Best camping gear is critical when you’re sleeping outdoors in Alaska. Shivering through the night in an improperly rated sleeping bag is an experience most adventurers would prefer not to repeat. The best camping gear selections by the Fish Alaska team have been field tested and all things considered, these will be sure to keep you warm and comfortable out there.
Best Camping Gear
MSR DromLite Bags
DromLite bags come in 3 sizes: 2 L, 4 L, and 6 L. We tested the 4 L bag. All of them are lightweight, extremely compact water reservoirs that are BPA-free and to which an MSR water-filtration pump like the MSR MiniWorks EX can be attached to fill the reservoir with safe drinking water. The 3-in-1 cap lets you fill, drink, and pour with ease. The bag can be hung from a branch or whatever for easy gravity pouring. You can turn it into a hydration bladder with the optional MSR Hydration Kit.
Duracell 2000 Lumen Tri-Power Lantern
This multi-tasking lantern from Duracell is a great option for anyone looking to tick off multiple needs in one functional tool. Adjustable light levels, rechargeable batteries, and device charger all in one, this lantern can be bright enough to fillet a salmon at midnight, or soft enough to light the deck at the cabin for a romantic dinner.
MSR AutoFlow XL Gravity Filter
This water filtration system includes a 10 L bag, and in-line ceramic filter. It filters as fast as 1.75 liters per minute, and up to 1,500 liters before you have to replace the filter element. This unit is great for basecamp or for float trips. The filter is easily cleaned in the field for flow recovery if it gets clogged, and no tools are required to do it. Total weight is 12 ounces. It’s a lot more convenient to set this system up to filter water while you set up camp or cook than it is to pump water to filter it.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT MAX Ultralight Sleeping Pad
This sleeping pad has an R-value of 4.5. We tested the regular-wide size (25” x 72”). It weighs 19 ounces and packs down to the size of a 1-liter water bottle. It is amazing how much better today’s sleeping pads are compared to the original Therm-a-Rests from back in the ’90s. This one is yellow in color. It is best suited to spring and summer.
Gerber Around Camp Kit
This camp kit includes a utensil set, Armbar Cork multi-tool, and the neatest little cleaver you will ever see in camp. This set helps you eat, drink, and be merry all in one small package. The cleaver alone will keep you occupied for hours as you try to figure out just how much you can do with it.
High Camp Flasks Firelight Flask
If you enjoy bringing a nice wine or spirits on your adventure, enter the High Camp Firelight Flask. Made from quality materials, design aspects that make this a great buy include the magnetically integrated tumblers that attach to the top and bottom of the vacuum insulated, leak-proof flask.
MSR MiniWorks EX Microfilter
One of the most-attractive features of this water-filtration pump is that you can scrub the ceramic filter clean. This is a big plus when you have to get water from sources with lots of suspended particles, like glacial streams. The durable ceramic filter can filter up to 2,000 liters of water. It screws onto MSR Dromedary bags or standard wide-mouth bottles and pumps a liter in about a minute. The unit includes a hose float, scrub pad, and storage sack.
Helinox Sunset Chair
The Sunset chair is comfortable, sturdy, and well-designed. Weighing in under 3.5 pounds, packing down to 19” x 5” x 4.5”, and holding up to 320 pounds, this thing is a powerhouse in a light package. Longer legs make it easier to get in and out of the chair, and a higher back provides back and neck support. Publisher Marcus Weiner took this chair on a weeklong river adventure and says it goes together fast, packs down small and is comfortable to sit in.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT Ultralight Extreme Conditions Sleeping Pad
We tested the regular-wide size (25” x 72”). It weighs 19 ounces and has a 7.3 R-value. It packs down to about the size of a 1-liter water bottle. This is the pad you want for late fall, winter, early spring, or cold-weather camps. The higher R-value means you’ll stay warmer than you would with something with less R-value. The NeoAir XTherm NXT Ultralight Extreme is blue in color.