Eight must-have Colorado products for summer adventures

By Jay McKinney 

It’s no secret that Coloradans love to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. From car camping to backcountry excursions on foot, the right gear can make a night-and-day difference as to how a camping trip is carried out. Whether you call them necessities or luxuries, here are several items from Colorado brands that adventurers might may want to have packed for their next trip. 

Kokopelli Nirvana Self-Bailing Raft

$1,299
A packraft allows one to explore beautiful regions of the state that hikers simply can’t access on foot. A Colorado-born company, Kokopelli prides itself on providing water enthusiasts with some of the lightest and most durable packrafts available on the market. The versatile Nirvana Self-Bailing raft lets you float on that alpine lake in the Indian Peaks Wilderness or explore the beauty of Southwest Colorado on the Dolores River. Weighing just 9.2 pounds and no larger than a sleeping bag when packed, this raft is rated for class I-III rapids, and it’s a perfect option for backcountry adventures where one can have some fun on the water. 

Mountainsmith K9 Backbowl

$13.95
When hiking the beautiful Grand Mesa with your furry companion, the Mountainsmith K9 Backbowl is an essential item to have when pack space is limited. Based in Golden, Mountainsmith has designed numerous products for dogs and the K9 Backbowl is yet another example of the company’s love for all the four-legged hikers. Made with a nylon base and PVC-free interior liner, the durable K9 Backbowl can be snapped together easily with four water-resistant snaps to create a lightweight and convenient bowl for dogs to eat or drink from. When they’re finished, roll it or fold it up and continue the journey. 

Warbonnet Outdoors' Original Blackbird Hammock

$175
The air in the Elk Mountains is fresh, sunlight seeps between the leaves of the towering aspen trees and as you lay in your Blackbird Hammock like a caterpillar in a cocoon, a post hike (and beer) afternoon nap is inevitable. Warbonnet Outdoors is based in Evergreen and the original Blackbird Hammock is just one of its ultra-light, durable and high-quality hammocks. Set it up between some trees while dispersed camping, or abandon a bulky tent on long distance backpacking trips. Either way it’ll provide a lifetime of leisure in the wilderness. 

Spyderco Resilience G-10

$94.50
Whether you’re slicing up an apple or cutting into a sizzling brat, a reliable knife is handy to have when eating outdoors. The Resilience G-10 knife made by Spyderco in Golden can handle all the campsite cutting and will last for years. With a closed length of just over five inches and a 4.2-inch stainless steel blade, the Resilience G-10 is the largest of the company’s value folding knives. The pocket knife with all the bells and whistles is still useful to have, but when it comes to cutting into the heartier campsite meals, the blade on the Resilience G-10 can handle it all. 

Kelty Loveseat

$139.95
From fold-up chairs to sturdy logs, seating at the Piñon Flats campsite in the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve can be an everyone-for-themselves ordeal. But with the Kelty Loveseat, you can now cuddle by the fire with your significant other. At a glance it looks like an extra-wide camping chair, but the Loveseat has additional luxuries with its adjustable armrests and insulated cup holders on each side. The loveseat also comes with a padded roll-tote storage bag that makes it easy to transport and pack with the rest of the gear. 

Akinz Mountain Views Enamel Camp Mug

$34.96
While shivering in the brisk early morning along the Cache la Poudre River, campsite coffee always tastes better out of an enamel mug. With the Akinz Mountain Views Enamel Camp Mug, you can now sip coffee in style and make your fellow campers jealous as they crawl out of their tents. The mug is made from a renowned enamelware producer in Poland and will last through years of adventures. It has a dark teal exterior decorated with an eye-catching design of mountains, the sun and moon, while the interior is white. The durable mug holds 12 ounces and is safe for the stove, dishwasher and campfire. 

Fenix HM65R Rechargeable Headlamp

$99.95
Sure, the stars shine bright in the night sky of Rocky Mountain National Park, but when the sunlight dwindles, a headlamp quickly becomes the most important campsite accessory. Based in Littleton, Fenix creates high quality flashlights, lanterns, headlamps and other lighting products. The HM65R is a rechargeable headlamp that provides ample light under the starlit sky with two light sources. Use the spotlight mode to illuminate distant objects or use the floodlight mode for a softer and more even beam of light. Both sources of light can be used together and the  battery level can be tracked directly above the headlamp’s bulbs. 

Osprey Aether 55 (Mens) and Ariel 55 (Womens) Backpacking packs

$300
For the backpackers looking to truly get off the beaten path, the San Juan Mountains are a great place to start. Venturing into the forest does require a plan and the right backpack of course. Founded in 1974, Osprey makes high-quality backpacks that last a lifetime. The company started in Santa Cruz, California, but as its product gained a reputation and demand increased, Osprey relocated its operations in 1990 to Dolores in southwest Colorado. Among the great packs that Osprey offers today are the Aether 55 and Ariel 55 that each won the 2021 Backpacker Magazine Editor’s Choice Gold Award. Both packs feature custom Fit-on-the-Fly shoulder straps and hip belt along with an adjustable torso that provides hikers an incredible fit.