakuten Ichiba): LOGOS Solar Block Kazenuki Q-Set Tarp 250-BGLOGOS Kazenuki Q-Set Tarp 250 reviewRelease date, price, and about 2 minutes to pitch. The LOGOS Kazenuki Q-Set Tarp 250 is my pick for families who want shade the moment they arrive. Released in stages from June 25, 2026, JPY 21,800 incl. tax. It pitches in about 2 minutes and lets wind escape through the roof.Family camping / Oct 18, 2026
Product in the image (Rakuten Ichiba): Sabbatical SwitchbackSabbatical Switchback reviewRelease date and how it differs from the Dee Crest. The Sabbatical Switchback is my pick for a family of four or a group of friends traveling in a compact car. Released April 3, 2026, JPY 59,400 incl. tax. It comes with a 4-person inner tent and weighs 5.7kg in total.Family camping / Oct 18, 2026
Products in the image (Rakuten Ichiba): Snow Peak Noga Chair LV-510 / Helinox Chair One / Snow Peak Noga Table LV-500Snow Peak Noga Chair review1.4kg, JPY 22,000, and how it differs from the Chair One. The Snow Peak Noga Chair is my pick for people who drive to camp and sit for hours by the fire or after dinner. Released August 13, 2026, JPY 22,000 incl. tax, 1.4kg. I also compare its weight and packed size with the Chair One it is based on.Solo camping / Oct 18, 2026
Product in the image (Rakuten Ichiba): Iwatani cassette gas robatayaki grill Aburi no Takumi CB-ABT-1Iwatani Aburi no Takumi reviewRelease date, price and how it differs from the Aburiya II. The Iwatani Aburi no Takumi is my pick for people who want to grill dried fish or yakitori at the table without lighting charcoal. Released September 15, 2026. Output 2.3kW and about 90 minutes are the same as the Aburiya II; the legs and water tray were redesigned, and it now weighs about 2.3kg.Family camping / Oct 18, 2026
Product in the image (Rakuten Ichiba): Snow Peak Thermo Tumbler 360 TW-360Snow Peak Thermo Tumbler 360 reviewRelease date, price and how it differs from the 470. The Snow Peak Thermo Tumbler 360 is my pick for people who drink one hot drink a day, at camp or at home. Released July 11, 2026, JPY 4,480 incl. tax, 150g. It comes in 12 colors.How to read the numbers / Oct 18, 2026
19 articlesTENT

CAMP GEAR NOTE / Tents

Weight, floor area, waterproof rating. Choose where you sleep by the official numbers

Read the articles
8 articlesSLEEPING BAG

CAMP GEAR NOTE / Sleeping bags

Comfort and limit temperatures. How warm you sleep, from how to read the label

Read the articles
5 articlesMAT

CAMP GEAR NOTE / Mats

The cold from the ground is set by R-value. Including how to add them up when you stack

Read the articles
5 articlesLANTERN

CAMP GEAR NOTE / Lanterns

Brightness and run time, read as numbers

Read the articles

Browse other gear

TABLE & CHAIRTables & chairs13 articlesWeight, load capacity, height. Choose where you sit and where you put things by the numbersCOOKWARECookware5 articlesCapacity, weight, material. Choose pots and pans by group sizeTABLEWARETableware & cutlery3 articlesChoose by material, weight and stacked sizeCOOLERCoolers3 articlesCapacity and ice-retention claims, read as numbersTARPTarps2 articlesChoose area and pitch style by the numbersFIRE PITFire pits5 articlesWeight, packed size, and whether firewood fits without cuttingBBQ GRILLBBQ grills3 articlesGrill area and height. Choose your cooking surface by group sizeGAS STOVEGas stoves6 articlesGas type, air temperature and output. Choose your cooking flame by the numbersWATER JUGWater jugs2 articlesChoose by capacity, insulation and spout designWAGONWagons & containers4 articlesLoad capacity and bed size. Gear for hauling, boxes for storingTRASH BOXTrash boxes2 articlesChoose by capacity, folded size and lid designKIDSKids' gear2 articlesCheck the age range and size on the official page before you choose

Release calendar

  • On sale Oct 16, 12:00 (planned)

    HilanderX-FRAME COMPACT CHAIR HIGH (HCP-017)

    NewTables & chairsJPY 10,900

    About 1.4kg, seat height about 51cm, static load capacity about 150kg

    Read the reviewOfficial announcement

  • Oct 16, 12:00

    HilanderX-FRAME COMPACT TABLE HIGH

    NewTables & chairsJPY 18,000

    About 123×71×63cm high, 2.9kg, load capacity about 30kg (distributed)

    Read the reviewOfficial announcement

  • From October, rolling release

    IwataniAccessories for the Aburi no Takumi (half grill net, skewer stand)

    NewBBQ grillsNot confirmed

    The grill itself went on sale Sep 15

    Read the review

  • Pre-orders open, ships late October

    WAQRelaxing CampMat PLUS

    NewMatsSingle JPY 17,500 / Double JPY 23,800

    Built-in electric pump, 10cm thick, R-value 4.8

    Read the reviewOfficial announcement

See the 18 upcoming items and 42 already released →

Browse by camping style

Rankings (12) →How to read the numbers (8) →Solo camping (23) →Family camping (34) →Winter camping (9) →

Reviews (58) →

How this site works

  • Numbers come from the makers' official product pages and standards documents, with sources listed under each article.
  • Numbers I could not confirm are marked "not confirmed" and never filled in.
  • Prices are as of the day I checked. Please confirm on the store page before you buy.
  • Use fire and gas gear according to the product's instruction manual. This is not an official site of any maker.

About this site