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Get in Gear
By Jennifer Barger
Special to washingtonpost.com
Wednesday, June 28, 2000
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Half the fun of camping is stocking up on gear: state-of-the-art tents, mattress-like sleeping pads and lots of stuff made of waterproof nylon and fleece. I road tested most of the following items during the Avon Breast Cancer Three-Day Walk in May, and they made snoozing under the stars much more comfortable.
The large overhead mesh panels on Mountain Hard Ware's Room with a View Tent ($295) let in cool breezes and cool views of the night sky. The cozy two-person tent (available at Hudson Trail Outfitters) also boasts a vestibule – a sort of tarp front porch – that shields backpacks and other gear from the elements. Best of all: When it is rolled up and stashed in a sack, the tent weighs a puny, easy-to-carry seven pounds, leaving you lots of room for other gear.
4530 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202/363-9810
REI's Sub Kilo sleeping bag, a down-filled wonder ($209), squishes into a tiny bag for storage, yet feels surprisingly soft on the cold, hard ground. A so-called three-season bag, the Kilo should suffice for all but the coldest mid-Atlantic trips. In hot weather, bring a sheet and just lie on top.
Available at http://www.rei.com and at the REI store at 3509 Carlin Springs Rd., Falls Church; 703/379-9400.
The bargain-priced nylon Greatland Sport Seat ($12.99) from Target folds out into a comfy campsite lounge that can double as a sleeping pad. During the three-day walk, it provided a welcoming rest for my tired back; it will also get star billing at pre-Wolf Trap picnics this summer.
Available at Target stores and at www.target.com.
Maneuvers in the dark – bathroom runs, scaring away bears or "Blair Witch"-type goblins – become less treacherous with Nite Ize Patterned Light Holder ($6.60), a flashlight carrier you wear on your head. Combine the stretchy headband with a Mini Maglight ($10) for a look that could only be called coal-miner chic.
Available at http://www.rei.com and at the REI store at 3509 Carlin Springs Rd., Falls Church; 703/379-9400.
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