Don’t leave your darling pooch off your shopping list! Ideal for pets of hikers, backpackers, and other outdoorsy types, the Ruff Wear Palisades II Dog Pack features a three-strap system to disperse the load evenly so as not to trouble your doggie’s back. The pack also comes complete with two collapsible water bladders, a grab handle on the back, and a reflective trim to keep your puppy visible in the dark.

Of course, this one’s a gift that very much gives back to the giver, as evidenced by ThisNexter Kristine’s shopcast: “Poor fortune for my dogs I live by the rule ‘There’s no such thing as a free ride,’” she says. “These backpacks work very well for carrying groceries.”

BTW, has anyone ever actually named his/her dog Fido in all of world history? I’m guessing not.

Bath salts and balms and beauty serums aren’t the only rose-kissed gifts you can give this season. For the more rugged rose-lover, there’s the Ted Baker Rose Print Tent from Blacks. Sure to be the most lovely tent at your campsite, the two-berth dome features a porch for gear storage and breathable polyester inner with storage pockets - plus it’s got SPF 30 protection. ThisNexter mouseking finds the tent so pretty that “I think I’ll set one up in my living room for a few days!” And it would be so very perfect to take to Coachella next year…

Don’t get left in the dark: When it comes to hands-free illumination in the nighttime wilderness, ThisNexters prefer Petzl headlamps. Water-resistant and with white LED lighting, the headlamps can be used while camping, caving, climbing, hiking, fishing, sailing, or running at night. Both Adam Chase and Luke Miller go for Petzl’s Tikka model, which Luke dubs “perfect for travel.” (“I aspire to be as powerful and last as long as another small guy who only occasionally needs his battery charged,” Adam says of his Tikka.) But for Cedar Wright and Angela Hawse it’s all about the Petzl Myo XP: “Because this headlamp is extra bright and has an extra long burn time, which means no changing batteries on those 24 hour epics,” says Cedar of his pick. And nyenye lights up with the Zipka Plus Ultralight. “It’s so compact and versatile,” he says. “I use it at work, home, and in emergencies!”

Here’s a bright idea for campers who want to conserve space in their backpack: Paddling.net’s Firefly Lantern lets you turn your water bottle into a lantern - just by screwing on a lid that contains an integrated LED light. “Now you can use your Nalgene as a flashlight,” says ThisNexter rugenius. “How awesome would that be for camping?” GirlOutside has already tested the Firefly on several camping excursions, finding that the product’s worked with her Nalgene, GSI and Cyclone wide-mouth bottles (“Different colored bottles determine how bright it is,” she notes). “Seriously, at night it will illuminate a dark bathroom and your path to it,” says GirlOutside. “Great to find your bottle of water at night in the tent…and kids love it too.” The Firely’s also a hit with runbike’s kids: “We have a couple of the lanterns that we set up on the picnic table when we are camping and then they make great lights in the tent,” he says. “They look really cool with our red bottles.”

What’s the best way to get comfy sleep while camping? Several of our shopcasters vote for Therm-A-Rest’s trail comfort mattress pad, a self-inflating, superthick bed that Adam Gershon Meron dubs a “a Serta for the outdoors. But lighter.” Will R. says the “light, compact, and comfortable” Therm-A-Rest pads are “much better than older style foam or bulky inflatable mats,” while “traveling yogini” Inayat S. considers the product essential for his constant wanderings ‘round the globe. And, as a testament to Therma-A-Rest’s durability, Eric notes that he’s still got the same pad he used backpacking on the Appalachian Trail a couple decades ago. “The light weight and tiny space it takes up after rolling are also important when every ounce and cubic inch count,” Eric adds. And even though his Therm-A-Rest only supports from hips to shoulders, Eric points out that “when you’re weary that’s all you really need for comfortable sleeping in a tent.”

How do coffee addicts get their fix when out on a backpacking/camping/hiking excursion through the backcountry? OutdoorHacks.com (“tips & tricks to improve your life outdoors”) suggests the Press-Bot, a French press that fits inside your Nalgene bottle and thus eliminates your need to carry a separate container just for your java.

The blog’s self-proclaimed “outdoor geeks and freaks” find all the coolest outdoor gear and gadgets: Check the proceeding post for info on an outdoor beer dispenser that lets you chug draught beer right on your back deck.

“Having a bad day at work?” asks NorCal hiking blogger Calipidder. “Google Evolution Basin, or LeConte canyon, or Muir Pass, of the Golden Staircase, or Rae Lakes, and pretend you’re there.” Or you could just check out Calipidder’s picture posts of her excursions around places like the Cottonwood Lakes, Tahoe National Forest, and the John Muir Trail. The inspiration’s mighty valuable, as are Calipidder’s occasional product picks - including, most recently, her “bright shiny new long handled titanium spoon from Backpackinglight.com.” Created to fulfill all your “meal-in-a-bag” backpacking needs, the spoon features ergonomic design and 8.375-inch-long handle.

What’s the best way to wash your down sleeping bag? Cutter’s Blog recommends nixing the old toss-some-tennis-balls-in-the-dryer trick and combining Nikwax Down Wash with this drying technique:

“[T]ake your bag out of the dryer every few minutes and fluff it up, breaking up the clumps by hand. This way, you don’t run the risk of damaging the baffles and stitching.”

The result? A perfectly clean sleeping bag that, according to long-distance-hiker Cutter, feels “as fluffy as a cloud.”

After you’ve constructed your Penny Alcohol Backpacking Stove, empty all those beer-breath-disguising, curiously strong mints from their tin and make your own Altoids Survival Kit. Steve at The Shed Antler points us to a Field & Stream step-by-step guide for cramming “all the gear you’d need to survive in the wild” into those tiny metal mint boxes. So what can you fit inside? According to Steve, “fire-starting gear, an LED flashlight, a compass, water bag, iodine tablets, fishing gear - and oh so much more.”

If you’re in the market for some outdoor/fitness gear - whether it be a new yoga mat, kayak, skis, hiking boots, or camping cookware - make sure to check HikerDeals.com before handing over your cash or credit card. Blogger Mike scours the web to find the best deals on gear, then shares those bargains so that readers don’t have to go extra-spendy when purchasing new products. One hot deal right now: Backcountry.com’s 25 percent discount on Katadyn’s Hiker Water Filter, which - according to Mike - is the “the top-rated filter for hiking and camping.”

When is draining a few beer cans considered a highly productive endeavor? When you’re talking about constructing a Penny Alcohol Backpacking Stove, a homemade device whose building instructions call for two 12-ounce Heineken cans. Crags at Scotland-based Outdoors Gear Blog discovered the stove via the Getoutdoors.com Outdoor Blog, announcing:

“This looks so good that I’m going to go out and buy some beer now, purely for construction purposes of course. If it works I’ll post photos, if it doesn’t I’ll be typing with burned fingers.”

As Justin at My Outdoor Adventures points out, no one wants to stay standing after a long day of hiking. In the interest of “keeping my butt off the cold and wet ground” on upcoming excursions, Justin’s picked up the Therm-a-Rest Trekker Chair, designed to fit over your Therm-a-Rest self-inflating mattress. It just might be the next best thing to kicking back in a La-Z-Boy for comfort-minded campers.

At Out ‘n About, camping afficionado Mike blogs about the tips and tools to make any wilderness adventure safe and fun. One recent recommendation:

“On your last day of camp, use your leftover meats and vegetables to make omelets for breakfast. You can use almost any ingredient in omelets. Then you don’t have to take the leftovers home with you.”

Mike borrows that suggestion from Love the Outdoors, a site whose “Camping 101 & Beyond” resource guide covers everything from living the RV life to getting involved in conservation efforts to practicing smart first aid.

Enterprising though they may be, Starbucks has yet to figure out a way to bring their franchise to the backcountry. But coffee-guzzling wilderness lovers need not fret: Kurt Rapanshek at National Parks Traveler has discovered Java Juice, a “a pure coffee extract that turns into a bonafide cup of 100 percent organic, and certified Kosher, Arabica coffee when mixed with either hot or cold water.” Kurt explains:

“…for those who need a punch of caffeine in the morning, one that actually tastes like a rich cup of coffee, Java Juice meets the need. It comes packaged in these little squeeze bags, similar, but larger, than the ketchup packets you get at fast-food joints. Each half-ounce packet contains enough coffee extract for a cup of coffee between 12 and 16 ounces, depending on how strong you like it.”

At The WildeBeat (an “audio journal about getting into the wilderness”), you can download weekly podcasts created to “help you explore the Earth’s remaining wild places.” In a recent podcast, National Outdoor Leadership School nutritional advisor Mary Howley Ryan talks about planning food for her wilderness trip. Among her recommendations: Yvonne’s Prater’s cookbook Beyond GORP: Favorite Foods From Outdoor Experts. Featuring 133 recipes (and the stories behind their evolution), Beyond GORP includes dishes like Lead Bread (“a brick-like loaf that will keep indefinitely and survive even an air drop”), Cashew-Ginger Chicken and Rice, Trail Tiramisu, and Cooked Stinging Nettles.

Just cuz you’re camping doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the good things in life. After all, what could be better out in the great outdoors than a freshly blended margarita or daiquiri? Of course, power sockets are few and far between in the woods, so this hand-crank blender is just the ticket. If you’re really adventurous, you can pick your own berries for a one-of-a-kind custom cocktail. However, you’re on your own when it comes to finding ice.

I have to confess: I am not a camper. It’s not that I don’t like nature (though what has she done for me lately?), but the very word conjures up thoughts of sleeping on the hard ground, swarms of bloodthirsty mosquitos and, worst of all, lackluster food poured out of cans and burnt to cinders over an open fire. “Campfire Cuisine” may change my mind, though. This pocket-sized guide not only contains recipes, but a comprehensive guide on what to buy both for gear and goods, how to store it for maximum safety and convenience and how to cook it all well and simply for maximum flavor. But still, I think I’ll try these recipes out in the backyard first.

Via Juliette Rossant’s superchefblog.