Gear Reviews

The Northern Ultralight Sundown Backpack is a modular 46-liter rolltop pack designed for ultralight-style thru-hiking. Weighing 25.8 oz ounces, it’s made with XPac, 210 Dyneema Grid, and heavy-duty mesh for extra durability. Northern Ultralight is a new Canadian cottage backpack manufacturer company founded by a husband and wife that met …

The ULA Ohm 2.0 is a high-capacity 63L ultralight style backpack that’s durable enough for rough and tough adventures. It’s also available with the same male and female shoulder straps and hip belt (available in multiple lengths) offered with ULA’s other lightweight backpacks, so you get a pack that fits you and …

The REI Half Dome 2 Plus is a luxurious, but surprisingly affordable two-person camping and backpacking tent with an extra-large interior that’s perfect for couples who want more room to spread out and relax. It has a dome shape with two doors and two vestibules for easy access and gear …

The Osprey Kyte 46 is a women’s specific backpack that’s big enough for weekend backpacking trips, but nimble enough for long day hikes and peakbagging adventures. Being a women’s specific backpack, it has shoulder straps that won’t pinch or chafe your chest or underarms and a hip belt that flared …

The BioLite Headlamp 330 is a micro-USB rechargeable LED headlamp with a remote battery pack that’s good for hiking, trail running, and camping. Weighing 2.4 oz, it has white and red modes, flood and spot modes, a dimmer, battery meter, and digital lock to prevent accidental discharge when carried in …

The Katadyn BeFree Water Filter is now available with three different soft bottle capacities: 0.6L (20 oz.), 1.0L (33.8 oz.), and the latest, a 3.0L (101 oz.) bottle. I think the 3.0L size is perfect for backpacking because it can be used to haul additional water for camping or to …

The MSR FreeLite 2 is a two-person, double-wall tent that has a trail weight of 41 ounces. Considered a semi-freestanding tent, it has a single-pole system that is quick and easy to assemble. There are two doors with vestibules and the interior of the tent is surprisingly large with 48″ …

The HydroBlu Versa Flow Water Filter can be used in a wide range of different configurations for treating backcountry drinking water, from inline filtering in a hydration system to gravity filtering and squeeze-style filtering with a water reservoir. Both ends are threaded which makes it easy to connect the filter …

The MSR Guardian is a first-class water purifier that removes viruses, bacteria, protozoa, dirt and silt from backcountry and international water sources. Weighing just 17.3 ounces, the Guardian has a self-cleaning filter that constantly purges itself while you filter water so you never have to backflush or scrub the filter …

The Outdoor Research Helium II rain jacket is a minimalist rain shell that is so lightweight, it can serve double duty as a waterproof wind shirt. Weighing a mere 6.8 ounces in a size X-large, it is perfect for wearing in warmer weather and summer when you need to carry a …

The Marmot Precip ECO is a lightweight waterproof/breathable rain jacket made with recycled nylon ripstop with a PFC-free DWR coating. Weighing 10 oz, the Precip is inexpensive but fully featured and suitable for year-round hiking and backpacking. It has a fully adjustable hood, pit zips, velcro wrist cuffs and two …

The MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter is a pump-style backcountry water filter that removes bacteria and protozoa from hard to reach water sources. It’s also compatible with wide mouth water bottles and hydration bladders from Nalgene and MSR. If you need additional protection from viruses, try the MSR MiniWorks EX …

The Eureka Solitaire AL is an updated version of the original Eureka Solitaire 1-person bivy tent, named the Eureka Solitaire FG-1 (see review) . The new model comes with more durable aluminum poles, replacing the fiberglass poles that broke frequently on the older model. The new model is also about …

The Elemental Horizons Women’s Aquilo Backpack (75L) is one of the first women’s ultralight-style backpacks made by a cottage backpack manufacturer. Weighing 43.8 oz, the Aquilo is a roll-top backpack with an adjustable length torso, another rarity amongst cottage gear makers, with female-specific shoulder pads, a female-friendly hip belt, and …