New Gear For Camping

Whether you like to camp in your backyard or deep in the forest, "roughing-it" could be a lot easier with the right equipment.

"Outside" magazine's senior editor Nick Heil tells The Saturday Early Show fall camping is a huge sport in much of the United States. He gives the latest and best in camping gear, including tents, sleeping bags, stoves, and even a shower. With these products, leaving the comforts of home for the outdoors doesn't mean sacrificing comfort.

Tents

The North Face Roadrunner: A roomy backpacking tent with great ventilation and giant doors that comes with glow-in-the-dark zipper pulls so there is no fumbling to get out of it at night. The two-pole setup is very simple and quick. "Outside's" annual Buyer's Guide gave the Roadrunner a Gear of the Year award in the tent category. (2 person, $249, www.thenorthface.com)

Mountain Hardware Hammerhead 2: A rugged and roomy shelter that will endure the worst storms. A nifty window lets light in and allows you to see what's going on outside. Three-pole design adds additional sturdiness. The tent has great range and versatility for weekend warriors. (2 person, $255, www.mountainhardware.com)

Sierra Designs Hercules AST: A serious tent for serious outings. Designed to withstand high winds, torrential rains and heavy snow. The tent uses patented Arch Support Technology to create exceptional stability in inclement weather, but with minimal structural materials (only 3 poles with this shelter) and weight. It is ideal for aspiring mountaineers or someone who just wants to look like one at the local state park. (2 person, $400, www.sierradesigns.com)

Eureka Night Scape: The spacious family tent has an innovative rainfly/canopy that's retractable from inside the tent and is great for when bad weather blows in during the night. Surprisingly, it is easy to set up for such a large tent. (6 person $530, www.eurekatent.com)

Kelty Mantra: A luxurious family or group tent. It has ample room for kids, dog and supplies. The tent has enough headroom for a six-foot adult to stand upright. The four-pole design is sturdy in inclement weather, and its full-fly will protect from the elements if needed. (7 person, www.kelty.com)

Sleeping Bags

Marmot AR Surf and Mavericks: Marmot uses a patented "wave" design for the insulation in these synthetic-fill bags. This translates to more warmth when you're inside. Graphics are inspired by big-wave surfing theme and mimic designs found on traditional longboards in surfing hotspots like Hawaii and California. The bags provide great performance for the money and a cool look. ($169; www.marmot.com)

Mountain Hardware Galaxy SL: The 600-fill goose down bag offers great weight-to-warmth ratio. Double-zipper system allows you to zip this bag together with other MH bags to form a double bag. It's also compatible with MH bag liner to make the bag even more cozy. The extra room cut into the foot of the bag is an especially nice touch. (www.mountainhardware.com)

The North Face Cat's Meow: An enduring classic with slightly updated colors. The synthetic-fill bag has nice features found on more expensive bags, e.g., a watch pocket near your head so you can hear your alarm and an insulated hood with a pillow pocket. ($169, www.thenorthface.com)

Big Agnes Zirkel with pad: This very plush and warm bag with top-quality down insulation has a nifty sleeve for ground padding. Its roomy cut can be an advantage for tossers-and-turners. Heil says it is a great bag from a small up-and-coming company. ($279, www.bigagnes.com)

Backpacks

The North Face Stamina 70: A full-featured pack that is perfect for an overnight or weeklong outing. The anatomically designed harness makes hauling heavy loads surprisingly comfortable. It has a pocket for Camelback-style water carriers and a clear map pocket on lid. ($279, www.thenorthface.com)

Kelty Haiku: A simple, light, yet functional pack for overnight or weekend trips. It has an internal frame, adjustable straps, and "daisy chain." External loops can be used for attaching sandals and water bottles. (www.kelty.com)

Stoves
MSR Superfly: A very compact and lightweight canister stove. It is compatible with various fuel types in U.S. and abroad. Adjustable flame and optional autostart allows matchless lighting. ($60, www.msrcorp.com)

Coleman X-ponent 2-burner stove: The world's first two-burner stove designed for backpacking. ($90, www.coleman.com)

Cookwear
MSR Blacklight Gourmet Cookset ($45), and Alpine Kitchen Set ($33): The three-pot Gourmet Cookset features full-aluminum cookwear with non-stick coating. Also includes pot grabber. Kitchen Set features folding utensils, seasoning bottles, sponge and other kitchen necessities. (www.msrcorp.com)

Water Filters
Sweetwater Guardian: The filters are portable and handheld and eliminates harmful microorganisms in water from the outdoors. The water filter are great for backpacking or international travel.

Other Items

Leki 3-piece trekking pole: Save your legs with the help of these light, strong trekking poles. They are particularly handy for fording streams and fending off critters that may come after your trailmix. (www.leki.com)

MSR Dromedary Bag with Shower: Handy collapsible water container with shower spigot attachment. Hang it from a tree branch and voila! You're bathing in style. ($40; www.msrcorp.com)

Cascade Designs Personal Packtowl: This super absorbent towel for the backcountry or long road trip may come in handy. ($25, includes carry bag and soap)

Princeton Tec Aurora Headlamp: A very lightweight LED headlamp that will burn for up to 160 hours on three AAA batteries. ($30)

Garmin Rino GPS: The latest in GPS (Global Positioning System) technology. These units feature a built-in two-way radio and patented "peer-to-peer positioning," meaning you can locate your lost partner or kid with the push of a button. Rhino will show you a bearing and its distance from where you are located. ($200-$270; www.garmin.com)

Mutt Hut: This is the answer if you don't want your muddy dog in your tent, but he doesn't want to sleep out in the rain. The Mutt Hut provides your pooch with his own personal backcountry doghouse. (www.ruffwear.com)