Gear Reviews

Icebreaker’s 200 Oasis Legless base layer bottoms are a 100% Merino Capri-length pant.  The below-the-knee design reduces bulk around your lower legs.  They feature a brushed elastic waistband and flatlock seams for comfort.  The Merino wool offers great warmth, breathability and odor resistance.  The Oasis is made of light 200 …

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 …

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite Sleeping Pad, weighing 8.8 oz is currently the lightest weight full-sized inflatable sleeping pad available today. With an R-value of 2.0, it’s suitable for use by ultralight backpackers and thru-hikers in warm weather, above 40-50 degree F, although you can extend its temperature range by stacking …

The REI Essential Rain Jacket is a good value if you’re looking for a low-cost and affordable rain jacket than can span hiking, backpacking, cycling, skiing, and everyday use. It’s your basic 2.5 layer waterproof breathable rain jacket with an adjustable hood, velcro wrist cuffs, adjustable hem, and two zippered …

Darn Tough Mountaineering Extra Cushion Socks are serious socks for seriously cold weather. They are Darn Tough’s thickest sock and 25% thicker than their standard cushion sock. They are made of a combination of merino wool, nylon and lycra spandex to improve shape retention, longevity and wicking. They feature fine …

The REI Flash 55 Backpack is an ultralight, roll-top backpack with an optional top lid pocket. Weighing 2 lbs 10 oz, it has a ventilated back to help keep your shirt dry in warm weather and numerous pockets and straps, called “packmods”, that can be removed or reconfigured to lighten it …

The Deuter Rise Lite 26 SL is a women’s specific winter backpack that’s ideal for winter day trips, such as skiing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing and snowshoeing. Being a women’s specific backpack, the torso length and width are designed for a smaller female frame as compared to a men’s pack and …

The Mountain Hardwear Down Hooded Ghost Whisperer Jacket is an ultralight 800 fill power hooded down jacket that’s a great addition to your pack as part of your layering system, especially for winter adventures.  Weighing only 7.3 ounces for the women’s and 7.8 ounces for the men’s, it’s hard to …

The Gregory Packs Octal 55 is an ultralight backpack with a ventilated frame that helps evaporate back sweat and keep your shirt dry when hiking. Weighing 2 lbs 10 oz, it’s also one of a very small handful of female specific ultralight backpacks today, with shoulder straps and a specially curved …

The Sierra Designs Convert 3 is a freestanding three-person tent that’s strong enough for four season winter camping and backpacking, but can also re-configured for three season use in less demanding conditions. It has a large main compartment and two vestibules, which make it a spacious, but lightweight winter tent …

When I started winter hiking I had problems with cold feet. As a newbie, I’d bought Merrell winter boots with 200 grams of insulation.  I tried some tricks like putting aluminum foil and mylar under my insoles in the hope of reflecting more heat back to my feet, but that didn’t …

The Nitecore NU32 is a high powered (max 550 lumens) rechargeable headlamp with white and red lightning modes. It has two control buttons and fairly straightforward control logic, that cycles through its different options so you can actually remember how to use it in the field. But the feature I …

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 …

The Gossamer Gear Silverback 55 is a refined and highly functional multi-day backpack that can easily configured in different ways for different kinds of trips, from long distance thru-hiking to multi-day backpacks, on and off-trail. This is the second iteration of the Silverback and it’s undergone some major changes, on balance …