Snow Peak, a Japanese Camping Gear Brand, Makes Time Outside Feel Luxurious

23.02.2024 - 19:49 / cntraveler.com

When I first stepped into Snow Peak's Williamsburg store, I knew this wasn't the rickety, mismatched camping gear I'd grown up with. As I pawed through racks of quilted jackets and pants, in shades of ivory and denim blue, and poked my head into a campground setup where everything boasted clean, taut lines, and gleaming titanium details (these pieces were sturdy), I found myself yearning for the simplicity of the outdoors—well, the simplicity I would be afforded by having this entire, gleaming collection and spending a weekend living among it.

That's essentially what Snow Peak, a Japanese brand dating back to 1958, is going for. Yukio Yumai started the company as a mountain climbing brand, before his son Tohru took over in 1980 and refocused it on car camping gear, specifically catering to people like himself who had busy lives in Tokyo and yearned for quiet sojourns in nature. Now, it's lead by a third generation of the Yumai family—Lisa—and is not just for busy Japanese businesspeople, but also burnt-out Americans, like myself.

“Our perspective on camping is informed by our Japanese heritage," says Yuichi Uchida, chief brand officer for Snow Peak. "In Japan, nature and humans are viewed as one, with little distinction. We view camping as a way to return to that viewpoint." In a simpler sense, their gear is, as Uchida says, "designed to bring the comforts of home to the outdoors.”

Since 1999, the brand has been a presence in Oregon (with a store, and even a restaurant inspired by Japanese campfires). In Fall 2022, Snow Peak hit the Big Apple, which is when I found out about it. I was quickly seduced by this idea—that no matter how demanding a traveler you might be, with the right gear, you can get outside in comfort and style.

On a five-day trip in coastal Maine, I put this theory to the test. To be clear, I am a camper—and usually, not a fussy one—but I also know what it means to have my pick of a great boutique hotel or a weekend among the trees, and what the latter needs to win in that match-up.

Snow Peak's gear is a far cry from the ultralight, techy backpacking fare that REI Co-op members might ogle over. The idea here is that you have (or are going to rent) a car, with which you will drive your gorgeous gear to a scenic plot of land, posting up with loved ones for a trip in which time moves slow like honey. The value prop? You'll come back restored, physically and mentally, because that is what camping with luxurious gear can do, even for city mice who usually prefer a high thread count. (It's hardly cheap—but considering the lengths many travelers will go for some unwinding, a fair investment.)

With four friends, I packed my car with four Snow Peak folding chairs, an Alpha Breeze tent set, and