Gear Reviews

Knorr’s Rice Sides are a favorite backpacking food for thru-hikers, section hikers, and weekend warriors because they include all of the nutritional food groups important to backpackers: salt, carbohydrates, and easy. If you add a little protein like a can of tuna …

The Osprey Exos Pro 55 Backpack is a ventilated and adjustable-length ultralight backpack that weighs 33.2 oz. It’s basically an ultralight redo of the heavier Osprey Exos 58 Backpack, that’s 11.8 oz lighter-weight using recycled fabrics with a few minor changes to …

Were there ever a line of MSR stoves that needed no introduction, it might just be the MSR XGK EX Liquid Fuel Stove.  When Larry Penberthy introduced his Model 9 stove, the first in the XGK line, he revolutionized stoves and ushered …

The Gregory Focal 58 Backpack is a lightweight ventilated backpack weighing 2 lbs 9.3 oz / 1.17 kg that is designed for general backpacking and thru-hiking. It’s an internal frame backpack with a 360-degree wire perimeter frame, a floating top lid, load …

The MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe Canister Stove is a powerful 10,400 BTU backpacking and camp stove with a built-in windscreen, folding pot supports, a piezo ignitor, and pressure regulator. Weighing 2.9 oz, it’s optimized for group cooking with larger cook pots and …

The number of ultralight double-wall backpacking tents with a trail weight of 3 lbs or less that are available today has grown significantly, driven by consumer demand and advances in fabric and material technologies. If you prefer a double-wall tent over a …

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 ULA Ultra 24 Circuit (68L) is an ultralight-style roll-top backpack made using a new ultralight waterproof fabric called Ultra that’s significantly more abrasion resistant than Dyneema DCF or the Robic Nylon used in other lightweight backpacks. If you’ve already been evaluating …

The Exped MegaMat 10 is a luxurious full-size self-inflating sleeping pad best suited for car camping at a campsite or inside your car or truck. Available in a one-person or two-person (Duo) size, the MegaMat is 3.9″ thick and has an R-value …

Black Diamond Distance Spikes are microspikes (lightweight winter traction devices) specifically designed for use with trail runners. They’re really quite ingenious and worth getting if you use low shoes with a soft mesh or textile-covered toe box for winter running and hiking. …

The REI Flash 55 Backpack is an ultralight, roll-top backpack with an optional top lid pocket.  Weighing 2 lbs 13 oz, it has a mesh back panel to help keep your shirt dry in warm weather and numerous pockets and straps, called …

The NEMO Dagger OSMO 2P Tent is a spacious freestanding double-wall tent for two people that is lightweight enough for backpacking but roomy enough for other camping adventures. Designed for two people, it has two doors and two vestibules, including 1 optional …

The Feather Friends Tanager 20 CFL Sleeping Bag is a hoodless, full length, and zipperless sleeping bag designed for thru-hikers, ultralight backpackers, and alpinists who want to minimize their gear weight and bulk. Weighing 18.6 oz, the Tanager is insulated with 12.6 …

The REI Active Pursuits Long-Sleeve T-Shirt is a high-performance synthetic baselayer shirt that is surprisingly affordable, even when it’s not on sale. It’s also available in a wide range of sizes for men, even big men. I prefer wearing sheer synthetic shirts …