In the spirit of full disclosure, you can certainly find lighter and faster-pitching tents than the new 6.8-pound EMS Moon Shine ($259). As long as you're not an ounce-counting fast packer, however, who could care less about creature comforts, this beautifully crafted two-person fortress serves up a heaping of smart features worth the extra fractions. Forget about the standard two-step canopy-and-fly pitching procedure, too. The Moon Shine is a "uni-pitch" creature that hoists in a single maneuver, unfurling into a single-wall model capped by a ventilating roof panel. With three aluminum exterior poles threading through sleeves, this baby has enough brawn to shoulder light snow, heavy winds, and just about anything else you'll encounter in the three seasons. On those warm, buggy summer nights, you'll be thankful for the mesh ceiling panels that purge hot, moist air. This design is especially efficient because adjustable floor-level mesh panels act like fresh-air intake vents to help force exhaust up and out. You've gotta love the roomy 11.25-square-foot vestibule for your pooch or dirt-encrusted kicks, and the clear vestibule window lets in enough light to make the pumpkin-colored Moon Shine exude a subliminal cheer that keeps you smiling like a happy Jack-O-Lantern. Contact EMS: 888-463-6367; www.ems.com.

Shopping for technical sleeping bags invariably forces the dreaded "down versus synthetic fill" decision, which we'll gladly avoid here thanks to the masters at Marmot who've given us the Marmot Fusion 15 ($189). This 15-degree-rated hybrid is truly the best of both worlds, plumbed with weatherproof synthetic Primaloft and airy 600-fill goose down. The bag's synthetic fill, used throughout the exterior next to its weather-resistant Pertex shell, provides the warmth barrier you need if things get sloppy wet. Meanwhile, cushy down feathers are protected deep within, lining the next-to-body interior for elegant softness and greater overall compactibility when it's time to cram the three-pound three-ounce bugger in its stuff sack. Needless to say, Marmot's included all the essential goodies, like a hood draw cord, soft face guard, insulated draft tube, locking zippers, yada, yada. Down or synthetic? We'll take both, please. Contact Marmot: 888-627-6680; www.marmot.com.

Today's weight-conscious gear lets us pare down our on-the-back weight. But we still want a pack for the occasional unwieldy load, and here carrying comfort becomes key. Our vote is cast for the 4,800-cubic-inch Granite Gear Stratus Latitude ($270), a light packer in every respect—save that it can easily support 50-pound loads. First and foremost you'll love the patented 3D composite frame—lightweight and flexible, with a waist belt that accommodates the rocking effect of the hips during hiking (translation: top-notch comfort without fatigue). Another GG eccentricity is the top-to-bottom front access, where a tough nylon stretch panel with dual waterproof zippers really lays the load open for grab-and-go convenience. A series of six internal and external front and side compression straps secure and condense the most cumbersome loads, and eight additional side straps compress even further while holding skis, poles, a beach umbrella... whatever. And true to its unique form, this four-pound 12-ounce quasi-top loader has another surprise in the form of a detachable internal tote to hold essentials inside the tent—very cool! Contact Granite Gear: 800-222-8032; www.granitegear.com.

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