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Jun 28, 2025

7 Cheap(ish) Things for a Park Hang | Reviews by Wirecutter

By Elissa Sanci Elissa Sanci is a senior writer who has reported on label makers, tumblers, and more. She once dumped glitter in her car to test handheld vacuums. Warm weather and a gentle breeze are

By Elissa Sanci

Elissa Sanci is a senior writer who has reported on label makers, tumblers, and more. She once dumped glitter in her car to test handheld vacuums.

Warm weather and a gentle breeze are all you really need to enjoy a glorious day in the park — but you can bring plenty of little pleasures along to amp up your outing.

Whether you’re hanging with friends or kicking back solo, these Wirecutter picks can add comfort and an extra dose of fun to your day out. So grab your sunnies, slather on some sunscreen, and head to the park with these cheap(ish) things in tow.

This tough, spill-proof blanket is the easiest we’ve found to keep clean, and it folds the smallest for easy transportation.

The key to a comfortable day at the park is a water-resistant picnic blanket that won’t soak up moisture from the grass and leave the seat of your pants soggy. With a protective layer of PVC vinyl on its underside, the Miu Color Outdoor Picnic Blanket, one of the other picnic blankets we like in our guide, is up to the challenge. This affordable blanket isn’t as cushy as some of the pricier picnic blankets we recommend, but it’s durable enough to withstand abrasions from rocks and twigs, comes in a variety of fun patterns, and can be wiped clean. It also folds into a bundle small enough to fit into a tote or a backpack.

These packable chairs provide much-needed back support without taking the fun out of lounging in the grass.

Sitting cross-legged on the hard ground for hours at a time can be a pain but so can lugging around a folding chair. The ALPS Mountaineering Weekender Seat strikes the perfect balance: You’ll still be able to kick back on the grass, but you’ll have a cushioned seat with back support. It’s packable and weighs over a pound, but it’s also easy to carry thanks to its top handle. It also has a roomy mesh pocket big enough to stash a book, a snack, or even a picnic blanket, so it can replace a tote.

The spout on this insulated bottle is easy to drink from and simpler to use than a sports cap, and the flip lid stays secure and out of your face. The bottle has a wide mouth, so you can effortlessly add ice and supplements.

If lukewarm LaCroix sparking water makes you shudder, you need an insulated water bottle such as the Takeya Actives. It keeps its contents cold for hours, so each sip of water will be crisp and cool no matter how long you lay out. Its small opening keeps your beverage from splashing in your face, and its lid is attached, so you don’t have to worry about dropping it in the grass.

The Tribit XSound Go is the best speaker we’ve heard in its price range, and it’s compact and waterproof to boot.

A portable speaker makes the perfect park companion — every Perfect Day (video) has a soundtrack, after all. The compact Tribit XSound Go has a loud, full sound that offers clearer vocals and more bass than similarly priced competitors. Its 10.5-hour battery life is long enough to last the day, and because the XSound Go is waterproof, it’ll survive any spills or surprise rainstorms.

An easy-to-use disposable that consistently delivers the best results you can expect from a color one-time-use camera.

Yes, the camera on your phone is perfectly capable of capturing your park hang, but there’s something charming about using an analog point-and-shoot to commemorate a specific moment in time. The easy-to-use Fujifilm QuickSnap Flash 400, one of our picks for the best single-use camera, is an inexpensive way to snap film photos that you’ll be able to hold on to for a lifetime, and we particularly like that the QuickSnap Flash 400’s photos are vibrant, sharp, and full of character once developed. Leave the camera in your designated park bag so you’ll always have it on hand, then bring it to be developed at the end of the season so you can reminisce on a summer well spent.

With its rechargeable battery, long-lasting repellent supply, convenient charging dock, and simple interface, the E65 is easier to use than other spatial mosquito repellents.

If you want to keep pesky mosquitoes from crashing your party, bring the Thermacell E65 along. Unlike bug spray, which protects a person from bites, this small spatial repellent uses heat to vaporize liquid repellent into odorless wisps that can keep an entire 20-foot area protected from mosquitoes. Its rechargeable 6.5-hour battery life should offer ample coverage. Just keep in mind that this device only offers protection when the air is perfectly still, so you’ll want to keep a bottle of insect repellant spray in your bag as a backup on breezy days.

A casual, durable, and comfortable tote bag that comes in a variety of colors for added personalization.

An easy-to-carry tote bag makes getting to and from the park a stress-free affair. With an adjustable crossbody strap and handles, the Baggu Zip Duck Bag can be carried however it feels most comfortable, whether that’s slung across your chest, hanging from your shoulder, or held by the handles. This deep, unstructured tote is also deceptively roomy and comes in an array of colors and funky patterns. In our testing of the original Baggu Duck Bag, our testers found that its sturdy canvas exterior doesn’t pick up much dirt, so it’ll still look good even after a day outside. We're still testing this new, updated model of one of our longtime favorite totes, but its dimensions, material and overall look remain the same.

This article was edited by Alex Aciman and Catherine Kast.

Elissa Sanci

Senior Staff Writer

I cover a little of everything, from travel gadgets and car-organizing tools to label makers and reusable tumblers. I have an affinity for testing the buzzy products you’ve probably seen clogging your social media feeds—my goal is to figure out which trending items are actually worth your time, and which are a waste of money.

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