Gear Reviews

The Six Moon Designs Flight 30 Ultra Running Pack is a 30L frameless backpack that is made for runners and ultralight backpackers. It has a lightweight body-hugging pack that is great for fastpacking, as there is very little bounce once it’s loaded …

The Gossamer Gear G4-20 Backpack is a 42-liter frameless roll-top backpack that weighs 25 oz. Being frameless it’s best for carrying loads under 20 to 25 pounds and makes a nice ultralight backpack for multi-day trips and extended day hikes. In many …

The Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20 is a 27 oz ultralight mummy sleeping bag that excels during shoulder season conditions in spring and autumn when nighttime temperatures approach or drop below freezing. While I have used premium down quilts in such weather, …

The Feathered Friends Murre EX 0 Sleeping Bag is a mummy-style down bag specifically designed for women. Weighing 2 lbs 13 oz, it has 25.5 oz of 900+ fill power goose down with cold-weather features that include a draft collar, continuous baffles, …

The ULA CDT is a 54L frameless backpack designed for ultralight backpacking, long day hikes, or travel that has a maximum recommended load of 25 pounds. Weighing 27.1 oz (768 g), the CDT is a streamlined backpack with 36 liters of closed …

The Therm-a-Rest Parsec 0 is a VERY lightweight cold-weather sleeping bag suitable for year-round use. It’s a very warm bag with premium box baffling and 60% of the insulation positioned over the chest and 40% on the bottom in order to provide …

The Big Agnes C-Bar Two Person Tent is a surprisingly affordable backpacking tent with a trail weight of 3 lbs 9 oz. Fully-featured, this double-wall tent is easy to set up and made with heavier and more durable materials than Big Agnes’ …

The Zpacks Pocket Tarp w/ Doors is a one-person tarp weighing 6.1 oz with guylines attached. It is constructed from 0.55 oz/sq. yard Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF), a fully waterproof material that doesn’t stretch or sag when wet. I purchased this tent …

The NEMO Sonic 0 is a down-insulated sleeping bag that can be comfortably used from zero degrees Fahrenheit up to 40 degrees. (This is the 2022 version which has been significantly updated from previous models.) While the Sonic 0 can be used …

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 Armored Outdoor Gear Ratsack Food Storage Bag is a rodent-proof lightweight, flexible, stainless-steel mesh bag to protect your food and smellables on camping and backpacking trips. It’s not bear-proof, but it is rodent and small mammal-proof making it ideal for use …

The Patagonia Torrentshell 3L is a moderately priced, 3-layer waterproof/breathable rain jacket that’s surprisingly affordable with premium features important to hikers and backpackers. It has a two-way adjustable hood with a front brim, pit-zips, zippered handwarmer pockets, rip-and-stick velcro-style cuffs, and is …

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Shoulder Pocket is the best pocket I’ve found for carrying a smartphone, camera, or a Garmin inReach Explorer+ strapped to my backpack shoulder pads, where I can easily access them during a hike. This accessory pocket is easy …

The Soto Amicus Stove and Cook Set Combo is a lightweight and durable cooking system for backpacking adventures. Reasonably priced, the cook set comes with the Soto Amicus stove and a two-piece aluminum pot set with a 500 ml pot and a …