As a third-grader in the suburbs of New York City, I remember getting kidnapped by my family and taken to an undisclosed, off-grid location for days on end. At first, it was horrible. There was nothing to do. There were bugs everywhere and my remote control Batmobile wouldn't work on the dirt campsite. After a few trips, though, the trails surrounding the campground became my world of adventure; I met new kids camping in the adjoining sites and made new friends; my father taught me how to make a fire and to enjoy blackened, unrecognizable food.

Perhaps more so now than back then, camping provides family and friends time away from the lights, luxuries and distractions of the connected world. It offers a chance for a deeper connection, one that can't be had with a status update or shared selfies.

Federal, state, local and privately owned campsites exist all over, many are closer than you think. Most campsites can be had for $10-$30 a night and provide basic water and sanitation. Start at recreation.gov and reserveamerica.com for some ideas.

Don't confuse camping with ultra-endurance trekking and the ultralight, minimalist and uber-costly gear it's associated with. We're talking pack-the-cooler and load-up-the-station-wagon car camping. There's no need to be uncomfortable when you can bring along anything you can fit in the car. Big-ass tent? Bring it. Multi-burner stove? Bring it. Bring what you need keep the clan protected from the elements and well-fed --the rest will fall into place.

Here's the readout on some of the latest camping equipment to hit the market, along with some of our stalwart favorites thrown in to give you some ideas on outfitting or augmenting your camping gear locker. We love late summer and fall camping. Cool nights and mostly dry days are a great time to make some great memories before the kids head back to school. Not to mention, the end of season is a great time to score deals on camping gear!

moreSHELTER:
Ticla Tortuga 4
NEMO Equipment Bugout 9x9
SLEEP:
Thermarest Auriga 35F Down Blanket
Thermarest NeoAir Dream
Thermarest Compressible Pillow
Ticla Besito GOOD Kit
EAT:
Camp Chef Rainier Campers Combo
Camp Chef Sherpa Table & Organizer
Good To-Go Meals
Igloo Sportsman 55 Cooler
THRIVE:
Coleman Perfectflow Instastart Lantern
Packtowel RobeTowl
Nite Ize Figure 9 Small
Exotac polySTRIKER XL
Nite-Ize GearLine 4 Organization System

Shelter:

Ticla Tortuga 4, PHOTO: Rob Curtis

I used the tent on a couple of trips and some backyard camping and found the tent sets up fairly easily. Nobody wants to wait around while the campsite is broken down, especially with weather on the horizon. The Tortuga shines in the breakdown department, an adult and a preteen swept it out and broke it down in well under 10 minutes without a cross word.

Ticla Tortuga 4, PHOTO: Courtesy Ticla

Meh: The tent is asymmetric, with the front slightly taller than the rear. It's barely noticeable, but enough that there are two different pole lengths for the front and rear. They are colored, but it's not terribly obvious which goes in which position when setting the tent up in the dark. Tent must be staked out or it will gradually close up like an angry inchworm.

Bonus: Like all of Ticla's tents, the Toruga comes with an open topped duffel in addition to traditional tent stuff sacks. Just shove everything in the duffel when time is at a premium and space isn't.

NEMO Equipment Bugout 9x9 provides a bug-free haven to cook, eat and relax when the mosquitos swarm. PHOTO: Rob Curtis

NEMO Equipment Bugout 9x9 $200 ⬆
NEMO Equipment is based in southern New Hampshire where the convergence of mountain and coastline create a multiseason outdoor wonderland. The geography also breeds bugs in the spring and summer at an industrial rate. Like most truly great products, the Bugout was born of the need by NEMO employees for a bugless retreat during their New England outings. The shelter is a lightweight, waterproof tarp with fine stowable mesh sides that sets up a good six feet tall. The top provides overhead protection from sun and rain while the mesh keeps out the bugs. If you don't need the sides, scrunch them up to the top and keep them out of the way with the built in cord and toggles. Bottom line, the Bugout keeps bugs at bay and allows you to enjoy your mealtime without the bugs enjoying theirs.

NEMO Equipment Bugout 9x9, PHOTO: Courtesy NEMO Equipment

Meh: One person setup can be a bit of a challenge. You're going to want two adjustable poles for the corners at $50 each.

Bonus: Mesh is coated with waterproofing to reduce absorbency which prevents sagging and helps keep you dry in a sideways rain.

Sleep:

Thermarest Auriga 35F Down Blanket $290 ⬇ID=32161479Mummy bags are wonderful nocturnal torture devices for some of us. They restrict movement, trap heat and cause insomnia in temperate climes. Yet we love our sleeping bags. With the advent of portable, insulated ground pads we hardly need blanketing beneath our bodies. So, ditch the bag and get a camping blanket that keeps you warm enough on breezy nights without strapping your knees together. The Auriga is a down-filled Zzz production device, especially when combined with the NeoAir Dream ground pad, below. We normally associate down insulation with the gram-counting trekker movement because of its warmth-to-weight efficiency on the trail. But, when it comes to comfort, down's airy lightness is also tough to beat. The Auriga is the most technical down blanket on the market and can replace a sleeping bag in most situations and is small and light enough to use to add warmth to a bag when things get arctic.

Good: So small and light! Packs down to the size of a pair of softballs. Comes with a two-stage compression sack for storage. Big baffles allow adjustment of insulation to the sides for configurable comfort. Full circumference edge baffle and elastic footbox keeps the blanket on your body and seals out drafts when needed. Loops on edges attach to compatible pads for more security; comes with adhesive loop adapter kit for use with other pads.

Meh: 35 degree rating is no joke;  there's no sleeping after the summer sunrise starts warming things up.

Bonus: The bright color makes your bed easy to find in the dark. Built-in, tiny pocket for stuff sack and earplugs keeps you organized!

Thermarest NeoAir Dream, PHOTO: Courtesy Thermarest

Thermarest NeoAir Dream $200 ⬆
This is the next best thing to dragging your mattress out to the campsite. Its air channel arrangement, reflective innards and foam topping make it more comfortable, and far more practical than those full size, I-hate-my-in-laws inflatable mattresses I've car camped on. The pad is two components, an inflatable core and an open cell foam top encased in a machine washable zippered cover. The cover has a bedsheet-comfy microfleece top along with loops and snaps around the perimeter to attach compatible bedding so covers made from slippery performance materials won't slip off in the night; excellent for cot sleepers. There are straps that let you connect a pair of pads together for a gap-free couples sleeping experience. No mincing words- after seven nights on three outings, this is our favorite ground pad.

Good: Despite it's luxurious proportions, the NeoAir Dream rolls up tightly and easily; this is a big help when breaking camp. Comes with inflatable pump sack; also works with Thermarest's Mini and Torrent battery powered pumps. Machine washable top can't be appreciated enough when a 9-year-old with a bellyache curls up with you and hurls his midnight snack of brownies and nachos at 5am. Ask me how I know. The cover has a 3/4 zip for access; no PIA slipping stuff into a fabric sleeve.

Meh: Will ruin your ability to sleep on ultralight trail pads. Lung powered inflation of the three-inch thick mattress really blows.

Bonus: NeoAir core mattress is easily removed from the cover and used as a lightweight trail pad.

Thermarest Thermarest Compressible Pillow, PHOTO: Courtesy Thermarest

Good: Rolls into itself for easier packing. The fleecy, brushed polyester fabric approaches cotton feel but is much more durable. New XL size is great for anyone that can't get enough pillow.

Meh: You can't change the pillowcase; cleaning it is all or nothing. Rolling it up saves some space, but it's still a pillow.

Bonus: Put a defeated pillow in a clothes dryer for a few minutes and the foam will perk up to amazing levels of loft and firmness.

Ticla Besito GOOD Kit, PHOTO: Courtesy Ticla

Good: The GOOD kit means packing performance anxiety is a thing of the past; loosely roll the ground pad, shove the sleeping bag in the hollow spot and pile in packables for the walk to the car. The sleeping bags come in small, medium, large and XL sizes so everyone feels special. Rectangular shape means the bag can be unzipped and used as a quilt; looks great on the couch during the non-camping season. Tsubo pad inflates fast and feels robust. Gets the seal of approval from a 12-year-old girl in both looks and ease-of-use departments.

Meh: Nine-year-old boy pulled the zipper's insertion pin off during normal use, forcing a field expedient repair with a lighter and a Leatherman.

Bonus: The kit comes with individual stuff sacks for the bag and pad, if you want to save some space.

Eat:

Camp Chef Rainier Campers Combo makes a great tailgate kitchen for morning pan PHOTO: Rob Curtis

The Campers Combo augments the package by adding a grill top that's easily swapped out for burger and steak duty. The pot burner puts out 10k BTUs and the grill does 8k, putting roughly it in line the 5k-15k you'd find in an average kitchen stove.  This means you can boil, grill and fry to your pallet's content. The Rainier made great burgers, pancakes, and boiled water as quickly as I'd expected. Cleanup of the grill and griddle were simple thanks to the non-stick coating, and all the grease ran into the removable grease trap. The pushbutton ignition worked every time without adjustment. Setting up the stove, as well as moving and storing it, was easy. There's a handle for carrying it when closed, the cover fit well and protected the burner during transit.
ID=32161495

Good: Nonstick grill and griddle are easy to clean; parts are easily removed for cleaning around the burners. Very compact and easy to use. Wind screens lock solidly in place; all parts fit well (except for grill after first use, see below). Lots of room to cook meals for up to four people; grill/griddle can cook 8 burgers or 6 pancakes at a time.

Meh: Aluminum grill is pretty thin and warped permanently on first use; likely my fault for using too much heat. Burners are eager to put out lots of heat; a little harder to control at lowest setting. No facility to store both grill and griddle. Supplied tote bag is worthless.

The Camp Chef Sherpa Table and Organizer with Rainier Stove and the NEMO Equipment Bugout 9x9 set up in the background at Pawtuckaway State Park during a camping trip in July. Photo by Rob Curtis, Staff

Camp Chef Sherpa Table & Organizer $135 ⬆
If you forced me to choose the single most attention-getting item of our summer car camping trips, it would be the Sherpa. Folks from neighboring camp sites came over to check it out, and one person pulled out a smart phone and appeared to have ordered one on the spot. Keeping an organized campsite is crucial for relaxation. Maybe it's my OCD, but five minutes I spend digging around the back of the car looking for a spatula or can of propane is five minutes of wasted family time.

The Sherpa is a campsite organizer, table and compact storage unit. If you have a pickup truck like me, then setting the Sherpa next to the tailgate fills it out as an expansive and organized field kitchen. With four padded, color coded bins that each zip up a protect their contents from itself and from each other, you'd think that would be enough of a blessing in the field. But, the folding aluminum table top is perfect for a camp stove or boardgame after dinner and the collapsing legs makes this thing easy to stow.

Camp Chef Sherpa Table and Organizer, PHOTO: Courtesy Camp Chef

Meh: The frame and legs feel a bit flimsy but seem to be holding up. Initial assembly takes concentration, the instructions are clear but lack pictograms. Once it's assembled, breaking it down to save storage space is impractical.

Bonus: The assembled Sherpa fits the height of a Toyota Tacoma perfectly, allowing the use of a tonneau cover.

Good To-Go Meals, PHOTO: Courtesy Good To-Go

Good To-Go Meals $5.75- $9.75 ⬆
Getting back to camp after a long day of hiking means you might not want to cook a full meal. This is your opportunity to be the camp hero and pull out a few meals from Good To-Go. Don't think freeze dried MRE; think Michelin rated trail food. This isn't some astroturffed multinational corporation looking to dump high margin regenerated cornbiotics into your gullet. Good To-Go is a little company from Maine that was recently started by nationally known chef and restaurateur Jennifer Scism. Her interest in food has taken her around the world and lead to the development of recipes that taste great, provide excellent nutrition and rehydrate well. All her recipes skip transfats, cholesterol and preservatives while keeping sodium in check.

I tore into their Three Bean Chili on a recent trip and was surprised to see the unappetizing mixture of crumbs and powder turn into a bouquet of delicate aromas and flavor. The tomatoes, and onion were reserved while the rich small red beans, black beans and navy beans delivered their nutritional cargo. The garlic, chili powders and paprika were dominant but no t overwhelming. Definitely paired well with a red wine, Yuengling or a recent vintage water, whichever is handy.

Good: You can pronounce and recognize every ingredient. Tastes far better than trail food should. Cooks in its own container in minutes using only hot water.

Meh: Menu is limited to three vegetarian meals at the moment; Smoked Three Bean Chili, Herbed Mushroom Risotto and Thai Curry. Cavemen might be tempted to add Tobasco.

Bonus: Scism's culinary team from her Greenwich Village, NY restaurant was the first to beat Chef Mario Batali on the Iron Chef TV show back in 2004.

Igloo Sportsman 55 cooler on the tailgate carried and cooled food and drinks for 4 people for 3 days on 20 pounds of ice. Photo by Rob Curtis, Staff

Igloo Sportsman 55 Cooler $200 ⬆
There are three types of people in the world. Those that own coolers, those that borrow coolers and those that spend too much time on Facebook liking status updates made by people that own or borrow coolers. Lets say you're ready to graduate from the second group into the first. You could go to the drug store and pick up a styrofoam cooler, but what does that say about your commitment to the flip-flop lifestyle? Nothing good. What about the $30 plastic jobs for sale at the grocery store after Memorial Day? Garage floors around the country are littered with their cracked carcasses and broken promises of cold drinks. If it's your time to be the guy with the cooler, take charge and get a cooler that says Ford F-250, not Ford Fiesta.

The new Sportsman series of rotomolded coolers are shark-tank durable, and keep their contents cold for days. Two twenty pounds of ice sandwiched cold cuts, eggs, drinks and snacks for four people in a 55 qt Sportsman. The ice was melting but, still there after three days and the food and drinks were as cold as when they went in.

Good: Excellent ergos; rigid handles make the fully loaded, heavy cooler easier to carry than rope handles. Cooler drains wicked fast with huge drain opening; drain plug is captured and has a stow slot to keep it off the ground. Lid opens   very wide. Rotomolded construction, similar to that found in Pelican packing cases, can take a lot of abuse. Rubber feet keep it from sliding around. Fits under a bed cover in a Toyota Tacoma pickup. Good value when compared to other premium coolers.

Meh: Quality control could use some attention. One of the hinge pins wasn't installed all the way and needed a couple of hammer taps to finish installation. Better have a buddy to help haul this thing when it's fully loaded. Only available through Sam's Club, for now.

Bonus: Put a cushion on it and use it as a patio bench instead of taking up shed storage space. Five-year warranty covers you in case of cooler drama. Also comes in tan.

Thrive:
ID=32161505
Coleman Perfectflow Instastart Lantern $70 ⬇
Sometimes the fun really only starts when the kids are in bed and a lantern is vital equipment for keep the party from fading from the picnic table to the campfire. Comparing the three popular lantern types, Propane lanterns require far less maintenance than liquid fuel lamps, and run longer and brighter than battery powered lanterns and aren't limited by cycling rechargeable batteries or the expense of disposable batteries. The old campers standby, the Coleman Northstar puts out 1500 lumens, has a pushbutton starter and variable brightness from romantically dim up to the equivalent of a 100-watt lightbulb.

The new for 2013 Perfectflow Instastart is about 10% brighter while using the same single mantle (the mantle is a disposable net that traps the burning propane gas and produces light) and has a larger glass globe with a snap on reflector. Having used both, the Perfectflow, also called Coleman Signature by some retailers, lights more reliably, burns more steadily and features a captured nut so theres nothing to drop when changing mantles in the dark.

Good: A single propane bottle lasts for several days when used at medium settings. Positive stops help determine output level and figure how long gas will last. Can be connected to a gas tree and run from a larger propane cylinder along with a camp stove for convenience when cooking. Propane means no pumping the lamp and no pump maintenance in the off season; new clip on mantles are a welcome upgrade from the old PIA tie-on type. Pretty quiet for a gas lamp.

Meh: Glass globe and mantle are delicate and demand attention during transit and storage. All gas mantles are fragile once used, so always keep a spare or two with the lantern. The lantern is pretty big and propane bottles take up a lot of space. One pound propane bottles aren't refillable and you kill the planet a little every time you use one. Can't be used indoors or in a tent as burnt propane puts out carbon monoxide.

Bonus: Not just for camping; great for tailgating and making patio parties feel intimate.

Packtowel RobeTowl , PHOTO: Courtesy Packtowel

Packtowel RobeTowl $75 ⬆
You gotta get from the campsite to the shower and changing in front of all those spiders in the communal bathroom freaks you out. Consider bringing a bathrobe that takes up barely more space than a long sleeved t-shirt and dries out with the mere mention of sunshine. The new RobeTowl takes the super absorbent, space-saving pack towels that many campers already use and turn it into a lakeside and bathroom coverup.

Good: Dries you and itself fast; can be hung out for an hour in the sun then packed up. Bathrobes are more than just hands-free towels; the are an easy way to protect your modesty during late night or early morning trips to the campsite bathroom.

Meh: The material is very absorbent, but tends to stick to you when wet. Getting wet arms into the sleeves can be bit of a wrestling match.

Bonus: The cut of the robe makes you look like a Jedi.

Nite Ize Figure 9 Small $2.50/each ⬇All you need is a handful of knots andID=32161513 you can secure anything to anything. But, if you didn't learn a bunch of knots as a child, lets no kid ourselves into thinking we have enough time to learn them now. Guying out a tent in the dark, securing gear to a roof rack, whatever… These little aluminum parts re place knots in just about any configuration you need one. Best of all, there's no fighting to untie a knot.

Good: There's no easier way to tie and untie cordage. Available in a couple of sizes to work with everything from 550 cord to larger ropes.

Meh: You won't stop at just one.

Bonus: The instructions are laser engraved on the tool itself to make sure you get the learn to use it right the first few times.

Exotac polySTRIKER XL, PHOTO: Courtesy Exotac

Exotac polySTRIKER XL $18 ⬆
There's no reason to be beholden to the number of matches in a pack or a the fuel left in a lighter when you can get a few thousand strikes from the polySTRIKER XL's giant ferrocerium rod. Grab some kindling from the woods around your campsite or use some petroleum jelly soaked cotton balls to start a fire that you can be proud of.

Good: The polySTRIKER's striker has four blades to ensure you've always got a strong edge to create a shower of sparks. The high-grade ferrocerium doesn't drop a spark, it rains dancing sparks that will turn kindle to fire giving embers. The grip is big and easy to hold and lends stability so you can place sparks where you need them. The striker stows away in the handle for a sleek, easy to pack package.

Meh: If you really don't know how to get a fire going, you have to learn.

Bonus: Support an American company. PolySTRIKER is made in the USA.

Nite Ize GearLine4, PHOTO: Courtesy Nite-Ize

Nite-Ize GearLine 4 Organization System $20 ⬆
There's few places in the world that are more pressed for space than a tent. Since you can't push out, push up and use the gear loft hangers built in to many tents to hang a GearLine Organization System. The line has gads of spots to hang the ten included split carabiners and pair of wire ties to secure everything from damp socks to reading lights. The GearLine 4 is four feet, the GearLine 2 is, yep, two feet.

Good: The webbing line can be used in just about anyplace from tents, to camp kitchens, to vehicle interiors, garages and downrange hooches.

Meh: Plastic s-biners may be a gimmick but they work.

Bonus: You don't have to use the GearLine in place of existing storage spots, get creative and use the wire ties to attach it in addition to existing spots.

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