The lightest weight ultralight backpacking shelters are tarps, including flat tarps and catenary curve tarps, sometimes called “flat cut” or “cat cut” tarps for short. They both have their pros and cons as we discuss below, but if your goal is wilderness …

Many hikers and backpackers prefer wearing trail runners instead of hiking boots or mids. Trail runners are basically running shoes that are designed for running on trails and cross-country terrain with larger lugs for better traction on uneven terrain. But trail runners, …

The Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 2 is a two person backpacking tent that weighs 2 pounds 4 ounces, making it an excellent choice for backpackers who want to reduce the weight of their gear but still prefer a double-walled tent. Just …

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 (55L) Southwest Backpack is a durable Dyneema DCF (formerly called cuben fiber) backpack that’s good for thru-hiking and multi-day backpacking trips in rugged terrain. The 3400 Southwest is basically the same pack as the smaller volume Hyperlite …

The Paria Recharge UL Sleeping Pad is an inflatable insulated sleeping pad suitable for backpacking and camping. Weighing 20 ounces, it’s on the heavy side compared to popular three-season sleeping pads, but it is inexpensive, making it a good option for cost-minded …

A backpacking or camping sleeping pad’s R-value measures its resistance to heat loss to the ground when you lie on it at night. Pads with higher R-values do this more effectively than pads with lower R-values. R-value isn’t a measure of warmth …

The Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 is a lightweight ultralight-style backpack that weighs 30.5 oz. It’s ideal for weekend backpacking and long-distance trips, particularly if you prefer a backpack that has lots of pockets and a frame, like a more conventional backpack, but …

There is really no substitute for experience when it comes to winter hiking, backpacking, and camping. You can read about it in books and watch videos, but the best way to learn is to go out with an experienced friend who can …

The SlingFin Portal is a highly-livable and lightweight two-person tent with a spacious dome-shaped design that’s ideal for three-season use. But what sets the Portal apart from other tents is its strength and ability to withstand high buffeting winds, with virtually no …

The Katadyn BeFree Water Filter System is a fast flowing water filter that’s bundled with a wide-mouth soft bottle. It’s designed to filter backcountry water sources and removes protozoa and bacteria that can make you sick. The BeFree competes head-to-head with several …

A hammock ground cloth is a clean and dry landing zone where you can put your feet down at night when you need to get up for a bio break so you don’t track moisture or debris back into your hammock. It …

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 …

Ben’s Invisinet XTRA Head Net with Insect Shield is a black colored head net that’s pretreated with Insect Shield to keep insects from biting your head and neck. While you can slather DEET or Picaridin on your head, face, and neck, I’ve …

The FarPointe Alpha Cruiser is a hoody made with Polartec Alpha Direct, an ultralight polyester fabric with an open mesh weave that makes a good insulating mid-layer when worn under a wind shirt or rain jacket. While it traps warmth very effectively …