Gear Guide: Summer Camping Ideas
We asked some explore staffers what they had in their gear closets. Here are three tip picks:
HotCore T-100
($80; hotcoreproducts.com)
At a thrifty $80, the Hotcore T-100 sleeping bag punches well above its price weight. The quality of design and manufacturing is impressive from this Canadian company. The insulation is siliconized TrueLoft microfibre and you get a double layer of it around the core area, between the neck and belt line. Unlike down sleeping bags, the T-100 is not afraid of wet environments. I think it is ideally suited for shoulder-season boating and kayaking. The bag is rated to 0°C, weighs 1.2 kg and comes with a compression sack. —Arran Yates, art director
ECCO Ulterra Mid GTX
($230; eccocanada.com)
ECCO’s Ulterra Mid GTX is an attractive, lightweight, mid-height hiker. This Danish brand owns and manages every step of the shoe-making process, from curing and processing the leather to shoe design and construction—allowing them to ensure high standards and unveil innovative features like yak leather uppers and one-piece direct-injected soles that boast durability, flexibility and traction. While this Gore-Tex hiker won’t offer the ankle support we’d look for in a long-distance backpacking boot, the Ulterra Mid GTX is my pick for day-hikes in the wet coastal mountains. —Dale Miller, editorial director
60°N 95°W Boat Neck Sweatshirt
($45; 60n95w.com)
We like to show our patriotism in subtle ways—and the made-in-Canada, “toss it on when the sun sets,” Boat-Neck Sweatshirt from 60°N 95°W affords a cozy way to do just that. From one staffer: “This brand is a great way to show your Canadian-ness and to start a conversation with people when travelling. The name is taken from the ‘official coordinates’ for our country and people often stop to ask what they mean.” —Jennifer Prendergast, associate publisher
