Top 10 Gear Picks

Hiking pants are an important piece of hiking gear but one that we often take for granted. They have to be highly breathable and quick drying, easy to vent when you get too hot, but warm when the temperature drops. Fit, freedom of movement, and pockets are also key factors.  What …

What are the most popular daypacks preferred by day hikers? How much capacity should a daypack have? Do hikers prefer streamlined hydration packs or general purpose backpacks with a hydration pocket for day hiking? We surveyed 800 hikers to find out what daypacks they prefer and their top picks include …

What are the most popular backpacking stoves that backpackers *really* use? What backpacking stove fuel types are most common? How many stoves do backpackers typically own? We feel that the best way to answer questions like these is to poll large numbers of backpackers, 700 in this case, about their *actual* stove usage and …

What are the best water filter and purification treatment systems used by backpackers? We asked 565 backpackers whether they preferred filter-based systems, pump water filters, gravity filter systems, chemical purification or purification using an ultraviolet light. Here are their top 10 picks. 1. Sawyer Mini Water Filter System 2. Sawyer Squeeze Water …

Hiking Boots and Trail Shoes are becoming much lighter weight. There’s no doubt about it. We surveyed 440 backpackers to find out what their favorite hiking boots and trail shoes are it’s clear that the era of heavy leather hiking boots is on the wane. Perhaps ever more amazing is …

What are the best backpacking tents recommended by backpackers? We surveyed 600 backpackers to find out what tents they use and their top picks include the Big Agnes Copper Spur, the Big Agnes Fly Creek, the MSR Hubba Hubba, the REI Quarter Dome, and the REI Half Dome, among others. We found …

What are the best multi-day backpacks recommended by badass backpackers? We surveyed 900 backpackers to find out what packs they use and their top picks include the ULA Circuit Backpack, Osprey Exos 58 Backpack, Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 Backpack, Osprey Atmos AG 65 Backpack and Granite Gear Crown 60 Backpack. 1. …

Buying a rain jacket has got to be one of the most confusing purchases a new backpacker can make. With dozens of manufacturers and rain jackets to choose from at all levels of the pricing spectrum, inflated expectations about the effectiveness of waterproof/breathable fabrics in real world conditions, and a constant flow …

What are the best backpacking trekking poles that backpackers really use? What do you get when you buy more expensive trekking poles and how much better are they than value-oriented trekking poles? We surveyed 440 backers to find out what trekking poles they use and recommend and found that aluminum …