The best camping gear

GET OUT THERE

Whether you’re into backcountry adventures, car camping or day hiking, here’s the best new stuff to make your time outside more comfortable and fun.

Words JOE LINDSEY

Front Runner’s rooftop tent is spacious but has a surprisingly low profile when you hit the road.

GSI PINNACLE PRO CAMP STOVE SNOW PEAK FIELD COOKER PRO. 3 YETI CROSSROADS 60L DUFFEL

This sleek two-burner stove might be (no joke) the hottest piece of gear this summer. With dual piezoelectric ignition and 22,000 BTUs of steaksearing heat, it can get dinner going pronto, but precise burner control lets you slow simmer or poach like a good gas range. It’s compatible with single-use propane canisters or larger refillable LPG tanks, and the nonstick drip pan makes cleanup a breeze. Folded for storage, it’s a bit larger than a laptop. $200; gsioutdoors.com This four-piece set provides all you need to whip up an outdoor feast. It includes 3- and 4-liter pots with lids, a mesh strainer for rinsing veggies or draining pasta and an 8-inch iron fry pan. The durable all-metal bodies are easy to clean and work on gas or charcoal (campfire grate) surfaces. Cool-touch wood handles offer control and safety even without the included hotpad. And the entire set nests together for compact storage. $136; snowpeak.com

This spacious new duffel features the same kind of thoughtful, rugged design you see with Yeti’s coolers. The clamshell opening provides easy access, and foam-reinforced walls hold it open. With long-wearing nylon fabric and durable carry handles, you don’t have to be gentle with it. Two removable divider panels and internal compression straps create order out of the jumble usually found in duffels. The 60-liter size is perfect for long weekends. $250; yeti.com

FRONT RUNNER ROOFTOP TENT NEMO PUFFIN INSULATED BLANKET

Rooftop tents are often awkward and heavy, so people leave them attached, where they wreck your MPG. But since the Front Runner has a low profile and weighs just 93 pounds, it’s easy to remove when not in use. Its spacious 96-by-51inch footprint fits two adults. The foam mattress provides insulation and sleeping comfort, while a rain fly seals out elements without limiting ventilation. The telescoping ladder offers easy access. $1,099; frontrunneroutfitters.com

Rooftop tents have thick mattresses, so blankets are a comfier choice than sleeping bags. The Puffin’s curved edges offer coverage for side sleepers or sitting around the campfire; a clever “foot nook” keeps your toes tucked in. The highloft synthetic insulation provides cozy warmth, and the DWR-coated ripstop nylon shell wards off spills and snags. An integrated stuff sack lets you create a plush pillow. $100 (1 person), $150 (2 person); nemoequipment.com THERM-A-REST AIR HEAD DOWN

Pillows are a camping conundrum: essential for quality sleep but bulky to pack. This combines the best parts of a fluffy down pillow for comfort and compact air-inflatable construction for easy storage. The 4-inch-thick air chamber offers support, while the 650-fill down insert replicates the feel of a quality home pillow. The curved shape fits inside sleeping-bag hoods or pillow pockets—and it packs down to a grapefruit-sized stuff sack. $60-$70; thermarest.com

The Nemo Puffin blanket has a clever “foot nook” to keep your toes tucked in and cozy.

THE NORTH FACE STORMBREAK 2 BIG AGNES SIDEWINDER SL35

Forget flimsy shelter in the backcountry; you want a roomy tent that will stand up to squalls. This three-season tent, which weighs 5 lbs 5 oz, has a four-pole design that sets up fast and withstands gusty winds, and the seam-taped rain fly will keep downpours at bay. The 87-by50-inch footprint provides roomy living space for two. Large mesh panels ensure proper airflow in summer heat, and double vestibules provide plenty of storage. $159; thenorthface.com

At last, a bag for all of us side sleepers. It has a roomy shape cut for side sleeping, patterned to move with you as you roll over. Insulation (comfortable down to 35 degrees) is mapped to body points: 650-fill down in the legs and torso and denser synthetics at the hips to relieve pressure points. The jacket-style hood cinches down to limit drafts and has an integrated pillow pocket. Available in regular, long and women’sspecific models. $250; bigagnes.com MSR TRAIL BASE FILTER KIT

This ingenious water-filter kit combines two technologies in a versatile 1-pound package that easily fits in any pack. The simple trail filter offers quick refills of bottles or hydration bladders with its intuitive squeeze-pump action. At camp, attach it to the 2- or 4-liter reservoir bags to create a no-fuss gravity filter. The filter material is 99.9 percent effective against bacteria, parasites and particulates and is fieldcleanable. $140-$150; msrgear.com

JOT COFFEE

Even hardcore thru hikers obsess over morning java. But you can ditch your press, grinder and beans with this concentrated coffee extract. Just add a tablespoon to hot or cold water for a perfect cup. Jot’s proprietary extraction process is versatile enough for espresso, regular coffee, even cappuccino-style drinks. New fair-trade offerings include limited batches made from single-origin crops like the women-owned Finca La Virgen farm in Nicaragua. $24/14 cups; jot.co NITE IZE MOONLIT MICRO LANTERN

Save your headlamp batteries: The even glow of this tiny lamp is more pleasant for inside your tent. It’s just 2.3 inches in diameter and weighs less than an ounce, so it’s easy to toss in your pack for any excursion. It runs 60 hours on two replaceable coin-cell batteries; just clip the integrated carabiner to a tent accessory loop or a jacket zipper pull for steady illumination for reading or digging through your pack. $10; niteize.com SEA TO SUMMIT ETHER LIGHT XT

It’s tempting—and risky—to pick the lightest sleeping pad. This mat is a nice compromise: just 17.3 oz (regular size), but with 4 inches of plush, air-sprung Thermolite insulation to eliminate pressure points. Dot-weld construction provides a more realistic mattress feel than baffled pads, with a quiet face fabric that won’t ruin your sleep. The Airstream Pumpsack makes inflation easy. With five sizes, there’s a fit for those up to 6’7”. $180-$220; seatosummitusa.com

Coffee snobs who want to keep things simple will like the versatility of Jot’s concentrated extract.

MSR’s inventive Trail Base system has both a simple filter for the trail and a high-capacity setup for camp.

LEKI MAKALU LITE COR-TEC AS

On technical terrain, trekking poles offer balance and support while reducing wear and tear on your body. These poles up that significantly with an elastomer shock absorber that reduces peak forces up to 40 percent. The sturdy, lightweight, three-piece telescoping aluminum poles extend from 39 to 53 inches. Ergonomic Cor-Tec cork grips provide exceptional control and dexterity, and the 234-gram weight won’t hold you back on steep climbs. $140; leki.com/us ADIDAS TERREX TRAILMAKER MID GORE-TEX

The Gore-Tex liner in these light hikers repels water and mud to keep your feet dry. A cushy EVA midsole and stabilization frame cushion rock strikes and add ankle support, with the responsive feel of good running shoes. The Traxion rubber outsole and rubberized toe rand offer confident footing on steep scrambles. The secure lace closure offers a comfortable fit without hot spots. $150; adidas.com

BLACK DIAMOND NITRO 22 PACK

Spacious and versatile yet compact, this pack is ideal for technical day adventures. The ReACTIV suspension keeps loads comfortably and securely centered, while the airy back panel keeps things cool. Zippered panels access 22 liters of smartly organized gear space, and the hydration pocket features an external sleeve to route the hose along a shoulder strap. The shovel pocket and pole straps simplify storage of bulky items. $130; blackdiamondequipment.com BUFF COOLNET UV+ GAITER

This tube might be the most versatile piece of clothing you can bring on a hike. Buff doesn’t promote it as a mask, but they’re popular for that use, and post-pandemic, it’ll remain useful as a neck gaiter, headband, hat, balaclava and hood. The lightweight fabric (made from recycled polyester)—with UPF50 protection, HeiQ+ cooling technology and Polygiene odor control— is perfect for warm weather. Available in 100plus colors and patterns. $22-$26; buffusa.com

The Black Diamond Nitro 22 packs a lot of space and technical capability into a compact package.

GARMIN FENIX 6 PRO SOLAR

This watch gets 14 days of battery life, and even more from its solar charging lens. That powers features like wrist-top GPS and topo maps, physical data like pulse oxygenation and heart rate variability, and outdoor-specific info like barometric pressure and weather forecasts. Go further than maps with point-to-point navigation and ascent-planner mode to help set a sustainable pace, and 14 recreation profiles from hiking to SUPing. $800-$1,100; garmin.com MARMOT PRECIP ECO JACKET

Pack some insurance with this lightweight shell, one of Marmot’s all-time best-selling jackets. The 21st-century tweak is a nylon face fabric made of recycled material, featuring a PFC-free finish that’s bonded to Marmot’s NanoPro waterproofbreathable membrane for full protection in intense cloudbursts. The hood can roll into the collar, and underarm zippers help manage heat. Available in regular, big, tall and women’s fits and a rainbow of colors. $100; marmot.com MAVEN B.3 BINOCULARS

They’re compact, but these feathery specs pack serious power and clarity for birding or other wildlife watching. Choose from 6, 8 or 10x magnification. Maven’s B series is its highestquality optic, featuring a polymer-covered magnesium frame, low-dispersion ED glass lenses for durability and superior vision in low light. Custom-build options let you pick accent colors for focus rings or add a personalized engraving. $500; mavenbuilt.com

Go off-grid with the Fenix 6 Pro Solar, which can charge itself and offer storm alerts.