Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, but instead falling down the Hallmark rabbit hole, treat your sweetheart to a romantic date in the backcountry this year. Replace that over-priced restaurant dinner and bad lighting with a moonlit meal under the stars. From the best toast-worthy beverages, to the best gear to help set the mood, check out our top picks for must-have items to help create the perfect backcountry date this Valentine’s Day.
Lightweight, efficient, and built for two, MSR’s PocketRocket Stove Kit is the perfect vessel for creating a delicious meal in the backcountry. This stove kit features MSR’s best-selling pocket rocket stove, two dish sets (including folding sporks) and a two-liter aluminum pot. And the best thing about this set-up, is everything nests together and weighs in at just 25.8 ounces.
Freeze dried meals are an excellent option for an easy meal outdoors, and the dinner options offered up by Mountain House are so darn tasty, you won’t feel like you’re missing out on that traditional date night meal. Take a cue from Lady and the Tramp and bring along a few packs of Spaghetti, and don’t forget the dessert. Impress your date with cheesecake bites, apple crisp, or even a freeze dried raspberry crumble.
Romance is not dead, so surprise your date with a little bubbly for a sweet toast at sunset using GSI Outdoors Nesting Champagne Flutes. The durable flutes pack up and travel nicely and include a stable, non-slip base.
Infinite Monkey Theorem Moscato Can
Fill those adorable champagne flutes with Infinite Monkey Theorem’s sparkling Moscato wine. Available in cans, this toast-worthy beverage will bring a little class to your outdoor dining experience.
Big Agnes Sentinel 30 Doublewide Sleeping Bag
Turn your romantic Valentine’s date into an overnighter with the Big Agnes Sentinel 30 double wide sleeping bag. Built for two, this bag eliminates the need to zip two bags together to cuddle up to your sweetheart at night.
The moon is the ultimate mood lighting outside of the tent, but inside, the UCO Rhody + Hang-Out Lantern will create the perfect romantic lightning, thanks to the infinity dial, which allows for fine tuning of light up to 130 lumens. This rechargeable lantern also features a moonlight setting and USB port to keep your phone charged while you stream love songs all evening.
Mountain Smith The Sixer Cooler
Small, but mighty, the Mountain Smith Sixer Cooler is the perfect size and weight to pack up and transport the essentials for backcountry dining. The Sixer Cooler also sports a built in bottle opener and a detachable strap for easy hauling.
Deerhammer American Single Malt Whiskey
If champagne isn’t really you or your sweetheart’s thing, then be sure to pack a bottle of good whiskey to share around the campfire at night. Based in Buena Vista, Colo., Deerhammer’s single malt whiskey is little sweet, with coffee, cacao and caramel notes shining through—all balanced out with subtle spices—creating a warming and smooth beverage to cap off your romantic Valentine’s date in the backcountry.