If you’re thinking about buying a camping hammock or looking to upgrade, the length of a gathered-end hammock can make a big difference in your comfort. The 4 foot rule Most hammock experts recommend getting a hammock that is 4 feet longer than your height so you can lie nearly …
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The Tarptent Bowfin ($309) is a 1 person double-walled tent with two large, well-ventilated vestibules that weighs 37 ounces. It requires a long but lightweight center pole to pitch, making it remarkably fast and easy to set up. It comes with a mesh inner tent that has plenty of interior space for …
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The Platypus DuoLock Soft Bottle is a soft bottle with a locking cap that designed to prevent leaks and lost caps. The DuoLock bottle also comes with a carabiner that you can hook around your finger, use as a pour handle, or attach to your backpack so it can’t pop out of …
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The Hilleberg Niak is a bomber, 2 person, lightweight tent designed for three-season use in remote wilderness conditions. Weighing 3 lbs. 5 oz. it has a dome style architecture with two cross-poles that slot into sleeves, not clips, making it much more wind and weather worthy than most lightweight and ultralight …
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Fizan Compact Trekking Poles are 3-piece lightweight, 7001 aluminum trekking poles that adjust with a twist-lock mechanism. Fizan claims that they’re the lightest aluminum trekking poles in the world, with a weight of just 158 grams per pole. The Compact poles have carbide tips, and come with three different sized plastic baskets, …
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The My Trail Company Pyramid 3 Tent ($299) is a three-person pyramid shelter with an optional inner tent. The design is basically identical to the Shangri-La 3 tent (click for review) originally made by the bankrupt ultralight backpacking manufacturer GoLite and now produced by My Trail Company with few noticeable changes over the previous …
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The Nitecore NU20 is very bright, lightweight rechargeable headlamp that I’m using this year for three-season backpacking and hiking. Weighing just 1.66 ounces, including a comfortable head strap, it has 4 brightness levels, ranging from 1 lumen to 360 lumens on full power, in addition to two special modes: a …
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Ultralight Adventure Equipment (ULA) is one of the oldest and most respected ultralight backpacking gear manufacturers. Their backpacks are quite popular with long distance backpackers and weekend warriors in the United States and are a frequent sight along our National Scenic Trails and in the backcountry. I like ULA’s backpacks because they’re very durable …
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The Princeton Tex Helix Backcountry Rechargeable Lantern is an excellent luxury item for camping that’s lightweight enough for family or couples backpacking. It’s also a remarkably well-designed product that can be used in many ways: as a hanging lantern, a spotlight with its glow-in-the dark lampshade removed, propped up on …
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The Osprey Packs Talon 44 Backpack is a lightweight pack with an adjustable torso length that’s good for weekend backpacking trips, technical day hikes, and peakbagging. Weighing 2 pounds 7 ounces, it can carry a remarkable amount of gear and has a body hugging fit that provides excellent load control for …
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Section Hikers Backpacking Blog Hiking and Backpacking for Beginners and Experts