After years of buying things at REI, here are our favorites

I'm always looking for opportunities for a good hammock session, and whether it’s at my local park or at the campsite, there’s nothing like dozing off in a hammock. This one from Eno is super sturdy, holding up to 400 pounds, and it comes in a solid variety of colors. If you want even more space, opt for the larger Eno DoubleNest Hammock, which has enough room for two people.

The one downside of the Eno hammock is that its suspension system isn’t included. The straps are absolutely necessary to hang the hammock, but they’re super easy to set up and pack down really small.

This camping chair costs a pretty penny, but — besides a hammock — it's the most comfortable way to relax at camp in my opinion. The Stargaze's swinging design lets you float and effortlessly recline back to look at the stars. Plus, it comes with a nifty cup holder and can be set up in about one minute.

Camp chairs are a must when you go out into the woods for an extended period of time. Sure, you can find a rock or a log to sit on, but it’s often uncomfortable and the lack of back support is not ideal after a long day of hiking. Plus, there’s even a version with cup holders to keep your drink handy.

This tiny, portable lantern is one of our favorite buys because it’s so small and easy to place anywhere. Pair it with a carabiner and you can hang it in your tent or even on a tree branch. It isn’t the brightest lantern, but it provides enough light to cook and move around camp when the sun goes down.

A headlamp is way more useful when the sun goes down than a regular flashlight. This one from Black Diamond is super bright and allows you to illuminate your way hands-free.

During the hot months, I really can’t stand drinking room-temperature or warm water. Especially when you’re outside hiking, there’s nothing like a swig of ice-cold water to cool you down. That’s why even when I'm backpacking and saving weight is critical, I carry a Yeti double-insulated water bottle, which is also CNN Underscored's pick for the best water bottle on the market.

Nothing's better than an ice-cold beer at after a long hike. But if you're sitting out in the sun, your drink can quickly become lukewarm. That's why I always pack along my favorite koozie, the Yeti Colster.

Sunglasses are a must when you're recreating outdoors, and I love these from Goodr because they're incredibly cheap and actually good quality. Plus, they stay on surprisingly well on hikes and runs.

If you’re out in the woods for long enough, you’re going to have to poop. And while plenty of campsites have toilets, sometimes nature calls unexpectedly and you have to dig a hole. That’s why it’s always a good idea to keep some toilet paper and a trusty trowel in your backpack, because believe us, it’s much better than the alternative. This ultralight trowel is extremely thin and can fit basically anywhere in your backpack so you’ll always be prepared. If the ground is rocky or tough, the going will be slow, but digging with this is still better than trying to use a stick or a rock.

I have a previous version of this tent, but I actually wish I had waited and bought this new version since Nemo switched its fabrics and used recycled materials in this tent, which according to Nemo has water repellency that lasts four times longer. However, even the old version is by far the best tent I've ever owned. It’s perfect for backpacking, weighing under 4 pounds, but doesn’t sacrifice on space. Sometimes two-person tents aren’t as roomy as they sound, and if two people actually slept in it you’d be cuddling up all night. The Dagger, however, has more than enough room for two people and a 40-pound dog to sleep comfortably (or not so comfortably if your dog is like mine and crawls up to kick you in the ribs in the middle of the night). In addition, it’s got two massive vestibules for the rest of your gear so you can keep it protected from the weather, and setup is incredibly simple and fast.

You can take your pillow from home if you want as comfortable a sleeping experience as possible; however, if you want to keep that one clean or you're tight on space, this inflatable pillow from Nemo is my favorite. It combines an inner air chamber with a layer of padding for an adjustable pillow that's surprisingly comfortable.

I love this stylish, colorblocked jacket from Cotopaxi. It's decently warm and packs down into its own pocket, making it a perfect pick for lounging around camp in the evenings. If you need a more breathable and lightweight option for hikes, check out the Arc'teryx Atom LT.

I've had the Rumpl adventure blanket for years now and absolutely love its warm, durable build. Even when I'm not camping, the Rumpl is my (and my dog's) go-to for a movie night on the couch.

Blankets are nice, but if you want to get extra cozy, try out the Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho. It's a wearable blanket with a hood that can keep you toasty as the temperatures drop around the campfire.

Taking along a pair of camp shoes is a pro move so you don't have to sit around camp in your hiking boots. I love these slippers from Teva because they're super cozy and can help keep your feet warm if it's cold outside.

I love Smartwool's Merino wool base layers. They're versatile and can really help trap in your body heat in the cold. Even during the summer, I like to bring a set of base layers to sleep in, that way I can change into clean clothes and it helps keep my sleeping bag clean. Check out the bottoms here.

I don't have a big car and I live in an apartment, so owning a full-size kayak is basically impossible. I'm in love with this foldable Oru kayak and have been beyond impressed with how easy it is to set up and pack down, along with how stable it feels on the water.

Having a towel around at camp can be incredibly useful. Whether it's for drying dishes, cleaning up messes or drying off after a dip in the lake, this lightweight, quick-drying towel always has a place on my packing list.

When the weather gets hot, I have to be in a kayak. I tried using a random pair of slides or sneakers when I first started hitting the lakes, but soon realized I needed a true watersport shoe. The original Teva sandals are cheap, stylish and incredibly useful if you're going in and out of the water.

Whether you're bird-watching or you just want a better view of the mountain skyline, these binoculars come in super handy on all sorts of outdoors adventures.

While these aren't great for hiking (I did try once on a whim and wouldn't recommend it), I absolutely love my Blundstone boots and wear them everywhere. They're super versatile and you can wear them casually to the climbing gym and the bar or dress them up for parties and dinner dates. After a little trouble with the sizing (I read that they tend to run small, so I ordered a half size up, which was too big) and a few weeks of breaking in, I wear these boots basically everywhere.

As an avid climber, I've loved using these shoes from Scarpa. They’re soft and relatively comfortable for such an aggressive shoe. If you’re new to climbing, check out the La Sportiva Finales, a roomier, much comfier shoe.

One of my least favorite parts about hiking and camping is packing and unpacking all my gear. That's why I love this Rux bin, which has tons of different carrying options and fits basically everything I need for a weekend trip. I keep it packed in my closet so all I have to do is throw it in the back of my car and I'm nearly ready to go. You can carry it as a backpack, on your shoulder or by its side handles — plus, its collapsible for simple storage when not in use and waterproof to keep your gear bone-dry.

This is one of my favorite daypacks because whether you’re using it for a day around the campsite or on a strenuous hike, it’s got everything you need. It opens and closes in an instant with a quick-pull drawcord, it’s got a chest strap and it even features a sleeve for a water reservoir so you can stay hydrated without having to stop and pull out your water bottle every 10 minutes. The best part? It's only $40.

If you're going on a more difficult hike and want some more support, I love this pack from Gregory. It has a hip belt and tons of pockets and compartments for organization. And with just enough room to fit the gear you'll need for a day hike, you'll be able to trek without feeling weighed down. The best part about it, though, is that it comes with an included water bladder.

I love backpacking, but if you’re going to hike into the middle of the woods and camp, you’re going to need a great pack. I love this one from Osprey, as it’s got tons of storage, it distributes weight in an incredibly comfortable way and the top part of the pack even detaches to turn into a little daypack.

If I'm not backpacking and need the extra ankle support, I'm a big fan of hiking in trail running shoes since they're lightweight and have so much traction. I've worn these runners from La Sportiva on my last few hikes and have loved them. They're super comfortable and so grippy it feels like my feet are grabbing the trail. One thing to know: La Sportiva's sizing is a little weird and runs narrow, so I'd definitely recommend going in-store to try the shoes on before you buy them.

Good socks can make a huge difference in hiking comfort. I've tried a few different brands, but these Darn Tough ones remain my favorite for their balance of comfort, thickness and support.

Made from recycled nylon and packed with UPF 50+ sun protection, these shorts are my go-to for hikes, kayak trips and basically anything outdoors. They're comfortable, have an integrated adjustment strap and are quick-drying — not to mention stylish too.

This is one of my favorite lightweight jackets, thanks to Arc'teryx's detail-oriented design, stellar insulation and weather-resistant DWR finish. It's the perfect jacket for shoulder season and is a critical piece of my layering system.

It's amazing how much trekking poles can help on a long or precarious hike. Once you get used to using them, you'll never want to hike without them. I like these because they're not super expensive and they're good enough for almost any hike.

After getting into backpacking, I spent a long time trying to find the perfect hiking shoe. I still don't think I've found them, but I really like the Altra Lone Peak Hikers, which are a great combination of hiking boot and trail runner. They’re lightweight, super comfortable and even have an oversized toe box so when your feet swell from a long day on the trail your toes stay spacious. After about nine months of a solid number of hiking trips — but not an excessive amount — these boots are already nearing the end of their life. Some of the materials are separating and one of the back loops ripped off. While they were great to hike in, I wish they were a bit more durable.

CNN Underscored's winner for the best rain jacket, the Patagonia Torrentshell is an amazingly waterproof, packable and durable jacket. I've used it for over a year now and have zero complaints.

If you're going on long hikes or a backpacking trip and can't carry all the water you'll need, a water filter is a must. I love this filter that comes attached to a collapsible bottle from HydraPak. Its flow rate is super fast and the outer material is extremely durable. Read my full review here.

For me, a Swiss Army knife is an absolute essential for any trip. Even though the knife blade isn’t very big, you just can’t beat the number of useful tools you’ll find on the nifty little thing. My favorite tools are the can opener, the corkscrew (you never know when you’re going to need to open a bottle of wine!) and the scissors.

I luckily haven't had to use this yet, but I hike and camp around Moab, Utah, quite often where, due to the delicate ecosystem and high visitation, catholes are an unsustainable solution to human waste. I always carry one of these bags in my pack because sometimes you might not be allowed to dig a hole, or just don't feel like it, and packing out your waste is always a less harmful way to go.

I've had a now-discontinued stove from Camp Chef for about two years, and it’s definitely been a game changer. Having a stove large enough to handle two full-size pots or pans was critical when my partner and I cooked for 10 people during a weeklong camping trip outside of Acadia National Park. This Everest stove is a scaled-down version of the one I have, but it’s still got plenty of room to fit your standard pans. Plus, the stove is super light and portable, so you can use it in the backyard if you want to get some fresh air around dinnertime.

While the Camp Chef stove is great if you need to cook a lot of food, if you’re camping by yourself or with just one other person, it’s a bit over the top. For smaller-scale camp kitchens, I love this GSI stove. It isn’t as small as an MSR Pocket Rocket, but its sizable burner gives you plenty of room to balance your cookware. Plus, you can adjust the level of the flame so you can do anything from boil water in minutes to simmer over low heat.

Please don't drink instant coffee when you're camping. Upgrade your setup with this easy-to-use, easy-to-clean AeroPress. The AeroPress Go is slightly smaller than the original and comes with an included cup that the maker nests into for ultimate portability. The coffee is so good and it's so easy to clean I use it at home too.

If you’re planning on cooking at the campsite, you can definitely bring your cookware from home, but it’ll probably take up a lot of room and it might get a little extra wear and tear. That’s why I think it’s a good idea to get a separate pan just for camping. The GSI pan I have isn’t carried at REI anymore, but it has a foldable handle like this one so it takes up a lot less room when you’re packing.

This ultralight pot is great for boiling water for coffee or dehydrated meals. The lid also doubles as a tiny pan, which we don’t use that often but would be good to cook something small like one burger. My only problem with this pot is that the handles can get hot if the flame you’re cooking on is too wide. But since it’s titanium, the heat will dissipate quickly if you take it off the flame.

You can't forget the hot sauce on your camping trip, but if you're running low on space or backpacking, score this tiny bottle of Yellowbird's delicious sauce.

S'mores are great and all, but if you don't have time to build a fire and break out the marshmallows, these dehydrated ice cream sandwiches are surprisingly tasty.

A waist leash is super helpful when you're hiking with a dog so you can keep your hands free. I love this one from Ruffwear because it acts like a retractable leash without its dangers. The lock on it is much stronger than the flimsy flexi lead you already have, and your pup will have plenty of room to safely wander, thanks to its 12-foot line.

A harness is a really good piece of gear to have if you're hiking with a dog. Our pup is barrel-chested, so we love the sleek and lightweight design of Ruffwear's Flagline. Plus, unlike another of Ruffwear's popular harnesses, the Front Range, the Flagline has a handle on the back so you can scoop your dog up difficult obstacles if you need to.

Of course, if you’re going outdoors you’ll want to bring your pup along. I used these dog boots not only for hikes but also for the dirty (and dangerously hot in the summer) New York City streets.

You don't want your dog running off chasing a squirrel or something bigger at your campsite, so keep them restrained while giving them tons of mobility with this dog hitching system from Ruffwear. With a 28-foot rope, just tie it in between two trees and your dog can roam worry-free.

After your hike or camping trip, your dirty dog can really do a number to your back seats. That's where the Dirtbag Seat Cover comes in. It easily fits over your back row and even has openings so you can still buckle the seat belts.

Not only is this light-up necklace great for the campsite, but it's also a colorful and fun way to keep track of your dog on nighttime walks.

This sleeping bag can keep your pup warm and cozy in the woods, but honestly, my dog uses it more frequently as a second dog bed in the house. It’s durable and water-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about your furry friend ruining it.

My pup has thin hair, so she needs a jacket when we’re camping in colder weather. This thin fleece is a great way for her to help regulate her body temperature on chilly nights in the woods.

I put this life jacket on our pup whenever we go kayaking since she hasn't spent a lot of time swimming. It's nice and roomy and the one time she did jump into the water, it helped her stay afloat as she swam to shore.