The things a solo camping beginner buys first are 8: tent, sleeping bag, mat, chair, lantern, stove, gas canister and fire pit. For one night of spring-to-autumn camping by car, the total is JPY 87,318, or JPY 74,118 with the DOD Nice Middle Chair. I gathered the No. 1 pick of each category in this one article.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
Decide the things you sleep on first. The 3 items of tent, sleeping bag and mat come to JPY 45,430. Once you have these, you can stay overnight. For things to eat with, sit on or gather around a fire, add what you're missing after you go. So I recommend spending first on the 3 sleeping items and starting the rest cheaply.
Key points
- For 1 night of spring-to-autumn camping by car, 8 items come to JPY 87,318. With the DOD Nice Middle Chair (JPY 8,800), it is JPY 74,118
- The 3 sleeping items are the Touring Dome/ST (JPY 21,780), the Burrow Bag #3 (comfort 5℃, JPY 16,500) and the RidgeRest Classic (R-value 2.0, JPY 7,150)
- The stove and gas canister use the same CB canister as the portable stove at home. On days when the low drops below 10℃, switch to a cold-weather canister
In this article (10 sections)
- The first solo camping gear is 8 items for JPY 87,318
- I decided in this order: sleep, sit, eat, fire
- What should a solo camping beginner buy first?
- Quick table of 8 items for solo camping beginners
- 3 items to sleep: tent, sleeping bag, mat
- To sit and to see: chair and lantern
- To eat and gather around a fire: stove, gas canister, fire pit
- Splitting the JPY 87,318 into 3 parts
- Who is it for?
- FAQ
The first solo camping gear is 8 items for JPY 87,318
For one night of spring-to-autumn camping by car, you buy 8 things first. Tent JPY 21,780, sleeping bag JPY 16,500, mat JPY 7,150, chair JPY 22,000, lantern JPY 3,960, stove JPY 7,480, gas canister JPY 528, fire pit JPY 7,920. The total is JPY 87,318.
With a chair at JPY 8,800, the DOD Nice Middle Chair, the total is JPY 74,118. From the No. 1 pick of each category, I chose the easiest 1 item to start with.
I decided in this order: sleep, sit, eat, fire
First I decided the order: sleep, sit, eat, gather around a fire. If you can't sleep, you're in a bad mood the next day, so I spend the budget on sleeping gear first.
When you sleep in a tent over half the year, gear splits into "things you can add later" and "things you can't do without at the start". The ones you can't skip are the 3 for sleeping.
What should a solo camping beginner buy first?
In the order tent, sleeping bag, mat. These 3 items come to JPY 45,430. Once you have them, you can stay overnight. Waiting until after 1 night to add what you're missing means fewer wasted purchases.
Pick the season by narrowing to times when the spring-to-autumn low doesn't fall below 5℃. If you'll also stay in winter, choose again from my winter sleeping bag picks.
Quick table of 8 items for solo camping beginners
| Categories | The 1 I picked | Note | Official price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tents | Coleman Touring Dome/ST | About 4kg with a 2.52m² floor. Easy to pitch alone | JPY 21,780 |
| Sleeping bag | mont-bell Burrow Bag #3 | Comfort 5℃ at 933g. Washable at home | JPY 16,500 |
| Mat | Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest Classic | R-value 2.0 at 400g. It can't be punctured | JPY 7,150 |
| Chair | Snow Peak Noga Chair | 1.4kg. Cushions at the elbows | JPY 22,000 |
| Lantern | Coleman Hanging E-Light | 250 lumens for about 10 hours | JPY 3,960 |
| Stove | SOTO Regulator Stove ST-310 | 2.9kW from the cassette canister you have at home | JPY 7,480 |
| Gas canister | Iwatani Cassette Gas (orange) | 250g at JPY 2.11 per gram | JPY 528 |
| Fire pit | UNIFLAME Fire Grill | Fits 35cm firewood. Comes with a grill | JPY 7,920 |
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Coleman Touring Dome/ST
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 15,720 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 22,800 between shops. Prices change daily.
3 items to sleep: tent, sleeping bag, mat
The tent is the Coleman Touring Dome/ST. At JPY 21,780 and about 4kg, it has pole pockets so you can build it alone. If you'll also pitch on cold nights, you can choose the SDX, which adds 300g and JPY 3,520. I lined up 5 tents in Best Solo Tents for Beginners: 5 Picks.
The sleeping bag is the mont-bell Burrow Bag #3, a synthetic bag with a comfort temperature of 5℃ at 933g, which the maker says you can wash in a home washing machine. The mat is the Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest Classic: R-value 2.0, 400g, and it can't be punctured. I wrote more in Best Sleeping Bags for Beginners: 5 Picks and Best Camping Mats for Beginners: 5 Picks.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
mont-bell Seamless Burrow Bag #3
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 18,900 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 23,800 between shops. Prices change daily.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest Classic
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 7,150 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 10,550 between shops. Prices change daily.
To sit and to see: chair and lantern
The chair is the Snow Peak Noga Chair, on sale from August 2026. At 1.4kg, it has cushions where your elbows rest. That part works hardest in front of a fire where you sit a long time. To start cheap, the DOD Nice Middle Chair (JPY 8,800, about 4.1kg) is a first chair for people who carry by car. I compared them in Best Camping Chairs of 2026: 5 New Picks.
The lantern is the Coleman Hanging E-Light. 250 lumens for about 10 hours, at about 130g and JPY 3,960. If you're adding a main light, see Best LED Lanterns for Beginners: 5 Picks.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Snow Peak Noga Chair LV-510
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 22,000 (as of 10/20). Prices change daily.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Coleman Hanging E-Light
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 2,880 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 7,841 between shops. Prices change daily.
To eat and gather around a fire: stove, gas canister, fire pit
The stove is the SOTO Regulator Stove ST-310. It puts out 2.9kW from the cassette canister you have at home. At 330g it is heavy to carry on foot and suits people who drive in. For the canister, the Iwatani Cassette Gas (orange) is JPY 2.11 per gram. On days when the low drops below 10℃, switch to a cold-weather canister. I wrote more in CB and OD canisters compared.
The fire pit is the UNIFLAME Fire Grill. It fits 35cm firewood and comes with a grill, at JPY 7,920. How to choose is in Best Fire Pits for Beginners: 5 Picks. Use the canister made for each appliance, and never use it inside a tent or a car.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
SOTO Regulator Stove ST-310
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 6,980 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 8,999 between shops. Prices change daily.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
UNIFLAME Fire Grill
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 7,920 (as of 10/20). Prices change daily.
Splitting the JPY 87,318 into 3 parts
The 3 sleeping items (tent, sleeping bag, mat) come to JPY 45,430, about 52% of the total. The 2 sitting and lighting items (chair, lantern) are JPY 25,960, about 30%, and the 3 eating and fire items (burner, gas canister, fire pit) are JPY 15,928, about 18%. The fire pit at JPY 7,920 is JPY 88 cheaper than the burner and gas canister together, JPY 8,008 (7,480 + 528).
The biggest single item is the chair at JPY 22,000, about 25% of the total. Choosing the JPY 8,800 DOD Nice Middle Chair saves JPY 13,200. If you plan to add what is missing after your first night, the first payment is the 3 sleeping items at JPY 45,430.
If you will also pitch on cold nights, switch the tent to the SDX (JPY 25,300) and add JPY 3,520. The total becomes JPY 90,838, or JPY 77,638 if you also take the DOD chair.
The 8 items add up to about 10.1kg (4,000 + 933 + 400 + 1,400 + 130 + 330 + 2,700 + 250). The heaviest is the tent at about 4kg, then the fire pit at about 2.7kg. If you sometimes carry it on foot, swap these two for lighter ones first.
Who is it for?
Who it suits most: people about to start solo camping by car, from spring to autumn. Get the 3 sleeping items first and add the rest after one night. On days you need a cooler, the 15L DAIWA Coolline α3 GU 1500 (JPY 17,600) fits one night.
If you'll carry on foot, the weight standard changes. Choose again from lighter gear, like the Fal Pro.air 2 tent and the Helinox Chair Zero LT.
FAQ
How much should a solo camping beginner set aside to start?
For 1 night of spring-to-autumn camping by car, the 8 items in this article come to JPY 87,318. Swap in a JPY 8,800 chair and it is JPY 74,118.
What should I buy first for solo camping?
Start with the 3 sleeping items: tent, sleeping bag and mat. The 3 items come to JPY 45,430. For things to sit on and gather around a fire, add what you're missing after 1 night.
Can I borrow solo camping gear?
At campgrounds that rent gear, you can also try before you buy. Borrow gear and stay one night, and you'll see what you lack.
Which of the 8 items can I cut first?
The easiest to cut is the chair (JPY 22,000). Switching to the DOD Nice Middle Chair saves JPY 13,200 and brings the total to JPY 74,118. I would not cut the 3 sleeping items (JPY 45,430).
Gear in this article
Ads & images: Rakuten IchibaSources (9 official pages)
- Coleman official online shop: Touring Dome/ST
- mont-bell official online store: Seamless Burrow Bag #3
- Therm-a-Rest Japan official: Ridge Rest Classic
- Snow Peak news (Aug 7, 2026): first collaboration with Helinox, Noga Chair and Noga Table
- DOD official: Nice Middle Chair C1-249
- Coleman official online shop: Hanging E-Light
- SOTO official: Regulator Stove ST-310
- Iwatani: Iwatani Cassette Gas (orange)
- UNIFLAME official: Fire Grill No.683040
