Best in Class Winners—Camping

Best in Class Winners—Camping

Kelty TN2 Tent

2Kelty TraiLogic TN2 Fly Rolled UpPrice and a robust feature set make the TN2 our go-to backpacking two-person tent. You get a roomy 50-inch-wide footprint, with 42 inches between the floor and ceiling, which runs through most of the tent. The two doors each have a vestibule, and the fly rolls back for stargazing. Better yet, it packs small, carries light, and retails for only $250. Read full review here. 

Fjall Raven Akka Endurance 2 Tent

fj-akka-endurance-2-blue

The Best in Class Mountaineering tent, the Akka Endurance, is $450 more than our other Best in Class tent—the three-season Kelty TN2—and that extra coin gets an inventive twist on the traditional pop-up tent. Its tunnel design affords real strength and weather protection in all types of foul weather, and the vestibule is hands-down one of the best on the market, and includes an integrated vent that lets you cook without leaving your shelter. If you anticipate enduring the worst of weather, this tent will save your sanity. It even has integrated clothing lines in the living space. Read full review here.

Therm-A-Rest Mira 15 Sleeping Bag

Therm-a-Rest Mira-1

When Therm-A-Rest introduced their backpacking-friendly sleeping bags, it almost felt like a marketing ploy to inspire people to buy both a bag and a sleeping pad, since the two items were essential for the kit to perform. Yet considering that their Neo-Air sleeping pad–which forms the insulated bottom of the pack–is one of the best sleeping pads on the market, this strategy will reward you in the field. The minimized bottom insulation lets them slice the weight considerably—but it was still one of the warmest we tested, with good roominess and compressibility. That said, if you want a pack that you can use without a sleeping pad, look elsewhere. Read full review here.

Primus ETA Lite Stove

Primus ETA lite

Tops in the one-pot stoves, the ETA Lite impressed us with its ultra-simple design and reliable functionality. It has a fast average boil time (2 minutes, 23 seconds), good wind resistance, and the best integrated hanging kit among the three one-liter all-in-one systems that we tested. Read full review here.

Soto Windmaster Stove

soto-windmaster

Weight, efficiency, and performance—the trifecta of features you want in any stove—are well delivered in this Best in Class winner. The boil time rated in at a brisk 2:28 for two cups of water, and the stove’s integrated regulator let us pull every ounce of efficiency out of it as our fuel dwindled. And, true to its name, the Windmaster performs like a stalwart in gusty situations. Read full review here.

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