NEMO Equipment, Inc. Obi Elite 1P

[group shelter]

Buggy climes can send campers fleeing to their tents, but the Bugout lets you congregate for blissfully insect-free meals and card games within mesh walls that don’t obscure scenic views. “Through clouds of mosquitoes and persistent drizzle, it was a relief to retreat inside so we could look over maps, plan our day, and cook,” declares our tester, who used this 81-square-foot party room for a week in the mosquito-filled Boundary Waters.

Watermelon-sized when packed, the floorless, four-sided shelter pitches with NEMO’s optional accessory poles ($45 and 15 oz. each) or just lashed to trees, using the 15-foot guylines (included). The 75-denier polyester “roof” funnels rain into smartly designed gutters that send runoff to the corners (so it doesn’t sheet down the walls). The superfine, DWR-treated mesh repelled precipitation in all but the windiest conditions. Six people can mingle comfortably inside, the 72-inch peak height lets most campers stand up fully, and two-way zippers at two corners facilitate easy exits. Prefer a hammock to a camp chair? Open the zippers to accommodate hammock straps, and you can swing and doze in bug-free bliss. $250; 4 lbs. 1 oz.; nemoequipment.com

Obi Elite 1P is NEMO’s lightest poled tent. With a subtle change to the front pole hub overhead, Obi 2P offers more interior volume without the need for an additional ridge pole. Using the latest in ultralight textile technology, Obi Elite 1P’s fly and body are 10D PU Nylon and the floor is a 20D PU Nylon. The foot end is tensioned by a single pole, creating a tripod for support and shaving precious ounces. While Obi Elite 1P does not need to be staked out, to maximize interior volume at the foot end, it is recommended to stake out each side.