Best Camping Gear for Anglers
in Alaska in 2016 

Coleman 15 feet x 13 feet Instant Screened Canopy
www.coleman.comColeman_15x13_Instant_Screened_Canopy.jpg
We were impressed with the ease of set-up and take-down, including storage in its wheeled carry bag, of this screened canopy. It makes for a great refuge from the bugs during meal-time or just visiting with friends. It’s equipped with two large T-doors with zippers.

Eureka Spero 20℉ Women’s Sleeping Bag
www.store.eurekatent.comEureka_Spero_20F_W.jpg
This bag is designed for women and features a locking two-way zipper and the ability to mate it with a right-hand zipper mummy-style sleeping bag when sleeping with a partner. Our tester liked this lightweight bag and thought it well-suited for a variety of trips. She said that it is comfortable and snuggly, like sleeping on a cloud.

Eureka Bero 20℉ Long Sleeping Bag
www.store.eurekatent.comEureka_Bero_20F_Long.jpg
The Eureka Bero 20° Long Sleeping Bag is sized for people up to 6 feet, 6 inches tall. Though our tester is nowhere near that tall, he tends to like long bags for the greater width they sometimes provide, and the Bero 20° Long is 35 inches wide at the shoulders. For Alaska conditions, this is a three-season bag, though it seems warm for a 20-degree bag. Being all synthetic, it maintains insulating capability even if it gets a little wet. The inside liner is a soft, brushed polyester that is warm to the touch—a welcoming comfort when getting into it on cold spring and fall nights. Though this is a long bag, it’s fairly light at a little under 4 pounds with the compression stuff sack. It packs down to 9 inches by 18 inches. For the money, this is a great bag.

Big Agnes Chimney Creek 4 mtnGLO
www.bigagnes.comBig_Agnes_Chimney_Creek_4_mtnGLO_TentWithFly-LightsOn.jpg
This three-season tent was a huge hit with field testers throughout the season, as they loved having light available at the click of a button. Illuminated with mtnGLO Tent Light Technology featuring LED lights integrated into the tent body, the Chimney Creek also offers ample living space and head height in a two-door/two-vestibule design.

Therm-a-Rest Dreamtime XL
www.cascadedesigns.comTherm-a-Rest_DreamTime.jpg
Comfort, stability and ease-of-inflation are a few of the reasons our tester refused to crawl into the tent at night without the Dreamtime ready and waiting. A machine-washable cover made it easy to clean after the trip was over, too. 



Jetboil FlashJet_Boil_Camo_Flash.jpg
www.jetboil.com
The system is lightweight and convenient to take on trips; all accessories are contained in the cup. It is impressively quick at boiling water and takes about two minutes to boil two cups of water for coffee, freeze-dried meals, oatmeal, etc. It’s both compact and quick to set-up, making it one of the favorite camping items our testers used in 2015. We like that the cooking cup clips onto the burner which prevents accidental spills and that the fuel canister tripod provides a stable platform.



Stansport Outdoor Event Table
www.stansport.comStansporttable.jpg
Heading into the woods doesn’t mean you have to leave all creature comforts behind, and our staff certainly appreciated having this table along for food prep and mealtime, no matter where we were. The heavy-duty 21×60-inch tabletop sets to two heights, standard (29 inches) and bar (42 inches) and collapses into an easy-to-carry roll-top pack. 


GSI Outdoors Destination Kitchen Set 24 gsioutdoorskitchen_set.jpg
www.gsioutdoors.com
This is a very convenient and well-organized kit that is composed of durable, quality utensils. It is stored in a compact carrying case that is great for camping and extended trips. The 24-piece set includes four cutlery sets, folding tools, a cutting board, utility knife, spice shakers, etc., and comes in weighing at just under 2 pounds, making it highly portable.

Stansport Director’s Chair with Side Table
www.stansport.comStansportchair.jpg
There are camp chairs, and then there are handy camp chairs, and our tester found this sturdy, comfortable chair to fit solidly in the latter category. The side table was particularly useful and is a big added benefit.


 

Black Diamond Apollo Lantern
www.blackdiamondequipment.comBlack_Diamond_Apollo_Lantern.jpg
With 80-lumens of bright, ambient non-glaring light, the Apollo was the perfect solution for all of our camp situations over the past year. A unique, battery-saving dimming switch provided optimal light for sorting equipment and cooking meals, while a collapsible hanging loop allowed us to use the light in a variety of situations.






ENO Reactor Hammock
www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.comENO_Reactor_Hammock.jpg
At 9 feet long, 5-foot, 6 inches wide, providing a 400-pound capacity and only weighing 26 ounces, this hammock is roomy and great for hiking, camping or car travel. It’s durable, lightweight and easily set-up in minutes. The Reactor is designed with a second layer of nylon to create a sleeve to place your sleeping pad and keep it from moving.

ENO Atlas XL Hammock Suspension System  
www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com
ENO_Atlas_XL_Suspension_System_2.jpgIt is easy to set-up your hammock in minutes using two trees and these secure straps. The straps are lightweight, strong and have plenty of length—13 feet, six inches—so you can set-up your hammock in more places. Combined with the Reactor Hammock, the system provides for quality rest off the ground.

Klymit Insulated Static V Lite
www.klymit.comKlymit_Insulated_Static_V_Lite.jpg
This four-season camping pad is feather-light, weighing only 19.6 ounces, compact and a great option for backpackers, anglers and hunters heading into the Alaska bush. We like that it has side rails to keep you on the pad throughout the night and that it inflates within 15 breaths. It’s comfortable, packs down into a 5-inch by 8-inch stuff sack and comes with a patch kit. 

Coleman Hatteras Fast Pitch
www.coleman.comColeman_Hatteras_Fast_Pitch.jpg
This easy-to-erect sun shelter is light, portable and a great addition to our camping arsenal for those long summer days when the sun in Alaska is particularly strong. 



Therm-a-Rest Honcho Poncho
www.cascadedesigns.comTherm-a-Rest_Honcho_Poncho.jpg
There are some products every year that catch a tester’s fancy and soon become favorites staff-wide—the Honcho Poncho is one of those. Warm and water-resistant, it’s great for tending to camp chores, and doubles as a blanket when relaxing after a day’s activities. 


 

Thermos The Rock Beverage Bottle 1-liter
www.shopthermos.comThemos_The_Rock_Beverage_Bottle_1-liter.jpg
This tough bottle is made from stainless steel inside and out and will keep liquids hot or cold for up to 24 hours. We like the extra-large non-slip handle and full-sized cup.






Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Insulated Mat
www.seatosummit.comSea_to_Summit_Comfort_Plus_Insulated_Mat.jpg
This comfortable sleeping pad weighs 25.5 ounces, packs down into a compact 5-inch by 9-inch carrying bag, and is well-suited for anglers on float trips or packing into the backcountry. It’s comprised of a dual layer construction that can be pressurized independently which allows users to create a high-pressure base layer for protection from the ground while fine tuning the top layer for personalized sleeping comfort. Both layers can be adjusted independently. 





Thermos Vaccuum-Insulated Commuter Bottle
www.shopthermos.comThermos_brand_16_oz_Commuter_Bottle_Charcoal_with_Lime.jpg
With this technical Thermos, vacuum insulation technology locks in temperature to preserve flavor and freshness, while the stainless-steel interior and exterior made sure it held up over the course of a season’s adventures. For the Alaskan outdoorsman, this is an essential, whether just day fishing your home water or spending more than a week exploring a remote watershed.