A headlamp is one of the most important 10 essentials for backpacking, hiking, and any kind of outdoor adventure sport. Using your smartphone as a flashlight doesn’t cut it. But the days of old-school AA and AAA battery-powered headlamps are history.  USB rechargeable headlamps have become ubiquitous and are less …

Adjustable length backpacks let you change the torso length of a backpack so it does a better job of transferring weight from the shoulders to the hips. Traditionally, backpack companies have dealt with torso length by forcing you to choose between small, medium, or large frame heights which may or …

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm Sleeping Pad 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 explains its …

Ventilated backpacks, also called suspended-mesh backpacks, keep you cooler and drier when backpacking in hot or humid weather or when you’re carrying a heavy load. First invented by Deuter Packs, they’re one of the most sought-after backpack features by backpackers. While many backpack manufacturers claim that their backpacks are ventilated, …

Mount Cushman is a 3220′ mountain on the New Hampshire 200 Highest List. It’s a trailless mountain so you have to bushwhack to climb it. It’s located just south of Mt Moosilauke on the edge of the Hubbard Experimental Forest, which is one of the wilder and less-visited parts of …

The Sea-to-Summit Ascent Ac II is a 15-degree down men’s sleeping bag that can be used for camping and backpacking. It has a versatile zipper system that lets it be configured in a wide variety of ways to fit different sleeping styles and temperature needs. For example, you can use …

Dinsmore Mountain is adjacent to Mt Israel in the Sandwich Range. It’s a trail-less peak, so you have to bushwhack to the summit. Dinsmore is on the NH500 highest peaks list which I’ve started working on. I hiked this mountain with my friend Ken, who is also working through the …

West Moat Mountain and Spruce Hill are two peaks on the NH500 Highest List. They’re located near Conway, NH near the Boulder Loop Trail. Both are trailless peaks, so you have to bushwhack them. West Moat is located in a wild section of the National Forest that is seldom hiked because …

The North Face Chilkat 400 II is an insulated waterproof/breathable winter hiking boot rated to -40F/-40C. Available for both men and women, these boots come up to mid-calf for maximum heat retention and feature metal lacing hardware for durability, a gaiter ring above the toes, and a ridged heel counter …

The Gossamer Gear DCF One is a one-person, single-wall ultralight trekking pole tent that weighs 15.3 oz and costs $539. It has an all-mesh front door and vestibule and requires two trekking poles to set up. While it has a Dyneema DCF rain fly, the floor is made with a …

The REI Trail Hut 2 is a two-person tent double-wall tent with two doors and two vestibules. It’s exceptionally easy to set up with a freestanding dome structure and includes a ground cloth to protect the floor from abrasion. Priced at $199, it’s a great tent for car camping or …

The Hitchcocks are a cluster of five mountains in the White Mountain National Forest just outside of Lincoln, NH. They’re all on the New Hampshire 100 highest list (and the NH500 Highest list I’m currently working on) and none of them have trails, so you have to bushwhack to the …

Winter bivy sacks were first developed as solo shelters for mountaineering and climbing where participants were interested in lightweight and highly compressible gear. The biggest advantage of a winter bivy sack is the ability to use it anywhere you want to stop and sleep, be it a rock ledge on …

The Cold Cold World Valdez is a 40L alpine backpack that’s great for winter day hiking, climbing, and ski touring. Weighing just 2 lbs 2 oz, it’s lower volume than Cold Cold World’s overnight and multiday alpine packs but still loaded with winter features from ski straps, dual ice ax …