While waiting in the car before our hike to Mt. Baden-Powell last Saturday, I received an email from Anthropologie announcing one of their 2020 summer collections, Camp Anthro: The Art of Adventure. As I consider myself a fairly outdoorsy national parks lover, I decided to dive into this particular edit. As can be guessed from the name, Camp Anthro is a 200-plus item collection of camp and outdoors themed items. In true Anthropologie style, these items range from whimsical, reasonably priced items to the highly impractical $900 leather-wrapped Sol and Luna cooler. Needless to say there were many items that wouldn’t work on a hiking or backpacking trip; I’m having a vision of the $900 cooler being torn apart by a bear as it sits in a parking lot at Yosemite National Park. In that vein, it seemed to me like the majority of this edit was meant more for camp-themed home decor or a ‘glamping’ trip at most. That said, there were some items that I would actually purchase, either for their utility or their glampiness. After all, if you’re car camping, you can afford to splurge a little bit when it comes to weight and space.
For the campsite or home:
There were a variety of accessories that fell into the ‘outdoor fun’ category. Most items were either nature-themed kids toys that I confess I’d have been a sucker for when my kids were little or home decor such as books and candles with national park-themed scents. However, there are a couple items I would purchase in this category for use on our outdoor adventures. The Parks Project 32 oz water bottles would be perfect for day hikes, and since the boys broke my Nalgene, I would need a replacement before our girls trip to Yosemite in July. The other item I would purchase is a bit less for the utility than the aesthetic. The Hurricane Steel Lantern is a kerosene lamp that comes in five cute colors and would sit perfectly on our portable teak table when car camping. It runs $40, kerosene not included, so it is a bit of a splurge.
Beauty and Wellness:
The Welly first aid kits are items I already carry in my day pack. These cute tins are compact and carry a good number of bandaids and antiseptic pads. The Human Repair kit runs $13 on Anthropologie’s website. I’d recommend picking this item up at Target, where it runs $8.99. The Quick Fix Kit contains 18 bandaids, and three hand sanitizers and antiseptic wipes, and runs $10 at Anthropologie. I added gauze and a small pair of scissors to my Human Repair kits to round it out for outdoor adventures.
I bought and tried the Murphy’s Naturals Mosquito Repellent balm. This balm contains rosemary, mint, castor, cedar wood, and lemongrass oils to repel insects in an olive oil and beeswax base. The repellent worked when I was hiking yesterday, on a hot dry day when I might get bitten but others won’t. That said, I probably wouldn’t use it alone in more mosquito-laden areas like the High Sierras or gullies with a ton of water. I’d opt for some Deep Woods DEET on top of it. But it smells nice, and is better for regular use than chemical sprays. It actually provided a little bit of relief when I got bitten when I was outside. I’m still waiting on my Murphy’s Bite Relief balm, with tea tree, mint, and eucalyptus. The bite relief balm’s active ingredients are similar to the essential oil blend I use when I get bitten, however I think the balm would yield less mess. I found that my DoTerra rollerball exploded a little bit at altitudes over 9000 feet.
The other wellness item I recommend is the camp wash by Juniper Ridge. At $5 for a travel sized bottle, it’s what you’d expect for a biodegradable camp soap. It comes in three outdoorsy scents. REI actually carries this brand. I have it in the White Sage scent and it’s lasted me through whitewater rafting and several camp outs. Anthropologie also carries the corresponding room sprays if you want that outdoorsy scent at home.
Clothing and accessories:
There was much I wouldn’t find practical for our usual camping trips. The thought of wearing a canvas jumpsuit or mini dress on a hike is uncomfortable to me, but there is a nice selection of joggers and shorts that looked nice especially for car camping. Though for prices ranging from $58-$110, I’d much rather spend that money on a good pair of hiking pants. Still there were a few items that I’d recommend, such as the seamless bralette for $24 or 2 for $40. These comfortable bralettes are perfect for night wear as you’re hanging out at the campsite. I did purchase the Lillian Ruched Tank in the Honey color. It’s cute and comfortable, my two requirements for a top that can be used on and off the trail. In fact, I’m wearing it for a hike up Cucamonga Peak. There are also some cute national parks graphic tees that run $35-$56, as well as bandanas in fun floral prints. These run $20 and are good to have on the on the trail.
To conclude this brief review, while I’d steer away from many of the items in the Camp Anthro edit, especially for camping or other outdoor activities, there are some things that are useful, cute, or just plain fun. I can’t wait to use our new pretty things on our summer adventures! Happy trails!
Visit Anthropologie.com for purchasing info.
Photo credits:
Photos 2, 3, 6 from the top: Anthropologie.com
Photos 1, 4, 5, 7, 8 Rochelle Haas and Co
The Cranky Camper 