Gear Reviews

I’ve been having  lot of fun lately discovering affordable lightweight backpacking products that won’t break the bank. Here’s another fantastic find from Australian Terra Rosa Gear, called the Wandering Tarp (8.3 ounces in Tyvek), which is priced at $50 AUD ($52 USD) …

Every year, I like to name a piece of backpacking gear that has had a transformational impact on my hiking and backpacking experience and recognize it by giving it the Section Hiker Gear of the Year Award. To qualify for consideration, the …

When I first learned about the possibility of sleeping in a hammock in the back country I was in awe.  I loved my backyard hammock and fall asleep in it all the time so this seemed perfect. Being a bigger guy, sleeping …

Gore-Tex and eVent have been the dominant forces in outdoor shell fabrics for decades. Although there have always been others, gaining a foothold in the marketplace has traditionally been an almost futile exercise as both companies battle for supremacy and that has …

Mountains Make their own Weather Have you ever planned a hiking trip in the White Mountains, the Adirondacks, or the Catskills, and tried to figure out what the weather is going to be like or what gear you need to bring along? …

 MLD LightSnow Gaiters with Inov-8 Terrocs While gaiters keep my socks dry from external moisture, I’ve never found ones that keep my socks dry when my calf muscles sweat. This is a problem in winter because my socks become moist during the …

Napoleon Chest Pockets When it comes to hard shell jackets for backpacking, you really want to buy a rain jacket that has napoleon chest pockets aligned along your sternum instead of side pockets. Waist level side pockets are completely worthless because they’re …

I discovered a new cottage backpacking food company a few weeks ago called Outdoor Herbivore. You should check them out, especially if you’re on a vegetarian or vegan diet. I tried two of their meals last weekend on a section hike and …

Every backpacker or hiker should carry a fire steel with them in their emergency gear repair kit. This is one emergency preparedness and survival tool that you should never be without. If you’re not familiar with fire steels, they consist of two components …

I tried Packit Gourmet’s dehydrated vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce dinner last weekend and it was awesome. Called Market Pasta Puttanesca, it’s a one pot backpacking meal that makes two servings and packs 740 calories. Preparation is simple. but you need a pot with …

Rab is a English outdoor gear company, well known in Europe, that has just started selling gear here in the US. I already own a fantastic eVent shell made by them (Rab Momentum), and I bought this 100 Weight Microfleece pull-on at …

I use a number of different ultralight guy line tightening systems for my tarps and tents already, including LineLocks, but I was interested in trying the Figure 9’s because they’re a little more robust, especially for winter use when ice is likely …

I got a new water purifier a few weeks ago from Seychelle.com that works with a screw top bottle. The filter element qualifies as a purifier because it is EPA approved to remove viruses and bacteria to 99.9999%, and other biologicals like …

The weight of stuff sacks can really add up if you go overboard with them. I’ve eliminated most of them from my packing system, but I still use two 8L Sea-to-Summit Ultra-Sil Waterproof Stuff Sacks to protect my down sleeping bag and …