Gear Reviews

The La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX boots are hybrid leather and textile backpacking boots that weigh less than many mid hiking boots but have deep lugs, a large toe kick, and a reinforced midsole that offers better foot protection. The boots …

The Kammok Firebelly Trail Quilt is a 30*F rectangular quilt that can be used as a comforter, a top quilt, or a full-length hammock underquilt. While it’s optimized for use with Kammok’s hammocks, it’s general-purpose enough it can be used with hammocks …

The Hammock Gear Wanderlust Hammock Camping Kit is an all-inclusive hammock system to get you off the ground and hanging without a huge learning curve or time lag. The base system includes an 11′ hammock with an integrated bug net, an ultralight …

The new MSR Hubba Hubba 2 is a lightweight freestanding two-person backpacking tent weighing 2 lbs 14 oz that provides lightweight livability, superb ventilation, and ease of use. This new 2022 version of the Hubba Hubba 2 provides a significant 10 oz …

The Osprey Renn 50 is a women’s-specific multi-day backpack with an adjustable and ventilated frame. Weighing just 3.31 pounds (53 oz), it’s lightweight, comfortable, and easy-to-use with plenty of pockets to stay organized. Priced at $155, it’s also surprisingly affordable considering how …

Katadyn MicroPur MP1 Chlorine Dioxide Tablets are a convenient water purification method for treating backcountry water sources. They’re ideal for day hikes, overnights, or international travel to augment a water filter or as a standalone solution. I’ve been using them for close …

The Saucony Peregrine 12 is a moderately cushioned trail running shoe designed for rugged trails. They’re very lightweight with excellent grippy traction, they have mesh uppers that drain wet and dry quickly when they get wet, and a rock plate that helps …

Aquamira Water Treatment is a liquid chlorine dioxide solution that many backpackers use to purify and disinfect backcountry water sources like streams, ponds, lakes, and rivers. If you’re unfamiliar with chlorine dioxide, it’s a well-established disinfectant that works by releasing a highly …

The Therm-a-Rest Ohm 20 is a hoodless sleeping bag insulated with 900 fill power hydrophobic goose down that weighs 1 pound 6 ounces (652 g). It is box-baffled and has a full-length, two-way side zipper with a draft tube, a puffy draft …

The Paria Breeze Mesh Bivy is an affordable and spacious single person bug bivy for use under a tarp or by itself in dry weather.  Bug bivies are more spacious than bivy sacks with floors and sidewalls to keep rain from splashing …

Astral TR 1 Mesh Shoes are lightweight hiking shoes designed for wet terrain like canyons and canoe portages. They’re perfect for use in wet conditions where your feet are frequently submerged underwater because they drain immediately. I have mesh trail runners, but …

Kammok’s Mantis Ultralight All-in-One Hammock Tent (“Mantis UL”) is a  complete hammock shelter system that includes a hammock with an optional full-length zippered bugnet, integrated ridgeline, tarp, hammock suspension, and stakes that pack up together into a roll-top stuff sack for a …

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 Tarptent Aeon Li is a one-person Dyneema trekking pole tent that weighs 15.8 oz. It’s basically a half-pyramid shape, modified so that it has more usable headroom and interior space than regular pyramid tents and tarps. It has a built-in bathtub …