Gear Reviews

The Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20 is a 27 oz ultralight mummy sleeping bag that excels during shoulder season conditions in spring and autumn when nighttime temperatures approach or drop below freezing. While I have used premium down quilts in such weather, …

The Sea to Summit Telos TR2 Two-Person Tent is a double-wall tent with a freestanding inner and a semi-freestanding fly (i.e. the vestibules need to be staked out). It is part of a new line of double-wall tents that feature what Sea-to-Summit …

The Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie is a lightweight breathable hoodie with a UPF of 15 which provides a moderate level of sun protection. It’s intended for use in hot weather during high exertion activities such as hiking and trail running. While it …

Paria Outdoors Tri-Fold Alloy (Aluminum) UL Trekking Poles ($50) are durable, folding, and adjustable length trekking poles that can take a licking and keep on ticking. Folding trekking poles are also quite easy to stow into a pack when you’re scrambling up …

The Enlightened Equipment Convert is a hoodless, quilt-style sleeping bag with a full-length zipper and drawstring footbox that allows it to be completely closed like a hoodless sleeping bag, completely open like a down comforter, or partially zipped up like a backpacking …

Range Meals Bars are highly caloric and flavorful meal replacement bars for easy sustenance during calorie-intensive outdoor pursuits. Packing a walloping 700 calories (5.7 oz), these bars contain gluten-free and non-GMO ingredients, ideal for people who have dietary restrictions or want to …

The Sea to Summit Cinder Down Quilt is a summer-weight ultralight quilt rated to 50 degrees Fahrenheit that weighs just over a pound. It’s made with water-resistant 750+ fill RDS certified down, has sewn-through baffles, and can open up completely flat into …

Chair Buddies are clip-on chair feet compatible with popular backpacking chairs like the Helinox Chair Zero and the REI Flexlite Air Chair that prevent the chair feet from sinking into sand, gravel, and loose dirt. You can leave them on your chair …

The Helinox Chair Zero is a lightweight portable backpacking chair that weighs 17 oz and packs up surprisingly small. Before I bought it, I never thought I’d use it on a backpacking trip because I didn’t want to carry the extra weight. …

The Alpacka Classic is the latest iteration of Alpacka’s original packraft and is still one of the best all-around boats. It weighs between 5.5 and 5.8 lbs in an open configuration which is respectably light for a boat of its size that’s …

The Kula Cloth is a pee rag (also called a pee cloth) used by many female backpackers and hikers as a zero-waste alternative to toilet paper when you have to pee. While you can use a bandana for this purpose, a Kula …

The Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 35 is a new type of sleeping bag designed for side sleepers and so-called rotisserie sleepers that roll around and change positions when they sleep. Instead of a mummy hood and draft collar, the Sidewinder has a …

The Sea to Summit Alto Tr1 is a one-person semi-freestanding double-wall tent that is lightweight and easy to pitch in tight spots. It has a single side door and vestibule that’s large enough to hold your pack without compromising access and is …

The Sea to Summit Ultralight Air Mat Sleeping Pad is quick to inflate and deflate, folds flat and compactly, and is covered with dimpled air cells that adapt to a sleeper’s curves like the mattress of your bed at home. Weighing 13.9 …