Marmot Mercury Tent ($299): Ah, the domicile. The ol' hearth. The bucolic nookie-nest... Where to retire to, if the stars are all aligned? We think the Marmot Mercury Tent is ideal: It offers plenty of room for two (35 square feet), is lightweight (five pounds, four ounces), and provides superb weather protection. It has a big D-shaped front door for access and ventilation, plus a roomy vestibule for storing boots and packs. DAC Featherlite poles provide rock-like stability without adding ounces, and the poles have a "knee-bend" that creates more vertical interior walls and a roomier-feeling tent. And, like a lot of tents these days, the Mercury has two see-through windows in the fly. But they’re discreetly placed so passersby can’t easily see inside—which is probably a good thing.
Get It Here >>www.marmot.com / REI
Sandpiper 30 / Courtesy, Feathered Friends
Feathered Friends Sandpiper 30, 3.1 pounds ($320 with Pertex Quantum shell), and Couple Kit ($7) You’re not going camping together to sleep in separate little nylon jails. So don’t take two sleeping bags and hurt each other wrestling with the zippers. Get Feathered Friends Sandpiper 30, unzip it, then attach it to Feathered Friends’ Toucan Ultralight Ground Cover ($49). The result: A warm, super-comfortable, roomy bed-for-two. For sleeping pads—trust me, you’ll need them—purchase two Therm-a-Rest Performance UltraLite pads ($70 each) and attach them to each other with a Couple Kit ($7).
Sleeping Bag >>www.featheredfriends.com Therm-a-Rest Pads >>Therm-a-Rest / REI Couple Kit >>REI
Goose Down Pillow / Courtesy, Quixote
Quixote Goose Down Pillow, 8.5 ounces (size large, $43): You’ve hiked, you’ve climbed, you’ve made dinner, you’ve made whoopee… Now treat your camp buddy to bedtime bliss with Quixote’s packable Goose Down Pillow. It's soft as a dream with a durable, water-resistant polyester shell, and will ensure you’re well rested for the morning's activities—whatever they might be.
Get It Here >>www.quixotedesign.com / REI
