17 Things Sunset Editors Couldn’t Live Without This Summer

“Of all the creative ice cream brands to hit the scene in the past decade, Wanderlust might be the most globally wide-ranging when it comes to flavors. Serving inventive varieties like Abuelita Malted Crunch, Sticky Rice & Mango, Palo Santo Mint Chip, Nanaimo Bars (pictured above), and kalamansi mignonette sorbet (a nod to co-founder Adrienne Borlongan’s Filipino heritage), the L.A.-based brand is a sweet celebration of the immigrant culinary traditions that make up the West. For home cooks wanting to recreate these deliciously diverse flavors at home, Borlongan’s new book Wanderlust Creamery Presents: The World of Ice Cream (Abrams; $29.99) is a foundational guide packed with technique and sourcing intel, dozens of inspiring custards, sorbets, and ideas for infusing flavors into your creations. It’s a true masterclass in the art of frozen dessert artistry.” —Sunset editors

“Golf and a tall cold one are great in theory, but blazing heat and a bit too much alcohol can mess with even the most seasoned pro’s swing. Enter California-born Hazard’s Hop Water, a zero-ABV canned beverage made with the same hops that make beer crisp and pleasantly bitter—plus, they’re purported to have a calming effect. With flavors such as grapefruit and tea and lemonade balancing the zippy hops, it’s your new favorite summer sip.” —Sunset editors

“There are few beach activities as enchanting as gazing into a tidepool, each one a compact microcosm of marine life, a liminal space where ocean meets land. Between the Tides in Washington and Oregon: Exploring Beaches and Tidepools by Ryan P. Kelly, Terrie Klinger, and John J. Meyer (University of Washington Press; $24.95) is an essential beachside companion for denizens of the Pacific Northwest. It charmingly and expertly invites readers to become amateur ecologists and breaks down the geology of the coast and gives tips on how to read and understand the forces that support the abundant and varied sea life that thrives from the Southern Oregon Coast to Washington’s Salish Sea.” —Sunset editors

“Coolers are cooler than they’ve ever been and I’m a fan of all of the modern versions: the thick-walled, heavy plastic models that keep ice cold for five days; the vintage, steel-belted mid-century modern models; the zippable soft-sided varieties you can easily lug to the beach. And now I’m a fan of the latest and possibly sleekest-looking cooler on the market: the aluminum Oyster Tempo that looks more like a piece of sleek, private jet-ready luggage than camping gear. On a recent road trip through blazing heat wave-stricken California this model performed flawlessly. With its two included ice packs alone, the cooler kept bottles of rosé chilled, sausage frozen, and sugar snap peas as crisp as the minute they were purchased from the farmers market. You could absolutely use this on a more rugged expedition—and even if you do you’ll be looking like a first class adventurer with the fine looking, fine-performing Oyster.” —Hugh Garvey, editor in chief

“My best friend and I have a deep obsession with Lambrusco (or lamby as we like to call it). We love to drink it year-round, but in the summer, it’s our go-to. And to be honest, I’ll always choose it over rosé on hot summer days if it’s on the menu. So when I heard that Avaline was coming out with a Lambrusco, I knew I had to try it. And it didn’t disappoint. It’s fizzy and juicy and just the perfect bottle for a summer Friday happy hour with your best friend!” —Sarah Yang, digital director

“Since summer grilling kicked off I’ve burned through some six bags of this clean-burning, fast-lighting, lump charcoal from Portland-based Thaan Charcoal. Unlike charcoal briquets, which can impart an off flavor to food and leave a crumbly residue in your grill, this oak charcoal is the real deal: thick branches and chunks of oak from Chihuahua, Mexico, that smell like, well, wood, burn hot and steady, and leave behind very little ash. There’s nothing as primally satisfying as igniting a chimney starter-full of this stuff (stay away from the stinky lighter fluid!) and grilling up caramel-sweet ears of corn, crisp-skinned chicken thighs, and mahogany rib eyes all kissed by oak smoke. Spring for a 20-pound bag and grill, smoke, and sear your way through the rest of summer!” —Garvey

“AirPods and Bluetooth headphones have always fallen out of my ears on long runs, so when I first discovered these headphones that use bone conduction technology, I was admittedly skeptical. After training for my first half marathon, I’m fully obsessed. The tech makes it so that you can hear cars and other activity around you, making for a safer run. They’re sweat-proof and waterproof, produce excellent audio quality, and won’t fall out of your ears like many ear buds do. I definitely want to grab a pair of their underwater headphones for my triathlon training this fall.” —Krista Simmons, travel editor

“After about three weeks of baking under a heat dome, it doesn’t even feel like a huge exaggeration to say that a purchase my wife and I made about 10 years ago has actually been a lifesaver. Our Haier portable air conditioner can cool a 400-square-foot room down to the low 70s pretty quickly, ensuring that we always have at least one safe room where temperatures are survivable. The unit is on wheels, so we can keep a home office chilled enough to get some work done, (though it is a bit noisy) and then in the evening move it to the bedroom for a comfortable night’s sleep. At less than 15,000 BTUs, it’s not powerful enough to cool an entire house, and yes, running the machine is impacting our electricity bill, but in our San Francisco Bay suburb, where temps over 100°F don’t persist all summer, this air conditioner has turned out to be one of the best investments we’ve ever made in our home.” —Nicole Clausing, newsletter editor

“Japanese camping company DOD Outdoors makes a whimsical yet functional tent that will serve you well, whether you’re car camping, need a supplementary social hang spot for your camp site, or want to be the life of the party on the festival circuit. Octagonal in shape, the DOD Kinoko Mushroom Tent is yurt-like in construction, which makes it easy for an eight-person group hang or three-person sleepover. And the polka-dotted mushroom-like rainfly gives it a cheeky look that’s sure to draw compliments from design-minded campers (or festival goers). Bonus: The tent frame sets up quickly with a unique, single-pull drawstring mechanism, which leaves more time for grooving outdoors.” —Garvey

“I’ve done quite a few surf lessons over the past couple months for our recent story on the proliferation of surf hotels in the West, but this location at Four Seasons Punta Mita, along with Jamie O’Brien’s Turtle Bay facility on the North Shore of Oahu, really stand out. I’ll never forget paddling out and the only other souls in the lineup were a couple of pelicans and a monarch butterfly. In a world where surf spots are totally intimidating and overrun with Wavestorms, it was absolute magic.” —Simmons

“This is my new favorite travel bag of the moment. It fits so much but isn’t super bulky at all. I love the Neoprene fabric—it’s sturdy and water-resistant, but it’s not too stiff so I can tuck it anywhere, whether it’s a packed car trunk or an almost-full overhead bin. And inside there are pockets galore for organizing all your stuff! I often pair it with my carry-on suitcase and stuff it with my laptop, wallet, a toiletry bag, and some other miscellaneous items.” —Yang

“I’ve been a big fan of Tank’s natural winemaking for some time now. Their summer lineup includes crushable wines that are perfect for pool days, getaways, and summer soirées. My personal favorite thus far has been the Darling Don’t Cry, a chillable Petite Sirah blend made using a unique winemaking technique called reverse saignée, where the pressed juice is added to a vat of fresh grapes to ferment, making for a bright, fruit forward sip. The Winery recently opened their doors to their Filling Station tasting room in Paso Robles, perfect for a stop on a fall road trip up to SLO.” —Simmons

“Stocking up on smoothie ingredients is a priority during my stay-put hot summer in SoCal where honestly blenders whir year round. Mikuna makes their plant-based protein powder with regeneratively farmed chocho beans from Ecuador’s Volcano Alley. This bean has more protein than any other plant source on the planet and contains all of the essential amino acids. It also provides calcium, vitamin E, magnesium, and fiber while being free of gluten, lectins, and oxalates. So if you’re saying no to anti-nutrients and the bloat that can result from other plant protein powders, stock this nutritious powder in your pantry. If you are in the Los Angeles area and want to give Mikuna a try, head to the smoothie bar at Erewhon where you can swap in this superfood.” —Christine Bobbish, photo editor

“I’ve been a loyal Urban Decay setting spray fan for over a decade so I had to test out their new hyaluronic acid dewy version. I’m obsessed! Not only is it hydrating and has a delicious watermelon scent, but it also is super refreshing, which is a nice pick-me-up on hot summer days. And like the original, it keeps my makeup flawless for hours.” —Yang

“Manufactured in SoCal, Revly’s suits are curvy-girl-friendly and stay put even in a wipeout. Opt for their snug yet buttery surf shorts and a matching sports bra style top in the fetching sage color, which conveniently matches the Coronado. You can see why countless pro teams use these gals as their suit of choice.” —Simmons

“I’m a big fan of the ‘cheap is expensive’ ethos. I’ve replaced too many lesser items before finally splurging on the top of the line, at which point I’ve freed myself from repeat buy-and-discard purchases. I now have a $100 dollar flashlight that’s as bright as a lighthouse and tougher than an anvil and I’ve had it for 15 years. Among other ‘forever’ splurges I own: The Yeti cooler. The Leatherman. The Vitamix Blender. Red Wing boots. And now there’s the Männkitchen Pepper Cannon, a sleek, easy to twist, matte black beast of a pepper grinder that in a single silky smooth rotation throws out more perfectly powdered (or roughly cracked, depending on the setting) pepper than 10 cranks will yield on a lesser grinder. It’s stellar at swiftly seasoning steaks and burgers and peppery omelettes and bracing cacio e pepe and beyond. I have retired my four other pepper grinders forever.” —Garvey

When it comes to Health-Ade, I’ve always been a Pink Lady Apple fan, but the brand’s Passion Fruit Tangerine flavor is giving my old standby a run for its money. It tastes like summer in a can with its citrus-y and fruity flavors. It’s so clutch that you can get them in cans because it makes for a great beach picnic beverage.