Gear Reviews by Manufacturer

The Montbell Down Balaclava is insulated with 800 fill power down and can be used to augment an insulated jacket or as a part of a backpacking quilt sleep system. Weighing 3.1 oz (87 grams) it is a highly adjustable piece of headgear with two rear volume adjusters, two elastic …

When the weather gets cold and temperatures drop below freezing at night, I like to switch from using a water filter like the Sawyer Squeeze which will break if frozen (even a bit) to the SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier. It works in freezing temperatures, as long as your water …

The Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra is a winter traction device that has 18 half-inch stainless spikes connected to an elastomer harness compatible with all hiking boots, shoes, and trail runners. They’re essentially tire chains for your feet, designed to give you better traction for hiking or running on flat or low angle …

The Marmot PreCip Rain Jacket is the most popular rain jacket today with good reason: it’s a fully-featured waterproof breathable rain jacket that provides excellent performance at a reasonable price, usually available under $100. (See: Top 10 Backpacker Rain Jackets) Besides the price, one of PreCip’s best features is the …

The MSR Revo Explore Snowshoe is a recreational snowshoe that features the new Hyperlink ratchet binding system (also available on the MSR Lightning Explore Snowshoe) which is much easier and faster to put on than the plastic strap binding used on MSR’s backcountry snowshoes, like the MSR Lightning Ascent. Specs at a …

Oboz Sawtooth II Low Hiking Shoes are ventilated, non-waterproof shoes for hikers and backpackers who want shoes that are lighter weight and less constricting than hiking boots but are more stable and protective than trail running shoes. While they look similar to Merrell Moab 2 Low Vent Hiking Shoes and …

While the small spikes on Kahtoola Microspikes and Hillsound Trail Crampons can provide extra winter traction on icy trails, there are times where you want a more aggressive crampon for winter hiking and light scrambling. While you can use heavy-duty mountaineering or ice-climbing crampons, they require the use of a …

The Kahtoola K10 Crampon is a full hiking and trail running crampon designed for shoes with flexible soles ranging from trail runners to soft-soled hiking boots. Featuring a very flexible leaf string and superlight Chromoly steel, the K10 Crampons weigh just 21 ounces per pair (23 ounces with anti-balling skins), …

Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s 4400 Porter Backpack is one of the highest capacity packs available today from an ultralight backpack manufacturer. Weighing 31 ounces,  the 72 liter Dyneema DCF 4400 Porter is designed for packrafters, backpackers, and mountaineers who need additional pack volume for larger loads and long-distance hikes. I tested …

Given that multi-purpose gear is one of the foundations of ultralight backpacking, it’s not surprising that Hyperlite Mountain Gear sells a pillow which can double as a stuff sack. Turned inside out, one side is covered in Polartec 100 fleece, making it very cozy and warm to rest your head on. …

The Montbell Mirage Parka is an ultralight 900 fill power hooded down jacket, perfect for winter hiking or backpacking trips when you want to get warm fast and stay warm. Weighing just 14.4 oz in a size men’s XL, this jacket is loaded with features from box baffles to a …

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Backpacks are popular with thru-hikers and backpackers because they’re light weight, streamlined, and durable. Their 2400 Southwest backpack (40L) is my personal favorite and the pack I’ve been using for most of my backpacking trips, day hikes, and bushwhacks for the past 3 years. While my HMG …

MSR has a new class of double-wall inner tents called fast and light tent “bodies” which are inner tents without any mesh, designed to reduce gear weight and provide more wind and rain-splatter protection than pitching the fly in a fast and light footprint configuration. Unlike footprints, the tent bodies have …

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 own in certain circumstances, they’re best used in …