The Best Gear to Make Your Backyard More Fun
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The yearly beach vacation? Canceled. That backpacking trip with high school friends? Scrapped. Nevertheless, you must make the most of what you have. A socially distanced summer doesn't mean you can't spruce up your own private outdoor space to make the most of the warmer months. Over the years, I've had many opportunities to turn my own backyard into a gear testing space. These are my favorite picks for making your backyard—or small patio or balcony—as serene as possible.
Happily, this is but a small selection of the backyard-appropriate gear we've tested. Be sure to check out our other buying guides on the best grilling gear, Bluetooth speakers, and compact cameras, to name a few.
Update May 2021: We did TKTK
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- Photograph: REI01
A Low Chair
REI Co-Op Trail ChairI've tried a lot of camping chairs. But for a chair that's versatile, affordable, and storable, you can't beat a padded stadium-style seat. REI's is more durable than most, with an abrasion-resistant, durable water repellent (DWR) finish to repel moisture if you accidentally leave it out overnight. A fiberglass frame means that it's not quite as floppy as other camp chairs in this style.
A chair like this is more about what it isn't, rather than what it is. It doesn't have legs that will break, bow, or sink into dirt when you sit down. You don't have to struggle to jam it back into a stuff sack. If all you have is a fire escape, it can unfold and fold quickly back up to slide into the bottom of a closet.
- Photograph: Snow Peak02
A Low Table
Snow Peak Low Action TableYou probably need a table for your drinks, snacks, or laptop. Unlike many other pieces of outdoor furniture, Snow Peak's low table easily folds into a thin panel to bring it in and out of your house and store it when it's wet. The tabletop is made from thin laminated bamboo with sturdy aluminum legs. Like your low chair, it will easily convert back into camping gear when we're all allowed to go camping again.
- Photograph: BioLite03
String Lights
BioLite SiteLight MiniI've found most BioLite products to be to be light, durable, affordable, and attractive. The dimmable mini string lights are designed to be plugged into a USB power source, like BioLite's PowerLight. They hang from an adjustable 10-foot cord that can be moved anywhere. I've put it on a backyard fence, used it to play yard games at night, had it on a deck railing, and even put it on the bottom of my kid's bunk bed when he was a little scared of the dark. You can also add more on a daisy chain if you find that four lights just aren't enough.
- Photograph: Ooni04
A Pizza Oven
Ooni Koda Pizza OvenMy favorite piece of backyard gear is a pizza oven (these are my favorites). Pizza is fast, irresistible, possibly more sanitary than grilling, and customizable to a wide range of dietary preferences, which is important when you're feeding small children. When it comes to price, portability, and ease of use, the Koda is probably the best fit for most beginning pizzaiolos.
Instead of multiple layers of heavy brick or ceramics, the Koda relies on a thin carbon-steel shell for insulation, which keeps its weight to around 20 pounds. Just attach it to a propane tank, flip on the ignition, and wait a few minutes for the interior to get up to a blistering 800 degrees to roast veggies and bake your dough into a crisp, crackery crust.
- Photograph: BioLite05
A Bluetooth-Controlled Fire
BioLite FirePitI also like BioLite's FirePit. I've tried a number of other firepits, from steel ones with a grill cover (I have one similar to this) to Snow Peak's elegant Pack & Carry, which I probably love too much.
BioLite's pit is the most versatile and requires the least amount of effort and cleanup. Tiny, Bluetooth-controlled air jets let you precisely start and control the flames and keep smoke, stray embers, and heat contained. The top also works as a tiny hibachi-style grill. When you're done, just slide the ash bin out and toss.
- Photograph: Yeti06
A Sturdy Cooler
Yeti Tundra HaulWe have tested many coolers of every shape and size, as well as a few electric ones. The one I turn to over and over again is the classic Yeti rotomolded cooler.
Yeti pioneered the process of rotomolding, or melting plastic over foam insulation to form a solid, seamless cooler with uniform density (you can read more about how coolers work here). I was skeptical that any cooler could match Yeti's claims, but the Haul kept ice frozen solid for six days on my deck in blazing 90-degree heat.
- Photograph: Yeti07
An Insulated Tumbler
Yeti Rambler Stackable Pints (16 Ounce)I love a good piece of double-duty gear, and I'm happy to report that one of my favorite travel coffee mugs is also great at keeping beer and other beverages frosty cold outside. The pint-sized tumblers are stackable for easy storage, and you can also pop them into the dishwasher. It lets you stop worrying about breaking your favorite glass outside.
- Photograph: Kodak08
A Portable Projector
Kodak Luma 150Kodak's portable theater isn't the most high powered one we've tested (we have many other recommendations here), but it can almost fit into your pocket. It can project an 80-inch screen at 12 feet, and it'll connect via HDMI port to an Amazon Fire Stick, Roku, or Chromecast device (you can also stream files via Airplay or Miracast).
It won't work very well in the daylight, but if you want a projector that you can quickly and easily move from your basement to the backyard at night, this is probably your best bet. If you pick up a projector screen, you can probably have a family movie night.
- Photograph: Lifetime09
Mini Bucky Dome
Lifetime Dome ClimberIf you have kids, you've probably been wracking your brain how to best use your outdoor space to burn off some energy. We have friends who have gone with everything from play structures to trampolines.
For smaller kids (mine are 3 and 5), I recommend this Buckminster Fuller-esque geodesic climbing dome. It's easy to set up and made from a durable, weather-resistant powder-coated steel. It's not an eyesore and won't leave a huge bare patch of dead grass in your yard if you decide to take it down. You can also throw a blanket over the top to make an instant yurt.
- Photograph: Ultimate Ears10
A Bluetooth Speaker
UE Boom 3I have a weakness for our favorite Bluetooth speakers. Portable speakers are easy to use and don't rely on stable Wi-Fi; they're often rugged and waterproof to take outside. We've tested a lot of them, but our favorite is still the Ultimate Ears Boom 3. It's a gorgeous, waterproof cylinder with big, manipulable buttons, killer battery life—and, of course, crisp, clear audio to play music while you're sunning your toes.
- Photograph: Celestron11
A Telescope
Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102Ebbing air and light pollution means that the night skies are clearer than ever. Celestron's telescope and companion app can auto-locate major stars and nebulae with just a few taps on a smartphone.
Unlike many cumbersome motorized telescope-app setups, Celestron keeps theirs affordable with a wonderfully low-tech solution. A mount sticks off to the side of the telescope, holds your phone in place, points the phone's camera into a mirror to figure out where the scope is pointed, and directs you to move it accordingly. If you're feeling anxious or scared, it might make you feel better to look at stars that have been there millions of years, and aren't going anywhere soon.
- Photograph: Kammock12
A Comfy Hammock
Kammok Roo Double HammockI have the 2015 version of this hammock, which does not come with hammock straps. This year's version is even lighter and stronger, made from soft, 40-dernier ripstop with durable water repellent (DWR) coating to ward off damp.
The two-person version that I have is big enough to fit both me and my kids (my husband and I can't be in it together comfortably). We stretch it between our deck posts and a maple tree in my yard, but Kammok also has hammock stands. When you're done, it packs down into a stuff sack to the size of a football.
- Photograph: Rumpl13
A Cozy Blanket
Rumpl Recycled BlanketWe are outdoor blanket people—I have everything from a packable, waterproof Yeti picnic blanket to traditional wool Pendletons. But by far the most useful and versatile is the Rumpl blanket, which is made from sleeping bag materials and now includes recycled material in its composition.
It has also been treated with DWR, which means that it's soft enough to put over your lap in the evenings and keeps your bum dry when you spread it on the grass. Since it's synthetic, you can easily pop it in the washing machine if you spill soda all over it.
- Photograph: Kubb14
A Slightly Dangerous Yard Game
Yard Games Kubb SetEveryone has their own favorite backyard game, whether that's horseshoes, Frisbee, or tossing a ball. My neighborhood's favorite yard game is Kubb, which can best be describe as slightly dangerous lawn bowling. Players take turns throwing batons across a pitch to knock down their opponent's wooden blocks, before attempting to knock down the largest block, or king.
It's simple enough for even kids to play, but I mainly like it because rumor has it that the game started out as "Viking chess," and it was played with the skulls and thighbones of their enemies. This rumor persists despite the fact that in Sweden it is known, less menacingly, as "the skittles game." This set is affordable and comes with a case, but if you have spare wood lying around, it's also easy to make your own.
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