Gear Guides

10 Best Budget Backpacking Tents Under $250

10 Best Budget Backpacking Tents under $250

It seems like backpacking tents are getting more and more expensive, especially ultralight tents made with specialty fabrics. But take heart. There are still plenty of good values and budget tents available if you know what to look for. Here are our …

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10 Best Trekking Poles of 2023

10 Best Trekking Poles

Trekking poles provide many benefits to hikers and backpackers from added stability and balance on rough trails to less wear and tear on knees and hips, especially when hiking downhill. The most popular trekking poles used by hikers and backpacks are adjustable …

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10 Best Sleeping Bag Stuff Sacks of 2023

10 Best Sleeping Bag Stuff Sacks

Stuff sacks are an essential piece of backpacking and camping gear that keep sleeping bags or quilts dry, organized, and compressed. However most of the manufacturer’s stuff sacks that come with sleeping bags or quilts are designed for uncompressed storage, not field …

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10 Best Backpacking Rain Jackets of 2023

10 Best Backpacking Rain Jackets

What should you look for in a rain jacket for hiking and backpacking? While having a waterproof/breathable jacket can be a plus, it’s pretty easy to overwhelm their ability to vent moisture in the rain when you’re perspiring with a backpack strapped …

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10 Best Backpacking Stoves of 2023

10 Best Backpacking Stoves of 2023

Backpackers and campers have a wide range of stoves available to them ranging from all-in-one stove systems to general-purpose units that can be used across a wide range of temperatures and locales. Backpacking stoves fall into four popular categories: canister stoves, alcohol …

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Sleeping Pad R-Values of 2023

Sleeping Pad R-Values of 2023

A backpacking or camping sleeping pad’s R-value measures its resistance to heat loss to the ground when you lie on it at night. Pads with higher R-values do this more effectively than pads with lower R-values. R-value isn’t a measure of warmth …

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10 Best Thru-Hiking Tents of 2023

10 Best Thu-Hiking Tents

What are the best tents for thru-hiking? The first major option is choosing between a semi-freestanding tent which comes with tent poles or a trekking-pole tent. Semi-freestanding tents are usually easier to set up than trekking pole tents but often weigh more. …

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10 Best Winter Hiking Boots of 2023-2024

10 Best Winter Hiking Boots of 2021-2022

Today’s winter boots are waterproof, insulated, and compatible with traction aids such as microspikes and snowshoes. While 200 gram Thinsulate insulated mids are fine for commuting and short local walks down to about 10-20 degrees (F), we recommend buying boots with higher …

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10 Best Women’s Lightweight Backpacks of 2022

Best Lightweight Backpacks For Women

Women have a better selection of female-specific lightweight multi-day backpacks weighing less than 3 pounds than ever before. With more and more women on the trails and in the hills, major backpack companies have responded by building new products for this rapidly …

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