The Sea-to-Summit Etherlight XT Insulated Sleeping Pad is a lightweight, inflatable sleeping pad that is 4″ thick and features air-sprung cells for maximum comfort, making it far more comfortable than Thermarest’s NeoAir sleeping pads and much quieter. Weighing 15 oz, it has …
Read More »Philip Werner
REI Traverse 60 Backpack Review
The REI Traverse 60 is a fully-featured multi-day backpack with an adjustable torso length, so you can dial in a personalized fit. It has loads of pockets and reconfigurable attachment points that make it suitable for year-round adventures with a feature set …
Read More »Gridding Out Mt Carrigain in April
There’s an expression in the gridding community called “gridding out” a mountain when you finish hiking it at least once in every calendar month. You need to do that for each of the forty-eight 4000-footers on the White Mountain 4000-footer list to …
Read More »10 Backpacking Gear Maintenance Tasks for April
With spring hiking and backpacking season on the horizon, here are some important gear maintenance tasks for you to perform to prepare for your next trip. If you have other spring gear maintenance tips you’d like to share, please leave a comment …
Read More »How to Become a Better Backpacker
Backpacking requires a high degree of self-reliance and mental agility since nothing ever goes quite the way you expect it to on a backpacking trip! That said, there are a set of fundamental skills that you can learn and master that will …
Read More »Aquatabs Water Purification Tablets Review
Aquatabs are chemical water purification tablets that help neutralize viruses, bacteria, and Giardia cysts in backcountry water sources. Their active ingredient is a form of chlorine that will purify clear, non-turbid water in 30-40 minutes. While you can use them on their …
Read More »Comparison of Five Ultralight Backpack Liners
Backpackers are split about 50/50 when it comes to using a backpack rain cover or lining the inside of their backpacks with a plastic bag or backpack liner designed for that purpose. When I started backpacking, I used a backpack rain cover …
Read More »Is it Warmer to Sleep Naked in a Sleeping Bag?
No. It’s a myth that sleeping naked in a sleeping bag is warmer than wearing long underwear. I’m not sure how this Internet meme started but it’s dead wrong. How Sleeping Bags Work Sleeping bags are designed to trap the heat your …
Read More »Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad Review
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT is an improved version of the NeoAir XLite inflatable sleeping pad which is now thicker, quieter, and warmer than ever. The NeoAir was the first really viable inflatable lightweight sleeping pad to hit the market some 10 …
Read More »Fishbone Tent Anchors for Wooden Platform Camping
It can be difficult to anchor a tent to a wooden camping platform if it has to be staked out to set up. You usually need to prepare for this in advance by bringing extra cordage to rig up long guylines or …
Read More »Zpacks Zip-Around Sleeping Bag (10 Degree) Review
The Zpacks Zip-Around Sleeping Bag is a hoodless sleeping bag insulated with 900 water-resistant goose down. It has a two-way full-length zipper that wraps around the footbox so you can open it up fully like a blanket or you can just vent …
Read More »OR Bugout Brim Hiking Hat w/Insect Shield
The Outdoor Research Bugout Brim Hat (formerly called the Sentinel Brim Hat) is well suited for summer hiking and backpacking, rain or shine. It has a wide brim to protect your face from the sun, a UPF 50 rating, mesh side vents, …
Read More »Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket Review
The Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket is a minimalist waterproof/breathable rain jacket and a long-time favorite with thru-hikers and section hikers because it is so lightweight. Weighing a mere 6.8 ounces in a men’s size X-Large, it is best used in warm …
Read More »REI Flexlite Air Chair Review
The REI Flexlite Air Chair is a portable camping chair that is lightweight and compact enough to take backpacking. Weighing 16.2 oz (459 g), it’s definitely a luxury item, but one that is easy to rationalize if you want to hang out …
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