Alex, our pup Maddie, and I LOVE getting outside and having #PlantBasedAdventures, and we've definitely got some favorite tools and products that we bring on every trip. From healthy, hearty snacks to keep you moving on your hike to one of favorite ways to relax while we're camping, this list is designed to make your next camping experience the best it can be. These are our must-have products for our outdoor adventures!

1. EASY, HEALTHY SNACKS + ON-THE-GO FOOD

You need some serious calories and carbs to keep you fueled up while you camp. From protein bars to crackers, vegan jerky and dehydrated backpacking meals - we've tried it all. The best stuff though? Something that packs some protein and that you actually enjoy eating! There's nothing worse than an exhaustive outdoor day followed by a really disappointing meal back at camp. We've got some great campfire meal suggestions here and here, but we also try and bring plenty of granola bars, vegan jerky, chips or crackers, and fresh fruit for snacking. Oh and of course, S'MORE stuff! Of course you could just bring these S'mores brownies, instead. And if you're like us and go camping year round, be sure to check out the monthly snack boxes from Vegan Cuts + Urthbox! They both offer great deals on fun and creative snacks that get shipped to your door monthly. We always end up with leftover snacks in our box that we toss into our camping tote for trips. It's perfect and always snack sized! (Gear pictured: Backpackers Pantry, AlpineAire, Louisville Vegan Jerky, Way Better Snacks)

2. HIGH-QUALITY CAMP KITCHEN EQUIPMENT 

The key to successful campfire cooking might just be to avoid the campfire completely! While I love and often use a campfire while we are camping, because we live in super dry and prone-to-forest-fires California, there are times when having a campfire simply isn't feasible. That's when having awesome, high quality gear you can count on is super important. We love our fuel-fed JetBoil cooking system. We've made oatmeal, pasta, pho soup, and even just boiled water for rehydrating meals, making hot drinks and to do dishes with. The setup is easy and boils about 2 cups of water in less than a minute. There are other similar systems on the market, but we've been super happy with this one. We also always keep stainless steel dishes, like the To-Go Ware's reusable layering steel tiffins above (PERFECT for keeping multiple meals separated on a long hike!), wooden utensils, and insulated mugs on hand. We always have our HydroFlask bottles and snack containers for iced and hot drinks and for taking warm breakfasts or lunches on the go, and we carry all of it in our hiking backpacks. We love Maine-made Good To-Go Meals, pictured above as well, and enjoyed their vegan-friendly Smoke 3-Bean Chili on our most recent trip. (Gear pictured: HydroFlask, To-Go Ware, JetBoil, Good To-Go Meals)

3. A HAMMOCK

We LOVE our hammock. Its maybe my favorite piece of camping equipment we own and one I never thought I needed. It takes just minutes to set up and even on a one night excursion, we always end up setting it up. We got ours from ENO (the leading Hammock brand) at a flash REI sale last year, and the straps to extend the length we just ordered on Amazon, along with some string solar lights to hang above it, as well. Its a great investment - for less than $100 you have an extra bed, hang-out spot, lookout, or snuggle spot! We've napped in it or just hung-out, and it easily fits both Alex and I. Maddie hates getting inside, haha, but thats okay. Its made of parachute material so it dries easily if it gets wet and packs up really small when its time to put it away. Plus, since it just needs two trees to get set up, you can set it up over a rad view, often in a spot a tent could never go. You can check out ENO hammocks here - although there are many brands to choose from! (Gear pictured: ENO Hammocks)

4. COMFY ADVENTURE CLOTHING

If you're going to be hiking, camping, or just playing around outdoors, you need to be comfortable. Nothing make a trip more miserable than being wet and soggy, too cold or too hot because you just didn't bring the right gear. A couple of tips: first, do your research! Check weather reports for where you're headed in the days before to be sure there aren't any funky weather patterns moving in that you aren't prepared for.
Second, its all about the layers. Pack an extra outfit more than you think you'll need and plenty of layer to shed or add as the temperature changes. I always bring a warm beanie for chilly mornings but usually end up shedding it by the time the sun has been out for a few hours - always better to be over-prepared than under! 
Third, start with the underwear! Seriously, is there anything worse than itching or chafing mid-way through a 10 mile hike? NOPE! Which is why I really recommend having great basics - breathable cotton if you don't plan on getting super wet, wicking materials like polyester if you do. We've been addicted to sustainable, eco-friendly clothing company PACT for all our 'basics' needs. They make everything from underwear to leggings, tops, socks and PJ's for men and women, too. Its nice to feel like you're wearing clothing that is both good for the earth and comfy on your body. Plus, there's nothing better than a clean, fresh pair of underpants after a long day outside! (Gear pictured: HydroFlask, To-Go Ware, PACT, ENO Hammocks)

5. PLANT BASED ADVENTURE GEAR

Okay, so you don't NEED these stickers - but they're a pretty great addition to your favorite adventure gear! We have a few more designs in our shop, as well as a really cute and sturdy lunchbox that'll remind you to 'Pack All The Snacks'! They're affordable, ship out to you quickly, and look great on water bottles, bumpers, bikes, laptops and wherever else you think to stick 'em. Find all the designs here! (Gear pictured: HydroFlask, Plant Based Adventures)

If you've followed us here (or here) for awhile, you probably know that my partner Alex and I love the outdoors. I was raised in Maine, so living in Southern California can sometimes feel like a huge city I just need to escape. Alex and I like to get away by packing up our pup and our camping gear and driving to a remote location to camp, hike, hang around the campfire and enjoy the fresh air. Whether we're driving to Mammoth, Big Sur, or Anza Borrego, or anywhere else - we like to get adventurous in the outdoors. Since we're vegan, we started using the hashtag #PlantBasedAdventures to categorize our adventures and keep track of them. Now, we're launching a whole section here on Fettle Vegan for it! This new part of the site will be dedicated to the half of our lives not spent in the kitchen, but rather in the great outdoors. We'll have everything from cool camping product reviews to campfire-friendly recipes and excursion ideas...oh yeah, and some RAD merch for sale, too! 

Yup, we've got stickers and lunch sacks for sale to show everyone how you roll on your Plant Based Adventures! We're heading off to the desert tomorrow for our first camping adventure of the spring, and we'll be packing all of our new goodies to show off. I hope you guys love the designs as much as I do...we have our dear friend and incredible designer Kat Marshello to thank for those, and she did a really incredible job capturing some of my favorite parts of our trips.  Can't wait for some feedback from you guys. In the meantime, check out all the products in our SHOP!