Hiking, camping, and backpacking are fun ways to spend a weekend or a holiday. And, it’s even more enjoyable when you’re prepared! Besides some snacks, a tent or hammock, and a backpack, having some custom-made gadgets can make your trip even better.
In this article, we’ll be sharing our favorite camping and backpacking accessories. To help you find what’s the most useful, we’ve split up our selections into different categories: camping, backpacking, survival, food and cookware, and miscellaneous.
If you see something you’d like 3D printed but your printer’s acting out, head over to Craftcloud. With a large selection of materials and finishes, you’ll get a perfect part delivered right to your door.
Now, let’s get ready to go outside, and get into the list!
Camping
In this section, we’ve got a few designs that’ll improve your campsite so you can sit back comfortably and enjoy nature.
Tent Stake
This camping accessory holds your tent or shade structure corners down so the wind doesn’t knock it over. You can even use them to hold down your hammock’s rain fly. All you do is loop a string around, shove it into soft ground, then step on it to “lock” it in.
The maker designed this 3D printable tent stake after breaking a purchased one. If you camp a lot, you probably know how easily the metal ones can get lost or bent. This tent stake is a great way to save the hassle of unbending those metal stakes or searching for them.
The designer indicated that this model requires no supports or rafts and suggests using a 0.2-mm layer height with a 100% infill for strength.
- Who designed it? mistertech
- How printable/popular is it? This design has 10 posted makes and 4 remixes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Camp Light
Light up your campsite with this cool and useful design! The model has a 25-mm hole to stick a flashlight into, so you’ll either need a small flashlight that will fit or you’ll have to scale it up if you have a larger one.
Along with the eight printed parts, you’ll need some screws, a paracord, and a translucent jug of some sort. The assembly instructions are all included in his description.
- Who designed it? tonpa888
- How printable/popular is it? One maker has shared a really good-looking make of this design.
- Where to find it? Printables
Bug Trap
Where there’s light, there are bugs! This trap is designed to be easily mounted on a standard Coke bottle or any soda bottle with a compatible thread. The trap’s funnel shape lures flies or wasps attracted by smell into the bottle but prevents them from finding their way out.
The recommended print settings include a 0.2-mm layer height with 25% infill. A yellow-colored print is suggested, as flies are drawn to this color. If you’re especially nice, consider letting the critters out when you’re ready to strike camp.
- Who designed it? derekzoli
- How printable/popular is it? This genius model has 21 makes as well as 6 remixes!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Clothespin
This camping accessory is important when you want to dry and air out clothes on a clothesline. The cool thing about this clothespin model is that it requires no spring or extra parts; it can be used right off of the print bed. According to the maker, the clothespin is strong enough to hold heavy and wet towels.
The creator of this model states that the design is optimized for printing in PLA. The designer listed the model as support-free with dimensions of 75 x 20 x 6 mm.
- Who designed it? O3D Official
- How printable/popular is it? This design has over 3,300 downloads.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Gimbaled Drink Holder
After getting your campsite all set up, there’s nothing quite like a nice cold drink for your efforts. This drink holder will keep your cans off of the ground and within arm’s reach while you lounge. The Dino Clip allows you to clamp the print onto just about any hammock, tent, or rope you have, while the gimbaled design keeps your cans upright no matter the orientation of the clamp.
The model is sized for 12-oz cans, with solo cups able to fit after removing the can basket. While the gimbal is print-in-place, the clamp will require a little more care with support to get the best quality out of it. Also, the designer warns against using Cura for the Dino Clip, so you might want to want to use one of your other favorite slicers for this project.
- Who designed it? EyeZack
- How printable/popular is it? You’ll find four makes for this amazing cup holder.
- Where to find it? Printables
Fishing Rod Belt Holster
When you go fishing, whether just for fun or during your camping trip, there’s a lot of equipment you need to carry with you to your fishing spot. Free up your hands with this fishing rod holster and make sure that you can bring everything you need for a successful fishing trip.
The holster prints without any supports, maintaining a smooth surface that won’t scratch up your nice belt. Once inserted into the belt, this holster will keep your fishing rod firmly in place. Best of all, you won’t have to get it dirty by laying it on the ground when swapping lures or applying bait.
- Who designed it? ninjake
- How printable/popular is it? 88 users have printed this model according to MakerWorld, speaking to its ease of use and clever design.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Backpacking
In this section, you’ll find some awesome models to maintain and optimize your backpack, including clips, carabiners, and straps!
Backpack Handle
Unlike the traditional strap loop that tends to cut into your fingers, this handle offers a strong and ergonomic grip, making it ideal for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. The handle securely stays in place during use, but it can be effortlessly removed whenever required.
Users can print this handy accessory using strong filaments like PETG, ABS, or even carbon fiber PLA given its durability.
- Who designed it? guppyk
- How printable/popular is it? This lifesaver has five makes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
S-Carabiner
This handy accessory can clip right onto your backpack or camping gear to hold another item on separate rings. The carabiner uses two bendable arms that require no hinges or springs, making this model completely 3D printed.
No printing settings are given by the creator of this model, but a recorded maker used 20% infill, a 0.2-mm layer height, and a raft. After printing, the designer recommends separating the spring arms from the main body of the print with a knife.
- Who designed it? briscoe28
- How printable/popular is it? This very popular and useful design has 56 posted makes as well as 9 remixes!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Strap Clip
This backpack strap clip attaches to your strap and offers a hook to carry or attach something to. Since it’s printed in plastic, it’s lighter than traditional metal clips. There’s both a large and a small strap model available and the creator of the design also suggests that you can use them to hold your cooking gear.
The designer provides no printing suggestions, but, from what we can tell, it should be a pretty straightforward print.
- Who designed it? TeamOutdoor
- How printable/popular is it? This design has over 12,900 views with over 1,100 downloads.
- Where to find it? Cults
Buckle
This backpack buckle is a good replacement if your backpack has a broken one. It measures 47 x 55 mm and should fit most 50-mm backpack straps.
The designer recommends printing with a 100% infill and a 0.3-mm layer height. The maker also advises printing with both a raft and supports. Check out Thomas Sanladerer’s YouTube video to see how you should remove the supports.
- Who designed it? bebenlebricolo
- How printable/popular is it? This design has 14 recorded makes and a couple of remixes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Quick Clips
Every backpacker knows just how important it is to keep your essential items easily accessible. Quick Clips does just that. This mounting system allows you to clip just about anything onto your backpack or Molle straps, using a simple buckle and pin design. These buckles come with loops that you can attach everything from keys and carabiners to rope and whistles.
The base kit of the model comes with everything you need to mount simple objects. The designer, Taylor, has released a variety of add-ons for specialized uses, including containers, duct tape wraps, and more! The models have been remixed many times, with the community creating their own Quick Clip designs to suit their unique backpacking experience.
- Who designed it? TaylorSteinf
- How printable/popular is it? 54 people have shared their Quick Clip makes so far, with 24 remixes currently available for the starter kit models.
- Where to find it? Printables
Strap Connector
If your original backpack strap adjuster is broken, you’re in luck. Connecting two straps together in a different way than the buckle above, this model is another way to keep your backpack in working order.
The designer recommends printing the two parts in a vertical orientation with the rods facing up. The creator of this model also suggests printing with supports activated. The model has a price tag of ~$0.50, but makers seem to agree it’s well worth it.
Survival Essentials
In this section, you can find some models that might help you survive in a worst-case scenario. Stay safe out there!
Match Case
Having a way to start a fire is absolutely essential in survival situations. Whether to start a fire to keep warm, to cook, or create smoke to grab the attention of passers-by, you should definitely have matches handy when you’re camping.
This match case is designed with simplicity and durability in mind, ensuring your matches stay safe and dry during your camping trips or survival outings. The top of the case is threaded specifically to fit standard soda bottle tops, which will provide a reliable and waterproof seal for your matches and tinder.
For the material, the creator suggests using PET due to its excellent properties such as strength and warp resistance. However, there’s no reason why you couldn’t print this with PETG, ABS, or even PLA.
- Who designed it? nearadyn
- How printable/popular is it? This useful device has 11 makes and 5 remixes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Fishing Rod
While perhaps not a conventional piece of survival equipment, a fishing pole can be used to find dinner. This fishing rod is very compact, saving a ton of space inside of your backpack, and is fully 3D printed, which will also save you a lot of money over purchasing a traditional fishing rod.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that this model also comes with hidden containers for you to store all of your lures, hooks, and floaters, keeping everything in one compact place. The prints are threaded, and everything screws together neatly for efficient storage when you’re done finishing. Just make sure that your printer’s tolerances are good to go before you slice the design.
- Who designed it? Schildkamp
- How printable/popular is it? This is a newer model that’s gaining in popularity, with almost 240 downloads and 2 makes already.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Multi-Tool
A more conventional survival essential, this small and useful tool is essential for any emergency. This multi-tool is equipped with a box-cutter blade, a loud emergency whistle, and an LED light. You’ll need some screws for assembly.
The designer didn’t provide that much information for this model, so be careful when assembling and printing.
- Who designed it? Mussy
- How printable/popular is it? This design has over 15,000 views with 290 downloads.
- Where to find it? Cults
Water Filter
If you’ve been backpacking before, you’re most likely familiar with water filters. With one, you can turn any water source into safe drinking water.
This water filter includes five 3D printed parts and the filtering process has three stages: removing the sediments, removing impurities and some pathogens, and removing the rest of the bad stuff. Each filter stage uses non-printable components such as cotton pads, a little bit of iodine, charcoal, and more. More details are on the project page.
The maker suggests printing with a 0.2-mm layer height with a 25% infill. The designer also listed that they used two shells to print the parts, with no raft or supports. Assembly shouldn’t be hard and only requires hot-gluing the parts together.
- Who designed it? mussy
- How printable/popular is it? This design has a couple of posted makes as well as a remix.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
First Aid Box
Keeping all of your medical supplies in one place when backpacking or camping is a must for emergency situations and convenient when faced with minor injuries. This first aid box is designed to be small and rugged so that you can take it anywhere you go and know that your supplies are safe. In addition to the 3D printed parts, you’ll need hex bolts to assemble the box and latches.
You can fit bandages, medical tape, and other small essentials inside this box. While the base model’s small size is perfect for travel, one maker was able to scale the model up and add a TPU seal for a robust first-aid box fit for general medical supplies of all sizes. Alternatively, the designer has released a larger version as well.
- Who designed it? CharliePapa
- How printable/popular is it? You’ll find nine makes of this model posted so far, each with a different color, size, or material!
- Where to find it? Printables
Food & Cookware
These prints are for making cooking in the outdoors just a tad more convenient. For all of them, you might want to consider printing them in a food-safe filament, and you might also want to do some reading on food-safe printing beforehand too.
Portable Salt Shaker
Cooking in the wilderness can be rewarding, but it’s not entirely without its difficulties (try lugging a spice rack up a mountain). These portable salt shakers were designed for backpacking and take up very little space in your bag without causing a mess. All you have to do to use the shaker is gently push the plug down and, poof! Out comes the salt or mélange of your choice.
The shaker is fairly small and comprised of just three 3D printable parts, including an interior, exterior, and plug. The designer also mentions that they added a small magnet inside the shaker so they could attach multiple shakers together, but it’s not necessary.
It’s recommended to print the cap piece in a flexible filament, such as TPU. Other than this, printing should be fairly simple. One maker listed that they used a 0.24-mm layer height, a 100% infill density, and neither supports nor a raft to print the models.
- Who designed it? walter
- How printable/popular is it? Nine makes of this portable salt shaker design have been shared, along with a couple of remixes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Camp Stove Stand
The easiest way to get a hot meal on a backpacking trip is with a portable propane camp stove. However, a common problem is that these have a tendency to fall over unless they’re placed on a steady flat surface, which can be hard to find in the woods. Some camp stoves come with a tripod stand to ensure the stove doesn’t tip over, but if yours doesn’t or it broke, you can 3D print your own.
This three-legged stand is made of four 3D printed parts, three screws, and three nuts. The three legs attach to the 3D printable centerpiece using hinges, with one screw and nut per hinge. The resulting model is effective for keeping your camp stove upright, and the designer states that the stand is compatible with most cylindrical propane camping canisters.
While the designer didn’t indicate the print settings they used, one maker posted a terrific print of this stand and shared a few of the settings they used. These include a 0.28-mm layer height and a 20% infill density, with neither supports nor a raft.
- Who designed it? Pooky
- How printable/popular is it? This camp stove stand has 12 recorded makes and 6 remixes!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Cutlery Box
Utensils are essential on camping and backpacking trips, but you wouldn’t want to use a fork or knife covered in leaves or other forest debris. This 3D printable cutlery box will securely store your eating utensils and separate them from the other items in your bag and outside conditions.
The container follows a pretty simplistic design, consisting of a hollow cylindrical body and a screw-on cap. As for printing, your machine will have to be at least somewhat dimensionally accurate to properly print the threads. However, it shouldn’t be too difficult, and the designer states that supports aren’t necessary for the prints.
CloseCan
This useful design is compatible with various types of cans, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, from hiking and camping to beach days. With the ability to store closed cans in any position, including horizontal or upside down, the “CloseCan” ensures your beverages stay fresh and secure during all your adventures.
According to the designer, the model is best printed using classic PLA or ABS, while the joint model requires flexible materials such as TPU.
Tic-Tac Spice Rack
We take back what we said before, of course you can carry a spice rack in your rucksack! This 3D printable organizer can hold up to five Tic-Tac boxes, which you can fill with different spices, to make flavorful meals on a camping trip.
The model is a hollow rectangular box with dividers to separate and hold in place the inserted Tic-Tac containers. As such, printing this model should be fairly straightforward. The creator of this design listed that settings included a 0.15-mm layer height and a 100% infill density.
- Who designed it? kabeza
- How printable/popular is it? This Tic-Tac spice rack project has a couple of remixes and over 2,300 downloads.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Folding Multi-Utensil
This folding multi-utensil can help save space and reduce weight for your backpack, without sacrificing proper cutlery for your meals!
This model offers a combination of any of the three main utensils, spoon, fork, and knife, with sharp and dull options for the knife. You can choose which combo you want and attach the pins to connect them into a folding double utensil. The model also locks in place when rotated 180 degrees.
With the dimensions of 10.4 x 10.4 x 7.4 mm, the designer states that there’s “nothing special” to be aware of when printing. Since you’ll be eating with these, make sure you use food-safe filament.
- Who designed it? Superbeasti
- How printable/popular is it? This design has about 3,000 downloads from both sites combined.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory, Thingiverse
Miscellaneous
In this section, we’ll provide some other great backpacking and camping accessory designs that don’t fit into the other categories.
Tick Remover
Sometimes, the small prints are what make the biggest difference in your camping or backpacking experience. In this case, they can save you from having to deal with pesky ticks that you may have collected in your search for the perfect spot to set up your tent. This small, lightweight print helps to quickly remove even the smallest of ticks.
The model is designed to be as compact and effective as possible. It’s small enough to fit in any bag and uses an insignificant amount of filament to print – it’s ideal if you’re unsure what to do with the last bit of material. One commenter was even able to remove ticks from their dog using this tool.
Given how small the tick remover is and how it needs print with such a small gap, it’s not surprising that the profiles include an 0.08-mm layer height.
- Who designed it? YelTrik Designs
- How printable/popular is it? Over 370 users have printed this tick remover according to MakerWorld, showing just how important it is to keep on hand.
- Where to find it? MakerWorld
Pocket Tackle Box
Slightly larger than a smartphone, this low-profile and sleek tackle box boasts a user-friendly design that has a couple of neat features. Inside, you’ll find removable dividers that can be configured to accommodate various trinkets, providing flexibility for any purpose.
There’s also an integrated loop that allows the box to be conveniently attached to a carabiner or keychain, making it an ideal companion for fishing, bicycling, camping, or even as an organizer for extra hardware and 3D printer parts! It’s recommended to print this model with a 0.2 mm layer height and 15% infill.
- Who designed it? Ghost_4444
- How printable/popular is it? This handy contraption has over 4,100 downloads and 3 community prints.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Customizable Comb
This camping accessory is for you to keep yourself looking (relatively) neat and tidy. This comb design is easily customizable, so you add your name and change the shape and length. A compact version will save you space in your backpack!
The designer recommends printing with an 85-100% infill and with a layer height of 0.12-0.2 mm. No supports are necessary.
- Who designed it? mightynozzle
- How printable/popular is it? This design has 11 shared makes and a whopping 1,111 remixes!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Rope Tensioner
Whether you use it to tighten the slack on a tarp or set up a clothesline, a rope tensioner is a handy gadget to have on a camping trip. According to the designer, this 3D printable rope tensioner design is meant for holding a taut 3-4 mm diameter cord and can be made with two 3D printed parts, a screw, a nut, and a rubber band.
Although the design is complex, the parts should still be pretty easy to make. Moreover, the designer listed that they successfully printed the models using a 0.3-mm layer height and a 30% infill density. They also noted that they didn’t activate a raft or any supports.
- Who designed it? Cadfinger
- How printable/popular is it? This paracord tensioner model has 22 recorded makes. With so many successful makes, you definitely should be able to print your own rope tensioner!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Waterproof Container
This container, although not waterproof through the design alone, can be made watertight through certain printing methods. The container has a screw cap (as seen in the picture) and the designer states that this design is good for camping.
Although the designer doesn’t provide any printing advice, a recorded maker posted a successful print and listed some of their printing tips. The maker listed that they used a 0.2-mm layer height with a 10% infill. They also listed that they printed the model with no supports or a raft.
- Who designed it? harterengineering
- How printable/popular is it? This design has 14 posted makes as well as 7 remixes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Q-Tip Case
With this Q-tip case, say goodbye to loose or wet Q-tips in your toiletry bag. The case holds up to six Q-tips that’ll keep your ears clean when you’re on your next outdoor adventure.
The designer recommends printing with a 0.15-mm layer height and in PLA. The maker also lists that they didn’t use supports or a raft for this print.
- Who designed it? az3dr
- How printable/popular is it? This design has 1 recorded make and over 900 downloads.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Compact Travel Chess Set
It’s always good to bring some entertainment on a camping or backpacking trip. This complete chess set will keep you entertained while taking up very little space in your bag. Moreover, the 32 chess pieces can be stacked into each other to form two battery-sized figures, as seen in the image above.
Sadly, you’ll have to find the board on your own. One idea is to print a paper chess board so that you can easily roll it up.
As for 3D printing the pieces, you’ll need a decent level of dimensional accuracy to ensure that each piece can fit inside another one. Additionally, the creator of this project mentioned that they printed the pieces without supports, and that it took around 3 hours in total.
- Who designed it? Kagarov
- How printable/popular is it? This compact chess set has been made at least 35 times, so it’s definitely a feasible project.
- Where to find it? Printables
License: The text of "3D Printed Camping & Backpacking Gear: 30 Useful Models" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.