As usual, the gear at last week’s Outdoor Retailer Summer Market knocked our socks off! The directional new prints, unexpected brand collaborations, and minimalist designs got us fantasising about some outdoor adventures and camping excursions we would like to go on in the near future. The kind of wild trips where you get to combine super lightweight, technical products, with not-so-lightweight pieces and no one harshes your vibe or gives you grief for having a healthy imagination.
1. The backpacker’s dream tent has arrived, weighing in at just 1 lb. and 9 oz. MSR’S FLYLITE tent is a two-person, full-protection shelter with ASTONISHING LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN. The single-wall tent provides 72 cubic feet of livable interior space and is simple in its structure, using just two standard trekking poles and one mini-pole for support. Available in retail stores January 2015.
2. Burton x Big Agnes Safari Collection means that Burton’s eye for style and color merges with Big Agnes’s experience as a technical gear manufacturer. The outcome? Incredibly FUNCTIONAL AND FUN products. Our personal favorite is the SAFARI COLLECTION CAMP CHAIR, a packable chair with a funky zebra print that’s comfy enough for camping trips and outdoor music festivals. Available in retail stores February 2015.
3. Everyone knows that the best rewards after a long day of hiking are snacks and cold brewskis, so Yeti has created a soft-side portable cooler that is SLEEK in design and unmatched in functionality. The YETI HOPPER makes trekking with treats easier. The new cooler is extremely DURABLE thanks to a puncture-resistant shell, tough insulation, and watertight zippers. Fun fact: it’s said to hold nine quarts of potato salad! Available October 2014.
4. Thrillists who enjoy blending sport and alpine climbing with camping and backpacking will fall in love with the PETZL HIRUNDOS harness. We were especially impressed with its advanced FUSEFRAME Technology construction, INTRICATE WEBBING, and low-profile vibe. Available now from online retailers and stores.
5. A long day of exploring the outdoors calls for a quality night of sleep, and SIERRA DESIGNS’ BACKCOUNTRY BED ELITE doesn’t make you choose between a lightweight sleeping bag and a COMFORTABLE one. Revamped for its 50th Anniversary Collection, the Elite is zipperless, stuffed with cozy 850-fill DriDown, and weighs 1 lb. and 9 oz., all while maintaining a 15-degree rating! Available Spring 2015.
6. How come no one thought of this before? Food grade silicone is heat resistant–think cupcake molds–it just can’t be placed on a direct flame, right? Stay with us. Sea to Summit just blew our minds by adding a hard anodized aluminum base to the bottom of their collapsible bowls, so the flame never touches the silicone (duh!), to create the ultralight, compact cooking system called X-Pot. Available March 2015.
XX JEANINE + SYDNEY
