Long are the days when camping actually meant roughing it. Today’s light-weight and compact designs offer less weight and more room in your pack for all the nifty camping gadgets you want to bring into the backcountry.
We recently returned from Outdoor Retailer where there was certainly no shortage of interesting camping gadgets. We previously covered the best tents, camp lights and packs at OR, so we won’t repeat ourselves. Here are 10 best camping accessories we found.
Cocoon Ultralight Air-Core Pillow
For a lot of backpackers, a pillow is one of the items you leave at home. But as anyone will tell you, a lumpy sack of clothes is no where near as comfortable as a nice travel pillow. With Cocoon’s Iltralight AirCore Down Pillow, you don’t have to sacrifice space to still have a good sleep. This pillow inflates but still has the feeling of down. MSRP $39
Marmot sleeping bag
Building off years of refinement, Marmot claims to have created the best sleeping bag yet in its Phase 30, which is new in 2017. There is plenty of down in these packs to keep you warm in the coolest conditions (rated to 0 degrees Fahrenheit), along with some special design features you’ll find in other Marmot bags such as a slim fit and toe box, which allows plenty of wiggle room. And at just 17 ounces, this pack is lightweight and compact-able for the most intrepid adventurer.
Camelback Bladder
The first creators of a water bladder for backpacks is still one of the best. Camelback’s latest drinking blatter, the Crux Reservoir, has improved on its classic design with a better nozzle offering more fresh water with every drink. Similar to the Antidote bladder, new design features give the bladder a lower profile and an easier screw top with less chance of failure. MSRP $35
Fjall Raven Pants
For anyone looking for a good pair of backcountry pants, consider Fjall Raven’s line of trousers. We were especially keen on the Vidda Pro Trousers, which offer a strong durable fabric with an extra layer around the knees and seat. They also have a nice slim fit that makes them stylish and comfortable to wear. MSRP $150
Leatherman
From the company that put multi-tools on the map, Leatherman has a new take with its Skeletool RX. An ideal tool for emergencies, this orange multi-tool sacrifices a standard blade for a serrated edge blade, pliers, wire cutters, large bit driver and a carabiner/bottle opener. MSRP $90
SPOT
For anyone who frequently ventures beyond cellphone range, they know how important it is to have peace of mind back home. Nobody wants loved ones worried about them. For the perfect way to keep everyone at ease, the SPOT Gen 3 is the latest incarnation of the Satellite Personal Tracker that has become so popular in recent years. With a click of a button you can summon help or simply let your family know that you’re okay. With the Gen 3 model, tracking is motion-activated regardless of the level of tracking. MSRP $170
MSR water filter
After years of creating some of the best water filters on the market, MSR will introduce a new water filter in 2017 called the TrailShot Microfilter. Designed for backpackers, trail runner and mountain bikers, this latest filter delivers clean water without the added bulk and weight of other filters. And you get a pretty good forearm exercise out of the deal too.
Jetboil Mighty Mo
New from JetBoil in 2017 is the Mighty Mo, the company’s first mini stand-alone stove. Normally JetBoil stoves come with a complete cooking set, but this extremely light weight offering is sold as the stove alone. It still couples with other JetBoil pots and pans with it’s no spill design. With the Mighty Mo comes the same performance control you have come to suspect from the brand. MSRP $50
NEMO Helio Pressure Shower
Showering in the backcountry is normally something you simply do without. But no longer with the NEMO Helio Pressure Shower. This lightweight shower might be small enough for backcountry travel, but you can certainly leave it at the car for a refreshing rinse. Just fill it up and use the foot pump to build up pressure. MSRP $100
Ecoxgear Sol Jam
The EcoXGear Sol Jam combines all the great features consumers have come to expect from the brand — great sound and waterproof protection — along with a solar panel so that this bluetooth device will charge itself automatically. Just put it in the sun and jam.
