NEMO Equipment was the brainchild of American mountaineer Cam Brensinger. The brand was born one turbulent night on the side of the 6,000ft Mount Washington, the most prominent peak east of the Mississippi. The mountain is notorious for its unpredictable weather, and the night in question was no exception. As Cam huddled for five sleepless hours in a poorly designed bivvy, he looked up at his battered shelter and vowed to design something better. Setting up operations in a restored textile mill in New Hampshire, he worked for months to do just that. The name of his fledgling company – New England Mountain Equipment – was a tribute to its New England home and a sly nod to Jules Verne’s enigmatic Captain Nemo.

Nearly two decades later, NEMO Equipment continues to design, develop and produce some of the best lightweight backpacking tents we’ve ever used. They’ve also added a wide range of innovative and genuinely useful camping gear to their inventory, from sleeping bags and mats to camping pillows, chairs and blankets. Along the way, they’ve picked up a slew of outdoor industry awards, proving the enduring value of careful, considered and thoughtful design.