Camping with a baby can be fun, but it also requires that you always keep an eye on the baby, and a baby monitor is the most effective way to do this.
If you bring a baby monitor, you will be able to watch your child as they sleep in the tent while you enjoy some adult time or relax by the fire at night.
With this device, you can be sure that your children are safe even when you aren’t in the tent with them. But with so many different brands of baby monitors on the market, you could become overwhelmed and find it difficult to pick the best one.
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Top Picks
Features to look for in the best baby monitor for camping
When choosing a battery-powered baby monitor for camping, there are a number of important features to consider. Since you’ll probably be moving around a lot, the ideal baby monitor for camping should be very portable and compact.
Also, think of its range of operation, how long the battery lasts and ease of use. You want to be sure that the product you choose has all the right baby monitor features to ensure adequate monitoring. Finding a device that is perfect for you and gives you a sense of peace while you are away from your baby on a camping adventure is ultimately what is most vital.
Here are the most important features to look for in ideal baby monitors for camping:
- Long battery life: a battery-operated baby monitor is the best for camping, and it should have a long battery life of at least 10 hours (and above) on a single charge.
- Long operating range: Most baby monitors have a maximum range of 1000 feet (304 meters).
- Compact and portable: this is very important because you don’t want a bulky device that’s difficult to carry around. It should be very portable, lightweight and compact.
- Two-way talk: this feature gives you the ability to talk to your baby. When your baby needs you, you can tell them that you’ll be with them in a minute.
- User-friendly: the device should be easy to set up and use and not need any technical configuration.
Top picks | best battery operated baby monitors for camping
A reliable and portable baby monitor is an important part of your baby camping gear, and below we have reviewed 10 of the best baby monitors for camping.
1. VTech VM819 Video Baby Monitor
If you want an excellent and inexpensive video baby monitor to meet your camping needs, look no further than the VTech VM819 video baby monitor. It provides up to 19 hours of video streaming on a single charge, with this you can easily monitor your baby throughout the day or night. It also has a long range of up to 1000 ft, and a small 2.8” display to see your baby sleep peacefully in full view.
The 2-way talk feature lets you gently soothe your baby with your own voice, or you can use the calming sound of pre-programmed lullabies to comfort your baby.
Even while it is muted, it is still monitoring the baby in the background. The screen automatically comes on when it detects any sound over your VOX settings. You can be visually alerted when the baby is crying thanks to the 3-level sound indicator on the parent unit.
The VM819 has a built-in temperature sensor on the baby camera, which will send alerts to the parent unit.
- Battery life is great
- No Wi-Fi or internet needed
- Picture quality and sound are great
- Pretty sturdy even when dropped
- Very easy to use
- The camera has to be manually adjusted
2. ANMEATE Video Baby Monitor with Digital Camera
When you are preoccupied with other camp tasks, the ANMEATE Wireless Video Baby Monitor is a great method to keep an eye on your infant. You can watch over your child with this travel baby monitor, especially when you’re busy outside the tent.
It has a 2-way talk feature and long transmission range of up to 960 ft: The built-in ultra-utility microphone and speakers allows you to communicate with him in your own voice to comfort and relax your baby. Or you could play pre-programmed soothing lullaby songs to comfort your baby.
It includes an infrared night vision feature that detects dim light automatically and provides quality video even in pitch-black spaces, so you can always see what your kid is doing. This baby monitor only provides about 8 hours of monitoring with a Li-ion battery of 950mAh.
- It’s very compact
- Great picture quality
- Very easy to use
- Good night vision
- You can black out the screen but still hear your little one.
- Battery life is good, but not great
- You can’t move the camera remotely
3. HelloBaby Video Baby Monitor with Camera and Audio
With up to 12 hours in the power-saving mode, long range operation, and decent picture quality, the 5” screen HelloBaby baby monitor allows you to see and hear everything your baby does.
The crystal clear two-way audio feature allows conversation on both ends as clear as if you were in the tent with your little one. So, you can comfort or interact with your baby from as far as 900ft away. It also includes smart features like the temperature indicator, night vision, sound level indicator and lullabies.
Lastly, it comes with a 3-month money-back warranty, 1-year quality guaranteed, and 24-hour professional service center.
- Battery life is amazing
- Great night vision
- Easy to set up and use
- Perfect size for portability
- Video quality is poor
- The camera cannot be zoomed remotely
4. Infant Optics DXR-8 Video Baby Monitor
The Infant Optics DXR-8 video baby monitor has a compact size that strikes a perfect balance between performance and versatility. Despite its small size, the monitor still offers stunning video and audio quality.
The DXR-8 is the first baby monitor with interchangeable lenses; to see closer or farther, you may switch between the zoom lens and wide angle lens (sold separately). From your parent unit, you can remotely control the camera’s direction.
Or, you can pan and tilt the camera to see the entire room. It’s lightweight and small enough to carry around with ease, making it perfect for camping. Plus, it has an impressive battery life of up to 12 hours audio-only mode and 8 hours with live screen.
- Excellent battery life
- Good picture & sound quality
- Signal range is great
- Very lightweight
- Descent night vision camera
- There’s no zoom option beyond manually swapping lenses
- Occasionally loses signal due to inference
5. iFamily Baby Monitor with Camera and Audio
The 5-inch bright and colorful screen of the iFamily baby monitor provides you a clear image or video of your infant. With a maximum range coverage of 960ft, you can make this baby monitor a reliable companion to monitor your infant on camping trips, travels, and any form of vacation.
Additionally, you can be there for your baby as soon as they need you thanks to the 2-way talk feature. You can soothe his tears, sing sweet lullabies to him, imitate her voice, and aid in their relaxation.
The iFamily video baby monitor, which has infrared LEDs and a sensor, switches to night vision mode when it detects low light. A large battery (3000mAh) powers the device for up to 7 hours in standard mode and 24 hours in smart VOX mode. In VOX mode, the monitor’s screen will turn off to conserve battery. When a sound is heard, the screen will instantly turn on and begin broadcasting.
- This Baby Monitor Works Great
- The Picture is very clear
- Has a decent battery life when charged
- Sound quality is great
- Camera doesn’t allow you to zoom out
6. Adenew Baby Monitor with Camera and Audio
Another excellent monitoring device for camping and outdoor activities is this video baby monitor. This Adenew baby monitor is equipped with a 3000mAh rechargeable battery which works for 5-7 hours in normal mode and can extend to up to 24 hours of monitoring in VOX mode.
It comes with a 5″ full view LCD screen and a remote-controlled camera that can rotate 355° in horizontal and 120° vertical, and a 2X zoom, so you can see your baby clearly from any position.
It also features a 2-way audio for communicating with your baby as clearly as if you were right next to him/her, when you’re actually 960ft away. Another useful feature is the temperature monitor, which is especially great for the outdoors.
- The picture quality is awesome
- Sound is good, but there’s a delay
- Picks up sound very well from about 10 feet away
- The set-up is very easy
- It has great range
- The lowest volume is a little loud
- Not very durable
7. Eufy Video Baby Monitor
No products found.Eufy video baby monitor is an excellent product that checks all the boxes; excellent battery life of up to 15 hours, great video quality at 720p, good range with a maximum of 1000 ft, and lots more. While most average baby monitors have a 240p video quality, Eufy surpasses that with a more superior video display of 720p.
With the baby monitor also comes a crisp 2-way audio, the built-in speaker and microphone allow you to speak with your child directly from a wide range of 460ft to 1000ft, which is great for camping. And with a built-in high-capacity 2900mAh rechargeable battery, you can enjoy up to 15 hours of monitoring on a single charge.
- Product is fantastic with a superb range and picture quality.
- Battery life is great
- Zoom feature is nice and works fine
- Easy to set up, camera has a wide visual field
- The picture quality can always be better
- There is no alert if you are out of range or the monitor is about to run out of batteries.
No products found.
8. VTech DM221 Audio Baby Monitor
If you only want to be alerted when your baby wakes up, then you might love this extra simple but efficient VTech audio baby monitor. It’s designed to provide clear audio transmission from your baby’s room, with a long range of about 1000 feet. You can monitor the sound levels with a 5-level sound indicator, and the built-in intercom on the parent unit allows for a 2-way talk for soothing your baby.
You can decide whether to always hear sounds coming from the baby unit or just those that are louder than a specified threshold. Likewise, you can modify the baby unit’s microphone sensitivity using the parent unit.
The parent unit can run on AC power or a rechargeable battery. Depending on the sensitivity settings on the monitor, a completely charged battery can run for 9 to 16 hours. But it can take the battery up to 11 hours to fully charge.
- Very efficient, affordable, simple set up
- Very durable and good range of sound
- Battery is quite good, it lasts through the night.
- Awesome audio quality
- Very basic, no fancy features
- Only the parent unit is battery operated
9. VTech DM111 Upgraded Audio Baby Monitor
This is another great audio-only, wireless baby monitor from VTech. The VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor allows you to go about your day and stay in touch with your baby from anywhere in the campsite thanks to its guaranteed long operation range that extends up to 1,000 feet. Since it’s audio-only, you won’t see your baby, but you will hear them loud and clear; it’s affordable and very reliable.
The VTech DM111 uses digital wireless technology to broadcast sound that is incredibly clear. Even with the receiver muted, you can still visually monitor the noise level in your baby’s room thanks to a pair of 5 LED lights on the parent unit. The best reception can be obtained by placing units away from other electronic devices to prevent interference.
- Good product and very easy to operate
- It’s super basic, but very effective
- It has great range
- It comes with a battery pack and also a charger for the detachable unit
- Sound quality is very high
- The lowest level of sound on the monitor is very loud
- There is some sound delay; the battery life isn’t great
10. Philips AVENT Audio Baby Monitor Dect SCD502/10
With the Philips AVENT audio baby monitor, you can be fully mobile in a campsite and still stay in touch with a sleeping baby in the tent. Thanks to a maximum range up to 1000 ft. And it provides high quality, crystal clear sound, so you can hear your baby anytime. Even when the parent monitor is muted, the 5 sound-activated LED lights let you know when your baby needs you.
With this audio-only monitor, you are always aware that your unit is in range and connected, since the parent unit notifies you when it is out of range or when the power is low. The parent unit can be powered by an electrical outlet or by AA batteries (not supplied), and depending on the battery and usage, it can operate for up to 24 hours before needing to be recharged. A special smart Eco mode minimizes power usage, extending battery life.
- Very reliable and works really well
- Has a long range
- Battery life is awesome
- It has zero interference, thanks to DECT technology
- No rechargeable battery
- No ability to talk from the parent unit to the child unit
Buyer Guide & FAQs
What to look for in a battery-operated baby monitor
Long battery life
A very important consideration in a baby monitor for camping is the battery life. Most battery-powered baby monitors will have a rechargeable battery with an average battery life of 5 to 7 hours on standard mode and up to 19-24 hours on smart VOX (Voice Operated Exchange) mode. A portable baby monitor with a long-lasting battery is very important for your camping trips with your infant. You may also want to consider a solar-powered generator or similar to keep your devices charged.
Two-way audio
The basic feature of most wireless baby monitors is that you can hear your baby, but the 2-way talk feature allows your baby to hear you so that you can easily communicate or talk back to them in response to their cries. When a child wakes up in an unfamiliar environment, being able to talk to them via the monitor can help reduce their anxiety. It’s also important that the device produces high-quality sound.
Long range operation
A baby monitor with a long range ensures that you don’t lose connection with the baby unit if you stray too far from it. In this case, the longer the maximum range, the better. The common maximum range for most baby monitors is about 900 to 1000 ft. Some devices are designed to alert you if you’re about to lose connection.
Easy to carry
Now, this is not a feature to compromise on. Portability is one of the most important features of a baby monitor for camping. You want a compact and portable unit that can easily go into your pocket, and it should not have electric cables dangling from it. You should be able to pick up the parent unit of the baby monitor and go for a short hike, or run a quick errand while your baby is napping.
Video quality
The video quality of a baby monitor is an important feature for parents that want to hear and see their baby. If you want a video monitor, make sure that you choose with a decent and clear video quality, not grainy pictures. However, you must know that video baby monitors with very crisp and clear images tend to use up their battery much faster, so their batteries drain quicker.
Temperature indicator
This is an optional extra feature, but it’s great to have, especially if you want to keep track of the temperature in the tent where your baby is sleeping. Camping with a baby monitor with a temperature sensor is great for cold-weather camping, because it will help with temperature monitoring, to make sure that your baby is always warm and comfortable.
FAQs
Do all baby monitor cameras need to be plugged in?
Most battery-powered baby monitors use rechargeable batteries, therefore they need to be plugged in for the batteries to charge. And a fully charged battery can last for several hours before needing a recharge.
How do I keep my baby monitor from running out of battery while on a campsite?
Battery-operated baby monitors with the longest battery life still run out of battery and will need to be recharged at some point. Therefore, it’s important to make plans on how to keep it charged when you need to. There are a few options for you. If you’re camping in an RV, it’s pretty easy, just charge it within your vehicle. But if you are tent camping in a remote location, then you will need bring a portable battery charger or power bank sorely for recharging your monitor.
Do smart baby monitors prevent SIDS?
While baby monitors help you keep an eye on your baby at all times, there is actually no evidence that they help to prevent SIDS.
Are non Wi-Fi baby monitors safer?
No, they are not. Both Wi-Fi and non Wi-Fi baby monitors are equally safe for babies.
Do baby monitors have lithium batteries?
Yes, many baby monitors come with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to ensure longer battery life.
What baby monitor has the best battery life?
Best battery operated baby monitors are those with rechargeable batteries, they often have the best battery life.
Final thoughts
If you truly want to have an amazing time camping with an infant, then it’s imperative that you choose the perfect baby monitor. This removes the anxiety of constant babysitting, and allows you to get the most out of your camping trip.
My recommendation for the best baby monitors for camping are the VTech video monitor for its excellent battery life (19 hours), 1000 ft maximum range, good sound and picture quality, plus its portable and has a compact design.