The 2021 Men's Health Outdoor Awards

So much time spent indoors—or for some, perhaps a little too much—can only leave you wanting one thing: fresh air. And at this point, during the peak summer months of the year, odds are you're ready to shake off your day-to-day life and head straight out to the great outdoors. And whether you're planning a quick weekend getaway or a more intense backpacking trip, having the right gear to keep you going is a must for outdoorsmen of any level.

As fun as it can be to go all-in with the latest gear designed for fully embracing the wild, first things first: You have to get yourself the camping and hiking essentials. Once you've packed the necessary gear, clothes and shoes, then you can grab all other fun stuff (like Bluetooth speakers and party lights!) to make the most out of your getaway.

We know the number of options for these sorts of things is virtually endless, which is why we went ahead and tested out some of the latest or newly updated options on the market to see which ones are worth your car's precious real estate (or you know, that of a technical backpack). Once you have everything from this camping gear in your bag, you won't need anything else.