Gear Reviews

I switched from wearing Smartwool Liner socks for hiking in trail runners five years ago to Darn Tough Hiker Boot Socks because I got sick of replacing socks that would wear through after just a few days of use. The main source …

L.L. Bean’s Ultralight 850 Down Hooded Jacket is a very warm midweight hooded down jacket that strikes a good balance between a technical winter hiking jacket and one for street use. If you can only afford to buy one down jacket, I’d recommend …

The CNOC Vecto 2L Soft Water Container is a roll-up soft bottle that’s compatible with the Sawyer Squeeze and Sawyer Mini water filters (which 80% of backpackers use). Like the Platypus Big Zip, one side opens up completely, by removing the bottom …

The Hilleberg Mesh 1 Tent is a spacious single-person A-frame style bug bivy designed to be used under a tarp. While it’s frequently bundled with Hilleberg’s Tarp 5 Backpacking Tarp (see review), it can be used with any rectangular tarp to form …

The Sea-to-Summit Women’s Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Pad is a 66″ x 21.5″ inflatable sleeping pad that is 2 inches thick and has an R-value of 3.8. Weighing 13.8 oz, it is a very quiet and comfortable pad, with individual “air sprung …

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 …

The Salomon X Ultra Winter CS 2 Boot (available for men and women) is a lightweight insulated winter hiking boot that’s great for winter day hiking and snowshoeing. Insulated with 200 grams of Thinsulate, the X Ultra Winter Boot is rated for temperatures …

The Ursack AllMitey is a bear-proof and critter-proof food storage bag for camping and backpacking. It differs from Ursack’s other food storage bags, (the Ursack Major, Ursack Major XL, and Ursack Minor), which are either bear-proof or critter-proof, but not both. If …

  The Western Mountaineering Puma MF down sleeping bag is rated for negative 25 degrees F and is a fully-featured winter sleeping bag suitable for most winter backpacking trips in the lower 48 where you can expect to experience subzero temperatures. Like all …

REI Merino Midweight Baselayer Tops are surprisingly warm and have become my go-to layer around the campsite and and cool weather hikes. They’re also a great bargain when they’re on sale. I buy a lot of cold-weather hiking clothes through REI because …

I’ve owned the same Suunto A10 Compass for years and can recommend it highly for 3 season hiking. The markings on mine are  a little worn, as you can see, but it has all of the key attributes you need for following …

I got my first pair of Possumdown Gloves five years ago and have been wearing them year-round ever since. Imported from New Zealand, possum down gloves are made using a blend of brushtail possum fur and merino wool which makes them super …

The MSR TrailShot Water Filter is a highly compact and portable water filter that lets you drink directly from natural water sources like streams, rivers, lakes and ponds. It has an unusual design that’s a lot like a water fountain (with a …

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 …