Pre-season football has begun, and folks around the country have already gotten a head start on tailgate season. For many football fans, the tailgate party is the main event. It’s the chance to engage in two excellent pastimes—eating tasty grub and drinking—before engaging in a third: yelling at professional athletes. So, to make your pre-gaming as successful as possible, we thought we’d introduce a round-up of some of the best tailgating gear on the market for your consideration and enjoyment.
Therm-a-Rest Treo Camp Chair – $75
There’s a good chance you’ll be standing for much of the game, so you might as well get your sit on while you can. If you’re looking for a comfy chair that can fold down to a very small package, you might check out the Treo Camp Chair from Thermarest. This bad boy can support up to 250 pounds, and packs entirely into its own tripod base.
EZ Prep Table – $80
Prepping your favorite tailgating snacks is easier now than ever with devices like the EZ Prep Table from Kamp-Rite. This compact station comes in its own handy travel case and can be setup in less than two minutes. Once assembled, it features a sturdy counter-top and an insulated storage cabinet for kitchen utensils and food.
Great Plates – $17
While a tailgate’s boisterous atmosphere is what makes it such a fun pre-game event, it can lead to some serious messes if you’re using flimsy paper plates and cutlery for your stadium-side eats. Thankfully, the folks over at Plate Great have perfected a new system that makes it possible to keep everything neat and tidy before the big game. Never bee without your beer again, since it’s always in the center of your food.
Corkcicle Arctican – $20
There are several weeks where the end of warm season and the beginning of football season overlap. To help keep your brews cold — like, seriously ice cold — you might consider getting a Corkcicle Arctican or two. This high-tech koozie comes with a cooler core that attaches to the bottom, plus two layers of vacuum-insulated stainless steel to keep your drinks as cold as can be.
The Drinking Jacket – $70
You’ve heard of smoking jackets — well, here’s a drinking jacket. This smart jacket comes with a wide range of pockets and features, including a bottle opener zipper, a neoprene-lined beverage pocket, a hidden flask pocket, a sunglasses holder, and lots more. You might say this jacket can keep you warm in two ways: retaining body heat and facilitating drinking.
Insulated Flannel – $125
Unfortunately, most tailgates happen in the fall, which means that they’re bound to be seriously chilly. To help you stay warm when your team’s got a late November game, get your hands on some insulated flannel from Flylow. The 100% polyester garment is built with 40 grams of spaceloft insulation, which helps it retain your body’s natural heat.
Oxx Coffeeboxx – $230
Drinking for hours is all good and fun, but you’ll probably need to sober up a little bit for the big game. Even if you somehow avoid engaging in drunken antics, you might just fall asleep in your seat. That’s where the Oxx Coffeeboxx comes in. This tough, mobile coffeemaker can keep you and your associates awake as least until halftime. The Coffeeboxx weighs just 11 pounds, it’s waterproof, and it makes an outstanding cup of coffee.
SpinChill – $25
Since the dawn of canned beer, man has struggled to cool his libations quickly. Like most men, the developers of SpinChill are absolutely sick of choking down warm beer. The SpinChill does just what the name describes — it spins beers until they are chilled. Just affix your can or bottle to the SpinChill, turn it on, place it in your cooler, and you’ll have an ice cold beer in about 60 seconds.
Camp Wagon – $100
After purchasing some of these great items for your tailgate, make sure to pack them up in the Camp Wagon from Coleman for easy transportation. This fantastic carrier has a 150 lb. weight capacity and is built with a special accordion folding design, which means it can shrink up for easy packing in the car. Plus the wagon comes with a one-year warranty, in case of any minor mishaps.
Pendleton Wool Blankets – $140+
Blankets are always good to keep on hand—especially at winter games where your coat just isn’t enough to keep you warm. Really, any blanket will do, but Pendleton wool blankets are more durable, warm, and stain-resistant than most others we know.
Thermacell Heated Insoles – $33-74
Face it—if you’re not moving around a lot at the tailgate party or inside the stadium, chances are pretty good that you’ll eventually get cold feet. Most days its tolerable, but on particularly frigid days, it can ruin the whole experience. Get yourself a pair of these bad boys and you won’t have to worry about that happening.
Everyday Portable Gas Grill – $180
Be a true tailgating rockstar by whipping out this amazing portable grill from Cuisinart before your next game. With a 240 sq. inch porcelain enamel cast iron surface and two removable side tables, this grill’s got room for enough food to feed an entire parking lot full of hungry fans.
Trailer Hitch Hammock Chairs – $270
You’re about to be sitting in crappy uncomfortable stadium seats for the next few hours, so you might as well be super comfy during the tailgate party, right?
