With perfect early summer camping conditions hitting Southern California, TAP headed out to our local mountains to test out some new camp gear recently sent our way. Good gear can make or break an adventure, so here’s our first use thoughts on what we tested in the field.
### In full disclosure, TAP was provided these products for free, but does not accept payment for the review or make any commission from sales that maybe as a result of this article ####
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Jetboil Genesis Basecamp Stove:
The Jetboil Genesis is a great looking 2 burner camping stove with a truly unique foldable design. It scored high marks from us for its lightweight (6.4lbs) and low profile design that is genuinely space saving for those of us with smaller rigs. With a 10,000 BTU spec it performed well in our boil test, taking just over two minutes to boil 2 coffee cups worth of water (estimated at a third of a gallon). In our simmer test, it also performed well and was easy to get a low flame without fear of turning the stove off. The Genesis was also easy to clean by simply removing the grates and wiping everything down. The grates are removed by squeezing two prongs on the side to release them from the housing. Finally, the stove comes in a quality carrying case that keeps everything together in a rattle free package.
So what didn’t we like? The windscreen is poorly designed and feels like an afterthought for such a functional and otherwise well designed piece of equipment. It was fiddly and frustrating to locate the tabs that keep it in place and really didn’t seem to offer much wind shadow. It’s not a deal breaker, but I expected something better.
This is an expensive stove and that will be a barrier for many people. That said, what you are getting for your money is a solid, compact, lightweight camp stove that will last for many years.
MSRP: $299.99 BUY HERE
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Sea To Summit Detour Stainless Steel One Pot Cook Set:
We’re always looking for rugged, lightweight and compact camping gear and at just over 2 lbs and with a packed down size of approximately 9’x8’x2.5″, the One Pot Cook Set fits this perfectly. The 5 piece package comes with a 3 liter pot, 2 L bowls and 2 mugs, all made from EU food grade stainless steel and silicone rubber. The stainless steel felt solid and the silicone is heat resistant. After use everything was very easy to clean.
The clever pack down design is simply outstanding and it’s crazy that so much can come in such a small package. One slight hiccup we did encounter straight from the packaging, was difficulty in releasing the lock handles that seemed to have become stuck. However, after the first use we did not experience this again.
Every now and then we get to test a product that ends up finding its way into our personal gear for long term use. This new pot set from Sea To Summit is one of those products. Highly recommended!
MSRP: $199.95 BUY HERE
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Sea To Summit Spark Pro Down Sleeping Bag:
The Spark Pro is a high end category leading sleeping bag, brimming with well designed features. With 950 fill RDS certified down, expect to be toasty on those cold nights. The baffles are generously filled and have a mixed orientation preventing down slip and eliminating cold spots. There are zippers galore (that all behaved perfectly and never got stuck!) creating an excellent ventilation system. The bag can be completely unzipped to be used as a quilt or a second zipper system allows ventilation in the toe box. The Quilt Lock system and short zip on the right shoulder even allows the user to stick both arms out while still keeping your chest and torso warm. Perfect for drinking your first cup of coffee in the morning, or reading under a headlight. Zippers obviously add weight but for Vehicle Supported camping this isn’t a concern. We tested the 30 degree version (it also comes in a 15 degree version at $649) and at $549 this bag isn’t for everyone. That said, this is a high quality piece of camping gear, that will have you cozy and content on cold nights.
MSRP: $549 BUY HERE
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IGNIK Flipside Heated Bed Cover:
For those of you that need that little bit of extra heat at night, the Ignik Flipside Heated Bed Cover could be just what you’re looking for. The blanket we tested is designed for one person and has a maximum heat output of 48W. The heating element is designed to offer variable heat across the width of the blanket, with extra heat at the upper body and foot positions. The smart controller was easy to use and even remembers your prior settings. It also provides a variable timing device (1-10 hrs) that cuts off the blanket at your desired time period. A great feature if you don’t want to run it all night. The controller offers a wide range of temperatures (1-10) however, to be honest we didn’t feel much difference between them. It feels that it would be simpler with a temp range of between 1-5. We ran the blanket from the Dometic PLB40 that lost 70% of its charge over 8 hours with the blankets temp gauge set at 7.
At $150 the Flipside Heated Bedcover is well made and performs to its claims. The one caveat, is that it needs to be be operated from an external 12 volt power station with a recommended minimum capacity of 500WH (We wouldn’t recommend running the blanket from your car battery overnight). This adds significant extra expense if you don’t already own one.
MSRP: $149.95 BUY HERE
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Thermacell EX90 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller:
Here in California we’ve had a very rainy winter and spring, so unfortunately on this last camping trip the mosquitoes were heavier than normal. The Thermacell marketing quotes that the EX90 provides “hours of scent-free protection within a 20 ft zone”. I was initially skeptical, but also hopeful, as I am one of those people that Mosquitoes love. What can I say, apart from it worked! I like the fact that it’s odorless and not a messy skin application and at $50, that’s a price I’d happily pay to stop the pain. My only hesitation is that the refills aren’t cheap and the costs could add up quickly. ***Three refills (120 hrs worth of coverage) are currently $55 on Amazon.
MSRP: $49.99 BUY HERE
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Helinox Chair Zero:
In full disclosure, I love Helinox and have been using their Sunset Camp Chair and Table One Hard Top in my personal gear for over 24 months. They’ve experienced heavy use and have stood up fantastically to the abuse! They’re lightweight, comfortable and pack down small, so what’s there not to like? (I hear “the price” being shouted out, but in my experience you get that you pay for!). When we were offered the Chair Zero, I jumped at the chance as I do a lot of Astro Timelapse’s which involve long periods of time sitting around (2 -3 hrs for 10 seconds of footage). At just over a pound and only 14 inches packed down, the Chair Zero is easy to carry in a small backpack and simply perfect for this specific function. That said, it would not be my go-to for sitting around a campfire in a vehicle supported environment, where a bigger and more supportive chair can be used.
MSRP: $149.95 BUY HERE
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