Tailgating is one of life’s greatest pleasures. From throwing the football around with the guys to cheffing up on the grill, those precious hours out in the brisk fall weather before kick-off is vital for a sports fan in living a happy and healthy life.
That being said, it’s important to tailgate right. Everything from grilling equipment, coolers and koozies, chairs and canopies, and more, the gear must be the best—or rather, it at least needs to get the job done.
In preparation for the season to come, we’ve rounded up a tailgating gear guide for you to refer to as you plan for your favorite season ahead. Get prepared now, because the next few months are going to be a wild one.
Yeti Tundra Hard Cooler
While all Yeti coolers can be deemed as a tailgate essential, our first recommendation is this Tundra. Why? Because it’s got wheels, and wheeled coolers are a dang good investment if you’re going to be transporting them for extended distances—like trekking across an entire parking lot, for example.
Traeger Tailgater
The Traeger Tailgater is compact enough to fit in your truck bed easily, but it also has enough space to grill for a crowd. The legs fold into themselves so you essentially just have to find the space for the grill body, and it’s designed well enough to where it won’t tumble over in the car. Our favorite feature of the Tailgater is the Bluetooth temperature checker that pings your phone when your meats are fully cooked.
GrowlerWerks uKeg Go
Who said you can’t have a fresh draft brew at your tailgate? The uKeg uses CO2 to keep your beer perfectly pressurized so you can pour yourself a crisp, cold beer on demand no matter where you’re at.
Knob Creek Bourbon Barrel Grilling Planks
A couple of bourbon grilling planks can go a long way if you’re looking to impress your friends and family. Each pack comes with two reusable American White Oak planks made from genuine Knob Creek barrels. Just throw these planks onto the grill and cook your meat on top of the wood. You’ll trick everyone into thinking you’re the greatest chef in the parking lot.
Schmidt Brothers Bonded Ash 4 Pc. Grill Set
Without the proper tools, an entire tailgate barbeque can fall apart. Grab this elegant stainless steel set from Schmidt Brothers and you’ll have everything you need to master the grill.
SHOP schmidt brothers grill set
Yeti Rambler 16 OZ Colster Tall Can Insulator
Donning a new Harvest Red colorway, this rambler is perfect for those tall canned drinks you like to sip on. Everything from seltzers to light beers, you’ve now got a colster to keep your low-cal drinks crisp and cold.
Meater Wireless Meat Thermometer
To avoid any undercooked or overcooked food, this wireless meat thermometer is incredibly easy in getting the right temperature readings. If anything, use it to make sure your meat doesn’t lose any flavor, nobody likes a zapped steak.
SHOP wireless meat thermometer
Full Windsor Magware Reusable Aluminum Utensil Set
We can’t ignore the massive trash piles that tailgates can produce. One way to limit the waste—and to make cleanup easier—is to pick up a few pairs of reusable utensils. This aluminum set is easy to keep tabs on, plus the utensils clip into each other conveniently.
SHOP reusable aluminum utensils
Looft Charcoal Electric Lighter & Firestarter
If you’re grilling with a good ol’ fashioned charcoal grill, then you should have a plan in place for getting it started. While it might look cool when you throw the matches at the coals, sometimes that doesn’t work—or worse, a pile of flames goes blasting into the air. This electric lighter limited risk and saves you energy, lighting up charcoal in a jiffy.
SHOP electric lighter & firestarter
ABCCANOPY Outdoor Pop Up Canopy
It’s true that any canopy will do, but we like one that has some sort of retractable wall. We find this one from ABCCANOPY to be the perfect match, you’ll have enough space to walk around and an entire back wall to protect your food while also having a spot to hang your favorite team’s flag.
Coleman Camping Chair
Don’t overthink when it comes to selecting outdoor furniture. Your best option is a simple camping chair like this one from Coleman. Bonus point: the chair also comes with a 4 can cooler to hang off the side. Now that’s a feature we love.
Sportsman GEN2000 Gas Powered Generator
A simple gas generator can take a tailgate to the next level. Use it to power any speakers, cookware, or personal space heaters.
Iron Forge 50ft Extension Cable
Perhaps the most forgotten item for tailgaters is an extension cord. Snag this strong 50ft indoor/outdoor cable before anything else.
SHOP Iron Forge Extension Cable
Chippo
Chippo puts your chipping skills to the test, and combines all the fun of a typical backyard drinking game with a few new twists. So instead of throwing around some beanbag, you can showcase your short game to your buddies — all while sipping a few cold ones in the sunshine. If that doesn’t sound like the ideal weekend, what does?
Each Chippo comes with two turf-covered, netted target boards, two turf and rubber chipping mats, and six high-density foam balls by almostGolf. So all you’ve got to worry about is providing the cold beverages and a spot to play — whether in the backyard, the park, a beach or in a vacant parking lot — and you’re all set.
Don’t be the last one to the party. It’s time to lock in for tailgating season.
John is the Style & Gear Editor for BroBible. You can contact him on Twitter @johnthompsoniv or via email John@brobible.com
The BroBible team writes about gear that we think you want. Occasionally, we write about items that are a part of one of our affiliate partnerships and we will get a percentage of the revenue from sales.