Spending more time outside is always the goal, but we can't deny our yearning for certain creature comforts. (Some might argue that coffee is a necessity, not a comfort.)
Utilize these tried-and-true hacks to make your outdoor experience even more enjoyable. They'll will make it easier to eat, drink, and practice good hygiene so you can extend your time at your favorite parks.
Hang your hats on a bungee in your car
As outdoorswomen, we love our hats! You'll always want to have hats on-hand in your car for walks, hikes, and unexpectedly-longer periods spent under the sun. Keeping your hats from getting smashed in the backseat of your car can be difficult - so use this hack!
Wrap a bungee cord around the seatbelt holder on the backseat of your car. Secure it to itself and tuck the hooks down towards the trunk of your car. Fasten your snap-back and trucker hats to the bungee to keep them from getting sat on, or smashed under a backpack or bag of groceries.
Have coffee, anywhere
Make your mornings outdoors more caffeinated by making hot, fresh coffee wherever you post up. Jetboil makes compact fast boil systems that will have your coffee tumbler refilled in no time.
The Jetboil Flash Java Kit comes with the accessories you need to be able to turn the boiler itself into a giant traveler mug of fresh brewed coffee.
Rinse off anywhere
Cleaning cookware and rinsing off sandy feet has never been easier if you have a RinseKit. The portable pressure shower can be used to clean everything, including yourself.
This comes in especially handy when you want to go from the beach to a restaurant, or get the dirt off before climbing into your car.
Cuddle up in a loveseat
Can't stand to be a chair apart from your partner or best buddy? This loveseat camping lets you cuddle up with a blanket and find the perfect spot for each of your cell phones and drinks.
The Kelty Low Loveseat folds up so that it's barely bigger than a normal size chair and comes with a padded carrying case.
Keep your feet clean while rinsing off with a grass mat
Rinsing off in the parking lot after surfing doesn't do much good if you end up standing in a dirty puddle of water. Grab a Surf Grass Mat to roll out next to your vehicle to stand on while you rinse off. It pairs well with the RinseKit!
These grass mats are also idea for setting at the entrance of your camping tent.
Use full-body wipes for hygiene while adventuring
Sleeping in sweat and sunblock, or even just driving home in it is not comfortable after spending a day outdoors adventuring. Use full body wipes for keeping up with hygiene while spending times outdoors.
Find yourself some privacy and wipe down with a large cleansing wipe to get the sweat off your neck, back, legs and anywhere else you feel needs cleansing and relief from a sticky day outside.
Keep the essentials powered with a Yeti generator
There are some electronics and powered devices we can't live without while spending time outdoors, for both safety reasons and for some of our favorite tech essentials, like accessing AllTrails. Investing in a small generator will keep your electronics powered up so you can spend more time out there and away from on-the-grid outlets.
Even the smallest Yeti generator can power up your laptops, cell phones, and other electronic devices. While you're not out adventuring, having a generator at home will make you better prepared for emergencies and power outages.
Fast-drying towels make life easier
It's essential to use fast-drying towels when you're packing up after a beach day. Turkish towels are lightweight and dry quickly so you won't have a wet and bulky towel in the trunk of your car. The materials also make it easier to wash your beach towels.
If you've ever had a pile of wet towels sitting in the back of your trunk from all of your friends, you know that having a dry load on the way home will make a difference in keeping your car clean and smelling like surf wax, not wet towel.
Yeti coolers keep food, drinks and fish cooler, longer
Is having a Yeti cooler worth the cost? Yes! Having an ice chest that keeps your food and beverages nice and cold is one less thing to worry about when you're out adventuring.
Yeti coolers provide high value to women outdoor enthusiasts, as one of the many benefits is that they can save you the hassle of not having to run into town to buy more ice!
Keep your key dry and accessible with a Masterlock
Don't risk dropping your key on the slopes, in the water, or anywhere else - safely stash it in a Masterlock key box instead. You typically see this combination lock key box used by real estate agents who want to share access to a property. They also come in handy for outdoorswomen!
Slip your car key off your key chain, lock up your car and place it in the Masterlock key box. Attach it to your car handle or the vehicle hitch and lock up the box. This outdoor adventure hack saves a lot of headaches and miscommunication if you use the car as the group meet-up spot, too. Share the combination with friends in case you get separated and someone needs access to the vehicle.
Put your wet things in a bucket
What do you do with your wetsuit, wet bikini, and other soaked items after surfing or spending time on the water? Surfers have found that using a bucket from a home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes does the trick. This hack will keep your wet things off of your dry things after surfing or spending time on the water.
Since the bucket has a handle, it's the best vessel to transport wet items from the car to your home. Make sure to prop up the bucket so it doesn't tip over and roll around while you're driving.
Pack your items in a dry bag while on the water
Even if you don't think you'll tip over and end up wet while stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking, there's a chance you might! It's better to be prepared than end up with a floating yard sale of your items on the water. Keep all your items together and dry in a dry bag.
You can find these bags at your local outdoor retailer or online and they come in a range of sizes. Stick your extra layer of clothes, snacks, and sunblock in the dry bag, roll it tightly shut and secure it to the tie-downs on your SUP or kayak.
Pack your blankets and pillows in trash bags while camping
Although we love mama nature, we still don't want to sleep with sand and dirt on our blankets and pillows. Maintaining clean bedding while camping isn't reserved for the glamping folks; us gritty girls prefer a clean bed at night, too.
Prevent your bedding from getting dirty while camping by putting your blankets and pillows in trash bags and tightly tying them shut. This will keep your bedding clean while packing the car and traveling. Always set up your tent first before bringing your bedding outside - it's insane how much dirt kicks up at a campsite in five minutes!
Have 'always,' 'sometimes,' and 'never' dedicated pockets
This is an essential outdoor hack while skiing and snowboarding! While out on the ski runs, we typically bring the essential items with us, something like: ski pass, car keys, phone, credit card, lip balm, and gum. Some of these items are easy to replace and others aren't. Also, some of these items you'll reach for frequently throughout the day, while others you'll only need while in the parking lot or lodge. That's why we invented the dedicated pocket system to prevent dropping your stuff off of the chairlift or on the slopes.
First, designate an 'always' pocket. It's ok to open this pocket whenever you want gum or lip balm. The 'sometimes' pocket is for the items you want to be more careful with, like your phone or ski pass, which you may pull out from time to time. And then designate a 'never' pocket that you'll never open on the slopes or chairlift, and keep your car keys and credit card in there. Maybe your phone, too. Don't mix your items between the pockets!
Keep your drink hot or cold longer with an insulated mug
Coffee and tea lovers know the importance of keeping your beverage at an enjoyable drinking temperature. When you're out in the elements, your drink will cool off even quicker if you don't keep it in an insulated container.
This mug-style thermos can give you that at-home cozy feeling. Yeti makes insulated mugs, or support your local shops and ski resorts that feature their brand.
A side table makes eating easier
You never knew how much you needed it until you experience the outdoor luxury of a fold-up chair that has a side table. Having a sturdy surface area makes it easy to set your food and drink down, keeping it off the ground and away from the dirt and dogs.
These fold-out chairs with side tables are also designed to be sturdier than your average camping chair. Look for them at your local outdoor retailer. Coleman makes these along with other great camping gear brands.