Gear Reviews

If you’re tired of drinking sickeningly sweet electrolyte replacement powders or mucking up your hydration pack with flavored electrolyte mixes, you need to try Elete Electrolyte Drops. Made from natural saltwater from Utah’s Great Salt Lake, they’re tasteless and odor-free. They don’t contain …

The UGQ Zeppelin Under Quilt is an exceptionally well crafted, custom-made hammock under quilt. Made in Michigan by UGQ Outdoor (formerly named Underground Quilts), the Zeppelin comes with a set of standard features that make it easy for people new to under …

Mountain Equipment’s Ibex Softshell Mountain Pant is a highly breathable technical softshell pant designed for winter hiking and mountaineering. The women’s model of the same pant is called the Chamois Pant. They’re made with a double-woven softshell fabric that breathes well and …

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 …

In early November I was hiking the Long Trail in Vermont, trying to eke out one last weekend section hike before the weather got colder. At this time of year it gets pitch black at 5:00 pm. I finished eating dinner just …

The First Need Water Purifier is one of the few filters on the market today that filters out all viruses, crypto, and protozoa without the need for additional purification tablets like Chlorine Dioxide. The only downside to this filter is that it …

Arc’teryx’s Gamma AR Soft-Shell Pants are ideal for winter hiking and snowsports, with a double-woven softshell fabric that breathes well with a good deal of built-in stretch. The fit is roomy, especially for Arcteryx clothes that generally run slim, with enough room …

The Terra Rosa Gear Hoodless Sleeping Bag Cover is made out of a soft grade of Tyvek called 1443r, which is a breathable, waterproof fabric with a very soft hand that feels like silk. It’s amazing stuff and doesn’t feel like house …

The NEMO Hornet Elite 1 Tent is an ultralight double-wall tent that only weighs 1 lb 7 oz. It’s ideal for solo backpacking or bikepacking trips when you need a shelter that packs up small, but provides better wind and weather protection …

The ZPacks Arc Air 50L ROBIC Backpack is an ultralight pack with a curved carbon fiber frame made with 100d and 210d Robic nylon. The backpack is a roll-top pack with a front mesh pocket, side water bottle pockets, and sleeping pad …

The Lifesaver Liberty Water Purifier Bottle is an all-in-one water purifier system with a pass-through water pump that can also function as a water bottle. The unit is very simple to use, but you must take care to prime the pump before …

The Garmin inReach Explorer+ is a combination GPS tracker, navigation tool, 2-way satellite messenger and SOS device which gives you the ability to send and receive email messages and SMS messages via satellite, even when you are out of range of cell …

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 …

The Montane Wolf Hoodie is a body-mapped mid-layer technical fleece hoodie with warmer, higher density fleece areas over your core, and thinner, less insulating fleece along your sides, under the arms, and on the neck and hood where you’re most likely to …