8 Mountain Gear Essentials for Camping

Roll On

Warm and fuzzy on one side, water-resistant and tough on the other: the Rumpl Sherpa Puffy Throw ($159; rumpl.com) is perfect for campfire circles.

Next Steps

As lightweight women’s stompers, the Danner Mountain 600 ($200; danner.com) boots are just the thing for car camping and short day hikes.

Brighten Up

Powerfully bright, the Black Diamond Sprinter 275 Headlamp ($75; blackdiamondequipment.com) is also extremely reliable—handy in any conditions.

Go Farther

Whether it’s a short hike to camp or a month on the Pacific Crest Trail, the right backpack can make the difference between misery and alpine bliss. There may be lighter packs out there, but the Osprey Aura AG 50 ($240; osprey.com) is the gold standard for comfort. The updated version of this women’s standby adds increased ­durability in high-wear spots, including the critical base of the pack, and is available in some spiffy new colors. The men’s equivalent, the Atmos AG, was similarly tweaked for 2018.

Let Sparks Fly

Your bases are covered with the UCO Gear Fire-Starting Kit ($20; ucogear.com), a set of strikable plant-based fire starters, waterproof matches, and Swedish fire steel.

Read Up

Worried about hungry bears? In Look Big ($15; tenspeed.com), Rachel Levin tackles animal encounters ­galore with both humor and serious advice.

Room to Roam

Give your dog some ­(limited) freedom with the Ruffwear Knot-a-Hitch ($60; ruffwear.com), a 36-foot rope run that tightens between two trees with a simple pull.

Settle Down

Must-have layer? The Patagonia Lightweight Fjord Flannel Shirt ($79; patagonia.com), an ­­organic cotton flannel that takes up less space than a hoodie but is just as warm.