Are you addicted to ultra-lightweight camping gear? Don’t worry, your friends won’t send you to rehab…but they will be jealous when you pull the Ultralite Guide Tarp from Brooks-Range Mountaineering from your backpack.
Experienced campers know that when bug season is over, the bulky, screened tent becomes an obsolete anvil in your backpack.  At a mere 11 ounces, the durable waterproof 8’x10’ Ultralite Guide Tarp sleeps up to 3 people, and can be positioned in a variety of ways to block the wind and rain, as well as pitching the roof to let campfire smoke out; you can’t dry your socks next to a campfire inside a tent!  So add the Brooks Range Ultralite Guide Tarp, Ultralite Mini Guide Tarp, or Ultralite Solo Tarp to your camping gear collection and go super light and fast…or bring some wine, cheese and fillet mignon with the extra weight you saved.

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The Blue Ridge Hammock Tent from Lawson Hammock, is made for the smart camper, or anyone else that enjoys convenience, comfort, and versatility.
 
This lightweight, low impact, bug-free, waterproof, three season shelter was specifically designed for backpacking and camping in hard terrain.  No longer will uneven, rocky, or wet soil be a hindrance.  Camp right at the foot of the river bed, steep mountainside, or thick jungle.  With less vegetation disturbed or damaged you can reduce your environmental footprint; although, you can always use it as a bivy tent if you find the ideal spot. 
Even if you just want to lounge around your backyard, the Blue Ridge will protect you from mosquitos and small ground dwelling flesh eaters.

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All I have to say is, thank you, thank you, thank you Big Agnes! 

It’s about time someone made a quality sleeping bag to accommodate two people; I’m done trying to zip two different bags together. 
The King Solomon 15° double wide sleeping bag from Big Agnes is the cream de la cream.  The plush light weight down bag comes with two full size (20″x72″) sleeping pads that fit in individual sleeves on the back of the bag…a.k.a. no more sliding off your ground pad all night, these 2.5 inch thick rip-stop comfort pads stay in one place. 
A zipper on each side of the bag allows easy access or escape for either sleeper.  The built in pillow pockets are another nice feature for holding your rolled up jacket or inflatable pillow.  There’s even interior fabric loops for your sleeping bag liners and built in no-draft collars for each person.  You don’t have to worry about down in your mouth because the rip-stop microfiber nylon is down proof.  Big Agnes thought of everything with this bag, if you need a two person sleeping bag this is the best!

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BRING YOUR OWN HAMMOCK!

The problem with most hammocks are that you have to find two tree’s or posts to hang them from, and once they’re up, they just stay in the same place and get dirty.  Obviously the Portable Mesh Hammock from Kelsyus has that problem solved, but what you might not realize is that this piece of gear is wicked easy to pack and unpack, so you’ll actually use it quite a bit.  I wouldn’t recommend lugging it deep into the wilderness for survival camping, but when you’re chilling in the yard, beach, or campground it doesn’t get much better. 

It’s also worth mentioning that the inflatable pillow that comes with this hammock is freakin awesome.  Its got separate internal batters to cradle your head perfectly; I would spend the hundy for that alone. 

*Warning, this device is not meant to be used as a trampoline, parachute, or river raft!

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Good luck finding a more ridged bad-ass tent for this amount of money.  The Eureka K2 XT’s 8′11″ x 7′8″ floor space and open angle dome design creates the roomiest tenting experience I’ve ever seen for a three person model, so if you need a cramped footprint for ledge squatting, you’ll have to deal with something much less comfy.  This expedition-grade shelter features a wind and snow-shedding 4-pole geodesic design that’s large, light, strong and efficient for mountaineering and winter camping.  But don’t be fooled, the zippered high/low tent vents and scoop vents in the fly (accessible through zippers in the roof) make The K-2 XT a comfortable choice for summer and spring as well. 
If you’ve ever put together a tent, you’ll have no problem with the K-2.  The posts and grommet corner attachments, clips, and continuous mesh rod sleeves simplify the process while the optional guyouts provide added stability in Armageddon like winds. 

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The official sleeping bag of Andrew Lloyd Webber isn’t an illusion, but it will disappear if you don’t hide it from your thieving friends.  Mountain Hardwear has put together an impressive line of Phantom products, notably the Phantom 0° Sleeping Bag which is the lightest four-season bag around. This snug mummy cut bag is insulated with 800-fill down, so it’s toasty warm, uber light, and highly compactable; the perfect bag when you don’t know what to expect. 
The Phantom’s tuck-stitched shell is constructed from 15 denier lightweight tear resistant fabric, with a DWR finish.  The super-luxe inner lining provides a silkier sleep experience while the tight 5 inch baffle spacing prevents cold spots by keeping the down in place. 

*Sleeps one person comfortably or two people very awkwardly

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The Three Wire Bivy from Big Agnes protects you against the elements and more importantly, the mosquitos. 
With a mesh bug netting option under the already breathable yet waterproof eVent fabric, the bugs won’t kill you and neither will suffocation. 
The bottom of the bivy is constructed of durable, lightweight Cordura, while the DAC Featherlite NSL poleset utilizes reverse Combi pole optimization for extra strength and weight reduction; oh yeah, the Eco-Friendly anodizing pole process significantly reduces the use of hazardous chemicals; sweet. 
With a packing weight of 32oz, this bivy is a must for the solo alpinist.  Setup only takes seconds and I personally like the point of entry over my former bivy, not to mention perfect headroom and ventilation.

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