NEMO Cosmo Air Pillowtop Camp Pad

Can't decide between a super comfortable or light weight sleeping pad for camping?  That's usually what it comes down to--car camping luxury or an ultra light backpacking pad and you end up getting one for each type of camping.  Nemo's Cosmo Air with Pillowtop gives you both options in one mat.

What a great way to have two pads in one.  With the pillow top, you've got your luxury, and when you need a backpacking sleep mat, just slip off the pillow top and you have a light weight (1lb 13oz) and still comfortable pad.   As with all Nemo gear I've tried, this thing screams quality. 

Horizontal baffles keep your weight more evenly distributed, you won't sink into the middle as can sometimes happen with vertical baffles.  It's a wonderful mat for us side sleepers and feels stable.  An integrated foot pump makes for a quick set up, and a raised pillow area can either function as one, or it will help keep your pillow from sliding off the mat.  Really nice design with the Cosmo, very comfy for such a light weight pad.  I am spoiled rotten and love my comfort and I would be perfectly satisfied with this in a backpacking situation.  But if I'm car camping, I like decadence.  

Enter the pillowtop.  The washable fabric is very soft and substantial microsuede, and there's about an inch of foam that makes for extra comfort and warmth between you and the mat, for a total of three inches between you and the ground. This adds warmth and makes the pad useful for three season camping.   I can toss around on this and never feel the ground, it's very comfy and cozy. 

The whole system packs down quite small into an included stuff sack which is great if you are limited in your cargo space or storage space at home.  If you could have only one pad, the Cosmo Air with Pillowtop is a solid choice, find it HERE.

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Nemo's Ingenious New Spoon Sleeping Bags

Nemo has done it again--put me in a swoon over one of their brilliant designs.  Check out the new spoon sleeping bags, they're beautiful and they are as innovative as I've come to expect from Nemo.  The spoon shape sets them apart from other bags and introduces a new level of comfort.

It took me a while to get used to the mummy style sleeping bag and for years I resisted them altogether which left my choices very limited.  That small mummy foot box made me feel claustrophobic and that bothered me.  But I did eventually get used to them and realized I could still change sleeping positions, the bag just had to change with me.

With this spoon shaped Nemo bag, you don't feel at all constrained.  Your knees and legs are free to shuffle about as much as they want and it really feels big in there, plenty of room.  I slept in 50 degree weather in the Harmony 25 and stayed warm, cozy and comfortable all night.  It's a very light weight bag, filled with Primaloft Synergy, a more advance PrimaLoft which uses continuous filament technology.  This will keep it lofty and warm even if it should get wet (which it won't because you wouldn't let that happen), and it packs down easily for your backpack.  

My hat is off to Nemo for making sure all their stuff is cool looking and this sleeping bag is no exception.  I really appreciate the colors--the shades of gray with the bright orange, it's a great looking sleeping bag.

Nemo is offering a limited edition run of these bags, so if you want one now, head over to their site and grab one before they're all gone.  They will be back in a few months, in time for spring and summer adventures, but boy would one make a killer holiday gift for the camper in your life.  Find one of these awesome sleeping bags HERE.

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Nemo Losi 2 Tent: Best of Both Worlds

Need a two person tent that feels like a three or four person tent?  Seriously, Nemo's Losi 2 person tent is BIG.  But it's not that big...I don't know how they did this.  When it comes to tents, I'm always of the bigger is better philosophy for car camping.  I like a lot of space and when I camp, it's sometimes in a six person tent totally tricked out with luxury.  Why not, if I have the space, I enjoy the extra comfort.  However, I have a huge appreciation for minimalism and if I'm being spontaneous or in a hurry, I don't want to fool around with extra stuff and I go into the less is more mode. 

The Losi 2 is a little bit of both.  Light weight and super easy to use, you get a lot of luxury for very little effort.  I can set this tent up in less than five minutes and tear down is just as easy.  There is no struggle at all to get this tent back into its storage bag.  The storage bag is very smart by the way--Nemo makes the nicest I've ever seen for tents, everything has a compartment and things stay nice and organized. For backpacking purposes, I would leave this behind and split the tent up. 

There are two doors, so you don't have to disturb your tent mate going in and out, and there are two large vestibules for gear.  There is a removable organization pouch for your stuff inside the tent including Nemo's headlamp diffuser pocket.  You just put your headlamp in the pocket and it creates a little light for the tent, pretty clever.  And look at the pole design.  Those brow poles create a lot of extra room in there.

Bright green makes you more visible and it just looks super cool, especially paired with the charcoal gray and black.  When you have a glowing lantern inside, it's even more beautiful.  Nemo tents look like functional modern art to me, I love them. 

If you need a tent that is good for both car camping and backpacking, this is it.  If you need a backpacking tent, same thing.   It's quality that will last and comfort you will be grateful for.  For those couple of ounces you might save with an inferior tent, you lose a lot of substance, with the Losi 2, you get a ton of bang for your buck.

A footprint is always a good idea when you buy a tent, it preserves the life of your gear, gives you another layer of barrier and warmth, and it's always easier when you take it down to have the bottom of your tent clean.  Things can get pretty muddy if it rains and this helps to keep it as clean as possible and this is the kind of gear you want to take excellent care of.

Autumn is a great time of year for camping, and for some added incentive, you can find fantastic deals at stores like REI as summer ends.  Learn more about the Losi 2P HERE. 

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NEMO Asashi Tent: Big on Design, Big on Function

"Design like you give a damn," it says in the Nemo Catalog.  Music to my ears.  All your stuff should be as aesthetically pleasing as it is functional.  There should be no ugly stuff, period, even your rugged gear should look good to you.  I always say,  just spend the money and get the quality thing that you love, that way you'll take great care of it and have it forever and it's way better than having to go through several mediocre things when you could have had the one good thing all along.   In the end it saves you time and money and it's better for the earth. I think Nemo is one such brand that combines high quality and good looks to create things you hang on to forever.

Nemo is an exciting new company to me, though they've been around since 2002.  I love their philosophy to protect the people and places that make adventure possible.  Nemo allows their employees an off-day each month for community service as part of their Green Re-thinking program.  They have heart and they have brains for great design--it's not an accident that their tents are bad ass and beautiful.  Look at this gorgeous Nemo Four Person Asashi Tent.  It looks like a work of art, but one touch and you can feel the quality materials, and it's loaded with little details that make it function like a dream.

The fly doubles as a beach shelter when paired with the optional footprint.  I always recommend a footprint when they are available because they help to keep your tent in good shape.  It's also very convenient to have a footprint--when you're done with your camping trip, you can just fold up your tent, nice and clean and worry about the footprint when you get home to hose it off.  For the inside of the tent, Nemo offers the optional Pawprint which lines the inside of your tent for added comfort.

This tent has light diffusers--this is something I've never seen before.  You put your head lamps in the four corners and it makes for some nice lighting.  Small flashlights work too.  There are four stash pockets (one for each person) and they all have integrated drink holders.  There's a vestibule with a built in window to store gear.  If you need extra storage room, there is an optional Garage.

I set this tent up myself in under ten minutes without looking at any directions.  It's very straight forward and simple with features that make it all come together seamlessly, like the Jake's Feet corner anchor system which locks the poles into place, and the fly fastens with adjustable clips to get it nice and tight.  It couldn't have been easier.

The carry bag is the nicest I've ever seen with a tent, with pockets and zippers for each thing.  It even has a little diagram of constellations on the inside--how cool is that?  Seriously, it's romantic.  The care that went into this and that artful touch, you just don't find it every day.  Tom Freidman (Hot, Flat and Crowded) was saying recently that in the old days, people put their stamp on things they made, their seal.  They put so much thought into what they did they were proud to put their name on it, they took pride.   Nemo seems to be doing this, in a modern sense, that's what I thought when I saw the constellation patch. He also said that only the companies who do take great care will move forward in our evolving world.  I hope he's right because I'd really like to see more of this.

The Asashi is spacious and very comfortable.  My six year old can stand up in this tent with plenty of room, and though, at 5'5, I can't stand completely, I find it roomy and easy to maneuver in.  I like to size up with tents, so this is great for one to four people.  Why not?  If you're car camping, you can afford that extra luxury.  This tent is too heavy for backpacking, though I'd love to see what Nemo has in store for that type of camping.  This tent would make a super awesome gift for the holidays.  Find it HERE.

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