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30 Things That Made Camping Better in 2019

From a biodegradable cooler and spicy bison jerky to an ultralight backpack and an origami-inspired kayak.

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This roundup is part of This Year in Gear, a look back at the year’s most notable releases. To stay on top of all the latest product news, subscribe to our daily Dispatch newsletter.

Igloo Recool

Price: $10
From: rei.com

Igloo, the maker of the iconic Sportsman cooler, wants to eliminate single-use styrofoam coolers by creating one that’s reusable and completely biodegradable. The Recool holds 20 cans and keeps ice frozen for 12 hours.

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Gerber Compleat

Price: $28
From: amazon.com

In one 2.3-ounce package, the Compleat packs a fork, spoon, dual-edge — one serrated, one rubberized — spatula and a tiny tool that campers can use to open bottles, packages, and cans that also peels vegetables.

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Yeti Rambler 24oz Mug

Price: $30
From: yeti.com

Built with the same specs as its water bottles (kitchen-grade stainless steel, double-wall vacuum insulation) the Rambler 24oz is Yeti’s take on the beer mug, but caffeine lovers will also find it suitable for an XL portion of medium roast.

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Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2

Price: $675
From: hyperlitemountaingear.com

Compared to Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s previous shelters, the Dirigo is almost complex, but everything about the Dyneema tent serves to bring more simplicity to ultralight camping.

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Combat the winter elements with KÜHL’s Burr Lined Jacket, designed for those long demanding workdays outdoors. The Italian Berber fleece and thermal lining keep you nice and toasty while the abrasion-resistant exterior takes the bite out of the harsh north wind. It’s tailored to let you move, and its patina will only get better with age. Learn More: Here

Patagonia x Danner Wading Boots

Price: $449+
From: patagonia.com

Patagonia worked with Danner in its first-ever product collaboration: two fly fishing boots, one called the Foot Tractor ($499+), and another called the River Salt ($449).

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Kammok Ultralight Collection

Price: $39+
From: kammok.com

The centerpiece of Kammok’s new ultralight collection is the Roo Single UL, a one-person hammock that weighs just 5.6 ounces, packs down smaller than a grapefruit, and can hold up to 300 pounds.

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Oru Haven

Price: $1,999
From: rei.com

Like all of Oru’s kayaks, the two-person Haven is built on the concepts of origami and transforms from box to boat in 10 minutes.

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Hydro Flask Journey Hydration Packs

Price: $165+
From: amazon.com

Hydro Flask’s Journey series features bags with 3-liter sweat-proof bladders that fit into reflective-lined neoprene sleeves within the bags themselves, keeping your water cold for four-plus hours at a time.

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Snow Peak Dog Cot

Price: $129
From: amazon.com

The Dog Cot is an elevated platform for your dog to sleep on. Snow Peak used the same construction that it employs in one of its beach chairs to create the folding armature.

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Leatherman Free P Series

Price: $120+
From: amazon.com

The Free P2 and P4 are multi-tools you’ll recognize; pliers are the central implement (hence the “P” moniker), and a suite of other tools swivel out of the handles. The key difference here is that, unlike older models like the Wave, Free tools integrate a magnetic construction that makes opening and using the tool significantly easier.

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Nemo Equipment Roamer

Price: $210+
From: amazon.com

The Roamer is four inches thick with a hearty filling of self-inflating foam, and it’s lined with soft fabric on top and a more durable cover on the bottom.

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Kammok Pongo Sleeping Pad

Price: $139
From: kammok.com

Like many backpacking sleeping pads, the Pongo is inflatable, swelling to a thickness of three inches to provide comfort and insulation against the ground. Unlike those pads, the Pongo has a unique shape that prioritizes comfort (and sleeping in hammocks, too).

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The North Face Geodome

Price: $2,000
From: thenorthface.com

The Geodome stands up with six poles in winds blowing as fast as 60 miles per hour, meeting The North Face’s standards for expedition use. That said, the Geodome is more impressive from a design perspective than a backcountry use one.

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Knog Bandicoot

Price: $35
From: amazon.com

The Knog Bandicoot is just 60 grams, lighter than most headlamps we’ve used in the past, and since it’s mostly silicone, there are no water worries; you can wear in the rain for your long run, and it’ll still shine bright.

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Snow Peak Kojin Grill

Price: $730
From: snowpeak.com

The Snow Peak Kojin Grill will instantly upgrade your future backyard BBQs thanks to its sleek design and three-layer interior.

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Pelican Dayventure Sling

Price: $150
From: amazon.com

Pelican’s Dayventure Sling is a soft-sided cooler that comes in a form we’ve never seen before: a capsule-shaped cylinder with a shoulder strap for carrying (or, a sling, as its name explicitly states).

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Rxbar Oatmeal

Price: $35 (12 pack)
From: amazon.com

Like its bars and nut butter, Rxbar’s oatmeal lists every ingredient on its packaging. Egg whites, almonds, dates and gluten-free oats are the base of each recipe, creating a breakfast with a 12-gram helping of protein.

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Patagonia Provisions Spicy Buffalo Jerky

Price: $10
From: patagoniaprovisions.com

Patagonia’s food sub-brand Provisions adjusted its 100 percent grass-fed American bison jerky recipe to give a little more kick.

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Adidas Free Hiker GTX

Price: $250
From: backcountry.com

Adidas upgraded its sneaker-hiking boot hybrid with a crucial feature for walking on trails: a waterproof Gore-Tex liner.

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Smartwool Intraknit

Price: $120+
From: rei.com

Smartwool took a hint from the 3D knit uppers that Nike and Adidas are using in their high-end running shoes to create a line of base layers that don’t have irritating seams.

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Yeti Hopper M30

Price: $300
From: amazon.com

Yeti redesigned its soft-sided cooler with a wide-mouth opening and a strip of super-strong magnets that provide an extra level of security and temperature retention.

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Uncharted Supply Co. Rapid Raft

Price: $400
From: unchartedsupplyco.com

Uncharted Supply adapted a design it made for the US military to create the Rapid Raft, which weighs three pounds and shrinks down to a wad small enough to fit in a backpack.

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Patagonia Fleecelab

Price: $39+
From: patagonia.com

With Fleecelab, Patagonia is getting creative with its plushest material. You won’t find some new version of its classic snap pullover here, but you will see a retro-inspired shell hoodie, a shawl collar jacket and a chore coat.

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Snow Peak Entry Pack TS

Price: $1,100
From: snowpeak.com

Snow Peak frames the Entry Pack as a gateway into its unique vision of camping. It sleeps five people comfortably and includes an attached vestibule that’s tall enough to stand up in and act as an outdoor living room.

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Patagonia Nano Puff Earflap Cap

Price: $59
From: patagonia.com

Patagonia’s Nano Puff Jacket is an incredibly versatile, lightweight-yet-warm and not-too-expensive layer that’s become ubiquitous in cities and mountain towns alike. Now it’s a hat too.

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Electric JJF12

Price: $200+
From: electriccalifornia.com

Available in three colorways, the new JJF12 sunnies boast a featherweight frame with a double-action hinge, Polarized Pro lenses and a unique removable eye shield that protects against sun, wind, water and dust.

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Hyperlite Mountain Prism Pack

Price: $395
From: hyperlitemountaingear.com

The Prism Pack is Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s most feature-adorned bag to date and still weighs in under 30 ounces.

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Yeti V Series

Price: $800
From: yeti.com

The V Series is Yeti’s first stainless steel-sided, vacuum-insulated cooler.

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Oakley Clifden

Price: $196
From: amazon.com

With the launch of the Clifden, Oakley is aiming to plant its flag on another category: mountaineering.

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Brunton Standard Transit

Price: $500
From: brunton.com

Like the pro-grade compasses it makes for the US military, Brunton’s limited edition Standard Transit is durable, accurate, and both water and dust resistant.

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