OUR LONG pandemic winter has meant doing without a lot of life’s pleasures—and doing so, for the most part, while trapped inside our increasingly overfamiliar homes. We at The Wall Street Journal believe it’s time to overcompensate.
Herewith, we present this guide to 24 inspiring products for adventurers, gardeners, patio-dwellers, hikers, bikers and picnickers who want to get outside a bit grandly. Yes, grandly. You can find a bleak manual for shoestring-budget campers anywhere. Corner-cutting tips are not in short supply. Instead, although you’ll discover plenty of under-$100 ideas below, we found ourselves dreaming of mixing outdoorsiness with opulence: grilling with leather oven mitts, gazing at the stars from penthouse rooftops, having a choice of two exotic Indian patterns when we spread a blanket out in the park. What are you dreaming of?
Invest in an Exceptional Sleeping Bag for Side Sleepers
Traditional sleeping bags doom campers to lie burrito-ed on their backs. But the new Sidewinder bag from Big Agnes will let natural side-sleepers embrace their inner odalisques (see Matisse’s paintings of nudes lying poised on one hip). Known for lifetime guarantees and waste-reducing production methods, the company engineered the stretchy Sidewinder to eliminate the mummification effect and mapped its insulation to minimize impact on pressure points. Even after a night in the dirt you can wake up refreshed. From $279, bigagnes.com
Harvest Your Garden the Classic British Way
Now that the pandemic has made a master gardener of you, here’s the appropriate basket for the fruits of your labor. This handmade trug, a British-style gardening basket, was literally created for the job. Oregon-based Greg Barber, a former boat builder, crafts the shallow, oblong vessels using local myrtlewood and rustproof copper tacks. The basket hangs easily on your forearm and has a lovely balance. No garden? Carry it to the farmer’s market or U-pick orchard. $95 for small, $125 for large, westontable.com.
Pull On a Picturesque Sweater
Doesn’t a seaside vacation sound good right now? While we await the “return to normal” and the ability to travel with abandon, transport yourself sartorially from your living room couch with Aimé Leon Dore’s evocative cotton sweater (above). Inspired by a coastal Greek town, this picturesque knit riffs on the region’s colorful houses and serene seafront. Maybe next summer you can visit this blissfully sunny place. Until then, this escapist sweater will suffice. Sweater, $395, aimeleondore.com
