Gear Reviews

What are the best water filter and purification options for backpacking? We put that question to 565 backpackers in a recent survey on SectionHiker.com to get an updated view into the types of solutions that backpackers use today. Most Popular Water Treatment …

I just bought another pair of Railrider’s Eco Mesh Pants. This will be my tenth pair and the 9th year in a row that I plan on wearing them for hiking and backpacking trips. Going through one pair of hiking pants per …

If you’ve done any backpacking, you should be familiar with the practice of layering your clothing: you take layers of clothing off when you get too hot and start to sweat and you put them back on again when you start to …

It’s just been three years since waterproof down became available in sleeping bags and jackets, but in that short time it’s become a defacto standard across the outdoor industry. The big gear and clothing companies and most mid-sized manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon with the …

The Original Bugshirt Company is a Canadian-based cottage industry company that makes insect proof clothing, including their unique stirrup style bug gaiters, for people who live where the bugs are as big as baseballs, like Northern Ontario and Alaska. Given the Lyme …

I have a small head and buying hats and helmets that fit is always a complete nightmare for me. Which is ultimately the reason why I bought the Black Diamond Half Dome Climbing Helmet, a few years back. Not only does it …

I rarely carry a stove wind screen except in the winter when I really need one to conserve fuel for melting water. Other times of year, I either have plenty of fuel (wood/canister fuel) or can more easily situate my stove behind …

If you are on the market to purchase a new sleeping bag, quilt, or a down filled parka, it’s helpful to understand why high fill goose down is better than lower quality goose down. But first, it’s helpful to understand why goose …

If you’re renting mountaineering boots for the first time or you’ve just bought a pair, here are a few tips for avoiding blisters at the back of your foot on top of your Achilles tendon. These blisters are incredibly painful and will …

The Montane Fireball Verso Pull-On Sweater is a Primaloft-insulated reversible pullover with a windproof Pertex shell on one side and an air-permeable fabric that Montane calls Hypervent on the other. This garment eliminates the need to carry an extra wind shirt to …

While there will always be a heated debate about what the best water bottles or hydration system required for winter hiking is, I think we’d all agree that the minimum requirements for winter use are as follows: The water you bring on …

Hyperlite Mountain Gear is an ultralight backpacking gear manufacturer in Biddeford, Maine, a short drive from my favorite hiking and backpacking haunts in New Hampshire. I paid them a visit last month to check out their operation and to talk to Mike St. …

In late September I was planning a 17-day, 240-mile canoe trip across the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) that would take place in October. While most of the trip would be paddling, we would also need to portage all our gear …

This white glove is a Vapor Barrier Glove from Stephenson’s Warmlite ($22/pair) and can be worn under regular winter gloves to prevent them from wetting out with sweat during exertion. I wear them under lightweight fleece glove liners or heavier fleece gloves when …