The Zpacks Free Duo is an ultralight, single-wall freestanding tent made from strong, waterproof, Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF). Built for two people, this tent weighs just 29.6 ounces and has two doors and two vestibules. It has two separate H-pole units that allow the shelter to truly stand up on …

Women’s sleeping bags differ from those designed for men because women sleep colder then men, they’re not generally as tall or heavy, and they’re shaped differently with curves and body mass in different places. While the key design elements such as the hood, zipper, and fabrics used are the same …

Zero-drop shoes have become popular with hikers and backpackers over the past few years, thanks in part to Altra, a brand known both for their wide toe box and zero-drop style. Before Altra, many hikers had never considered the drop of their shoes before. The “drop” in a shoe refers …

The Feathered Friends Petrel 10  UL is the nicest sleeping bag I own. This is a women’s sleeping bag packed with 950+ fill goose down, made in the USA by Feathered Friends in Seattle, Washington. It weighs 32.3 ounces and is rated down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The Petrel 10 …

What are the best tents for thru-hiking? The first major option is choosing between a semi-freestanding tent which comes with tent poles or a trekking-pole tent. Semi-freestanding tents are usually easier to set up than trekking pole tents but often weigh more. Trekking pole tents utilize your trekking poles for …

When choosing the best sleeping bag or quilt for your thru-hike, you want it to be warm enough for the lowest temperatures you might encounter on your hike, pack down small, and not be too big or heavy to carry for weeks or months on end. The major factors to …

What are the best backpacks for thru-hiking? A thru-hiking pack needs to be comfortable, durable, and have enough capacity to hold the gear needed to live on the trail for up to six months at a time, as well as long food and water carries. There’s no “perfect” backpack for …

One of the biggest questions when choosing a sleeping pad for the Appalachian Trail (AT) is deciding between a closed-cell foam or inflatable sleeping pad. Before we get into the details, the biggest takeaway is that you can either use a foam or inflatable sleeping pad on the Appalachian Trail. …

Your clothing for an Appalachian Trail thru-hike doesn’t have to be overly complicated—in fact, simpler is better because you don’t want to carry anything you’re not going to use. What you do want is clothing that is durable, doesn’t chafe or rub you the wrong way, and that is easy …

The thru-hiker or backpacker in your life is probably busy saving for their next long-distance adventure, and we can pretty much guarantee they have a long list of items on their wish list. This collection of thru-hiker and backpacking gift ideas under $200 is a good place to start. We’ve …

Fastpacking is a hybrid form of backcountry travel—think of it like a combination between trail running and backpacking—which means there’s no simple, satisfying answer to this question. Fastpacking means the athlete can cover big miles in the backcountry with a combination of jogging, hiking, and power hiking. If you’ve been …