Best Camping Gear for Anglers in Alaska
Mr. Heater 540 Degree Tank Top Heater
www.mrheater.com
This product made a favorable impression for our group, enjoying the great outdoors in cool fall temperatures. It works great for outdoor heat while camping, hanging out lakeside or at the beach, and it provides a great alternative to starting a fire. The heater warmed up a large area and made it quite comfortable to remain outside. The direct, super-warm heat was very enjoyable, eliminating the smoke in the eyes that would come with a campfire.
Big Agnes mtnGLO Tent Light Accessory Kit
www.bigagnes.com
Part of the Big Agnes mtnGLO collection, this tent light accessory kit uses durable LED lights to illuminate the interior of your tent or campsite with enough light to sort gear, play cards or hang out with friends without blinding them with a bright beam of light.
Therm-a-Rest Proton Blanket
www.thermarest.com
We loved that this blanket is lightweight, waterproof and packs down into its own small pouch, making it highly-portable for all kinds of activities. It’s over six feet long and tapers from 55- to 40 inches. Use it while on the go with the family, or as a blanket camping.
Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug (20-Ounce)
www.zojirushi.com
With this coffee mug, hot coffee can be poured in the morning and stay hot all day being sipped at leisure. The cup is slim and tall; it fits well in hand and easily in a car holder. The lid has a locking mechanism and a nice design that pulls all the way back to avoid getting coffee on the forehead. The mouthpiece comes out for easy cleaning. It’s our tester’s favorite mug.
Coleman Comfortsmart Interlock Suspension Chair
www.coleman.com
This heavy-duty camp chair is roomy and comfortable. It features padded arm rests, a rotating drink holder and a flexible back that integrates bungee cords to provide a bit of give that translates to added comfort. The chair folds up and fits into a carry bag.
Klymit Insulated Static V Luxe Mattress
www.klymit.com
The mattress is very easy to inflate; opening and locking inflation valves are simple to use and effective. It rolls up compactly and is perfect for taking on long adventures. It provides good insulation from the cold ground. The mattress is large enough to accommodate our 6-foot, 2-inch tester and provided good rest.
Heather’s Choice Smoked Sockeye Salmon Chowder
www.heatherschoice.com
Developed to provide a healthy food option for backcountry enthusiasts, Alaskan Heather Kelly is a sports nutritionist whose inspiration for the product line comes from home-cooked meals of locally-harvested, sustainable foods. The smoked sockeye chowder is ideal for a day on the riverbank during your next float trip. The salmon is wild-caught and then cold-smoked and one packet contains six ounces of smoked sockeye salmon, peas, carrots and potatoes—all added into a delightful chowder that’s been lightly spiced with dill and cayenne pepper.
Kammok Thylacine
www.kammok.com
Alaska’s climate varies from season to season, and this bag adapts just as quickly. The Thylacine base bag alone keeps you warm down to 30°; add in the liner and it keeps you warm down to 15°. If you add in the liner insert, the bag will keep you toasty warm down to 0°. We appreciated the temperature flexibility of this bag, the CustomFit contour straps that allowed us to make the bag more fitted where we wanted, and the vaulted, roomy footbox.
Jet Boil Genesis Base Camp System
www.jetboil.com
Our tester commented that this was her favorite item of 2016. It includes a 10-inch ceramic non-stick fry pan, a 5-Liter pot with lid and a Genesis 2-burner stove. The system nests to take up little space and comes with a carry bag, making it easy to pack and take on remote adventures. It is compatible with a standard 1-pound propane bottle.
Yeti Tundra 35
www.yeti.com
Our testers found the Yeti Tundra 35 portable enough for one person to haul while still having an impressive carrying capacity. And thanks to up to 3 inches of PermaFrost Insulation and the FatWall Design, this cooler will keep your ice icy, your drinks cold and your food fresh. And even though it’s the smallest of the Tundra line, the Tundra 35 is still built to be bear-resistant, which is critical for those adventures in the Alaska wilderness.
Stansport The Ultimate Event Chair
www.stansport.com
This chair makes you realize what you’ve been missing. We liked the built-in rod holder, the insulated zipper pocket that holds five canned beverages and the multiple other storage pockets to hold keys and wallet. We also liked the secure Velcro closure and convenient backpack straps for transport.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Camper SV
www.thermarest.com
While definitely comfortable, thanks to the thick, supportive design, the NeoAir Camper SV is special because it inflates and deflates quickly with less effort. The wide SpeedValve allows for physics to assist your lungs during inflation for quick setup, then reverses and releases the air almost instantly when it’s time to pack camp.
Buck Knives Selkirk FireStarter
www.buckknives.com
From building fires to signaling for help, the Selkirk FireStarter by Buck Knives features many helpful tools in a lightweight, easy-to-carry configuration. Featuring a striker notch, bottle opener, straight-bit screwdriver, ¼-inch hex for driver bits, line tensioner and a 2 ¼-inch ferrocerium striker, the Selkirk FireStarter is a must-have for the outdoor enthusiast.
GSI Infinity Backpacker Mug 
www.gsioutdoors.com
This mug weighs a mere 3.5 ounces and is made from durable polypropylene, with a 17-ounce capacity. It comes with a spill-resistant sealable lid, an insulated sleeve and non-slip foot.
Stanley Adventure Water Jug (2-Gallon)
www.stanley-pmi.com
The 2-gallon Stanley Adventure Water Jug keeps everyone refreshed. This jug keeps water ice cold for everyone in camp for up to 60 hours. The high-flow spigot easily removes for thorough cleaning.
Backpacker’s Pantry Granola with Blueberries
www.backpackerspantry.com
Fuel up for your day in the field or on the water with this wholesome granola made in traditional small-batch style: hand-baked with real butter, almonds, blueberries and coconut in r-BST-free whole milk. It’s perfect for float trips or other extended backcountry stays, as all you need to do is just add cold or hot water.
Stansport Stainless Steel Family Cook Set
www.stansport.com
This cooking set is compact, nests together for easy travel and the handle is easily switched between pots and pans without feeling loose or unsteady. The multi-use concept is great for cutting back on bulk while still allowing you to bring multiple cooking vessels.
Stansport Cree Lantern 1200 Lumens
www.stansport.com
We find this lantern to be the perfect camp table lantern and at 1200 lumens it easily lights up the whole camp for your group.
Healthy Human Stein Water Bottles
www.healthyhumanlife.com
These insulated stainless steel water bottles are made from high-quality pure food-grade 18/8 stainless steel. They will keep your beverages cold for up to 24 hours and keep liquids hot up to 12 hours. Available in 16-, 21-, 32- and 40-ounce models.
Klymit Pillow X Recon 
www.klymit.com
Testers appreciated the compact package the pillow fits within. It’s very easy to tuck away in any pack. The shape and design when inflated helps stabilize your head and neck in a comfortable position and keeps them insulated from the heat-draining cold ground.
Thermos 36-Ounce Vacuum Insulated Dual Compartment Food Jar
www.thermos.com
This ingenious food-storage jar allows you to bring both hot and cold items in one container. The 16-ounce stainless-steel compartment holds foods hot up to five hours, while the top compartment provides 20 ounces of cold space and will keep items cold for seven hours. Each compartment is equipped with a locking stopper to keepitems in and retain temperature. The unit is dishwasher safe and comes with a folding, stainless steel spork.
Gerber Diesel Multi-Plier Stainless
www.gerbergear.com
We love the Diesel—big, tough, capable and versatile, this tool offers true one-handed deployment and a range of industrial-strength components. We found it ideal for a range of the toughest jobs on the water and in the woods in 2016.
Hilleberg Niak
www.us.hilleberg.com
We tested the Niak last year in the summer and fall. It is a super-lightweight 3-season tent that is a great choice as a solo tent. Our tester used it with his 6-year-old son and reported it was an ideal size for an adult and child and the vestibule provided ample space for their gear. It is incredibly easy and fast to pitch; two poles hold up the entire structure. The sleeping space is about 7 feet by 4 feet and is a little more than 3 feet tall. The highly functional backpacking tent weighs only 3 pounds, 12 ounces.
Mountain House Chicken Noodle Casserole
www.mountainhouse.com
We’ve noticed that Mountain House meals continue to get better. We enjoyed the Homestyle Chicken Noodle Casserole when in the field in 2016. Just boil two cups of water and in 10 minutes you’ve got a hot meal of chicken, noodles, green pepper, celery and mushrooms in a cream sauce. Each bag holds three 290 calorie servings.
Slumberjack Sojourn 0 Sleeping Bag
www.slumberjack.com
This sleeping bag is light and not bulky but provides exceptional warmth and is attractive and functional. Our tester appreciated zippers on both sides and multiple Velcro straps. The drawstrings are easy to adjust around the face. In an October adventure in Alaska, our tester was cozy and warm in below-freezing temperatures.
Monkey Mat
www.monkeymat.com
This portable mat is a great solution for outdoor families with little ones. It packs down small and lightweight into the attached carry bag, has corner loops for staking, is machine-washable and provides a clean surface to sit on whether you are having a shore lunch or need a place for the kids to play on a camping trip. We tested the Mega Monkey Mat, which is 5- by 8 feet, and it provided ample space for a family of six.
Outdoor Tech Turtle Shell 3.0
www.outdoortechnology.com
This dust-, shock- and waterproof wireless speaker was obviously created to beat the competition. Picking a favorite feature other than the 20-hour play time of high-fidelity sound (which is astonishing for its small size) is more than difficult. It works great in any situation from the boat or the campground to the house; it has camera threading and custom strap mounts, a built-in microphone and a USB port so you can talk wirelessly or charge your phone and can be daisy-chained to another Turtle Shell 3.0 for added sound. It’s fully IPX7 waterproof and it floats, too. The battery lasts a super long time.
Paleo Meals to go Caldera Chicken Curry
www.paleomealstogo.com
Our tester was so happy to learn about this freeze-dried food company and she said the Caldera Chicken Curry was among her favorites for the light, clean flavor. It is gluten-free, milk-free, soy-free, preservative-free and grain-free, so it works great for a lot of different diet styles that may be followed by backcountry enthusiasts.