Gear Guide: New Camping Equipment
Snow Peak Mola Headlamp
($60; snowpeak.com)
A vertical, semicircular design and a counterweight on the single LED allows the light bulb on the Mola to swivel up and down as you move your head, more accurately pointing the beam where needed. The light is also dim-able from 110 lumens to 10.
Alite Designs Mantis Chair
($103; alitedesigns.com)
I became the envy of my hiking companions every time I pulled out the Mantis from its waterbottle-sized stuff-sack. As they took their place on rocks or their packs, I snapped the lightweight aluminum poles together, slung the seat in place and relaxed. It was always worth shouldering the extra 900 grams.
GSI Outdoors Roll-up 5-in-one Game Set
($25; gsioutdoors.com)
We’re bringing this collection of classic games — chess, checkers, backgammon, Ludo and snakes and ladders — on every trip. Twin two-sided magnetic boards unroll from inside the mesh carrier. All the dice and pieces to play fit inside. It’s smaller than a waterbottle and doesn’t weigh enough to matter.
SOG Flashback
($100; sogknives.com)
Inevitably, we need a knife when we only have one hand available. Not a problem with the Flashback. A power-assist function snaps this 3.5-inch blade, folding knife open with a practised flick of the wrist or a light push with the thumb.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture WV
($70; cascadedesigns.com)
Air mats can’t be beat for sleeping comfort, pack size and weight, but without adding pricy insulated they are too cold for mountains or tundra — until now. The uninsulated Venture adds three-season R-value by splitting the horizontal air baffles in half, reducing heat loss and keeping cost low.
