Gear Reviews

When the weather gets cold and temperatures drop below freezing at night, I like to switch from using a water filter like the Sawyer Squeeze which will break if frozen (even a bit) to the SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier. It works in freezing temperatures, as long as your water …

Superior Wilderness Designs is a Michigan-based ultralight gear manufacturer that has just introduced a backpack designed for thru-hiking called the 50L Long Haul. Weighing 29 ounces, it’s made with X-Pac, an ultralight waterproof laminate like cuben fiber, but less expensive and more durable. While less well-known, X-Pac is a tried …

CAMP Aluminum Nanotech XLC Crampons are super-lightweight, 12 point, step-in crampons that reduce the level of effort required to hike in full crampons. Weighing 16.2 ounces per pair, including optional ABS plates, they weigh just a few more ounces than Kahtoola Microspikes (12.5 ounces), making them they are ideal for …

Darn Tough Mountaineering Extra Cushion Socks are serious socks for seriously cold weather. They are Darn Tough’s thickest sock and 25% thicker than their standard cushion sock. They are made of a combination of merino wool, nylon and lycra spandex to improve shape retention, longevity and wicking. They feature fine …

The REI Flash 55 Backpack is an ultralight, roll-top backpack with an optional top lid pocket. Weighing 2 lbs 10 oz, it has a ventilated back to help keep your shirt dry in warm weather and numerous pockets and straps, called “packmods”, that can be removed or reconfigured to lighten it …

The CAMP Stalker Universal Crampon is the most popular crampon that CAMP sells. It’s compatible with all boot types, including regular hiking boots, soft-soled winter boots, and rigid mountaineering boots, making it a good investment if you want to use it with a variety of different winter boot systems. Made …

The Montane Icarus Jacket is a warm hooded jacket that’s filled with PrimaLoft’s ThermoPlume fill, a synthetic insulation that’s been designed to mimic down, except for the fact that it will keep you warmer if it gets damp or wet. Like goose down, ThermoPlume consists of small clusters of fibers …

The Deuter Rise Lite 26 SL is a women’s specific winter backpack that’s ideal for winter day trips, such as skiing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing and snowshoeing. Being a women’s specific backpack, the torso length and width are designed for a smaller female frame as compared to a men’s pack and …

The Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra is a winter traction device that has 18 half-inch stainless spikes connected to an elastomer harness compatible with all hiking boots, shoes, and trail runners. They’re essentially tire chains for your feet, designed to give you better traction for hiking or running on flat or low angle …

The Gregory Packs Octal 55 is an ultralight backpack with a ventilated frame that helps evaporate back sweat and keep your shirt dry when hiking. Weighing 2 lbs 10 oz, it’s also one of a very small handful of female-specific ultralight backpacks today, with shoulder straps and a specially curved and …

The CamelBak Fourteener 24L Hydration Pack is a day hiking and peakbagging hydration pack capable of carrying lots of food, water, and extra layers. CamelBak has introduced a version of the Fourteener 24L which is a substantial design departure from the previous model with a very different look, more cargo pockets, …

The Sierra Designs Convert 3 is a freestanding three-person tent that’s strong enough for four season winter camping and backpacking, but can also re-configured for three season use in less demanding conditions. It has a large main compartment and two vestibules, which make it a spacious, but lightweight winter tent …

The North Face Tech Glacier 1/4 Zip Fleece Sweater is one of the most popular fleece garments ever made. It’s been one of the North Face’s most popular items for years, but it’s also a very respectable fleece pullover than can be used year-round for serious hiking and backpacking. Fleece 101 …

The Marmot PreCip Rain Jacket is the most popular rain jacket today with good reason: it’s a fully-featured waterproof breathable rain jacket that provides excellent performance at a reasonable price, usually available under $100. (See: Top 10 Backpacker Rain Jackets) Besides the price, one of PreCip’s best features is the …