Gear Reviews

Finding a good pair of winter hiking pants that will keep you warm while venting excess sweat is one of the more challenging pieces of clothing for winter hikers to acquire. While beginner winter hikers can get by with layering a pair of synthetic long johns under a pair of …

The Therm-a-Rest XTherm Sleeping Pad is an insulated air mattress designed for cold weather camping with an R-value of 5.7. Weighing just 15 oz, it’s also exceptionally lightweight, durable, and packs up small, which explains its popularity with winter campers and backpackers. Many people underestimate the importance of their sleeping pad …

The Hilleberg Anjan 2 is a 2 person tent designed for three-season use. Weighing 3 lbs. 5 oz., it has a tunnel style architecture with two poles that slot into sleeves, not clips, making it more wind and weather worthy than most lightweight and ultralight tents sold today. While it is a double-walled …

The Black Diamond ReVolt is a fully featured rechargeable headlamp that can also be run using regular lithium-ion or alkaline AAA batteries. So-called dual-mode headlamps provide users with a way to ease into the rechargeable headlamp paradigm, which requires carrying a USB-compatible power pack. They also provide a good shit-hits-the-fan fallback …

The Seirus Combo Clava is fleece balaclava with an integrated face mask to protect your nose and face from frostbite. I use the Combo Clava for above-treeline winter hiking in the mountains, where frostbite is a real concern on windy days. As a hiker, it’s important to completely cover your eyes, …

The Petzl Bindi is a lightweight, but powerful rechargeable headlamp that weighs 1.2 oz (35 g). With a light output of 200 lumens, it’s perfect for backpacking, hiking, camping or trail running, with white and red light modes. The Bindi has a built-in battery and a micro-USB recharging port with …

The Deuter Aircontact Lite 45 + 10 SL is an adjustable frame backpack with great organizational features designed specifically for women. With a total of 55 liters of capacity, the Aircontact Lite is ideal for lightweight weekend and hut-to-hut backpacking trips where having a near-custom fit and good gear organization are …

The Oboz Bridger 10″ BDry is an insulated winter hiking and snowshoeing boot with a BDry waterproof/breathable membrane and 400 grams of Thinsulate insulation, making them suitable for cold weather use. Oboz doesn’t publish a temperature rating for them but they’re comparable to other 400 gram insulated winter hiking boots …