Tailgating Checklist
- caseyminz
- Sep 26, 2017
- 8 min read
Need a tailgating checklist for your next event? Look no further. Whether it's football, basketball, baseball, NASCAR, or your next baby shower, this list will help you be a tailgating success. While this list will help you with the ultimate tailgating experience, it's always good to get opinions from friends as to what works for your next tailgating event. Below is a tailgating checklist that not only describes what's needed, but also offers the best options at the lowest prices we’ve found on the net. Let's call it successful tailgating without breaking the bank.
1. Tailgating Grills Tailgating grills come in all shapes and sizes. Coleman has done their research and developed a line of portable grills that are all excellent choices to help you at your next tailgating event. Below are some options.
The Coleman party propane grill is a very affordable option. It's compact, lightweight and easy to transport to your tailgating event. It has an electronic ignition and the legs detach to fit inside the grill.
Better: Coleman Sportster Propane Grill The Coleman Sportster Propane Gill comes with an Insta start Ignition for puch-button, matchless lighting. It offers 11,000 total BTUs of cooking power inside a spacious 225 sq. inch cooking area. It has a lift and lock system for easy and secure setup and the collapsible stand with wheels folds for compact storage and easy transport.
Best: Coleman Road Trip Propane Portable Grill LXE The Coleman Road Trip Propane Portable Grill LXE has a PerfectFlow™ Pressure Control System for steady heat, even in the cold. The portable grill can be set up in seconds. It's very easy to transport and folds to a compact size with a large handle and wheels for easy pulling. It's easy to clean and has a cast-iron and porcelain-coated surface with a removable grease tray.
2. Tailgating Pop-Up Canopy When tailgating, you'll want to consider some sort of cover in case it rains. Below are some of the best canopies we've found for tailgating that won't break the bank.
Good: Pop-Up Canopy Tent - 10 x 10 ft The Pop-Up Canopy Tent has a steel frame with cathedral style roof for maximum headroom and comes with a white powder coat finish that helps prevent scratches. It's angled leg design provides 96 square feet of shade. The top provides 99% UV protection from the sun's harmful rays. It also comes with a wheeled bag for easy transport.
Better: Tail Gator Sunshade Portable Shade This canopy protects from the sun and from the rain. It offers a protected magnetic strip to attach to the car. It's sturdy fiberglass frame design allows you to extend the shade beyond your vehicle in the back, the side or the front.
It's large enough to cover table, chairs, coolers, kids and friends alike.
Best: 10 X 10 Ez Pop up Canopy Tent Commercial Instant Gazebos with 6 Removable Sides and Roller Bag
This tent is a beast. Why? Because it has walls! This 10x10 ft. pop up canopy is 100% waterproof. It comes with 4 sandbags, 4 ropes, 4 stakes, a mesh wall, a half wall and 4 sidewalls. You can easily tote this bad boy around with it's roller carry bag. And to insure it's sturdiness, it has a black Powder-Coated Rush Resistant Steel frame with 100% nylon mold brackets. You can keep all your tailgaters secure from the elements in this tent.
3. Tailgating Coolers
What good would a tailgating event be with out cold beverages? And you can't have cold beverages without tailgating coolers. Even on cold days, a solid tailgating cooler is a must. Here are some good options we've found for a decent price.
Good: Coleman Performance Cooler, 48-Quart Move aside overpriced Yeti, this cooler is a classic... I mean, it reminds us of our dads cooler. Back when coolers where simple yet quality. The Coleman Performance Cooler keeps the Ice: 3-day ice retention at temperatures up to 90 °F. It can hold up to holds 63 cans, and due to its added height, it can hold 2-liter bottles upright to help prevent spills. Its leak-resistant drain lets you remove water without turning the cooler upside down. It has a hinged lid for easy, one-handed access and 2-way handles for easy lifting and carrying in a space-saving design.
The Coleman 100 Quart Xtreme 5 Wheeled Cooler is a step up from the Coleman Performance Cooler. This fella holds 160 cans— which more than six cases of beer. The Xtreme® 5 Technology keeps ice up to 5 days in temperatures up to 90° F. The cooler's insulation is also environmentally friendly.
ThermOZONE™ Insulation contains no CFCs, HFCs or HCFCs, which deplete the ozone. It has a hinged lid with four cup holders keeps drinks close and it's two-way handles assist in easy carrying.
Best: BLACK+DECKER BCC20W Mobile Cooler Cart with Wheels Okay, here's why we included this on the list. We know almost all your beverage at your tailgating even will be consumed. If you are willing to splurge a bit, then splurge on a cooler that's convenient for your guests. This cooler is still easy to transport and sits tall for your guests to easily reach. The split door top with stainless hardware make it easy to access the contents. The insulated, 20 gallon basin keeps everything nice and cold. Your guests will never have to worry about tracking down a bottle opener with the handy stainless steel opener and bottle cap basin conveniently integrated into the exterior. The cooler is easily mobile with wheels that can turn 360 degrees or be locked in place. And it has a convenient drain to easily and quickly get rid of excess water
4. Tailgating Folding Chairs
Make sure you have some decent folding chairs for your tailgating event. After all, you have the whole game to stand up and cheer. Tailgating folding chairs are key to every tailgating event. Keep in mind, not everyone likes to stand up the whole time, like you do.
Good: Coleman Broadband Mesh Quad Chair This is your basic tailgating chair. If your guests want a chair that's comfortable and breathes easy, this is all you need. It has a nylon mesh back for cooling comfort. It's made of the highest quality materials. It has an arm rest cup holder to keep your drink close, along with a heavy-duty steel frame that supports up to 250 lbs. It's compact and folds up to fit inside most car trunks.
This chair is ridonkulous. Let say you are sitting down next to a friend and having an intense tailgating debate. How terrible would it be to get up in the midst of the debate to grab another beer? Well, you don't have to. The built-in arm rest cooler on this chair holds up to four cans. Folks, we are not making this up. This is real life. It also has a mesh cup holder to keep the fifth drink at hand. There is also a storage pocket to keep your personal items. Oh, and the durable heavy-duty steel frame supports up to 300 lbs.
This chair is a little more costly than others due to the side table and strenth of the chair. But it's worth it. This chair is 100% polyester. It's has a lightweight yet sturdy ribbed aluminum frame and is powder-coated in Black. It has a cozy and roomy seat made of durable polyester fabric. There's an ergonomic support from the tilted backrest and it has cushioned armrests with removable covers. This chair is flat and easy to carry
thanks to the sewn-in carry straps. The chair weighs only 8lbs but supports weight up to 250 lbs.
Check out these NFL Tailgating Folding Chairs on Fanfists.com.
5. Tailgating Food
Tailgating food needs to be easy, filling and delicious. Need some tips on what to cook for your next tailgating event. Below are some Tailgating Cookbooks that are guaranteed to make you a tailgating master.
The Hungry Fan's Game Day Cookbook: 165 Recipes for Eating, Drinking & Watching Sports In The Hungry Fan's Game Day Cookbook, Daina presents more than 100 crowd–pleasing recipes to jazz up your tailgate and score points with any home game–watching guest. Discover fresh takes on classics like Buffalo wings, sliders, and layered dips, alongside delicious dishes inspired by local fan traditions. Daina also enlisted a dream team of athletes including LeBron James, Boomer Esiason, Victoria Azarenka, and Dikembe Mutombo to contribute their signature recipes to the mix.
Game-Day Fan Fare: Over 240 recipes, plus tips and inspiration to make sure your game-day celebration is a home run! Fire up the grill, load up the nachos, and get ready for the big game! Game-day is all about spending time with family & friends, cheering on the home team and all those mouthwatering tailgating treats. That's why we've stuffed Game-Day Fan Fare full of our most delicious, party-pleasing recipes that will make your celebration a grand-slam.
200 Picnic & Tailgate Recipes Tailgate parties are often associated with autumn sporting events, and the menu often includes lots of grilled meats. In 200 Picnic & Tailgate Dishes you'll find classic picnic recipes such as old-fashioned potato salad, fried chicken, sandwiches, coleslaw, grilling meat, chicken, and fish, as well as drinks (with and without alcohol), and recipes for desserts. With more than 100 full-color photographs of the dishes plus tips on preparing food in advance and safe ways to get the food from the kitchen to the car, this book is truly the only compendium of picnic and tailgate recipes you'll ever need.
The NFL Gameday Cookbook The fans are roaring, the pigskin is flying, and only one thing is missing . . .grub. Acclaimed author Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe has created this cookbook specifically for NFL fans, with delicious recipes easy enough for the novice chef and also designed to travel to the game. Although most recipes center around the tailgater's sacred grill, the cookbook also includes sections on sandwiches, side dishes, desserts, and refreshing drinks. With photos of memorable NFL moments and 150 delicious recipes, like Bloody Mary Chicken Wings and Whiskey-Marinated Rib-eye Steaks, this game day cookbook ensures that the chef will be the star of this year's Super Bowl party.
5. Tailgating Entertainment / Games
Here are some fun tailgating entertainment items that should rock your next tailgating event. Some are inexpensive, some are pricey, but they are all fun!
Portable Tailgating Beer Pong Table Easily Foldable Beer pong table folds three times and features grab-and-go handles. Includes securing hooks to ensure the table stays folded while in transit. It's designed to be lightweight so you can take it anywhere - whether in your frat house or man cave, or bring it along to a pregame, tailgate party, house party, pool party, barbecue, and more!
Champion Sports Rubber Horseshoe Game for Tailgating Made with quality rubber, these lightweight horseshoes are easy to throw and aim compared to traditional metal horseshoes, and their soft design also makes them safe to use for kids and adults. Designed with lightweight rubber playing mats and rubber horseshoes, this horseshoe game is suitable for indoor or outdoor use as it will not damage floors or walls during games and is sure to stay in place.
Portable PVC Framed CornHole Game Set with 8 Bean Bags and Carrying Case Includes two 3' x 2' Cornhole targets, 8 bean bags, carrying case and rules. It folds up and stores in the compact carrying case and weighs only 10 lbs. With it's quick assembly, you can assemble both targets in under a minute. LIFETIME WARRANTY!
Ladder Toss Game with 6 Bolos and Carrying Case Includes 2 premium PVC targets with score trackers, 6 Golf ball bolos (3 Red + 3 Blue), carrying case and rules. PVC targets are pre-glued so assembly takes under 2 minutes, compared to 10+ minutes for competing sets. Bolos are made using real golf balls for authentic gameplay and use thick rope to prevent tangles.
In Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this tailgating checklist. We are updating this regularly, so please check back. Who knows where our tailgating research will take us.
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