Nemo - Best in the Backcountry

Nemo Equipment is on a roll.  With three Backpacker Editor's Choice Awards in the past four years, we give them a lot of credit for innovations that continue to raise the bar in the outdoor industry.  This year's Backpacker Gear Guide showcased the Nemo Nocturne 15 and Nocturne 30 Spoon Sleeping Bags.  "The best night of sleep I've ever had in the backcountry," raved Backpacker's deputy editor.  Two major innovations--not just one--make Nemo's new sleeping bags "pioneering".  The obvious introduction of the "spoon" shape led Backpacker's gear editor to observe, "The ability to roll over and slide my legs up inside the bag gave me unfettered, home-like comfort".  And the use of 700-fill "Down Tek" means that this down bag performs more like a synthetic bag when wet than a traditional down bag.  "Down Tek" is one of several new down treatments of the last year that "resist moisture" and will completely change the way we look at down insulation in the outdoors.  We're excited about the entire new line of Nemo sleeping bags. 

But Nemo's reputation for making great products began in 2002 with "air-supported" tents like the Morpho 2P.  Out-of-the-box thinking led to pole-less tents supported by columns of air.  Several award winning tents later, Nemo developed the Meta 2P trekking pole tent that arrived with much fanfare in the ultra-light backpacking world.  Although arriving on the scene without the same buzz, Nemo's Obi tents deserve a serious look from any backpacker considering buying a new tent.  Now available in a three person version--the Obi 3P tent--and an "elite" series of trimmed down tents, nothing beats an Obi for ease of use and liveability.  And nothing beats the deals you'll find right now if you buy during our Nemo tent sale. 

First known for its rugged, light, and smart tent designs, Nemo expanded into the world of lightweight backcountry sleeping pads two years ago with the Nemo Astro Air pad that made a splash winning an Editor's Choice award two years ago for it's comfort, weight, and value. Combine all three--bag, tent, and pad--and go for your best night in the backcountry. 

Tents on Sale

While the weather here in Vermont has become more seasonal, lots of folks are starting to check out summer gear.  Two of our tent brands have just gone on sale to make this easier for folks.   You can now save 20% on many of our Sierra Designs tents and Nemo tents.  If you know what size tent you need, check out our 2 person tent page or our 4 person tent page to compare tents across brands.  Sierra Designs and Nemo both offer innovative lightweight tents and they offer a lot by including smart patented features--like Jake's feet for example--that make them more user friendly than other tents.  Take a look for yourself! 

Nemo delays: In the wake of disaster

Almost six months ago I took some photos of 2012 Nemo Tents for our blog; that was a few days before Irene. One of the great insights I've gotten from living through a natural disaster is that the recovery far outlasts the media coverage. Best guesses around Waterbury now seem to suggest that it will be 2013 --if ever--before most of the 1500 + Vermont State Employees return to the Waterbury Office Complex. While our store sits a good bit higher than the Winooski River on the other side of the railroad tracks and wasn't flooded, 2012's natural disasters continue to impact our work.

For example, we're still waiting to fill orders of the Nemo Gogo Elite tent. It turns out the fabric used by Nemo comes from a Toyota factory in Japan where they're still behind on orders in the wake of last spring's tsunami. These fabric delays lead to a whole slew of 2012 Nemo tent delays where we're not expecting to see exciting new product until the middle of May. Let's all hope we come out stronger from undergoing 2012's adversity.

Nemo Tents and Pads

While Nemo tents have gotten lots of great press in recent years, it is their backcountry pads that have stolen the attention of late. The new ultralight NEMO Zor self-inflating sleeping pad is finally available as is its more luxurious inflatable cousin the Nemo Astro Pad. Using innovative technologies Nemo has improved on the industry standards for comfort, weight,and cost.

The Nemo Astro Sleeping Pad attracted much of the attention this year...and we finally have a good amount of stock of options like the Astro Air Insulated Sleeping Pad and Pillowtop Combo that won Backpacker's Editor's Choice Award this past spring. With horizontal baffling and a removable 1 inch pillowtop foam you get an incredible amount of comfort for sleeping on the ground wherever you choose to lay out your pad. Best of all is the price. While it is not the lightest inflatable pad, for the price we think it offers the best all around value. Follow the links above for more details...and act now while these great pads are in stock and on sale.