Meet the gear that got us through these dog days with a big smile on our faces.
1. Selk’bag Lite
At first glance, a wearable sleeping bag may seem a bit of overkill, but just wait until you get inside this thing. There’s no more fumbling with zippers and freezing your butt off to pee in the middle of the night, start a coffee on a cold morning or just hang out as the temperatures drop. The Lite version proved its worth in summer, offering up comfort down to about 50 degrees without getting too hot and weighing in at 3.4 pounds—making it a light, puffy body suit. $99; selkbagusa.com
2. Kuat NV plus Add On
Kuat’s smart tray system makes it easy to mount your ride on the back of your vehicle (especially for those of us who are not tall enough to reach the top of an SUV). Plus, the built-in bike stand makes maintenance simple when you are at the trail or back at camp. The standard NV holds two bikes. But what happens when kiddos move up to full-sized cycles? Extend the rack with the Add On and haul four. $549 rack; $389 add on; kuatracks.com
3. D-fa Dogs Gandhi
We thought a dog leash was a dog leash until we put this lead on our pooch. A carabiner makes it easy to snap on a collar and the leash itself has enough elasticity to it that your pup never seems to pull too hard against you. And a poop bag pouch is built in. It proved perfect for walks on the trail and biking in the neighborhood. $40; d-fa.com
4. FuGoo Sport
We first heard the sturdy Sport at the GoPro Mountain Games in Vail this June, and knew we needed one. The simple-to-activate, waterproof bluetooth speaker can withstand the ravages of mud, splashes and sheer abuse while still pumping out clear, crisp sound. Best of all, one full charge provides about 40 hours of use. Add the bike mount ($40), and we brought it along for the rolling party from Boulder Rock Club to Upslope Brewery on the monthly EO Cruiser Ride. $199: fugoo.com
5. Ally Canoe 16.5’ Folding DR
Thanks to a system of tubular aluminum stays and ribs held together with spring-loaded shock-cords, this solid watercraft breaks down and packs away in the trunk, requiring no roof rack and even making it easy to stash and hide when we spent a day exploring side canyons on a Ruby-Horsethief trip on the Colorado. PVC skin gives the canoe some play when you nail a rock. We were quite impressed by how well this baby handled, fully loaded, in class 2 water. We even fished from it. It made canoeing fun again. $2,050; catalog.bergans.com/ally-canoes
6. Nemo Strato Loft 25
Leave the high-tech sleeping bag for the mountaineering trips—this plush, down beast is perfect for summertime car camping. It’s roomy, warm on cold nights and fits a 25-inch Nemo Cosmo pad ($140). $370; nemoequipment.com
7. Manduka Onward Sandals
With all the feel of a soft yoga mat underfoot, these flippy floppies proved ideal camp shoes on backpacking trips this summer—oh so relaxing for your dogs after a big day on the trail. Plus, they send out good planetary vibes since they are 100 percent reclaimable and recyclable. $40; manduka.com
8. Lapierre Zesty Trail 429
Nothing blows away the haze of mid-summer blues like a new ride. This 29er became our steed of choice on a wide range of adventures. With 120-mm suspension it could hang at Winter Park, but it proved its true mettle climbing on the trail, with its virtual pivot point suspension engaging to dig into stiff climbs at Vail. A solid componentry package seals the deal. $3,999; lapierrebicycles.com
