By Anna Kosta-Rodriguez
Now that the weather is getting cooler (especially here in Texas!) it’s the perfect time to be outside with friends, family or solo. We’ve found some resources of outdoorsy-related items for those who might need to beef up their gear this camping and hiking season.
Lightweight and Affordable Tent
When camping with friends or family, it’s important to find a tent big enough, lightweight and easy to put together. The Dog House 6 tent from Big Agnes fits 6 sleeping bags (83sqft of floor area), only weighs in at 13lbs compact, and has an inside height of 80 inches. It is also really affordable for a tent this size, coming in at $379.95. Check out the Dog House 6 as well as a lot of other tent and outdoor options on the Big Agnes website!
First-Aid/Emergency Kit
We all know how important it is to be prepared while camping, hiking or road tripping and the DECKED x Uncharted D-Bag Emergency Kit is the best investment you can make, especially if you’ll be out in the middle of nowhere. The kit comes with anything you can think of, from an emergency shelter to waterproof matches and pretty much everything in between, and is designed to keep two people alive for the first 72 hours of an emergency/survival situation. It costs $650 on the DECKED website and ships for free to anywhere in the contiguous United States (but it does NOT ship to Canada).
Waterproof Backpack
Whether you’re on the trail or on the water, a good rule of thumb is to have a lightweight backpack for your gear that can withstand the elements. The Sea to Summit Hydraulic Dry Pack from REI is a great option as it is waterproof, UV resistant, can hold 120 liters, and only costs $299.95. It is designed for use while paddling, but can be used for general camping, hiking or anything else outdoors.
Solar-powered Lantern
Having light when out in the wilderness is always a must, and it can be annoying to remember oil, matches or a power source when packing, which is why the PackLite Solar Lanterns from LuminAID are a great addition to your gear. They are only $30 each online and collapse to 4.75″ x 4.75″ x 1.0″ for easy transportation. A great feature is that, while they are solar powered and take only 2 hours to fully charge, there is also a battery option for those cloudy days.
Portable Camping Stove
Of course we can’t forget the most important outdoor item to make your camping or backpacking trip the best possible: a stove! The Jetboil Genesis Basecamp Cooking System is lightweight and efficient. It costs $619.99 on Amazon and its compacted size is only 10.3 in x 7.2 in. This stove weighs in at 9.1lbs, has two burners, takes propane gas, and, best of all, it comes with all the tools you need to cook your meals out in the wild.
These are just a few good items to boost your outdoor experience this season. Whatever you do, stay safe, be prepared and absolutely make sure to have tons of fun!
The Write Way TX 