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A year into the pandemic, our collective thirst for the great outdoors is evident. Road trips, camping, and outdoor exploration have become increasingly common themes for travel during this unusual era. For anyone dipping their toes into outdoor adventure, here's one crucial piece of advice: gear is everything. Without the proper clothing, boots, backpacks, tents, and sleeping pads, you and your grand escape simply cannot thrive. (Though if you aren't ready to buy your own, you can always test gear out and rent first.)
If you’re considering a camping, hiking, or backpacking trip sometime soon, you'll want to ensure you've got a handle on the best outdoor brands to shop for gear from. There are the ubiquitous giants—Patagonia, Columbia, Marmot, The North Face—but if you're keen to add a few more to your roster, continue ahead for 12 lesser-known outfitters recommended by the people who know the space best: adventure photographers, explorers, professional surfers, and more.
NEMO Equipment
Best for: sleeping bags and tents
Worthwhile inventions are often born out of necessity, as was the case with NEMO Equipment. After a “turbulent night on the side of Mount Washington” due to a poorly-designed bivy (a small, lightweight solo shelter used by mountaineers instead of a tent), founder Cam Brensinger created his first airbeam-supported tent. Fast forward 19 years and NEMO now offers a diverse collection of outdoor gear, much of which has picked up awards and recognition from the likes of Time, Popular Science, and even an elite group of Navy SEALs. Outdoors enthusiast and adventure photographer L. Renee Blount recommends NEMO for its quality, durability, and bright colors, and says her most trustworthy sleeping bag is from them.
Comfortable Adventures
Best for: womxn's clothing
Jeein Shin noticed a deficit in comfortable apparel for the sport when she began outdoor climbing. Citing options that felt either too tight or too technical, she spent 18 months in research and development, then founded Comfortable Adventures. Writer, filmmaker, and nature photographer Johnie Gall swears by their pants. “They are stylish and made with thoughtful but not overtly technical details, like reinforced knees and a belt loop for your chalk bag,” Gall says. “I'm also a big proponent of choosing more regenerative, natural fibers—rip the seams out of these hemp pants and you could compost them.”
Klymit
Best for: sleeping gear
An outdoor adventure can be swiftly spoiled by a poor night's rest; Klymit’s focus is solely on preventing this from happening. “When it comes to backpacking, the best sleeping pad I’ve tried is made by Klymit,” Latinxhikers co-founder Luz Lituma says. “The Static Sleeping Air Pad is definitely side-sleeper friendly, takes way fewer breaths to fill, and is super affordable compared to other brands.”
Cotopaxi
Best for: backpacks, clothing
Davis Smith named his outdoor brand Cotopaxi after an active volcano in the Ecuadorian region of the Andes. His clothing and gear are favorites among outdoors enthusiasts, including Travis Welch, an alumni trips coordinator at NOLS, a global wilderness school. “These days, we want more out of our brands than simple good gear and Cotopaxi fits the bill,” Welch says. “They're not scared of using colors, have great corporate values, and fund grants related to international poverty relief.” The product Welch uses most is the Luzon 18L pack: “It's lightweight, compact, and durable, so I have it in my checked luggage all the time,” he says. “My Luzon has been on five continents with me.”
Hyperlite
Best for: lightweight gear
Spend enough time adventuring outdoors and you'll learn how important lightweight gear is. Quinn Brett, an adventurer and multi-record breaking athlete, swears by Hyperlite's backpacks and stuff sacks. “They're all incredibly lightweight and easily packable. They are not dry bags, in the traditional sense, but the roll-top stuff sacks keep stuff dry almost the same,” she explains. In October 2017, Brett fell over 100 feet while climbing on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, leaving her currently paralyzed from the waist down. “I used [Hyperlite's sacks] solely when I was rock climbing and adventuring throughout the world and a variety of climates. Now, they are still my go-to on hand-cycle bike packing trips and backcountry hut trips.”
Wintergreen Northern Wear
Best for: winter clothing
Wintergreen Northern Wear has been operating on Ely, Minnesota's main street for over 30 years. “The gear is bulletproof,” Outward Bound Instructor Brian Minor says. “I have a beloved smoke-stained anorak that I've worn for hundreds of winter expedition days in the Boundary Waters.” His top pick for Nordic skiing as well as casual wear is the Hansen Merino Wool Hoodie. “It has a thick fabric with a simple look—no superfluous pockets or zippers.”
BioLite
Best for: cooking gear, portable lamps, and chargers
Energy poverty is at the core of BioLite's mission. In 2008, the founders attended a conference that shed light on the jarring fact that “half the planet lives in energy poverty, lacking safe and reliable ways to cook, charge, and light their lives.” They refocused their strategy to cut fuel consumption and reduce toxic emissions. Photographer and digital creator Angela Liguori relies on BioLite’s 330 Headlamp for her outdoor adventures. “It's rechargeable and lasts for days, so you're able to use it on a multi-day backcountry trip,” she says. “It's the only headlamp I trust when I'm outside and the sun has set.”
Black Diamond Equipment
Best for: outdoor clothing, shoes, and accessories
For Chris Burkard, an explorer, photographer, and author, “it's often the brands that focus on making the best product—not focusing on a specific sport—that truly shine through.” Black Diamond, the offshoot brand started by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, fits the bill. “It was created as a hard-goods company that has evolved [into] the leading outerwear brand for anyone wanting to be in the wild,” he says. “Their materials are space age and their designs are timeless. It doesn't matter if I am spending the day at the beach or at the crag, their gear goes with me.”
Nike ACG
Best for: backpacks, clothing, shoes
Navigating Goliath brands like Nike can be a challenge, particularly when you're looking for a product that will pull its own weight in the great outdoors. For Hike Clerb founder and executive director Evelynn Escobar-Thomas, Nike's outdoors-centric ACG (All Conditions Gear) line delivers on its promise. “I wear ACG when I'm hiking, camping, or just running around Los Angeles,” she says. “My current obsession is the Mountain Fly. They're my go-to hiking shoes and are perfect for wet and dry terrain.”
prAna
Best for: sustainable athleisure
For obvious reasons, sustainability is at the heart of most outdoor brands, including California-based prAna. Their commitment to the planet means prioritizing organic and recycled fabrics, an ethical supply chain, fair labor practices, and responsible packaging. For professional surfer Anna Ehrgott, it's a brand worth getting behind. “The one piece that I have no idea how I dressed myself before I owned is their Sancho Pant—I own three colors and wear them 90 percent of the time.”
Peak Design
Best for: bags, camera gear
After a four month trip around the world, Peak Design founder Peter Dering came home, quit his full-time job, and created a device to make traveling with a professional camera easier. Ronald Vernon Edward Griswell, founder and CEO of HBCUs Outside, is a fan: “They make beautifully-crafted and innovative pieces that help keep my gear more accessible, organized, and protected,” he explains. “I use their Everyday 30L Backpack for excursions big and small.” Edward also notes the brand is Climate Neutral Certified and a signee of the Outdoor CEO Pledge, "working towards a more diverse and inclusive environment.”
Eddie Bauer
Best for: outdoor gear, family clothing, footwear
Beginning with his small Seattle store opened in 1920 that sold and strung tennis rackets all the way to outfitting K2 and Everest ascents, Eddie Bauer has helped define the outdoor experience for over 100 years. Now, a new generation of travelers have taken to the legacy label, like photographer and adventurer Brooke Weeber. “I love how affordable and size inclusive their clothing is,” she says. “My most prized Eddie Bauer item is the Trail Tight. The fabric is thick enough to keep you warm on a cold winter trail but light enough for spring and summer nights.”
