About Camping Guidance
Hi, I’m Liz. I buy camping gear with my own savings and test it for years.
No sponsors. No brand deals. No team. It’s just me, a tape measure, and a backyard that has seen a lot of rain. Every review on this site starts with a receipt.
The one-line disclosure: when you buy through links here, a store may pay me a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never decides a ranking. Read the full policy →
The story
How I got here
Age 13: I join the outdoor club
Camping, hiking, kayaking, climbing, diving. I tried everything.
The next decade: camping wins
10+ years of trips later, camping is my true love.
6 years ago: I start testing gear
My cheap chairs collapsed and my “waterproof” tents leaked. The reviews I read online clearly came from people who’ve never tested camping gear. So, I decided to test gear myself.
Today: still just me
180+ products in and $25,711 down. No staff writers, no review team. If a ranking is wrong, it’s on me.
The method
How a review gets made here
Every product goes through the same four steps.
I buy it retail
Same store, same box, same price as you. I’ve spent $25,711 of my own savings so far.
I camp with it
Real trips, real weather. Example – all my tents sit outside through actual rainstorms until I know exactly when they start leaking.
I measure everything
Tape measure, kitchen scale, stopwatch. I record real seat heights, true weights, and setup times, and more.
I rank it against everything
Every new product gets scored out of 10 next to every rival I’ve tested.
The receipts
Proof it actually happens
Every measurement I publish comes with a photo or a video like these. Check my work whenever you like.
I measure seat height the same way on all 21 chairs. Photo: Liz Ho
Same tape measure, next chair. My comparisons only work if the method never changes. Photo: Liz Ho
I check size claims side by side, not off the box. Photo: Liz Ho
The Coleman Skydome in my yard in heavy rain. I’m testing exactly how long it survives before it starts leaking. Photo: Liz Ho
The honest part
Where the money comes from
When you buy through a link on this site, the store may pay me a commission. It costs you nothing extra, and it’s how the reviews stay free.
Here’s the part that keeps it honest: if I steer you wrong and you return the product, I earn nothing. Recommending the wrong chair literally doesn’t pay. The rankings come from my test data. The links get added after.
- No sponsorships
- No paid placements
- Rankings not for sale
As featured on
My testing and advice have been picked up by tech and outdoor publications.
The channel
Watch the tests happen
Every review here starts as a video. 30,000+ campers follow along on YouTube, and I read and respond to every comment. It’s my favorite part of the day.
Say hi
Talk to me
Pick which applies best:
Campers
Gear questions
Leave a comment on any of my videos. I read and respond to every single one.
Brands & PR
Pitches
I don’t accept free samples, sponsorships, or paid placements. Anything else, I’m listening.
Press
Media
Writing about camping gear? I’m happy to share test data, photos, or a quote.
Email works for all of it: “Please address it to ‘Liz’; that’s how I eyeball my emails to filter out spam.”
This page: last updated July 2026.
— Liz Ho
Founder, tester, and the only employee · Camping Guidance
Put it to work
