Dion Snowshoes is a Vermont-based company that’s gaining traction (and flotation) with their lightweight and modular backcountry and racing snowshoes. While you can buy their snowshoes fully assembled, you can also customize and switch between different frames bindings, and cleats, depending on …
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Salomon Quest 400g Winter Hiking Boot Review
Salomon’s Quest Winter Hiking Boots are insulated with 400g Thinsulate and have a very large toe box making them a good option for hikers who need more room for their toes or toe warmers which require some extra volume space for comfortable …
Read More »Therm-a-Rest Parsec 0 Sleeping Bag Review
The Therm-a-Rest Parsec 0 is a VERY lightweight cold-weather sleeping bag suitable for year-round use. It’s a very warm bag with premium box baffling and 60% of the insulation positioned over the chest and 40% on the bottom in order to provide …
Read More »Winter Hiking Clothing and Gear for the White Mountains (NH)
When gearing up for winter day hiking in New Hampshire’s White Mountains you want footwear, clothing, and traction aids that can be used across a wide range of temperatures, wind speeds, sun, precipitation types, and surface conditions. What you use can be …
Read More »Osprey Mutant 52 Winter Backpack Review
The Osprey Mutant 52 is a winter backpack suitable for four-season overnight hiking, climbing, or backcountry ski trips. It’s the big brother to the Osprey Mutant 38 which I reviewed at the beginning of the winter which has less volume and is …
Read More »Osprey Mutant 38 Backpack Review
The Osprey Mutant 38 is a versatile alpine backpack that’s equally at home on winter hiking trails, ski mountaineering tours, or ice-climbing routes. It’s an internal frame pack that is loaded with external attachment points that make it easy to haul bulky …
Read More »MSR Evo Ascent Snowshoe Review
The MSR Evo Ascent is a bomber snowshoe that excels in mountainous terrain both on trail and off. Its unibody plastic decking makes it extremely rugged with aggressive crampons for purchase on snow, ice, and rock. It has a snowshoe binding that …
Read More »How to Repair Kahtoola Microspikes and Hillsound Trail Crampons
Kahtoola Microspikes and the more aggressive Hillsound Trail Crampons are the most popular forms of winter traction used by winter hikers today. Their popularity is based on the fact that they: Require no training to use like crampons Provide traction on pretty …
Read More »MSR Snowshoe Guide: How to Choose
MSR makes great snowshoes for winter hiking and backpacking that provide excellent traction and flotation over packed snow and ice in mountainous terrain and powder in higher elevations and drier climates. With an ironclad guarantee, MSR also has a great reputation for replacing …
Read More »Pike Trail High Gaiters Review
Pike Trail High Gaiters are polyester gaiters with a unique fitting system and design that overcomes the sizing deficiencies of most high gaiters, including and especially Outdoor Research Crocodiles, which are the most popular high gaiters sold today. In addition to a …
Read More »Winter Daypacks and Backpacks: How to Choose
If you’re gearing up for winter hiking and backpacking, it’s worth asking yourself if you want a backpack that’s designed for winter use, or whether you can get by using the backpack you use the rest of the year. Personally, I prefer …
Read More »The North Face Vectiv Fastpack 200g Winter Boot Review
The North Face Vectiv Fastpack Insulated Boots are 200g mid-height waterproof hiking boots that are good for winter hiking. I like them because they are shaped like a regular mid-hiking boot with a curved forefoot rocker which makes them easy you walk …
Read More »Yaktrax Summit Winter Traction System Review
The Yaktrax Summit is a burly winter traction system that’s in the same league as Kahtoola’s Microspikes and Hillsound’s Trail Crampons. Compatible with soft-soled winter boots and hiking shoes, the Summits have 12 triangular spikes that attach to the underside of your footwear …
Read More »Merrell Thermo Overlook 2 Tall WP Winter Hiking Boot Review
The Merrell Thermo Overlook 2 Tall WP is an insulated 400g waterproof/breathable winter hiking boot rated to -40F/-40C. These unisex boots (w/ men’s sizing) come up to mid-calf for maximum heat retention, they have a seamless wraparound waterproof rand, fleece lining, and …
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