Photo by MundusImages via iStock
Whether you’re out for a quick weekend camping trip or you’re on a 6-month overlanding trip, having a good campfire can make life at camp much more enjoyable.
And for today’s campers, there are tons of campfire accessories that will make the job of starting and maintaining a fire much easier. Today’s list is all about identifying the best campfire accessories that you should check out.
Let’s get right to the list!
Best Campfire Accessories: A Quality Hatchet
You can’t have a campfire without firewood, and if you’re in a location where it’s legal to cut your own wood, a quality hatchet will be your best friend.
There are tons of excellent hatchets on the market, but the one I recommend is the Tops Knives High Impact Hatchet.
You can read all about this incredible hatchet in this article, but let me hit the highlights for you real quick:
- Full-tang, full-sized hatchet
- Carbon steel blade
- Tan canvas Micarta handle
- 20 inches long, 3/8 inches thick
- 3.5 pounds
Now, there are cheaper options out there, but when it comes to something as important as a hatchet, I don’t mess around with bargain-basement options.
I took this hatchet with me to the Alabama Hills a couple of weekends ago and it was a rock star for cutting wood and making kindling. And as I discuss in this video, it was cold on that trip so getting a fire going was paramount!
As far as campfire accessories go, a quality hatchet should be at the top of your list.
Campfire Amenities: A Fire Pit
Not every place you settle in to camp will have a ready-made fire pit. So why not bring one along with you?
Better yet, why not bring a fire pit that’s also a grill?!
One of my favorite new campfire accessories is the Fireflower Original portable fire pit and grill. This thing is absolutely awesome for making your camp life much simpler and easier.
As you can see in the video above, this little guy is a breeze to set up (thanks to its tool-free design) and it’s easy to use as well. You can make a seamless transition from fire pit to grill and back, that way you can enjoy your time around the campfire instead of spending all your time fixing up the fire pit.
Better still, it folds flat when you’re done with it, so it can easily be slid into your vehicle or trailer without taking up hardly any space.
The Fireflower Original is made of 10-gauge 304 stainless steel so it’s durable and rust-proof. That means this fire pit and grill will be with you for years and years of reliable service (and making awesome memories around the fire!).
Next Up: Start a Fire
Now that you have your wood cut and your fire pit ready to go, the next task on the list is to start the fire.
You can go the old-school route and rub two sticks together, or you can “cheat” like I do and use a fire-starter to get things going.
One of the best campfire accessories money can buy is a good fire-starter. It helps you start the fire more quickly and build a fire that will maintain itself over a long period of time.
About 90 percent of the time, I use Light-a-fire Fire-Starters. They’re quick, simple, easy to use, and they burn for a good, long while.
I also Titan SurvivorSteel on occasion. Having something like this with a Ferro-Rod and steel scraper is invaluable for campers and overlanders. Matches can get wet and become unusable, but this guy gives you a go-to source for starting a fire no matter how wet it gets!
Having some emergency tinder on hand isn’t a bad idea, either. I carry some  Fat Rope Sticks in my truck for those occasions when tinder is hard to come by. It’s resistant to water, wind, and other weather, and gives you reliable tinder to get your fire going no matter the conditions.
Best Campfire Accessories: MC Ranch Overland Original Fire Reflector
I’ve used the Original Fire Reflector from MC Ranch Overland on a number of occasions, and I have to say it’s become one of my favorite campfire accessories.
Not only does this reflector bounce the heat towards you to keep you warm, but it also increases the ambient light in camp, that way I don’t have to turn on the lights on my trailer or use up my headlamp and lantern lights.
Additionally, this reflector is great for fire control. It creates a nest for your fire where the wind is managed so you can get your fire going quickly and keep it going. When cooking, having a barrier on one side is helpful because it allows you to approach the fire from the protected side, lessening the chance for embers to fly up and get you or your clothes.
The Original Fire Reflector is lightweight, yet durable. It’s easy to set up and won’t get blown over. If you want to step up your campfire experience, you need one of these!
Learn More:
You Need a Campfire Chair Too!
Nothing beats sitting around the campfire. Well, sitting around the campfire comfortably…
My go-to campfire chair is the Front Runner Expander Camping Chair. I have two of them, in fact.
What I like about these chairs is that they are easily portable, fold down to virtually nothing, yet they’re also comfortable.
I have these chairs stowed away in my Pelican Case on the back of my truck. They’re right there on top for easy access, so as soon as the fire is rocking and rolling, I can get these out, have a seat, and enjoy the heat from the fire.
Sure, these chairs are a little spendy, but the level of comfort, durability, and portability make them well worth the price.
Campfire Accessories You Need: Marshmallow Roasting Sticks
No campfire accessories list would be complete without some marshmallow sticks.
While getting the perfect roast on your marshmallows requires practicing your skills, having sticks like these certainly won’t hurt!
Add Fire Safety Gear to Your List of Campfire Accessories
Photo by GarysFRP via iStock
Of course, when you’re dealing with a campfire, safety is paramount. For people like me that live in California, managing your fire and ensuring it doesn’t get out of control is especially important.
I have two items in particular that I use to manage my fires – a collapsible bucket and a shovel.
Having a means of quickly dousing the flames with water is invaluable, and the space-saving design of this collapsible bucket can’t be beat.
But using water isn’t the only thing you should have in your bag of tricks when putting out a fire…
I also have an A.M. Leonard Super Sawtooth Shovel to dig into the earth and throw some dirt over the fire to make extra sure that it’s out.
With all these campfire accessories on hand, all you have left to do is get is a good drink and gather your friends around the fire!