Trail runners are all the rage in the hiking and backpacking community, but there are times when hiking boots really are better than trail runners. If you’re on the fence about whether to switch to trail runners or use them, take the time to figure out what works best for …

Time to empty out my gear closet and make room for some new gear. This is all gear I purchased out of pocket and does not include any free manufacturer samples. Snap it before it’s gone. It’s all perfectly good gear, most of it in close to mint condition.  I …

Backpackers and campers have a wide range of stoves available to them ranging from all-in-one stove systems to general purpose units that can be used across a wide range of temperatures and locales. Backpacking stoves fall into three popular categories: isobutane canister stoves which are best for solo cooking and …

The leading causes of wetness inside your rain jacket are condensation and perspiration. Condensation occurs water vapor encounters a colder surface and changes from a gaseous form into a liquid one. When the air is humid it has a lot of water vapor in it. If the external surface of …

Sealskinz Waterproof All Weather Ultra-Grip Knitted Gloves are waterproof/breathable knitted gloves with a silicone grip that are great for keeping your hands dry while snowshoeing or hiking in the rain in three-season conditions. Specs at a Glance Palm material: Nylon with gripper print Fabric: 96.5% nylon, 3.5% elastane Lining fabric: …

The New Year has arrived and the new ASTM FF3340 Sleeping Pad R-Value Standard is being rolled out in fits and starts by manufacturers and retailers. This new standard will make it possible for you to compare sleeping pads across models and manufacturers because it defines a common methodology for …

What are the best water filter and water purification treatment systems used by backpackers? That really depends on your preferences, the quality of the water you need to filter or purify, and the number of people you need to treat water for. For example, squeeze-style water filters, UV purification, and …

One of the favorite websites is run by Chris Stewart, aka the Tenkara Bum. Chris’s website is a huge compendium of fly fishing knowledge and I always come away with a couple of new things to try when I tie flies or I’m out fishing. I almost always carry a …

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm Sleeping Pad (2020 edition) is an insulated air mattress designed for cold weather camping with an R-value = 6.9, using the new Outdoor Industry sleeping pad R-value measurement standard. Weighing just 15 oz (see below), the XTherm is also lightweight, durable, and rolls up small, which …

How do you know that the piece of backpacking gear or clothing you’re about to purchase is the latest updated model and not one from an earlier year that the retailer is trying to pass onto the consumer to get rid of old inventory. Or worse yet, that the retailer …

The Arcteryx Proton LT Insulated Hoodie is a synthetic insulated jacket that can be used as an active outer layer in cold weather. It’s designed as a self-regulating insulation layer that vents excess heat and moisture through a combination of air-permeable fabrics and insulation. The goal is to eliminate the …

Crescent Moon’s EVA All Foam Snowshoes are high flotation snowshoes that are made of foam without any metal crampons or heel lifts. Highly rockered, (curved like a banana), they’re good for walking and running on well-packed trails and groomed cross-country tracks. They have a very simple velcro binding that’s compatible …

Eliot needed Mt Eisenhower for his Winter 4000 footer list, so we decided to climb it on the second day of Winter (12/23). Eisenhower (4780′) is a bald dome in the Southern Presidentials, located about halfway up the ridge between Mt Monroe and Mt Pierce. It’s a pretty straightforward hike …

Winter River Crossings can be quite high consequence if you slip off a rock and get your boots and clothing wet or you plunge through an ice shelf along the bank and get swept underneath it. You can usually avoid these dangers with extra planning, bushwhacking along the river bank …