Gear Reviews

The Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout (SMD Scout) is an inexpensive 40 ounce, one-person, trekking pole-supported tent. It is a great option for scouts (hence the name), kids who are ready for their own tent, and anyone who wants a little extra …

The Black Diamond FirstLight Tent (updated for 2019) is a two-person, freestanding, single-wall tent for winter backpacking, backcountry skiing, and mountaineering. Weighing 3 lbs 1.3 oz (after seam sealing), it has a wind-resistant wedge shape that sheds snow well and packs up …

Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s Porter 70 Backpack is one of the highest capacity packs available today from an ultralight backpack manufacturer. Weighing 31 ounces,  the 70-liter Dyneema DCF Porter is designed for packrafters, backpackers, and mountaineers who need additional pack volume for larger …

The La Sportiva Jackal is a trail runner that wears more like a hiking shoe than a shoe designed for mountain running. While it has many of the properties of a trail runner, including well-draining mesh uppers, a wide toebox, and a …

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT is an improved version of the NeoAir XTherm inflatable sleeping pad, which has long been the inflatable sleeping pad of choice for cold-weather camping and cold sleepers because of its high R-value and low weight. The new …

The Sierra Designs Cloud 35 is a zipperless, mummy sleeping bag with a sleeping pad sleeve and foot vent that lets you stick your feet out if you’re too warm at night. Weighing 23 ounces, it’s insulated with 800 fill power water-resistant …

The Osprey Kestrel 38 Backpack is well-sized for gear-intensive hiking and is built with more durable fabrics and features that make it suitable for on-trail, off-trail, and winter hiking. It is an adjustable torso-length backpack with an external pocket for carrying a …

The Merrell Moab is the most popular hiking shoe in the world with over 25 million shoes sold since it was first introduced 15 years ago. Now in its third generation, the Merrell Moab 3 (Merrell dropped the word ‘Ventilator’ in this …

UGQ Outdoor is a cottage quilt manufacturer that makes top quilts, underquilts, and tarps for backpackers and hammock campers. The quality of their products is excellent and they’ve grown rapidly by word of mouth as the popularity of quilts has grown. The …

Oboz Sawtooth X Mids are agile waterproof/breathable hiking boots that are lighter weight than full-on hiking boots, but still provide loads of protection and support for your feet and ankles. The Sawtooth X is the 10th anniversary edition of the well-loved Oboz …

The Ursack Minor is a Kevlar food storage bag that has a large volume and can protect your food from small animals such as raccoons, fox, squirrels, mice, and other critters in the backcountry. Unlike some of the other Ursack products, this …

The Feathered Friends Lark 10 UL Sleeping Bag is a great sleeping bag for cold sleepers. With 950+ fill power goose down, a draft tube, and a thick draft collar, the Feathered Friends Lark is a very good bag for early spring …

The Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoodie is a warm mid-layer fleece that’s ideal for use in very cold weather when worn by itself over a baselayer or under a hardshell jacket. It’s made with recycled polyester fleece and has a unique textured …

The Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL3 is a lightweight two-door, two-vestibule, three-person tent that only weighs 2 lbs 10 oz. While it is large enough to fit three people, if you don’t mind crawling over one of your tent partners to get …