For Earth Month, ML staff and partners offer a Gear Shed stuffed with the finest sustainable camping swag and apparel.
Gregory Alpaca Camp Box
Simplify your camp experience and stay organized with the 50-litre Alpaca Camp Box. Designed for pantry essentials—but usable for pretty much anything—it offers ample space for tall items. We think you’ll find uses for the box beyond the campsite; so far, we’ve used the box for both ski and paddling gear. The combo hinge/latch lid lets you access your gear from either side. The removable Clearview Lid is designed with a gasket seal for waterproof and dustproof protection. (The box is IP 65–rated.) And: the main box is built from 50% recycled material. It’s also stackable (and you will probably want more than one).
UCO Flatpack Portable Grill
If you want to ditch gas stoves, check out the lightweight Flatpack: it burns twigs and small branches, safely containing your fire. It folds down slim for easy transpo to and from the campsite. Pure stainless steel construction means durability and easy maintenance. After a 30-second set-up, you’re ready to go. It has a stable base for safe grilling on uneven ground—and the sides serve as windbreaks. After grilling, you can remove the grill and use the Flatpack as a firepit, helping you leave no trace in the backcountry. It fits perfectly in the back of our fishing kayak. Available in small or medium formats. Also available in a smokeless version. Pro tip: in case of rainy weather, keep a small drybag full of kindling/tinder.
PAKA Hoodie
With a best-of-all-worlds material blend of 65% royal alpaca and 35% recycled nylon, this unisex hoodie is the all-purpose layer that won’t quit. PAKA’s premium royal alpaca fibre is 18-19 microns in diameter—ultra-soft and wearable next to skin without an undershirt, always a plus when you’re camping and trying to travel light. (The hoodie weighs less than 10 oz.) It’s also odour-resistant (ideal for repeat wear and fewer washes) and the softer-than-cashmere feel is bliss for cooler evenings or under a shell if it’s raining. Alpaca excels at thermoregulation, so you can wear it in all seasons. (The alpaca evolved in one of the most dynamic climates in the world, so its coat adapted to a broad thermal comfort range.) Sourced from the mountainous outskirts of Puno, dyed in the mountains of Arequipa and hand-signed by the woman artisan who wove it in Cusco, Peru, this hoodie redefines ‘sustainable.’ Want another unbeatable travel buddy? Check PAKA’s Trail Crew Sock.
NEMO Dagger OSMO Tent
The updated Dagger OSMO lightweight backpacking tent (available as a 2- or 3-person) features an updated pole structure with over 10 cm added to the door height, over 5 cm to the peak height, and 22% more usable space to the vestibule. The interior offers relatively luxurious downtime in camp and comes at no extra weight cost. Plus, NEMO’s updated Elements hardware offers one-handed setup and tensioning. Also new is bluesign certification, so the tent is now made according to strict environmental and worker safety standards and the 100% recycled fabric is solution-dyed.
Osprey Transporter Duffels
The car-camper’s reliable and resourceful friend, Osprey’s Transporter duffels (in sizes ranging from 30 to 150L) are rugged yet lightweight, featuring strong, water-resistant NanoTough fabrics made with 100% recycled high-tenacity nylon. With burly and lockable zipper hardware, the duffels boast padded stowaway harnesses, tough grab handles and webbing lash points for multiple carry options. The main compartments feature weather-protected zip paths with overlapping rain flaps and internal zippered mesh pockets. And the duffels are backed, as always, by Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee.
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Finisterre Firecrest Jacket
The Firecrest Jacket (available for men or women) is perfect for the campsite on cool mornings or evenings—or anytime you’re travelling in unpredictable conditions. We’ve layered it over T-shirts, sweaters or a shell. We prefer the hoodless jacket for a more minimalist approach, but the hooded version doesn’t add much bulk, and the gilet (i.e., vest) is ideal for stowing in your pack as a back-up layer. All garments in the Firecrest range are 100% recycled, including the REPREVE insulation made with ocean-bound plastics. The jacket is a lightweight, water-repellent, multi-use layer with classic-cut lines and a snug, precise fit. The women’s size 10 jacket weighs just 322 g. A certified B Corp born over a decade ago from the needs of hardy British coldwater surfers, Finisterre puts sustainability front and centre.
Helinox Chair One Highback
The Chair One Highback‘s new tech adds a second tension line to distribute weight more efficiently around the frame. The Highback offers more shoulder and upper back support, plus redesigned nylon resin hubs for max stability on uneven ground. The Helinox proprietary DAC aluminum alloy merges strength with durability; it’s also made from repurposed aluminum scraps left on the factory floor that would have otherwise been thrown away. The chair collapses into a 18” x 6” x 4.5” zip case and weighs just 2 lbs 12 oz but can hold up to 320 lbs. It is bluesign-certified and the recycled 300D polyester is durable and abrasion-resistant.
Timberland Earthkeepers Sunglasses
The Earthkeepers collection features frames made with at least 65% bio-based materials, using renewable castor oil instead of petroleum-based plastics. We tested the TB00042 and TB00043 models, both equipped with general-purpose smoke-grey lenses ideal for everyday wear. These lenses transition seamlessly from shade to full sunlight and are polarized with an anti-reflective coating—crafted by Italian optics company Marcolin. (Both the frames and lenses are made by Marcolin and branded under Timberland.) Due to durability challenges, 100% bio-based eyewear isn’t here yet (though Pala comes close). Still, frames that combine bio-based and conventional plastics represent a step forward, and it’s worth noting that Earthkeepers’ minimum 65% bio-based tops Zeal’s Z-Resin, which boasts a minimum of 45% bio material. Given how many pairs of plastic sunglasses the average person loses or breaks over the years (with fragments ending up in the environment), a fully bio-based solution should be a front-and-centre industry concern.
Grayl 24 oz. GeoPress
No other purifier rivals the speed, simplicity, effectiveness and portability of the GeoPress. In just eight seconds, it makes safe, clean drinking water out of the filthiest muck imaginable. You can tap into water sources anywhere in the world and safely drink from any lake, river, well or watering hole—not to mention sketchy spigots and motel taps. Grayl’s electroabsorptive filter system with ion exchange and activated carbon removes waterborne pathogens (virus, bacteria, protozoan cysts) as well as pesticides, chemicals, heavy metals and microplastics. The compact GeoPress is a global traveller’s best friend, and will also serve as a personal filter on backcountry trips. Grayl is a member of 1% For the Planet, The Conservation Alliance, The Adventure Travel Conservation Fund and other worthy organizations.
MEC Draco Sleeping Bag
MEC down sleeping bags have been the outdoorist’s favourite for decades, offering exceptional value at a fraction of the price of similar options. Rated to -9C, the Draco is a unisex three-season bag with stellar sustainability credentials. Crafted with a fully recycled nylon shell (plus a PFAS-free DWR finish to shed moisture) this updated version gets a refreshed design with mountain-inspired colours. Vertical baffles over the chest keep the down in place so you won’t discover a cold spot during the night while the woven recycled nylon interior fabric feels soft next to skin. And the Draco is insulated with 650-fill power duck down that meets the Responsible Down Standard. The Delphinus is a women-specific version.
Outerknown Blanket Shirt
The Blanket Shirt (available for women and men) is touted as the coziest shirt ever made, and we’re inclined to agree. This is a classic campsite (and anywhere else) button-up collared shirt made with soft, lofty but durable organic cotton and corozo buttons made from tagua palm nuts (a natural alternative to plastic). The shirt oozes quality and attention to detail that just feels good on every level.
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