DOD Outdoors Review: Japanese Camping Gear Made for Comfort

About DOD Outdoors

Though not a lot of information is readily available on DOD Outdoors, we do know the brand was founded in Japan circa 1997 and recently entered the North American market in 2022 courtesy of their holding company, GR8 Outdoors. Unlike fellow Japanese outfitter Snow Peak, which specializes in high-end titanium gear and fashionable apparel, DOD offer a somewhat smaller catalog of recognizable products at a more approachable price point.

DOD Outdoors sells a variety of minimally branded products including camp furniture, tents, carry solutions, storage bins, and sleep systems, alongside novelty accessories like a portable wood fired foot bath (is this the ultimate gift for sauna lovers?! Methinks yes) that has a quintessentially minimalist Japanese design and muted earth-toned color palette.

Interestingly enough, the eponymous acronym “DOD” doesn’t represent anything in particular, but their throughline in every category is all about embracing comfortable camping and casual outdoorsing with gear that’s aesthetically pleasing, functional, and won’t break the bank.

The hardest part is narrowing down their dizzying array of options to a few essentials. My three picks were chosen to create a mini-capsule of sorts, perfect for car camping and picnicking.

Sugoi Camp Chair

DOD’s roomy cotton canvas camping chair initially caught my eye for its low-slung, deep seat and adjustable legs with four different height options. The perk of adjustable legs means it adapts to camp dinners, hangouts, and is a stable seat at ground level that won’t easily tip over if you or a small child happens to fling themselves into it, for instance. The cotton canvas seat turned out to be durable, breathable, and is a nice departure from the usual shine of a synthetic camp chair seat. There are handy pockets that hang off the side and one large one in the back, and while it packs down flat into a carrying case, I didn’t love how big it was and wished it stowed away a bit smaller for easier carry.

Price: $149 $99

Tent Table

A circular camp table that’s designed to fit around a tent pole (specifically, DOD’s Ishi One Pole Tent) this portable table was a sleeper hit for me. Thanks to three foldable legs with adjustable height options, it provided a level, stable surface for eating and cooking outdoors. The magnets on its inner edges held it together to form one larger table, but it shined as two multifunctional tables when I pulled them apart. This came in clutch when we used one as a prep table and the other to house the camp stove, or when using them as two camp tables for a larger group. Also works great as a barrier to keep tiny humans from chucking things into the campfire all the live-long day.

While they were steady enough on the base level, DOD recommended stacking them for a higher prep table, but they were definitely too wobbly for that. The legs fold in to be stashed in a carrying case for coming and going, but I found the handles too short to carry comfortably for very long, and would have preferred a shoulder strap for better transportation.

Price: $179

Pesha Collapsible Container

At only $49, this tiny yet mighty picnic basket/camp sink/tray table/temporary cooler might not look that versatile, but after several uses, I realized how truly multi purposeful it actually is. Aesthetically, it leaves something to be desired, as not even the mod beige color could make the polypropylene frame really look that much better or convince you of its quality, however, it makes it easy to clean and the collapsible design is a clever feature for saving space in your car or closet. And, once again, the too-short handles are somewhat clunky and hard to carry if you’ve already got your hands full.

That said, the dual-purpose lid was a standout, and I loved that it turned into a tray table with built-in cup holders for a stable surface while picnicking. I can also appreciate the drainage hole at the bottom if you were to use it as a camp sink or for draining liquid as a short-term cooler. There is definitely some room for improvement, design-wise, but overall, I still reach for it when I’m packing up for a sunset picnic at the beach.

Price: $49