The Outdoor Life Made Easier

Along with the growing popularity of outdoor adventures comes growth in the range and versatility of gear: jackets that change to accommodate different temperatures, backpacks with removable compartments that can be used separately, tents that assemble with the flick of a wrist. The following are the latest innovations to ease the trials of the trail. Many items may be available in area stores. Prices do not include shipping and handling.

Many destinations pose the problem of temperature extremes, from cold mornings to warm afternoons and chilly nights. The Convertible Bush Jacket by Ex Officio, a manufacturer of outdoor clothing, has sleeves that zip off to turn the jacket into a vest. Made of a lightweight nylon blend that feels like soft cotton, the jacket has 14 pockets for carrying loads of gear, and back vents to provide ventilation throughout the day. Included is a waist pack for stashing the sleeves--or the entire jacket when not needed. I tried out the jacket on a recent trip to Botswana’s Kalahari Desert, where mornings were frigid and afternoons scorching. I needed an additional sweater for the coldest mornings--the jacket is designed for the coolness of, say, San Francisco, not the bitter chill of a windy desert. But within moderate ranges, the jacket performed well, both in its fully assembled and vest state. The waist pack was convenient, sparing me the need to tie the jacket around my waist.

Ex Officio Convertible Bush Jacket (3037) in khaki or forest green is $138 from TravelSmith: (800) 950-1600. Eagle Creek makes some of the best travel packs around, from backpacks to soft luggage and smaller carrying pouches. The company’s latest innovation is a combination of all those things, designed for travelers who may need a big backpack one day, a check-through bag another and only a day-pack or waist pack at other times. The Endless Journey is an internal-frame backpack with a zip-off day pack and waist pack. For airline check-in, the back straps stow under a protective cover and the pack can be carried by a handle like any other suitcase. All told, the unit holds a generous 5,700 cubic inches for serious trekking and overnight backpacking, while the smaller packs are perfect for day hikes or urban jaunts. The Cordura nylon material makes the Endless Journey both lightweight and durable.

Eagle Creek Endless Journey Travel Pack (E603-760) in evergreen or black is $230 from REI: (800) 426-4840. Or, for a store near you, call the manufacturer at: (800) 874-9925.

Evenflo, which makes children’s items, has come up with a clever backpack carrier and stroller all in one. The Hike ‘n’ Roll looks like a regular lightweight stroller, but with the flip of a few levers, the wheels and handle collapse, and padded back straps at the front of the unit raise junior to hauling heights. The Hike ‘n’ Roll is useful in town--for tackling subway stairs or store escalators or boarding a plane. The unit weighs seven pounds, can hold children up to 30 pounds, and folds flat to fit in the overhead compartments of most airlines.

Evenflo Hike ‘n’ Roll is about $50 at department stores. For a store near you, contact the manufacturer; (800) 233-5921 .

When I saw the ad for the Pop-Tent, I thought it was just a gimmick, but, in fact, this unlikely sounding contraption is exactly as billed--a one-piece collapsible tent that erects itself in mid-air and settles to earth, ready for immediate occupancy. The trick is a continuous band of high-tension steel sewn into the shell that uncoils into a four-loop frame. No poles, pegs or cords are needed for assembly, though the tent comes with stabilizing pegs and cords to keep it from flying off in windy locales. The tent, made of rip-stop nylon, does not skimp on standard components. Window areas have no-see-um netting, the floor panel is waterproof, and a separate waterproof fly, attached by flexible plastic stays, keeps occupants dry on drizzly nights. The Pop-Tent comes in several styles and sizes; I tried the double-occupant Omar version, which weighs eight pounds, collapses into a 29-inch-diameter disc and can be stored, with the rain fly, in its own carrying case. The tent is about as big as you’d want to schlep around on your shoulder.

I had no trouble getting the Pop-Tent to pop into working order; twisting it back into a packable disc took a little practice--though if you follow the instructions you’ll probably get the hang of the process after a few tries. A warning: Because the tent can spring open suddenly, it can be dangerous in the hands of children.

Two-man Omar Pop-Tent is $140 from the manufacturer. (800) 592-4377. Tent also is available in smaller and larger sizes.

Cascade Designs, makers of self-inflating Therm-a-Rest camping mattresses, has been making sleeping bags for the past several years. Now the company has developed several children’s bags that are designed to be used with a Therm-a-Rest mattress (sold separately) for comfy nights in the wild--or the back yard. The RidgeRunner 40 is a quilted rectangular bag filled with Polarguard foam insulation designed for temperatures no lower than 40 degrees. A pocket beneath the bag can hold a 20-inch-wide, three-fourths-length Therma-a-Rest mattress or a foam pad. The bag comes with a stuff sack that can hold both the sleeping bag and mattress. The RidgeRunner 40 fits children up to 4 1/2 feet tall and weighs 1 pound, 11 ounces. The Meadow bag is designed for warmer weather (60 degrees-plus). Made of soft nylon fleece on top and brushed cotton on the bottom, the bag weighs 1 pound, 7 ounces, and fits children up to four feet tall.

Cascade Designs Ridge Runner 40 and Meadow sleeping bags for children are about $60-$65 each. For a store near you contact the manufacturer at: (800) 531-9531.

Gear & Gadgets appears the first week of every month.