Review: Best Camping Gear For Colorado Mountains

In this episode of Out West on Xfinity Comcast, we head to the Peaceful Valley Campground in Brainard Lakes, Colorado to meet with a gear specialist, Eric Henderson with Back Bone Media, to outfit us for the perfect weekend camping.

Here’s a run down of some of our favorite items.

Stargazer 2-Person Tent – $369.00

This tent weighs in at just 4.5 pounds, making it easy to carry and store. Plus, it’s easy to set up (we are talking in less than 5 minutes) with a color-coded system and single-pole construction.

Big Agnes Double Z Air Sleeping Pad – $109.95

This insulated sleeping pad will keep you comfy on rocky terrain. A two-way valve makes it easy to blow up and inflate or deflate the pad in less than a minute.

Kara Koram +20 Degree Bag – $349.00

This+20 degree down sleeping bag is lined with goose down and weights under three pounds. Another great feature is a side pocket to store items like a phone so there is no missed alarms or coffee in the morning.

Heliox Camp chair by Big Agnes – $99.95

This chair is only 1.9 pounds and super easy to adjust and pack so there is no missed stargazing at night.

Thermacell Repellent Camp Lantern – $59.99

This will keep bugs away in a 15×15 foot area (the average size of a campsite) with a synthetic copy of a substance found in chrysanthemum flowers that will keep mosquitoes away. The light can be adjusted to low, medium or high and is water resistant.

Black Diamond Spot Headlamp – $39.95

Black Diamond is one of the industries best when it comes to headlamps. This option is water resistant and offers a powerful beam to keep you on track hiking at night or when needing to keep an eye out post sunset.

Kitchen Kit by Gerber – $88

Camping doesn’t mean canned food only. This kitchen set will allow for more gourmet options with a chopping and paring knife inside a carrying case that doubles as a cutting board.  The Freescape knives are held safely and securely with magnets in the slide-out drawer, that also houses a ceramic sharpener and storage for utensils.

Primus by Eta Spider – $159.95

This is a Primus – a portable camping cook stove – and it’s so great because you can make some delicious meals very simply, by heating up some water. We brought along some options for us here; with some heated water we’re able to make Beef Stroganoff with Noodles and we’ve got some Keen One Quinoa.

YETI Tundra 35 Cooler – $299.99

This is 100% bear proof, it’s 2 inches of insulation in it and it holds 20 cans, 24 pounds of ice so with it you’re self-sufficient and ready to go on your way.

Snap Jacket by Stio – $155.00

One of the things I like most about this jacket is its style, it has a fun pattern and it’s really compact and lightweight to wear. It also has some great pockets, essential for storage.

Footwear

Chaco Outcross Evo 2 – $110.00 (on sale now at $65.99)

This is a great option for a water shoe that is also incredibly durable for any outdoor activates along he way.

SON-R FLEX slip-on Shoe from Sperry –  $75.00 (on sale now at $36.95)

These shoes are incredibly comfortable, light and easy to slip on to walk around camp.

Hoka One One TOR ULTRA Hi – $218

This shoe comes with a Vibram MegaGrip to provide traction over both wet and dry terrain. The waterproof shoe offers serious support around the ankles too-, which is essential for rocky hikes.

We also talk with Lane Johnson, the co-founder of Atlas Hands Travel. The adventure company designs and leads unique custom itineraries around the world. “Whether we’re fly fishing down in Patagonia, skiing in the Alps or paddle boarding right here in beautiful Colorado, we understand the benefits of travel and being outdoors and we are really excited to share that with anyone we can. “ says Lane.

We head out to stand up paddleboard with Lane, an activity that has become more mainstream in the last few years.  “Stand-up paddle boarding is the fastest-growing sport in USA. Here in Colorado especially, we can hop on the river with these boards and not even have to paddle, just go straight down. There are many options with paddle boarding, from Pilates to Yoga to racing.”