Vintage Backpacking Gear

KEEN Summit County Winter Hiking Boots are waterproof and insulated winter boots that are good for snowshoeing, winter hiking, and peakbagging. They have KEEN’s signature oversized toe box with body-mapped insulation to keep the parts of your feet that need extra insulation warm. Large non-marking lugged rubber soles provide a good …

The Kelty Escape 2 is a well-built but low-cost two-person tent that’s best used for car camping, base camping, and short backpacking trips. It’s compact and easy to set up with a free-standing inner tent, aluminum poles, and a roof vent for added ventilation. Sized for two people, it has …

The NEMO GoGo Elite Inflatable Bivy Tent is a 1-person minimalist shelter that’s more spacious and comfortable than a bivy sack, but far more compact than most 1-person tents making it ideal for trips that require carrying a low volume load like adventure racing, fast and light backpacking, or bikepacking. …

The NEMO Galaxi 2 Tent is a spacious and affordable ($199) two-person tent that comes with an included footprint. Setting the tent up is easy because it has a single hubbed pole and inner tent and rain fly can share the same corner grommets, while numerous interior pockets and gear …

REI Screeline Hiking Pants are super-comfortable spandex and nylon gusseted hiking pants with vents behind the knee and reinforced knees and rear. I like wearing them for my more rugged scrambly hikes, off-trail bushwhacks and harvesting firewood that would rip up a lighter weight pair of pants. While the Screeline …

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2 is a hybrid single-wall/double-wall 2 person tent made with several different grades of Dyneema Composite Fabrics (DCF) that are strategically placed at different points in the tent’s architecture to balance the competing needs of strength, weight, and ventilation. Weighing 28 oz, the Dirigo 2 …

The Granite Gear Vapor Trail 60 is a remake of a vintage ultralight-style backpack that was retired about ten years ago and is no longer made. At one time, the Vapor Trail was the most popular backpack used by thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. REI decided to reissue it as …

The Exped Spica II UL is a lightweight, two-person tunnel tent with an aerodynamic and beak-like front vestibule designed for three season backpacking. Weighing just under 3 lbs, it’s a spacious double-walled tent that can be set up fly-first if required. While not freestanding, the Spica II is easy to …

Brooks Cascadia 13 Trail Runners are a favorite backpacking and hiking shoe because they’re roomy, stable, fast drying and well ventilated. They have a built-in gaiter attachment point to secure your gaiters to keep out trail debris, with an innovative lacing system that eliminates any uncomfortable pressure on the top …

The REI Flash Air Hammock Shelter System is an all-in-one hammock shelter system that includes a mosquito hammock, whoopie-style suspension system, and tarp. It’s well thought out and has a lot of cool features, although it’s on the small size and more suitable for use by scouts, kids, and smaller …

The REI Essential Rain Jacket is a good value if you’re looking for a low-cost and affordable rain jacket than can span hiking, backpacking, cycling, skiing, and everyday use. It’s your basic 2.5 layer waterproof breathable rain jacket with an adjustable hood, velcro wrist cuffs, adjustable hem, and two zippered …

The NEMO Rocket 2 is a three-season, two-person single-wall tent that can be set up with trekking poles or the pair of interlocking tent poles included with the tent. Weighing only 22 oz (18.2 oz without poles), the Rocket 2 has two asymmetric peaks, two doors, and two vestibules with …

The MSR FlyLite is a lightweight, 1 pound 12 ounce, single-wall trekking pole tent that sleeps two comfortably. With vertical sidewalls and mesh windows that provide excellent interior livability and cross-ventilation, the new FlyLite is perfect for base camp style camping and backpacking at established campsites in fair weather, but …

The KEEN Durand Polar is a waterproof winter hiking boot with 400 grams on insulation that’s rated for temperatures down to -40F below zero. If you’re new to winter hiking, you’re going to want to wear a waterproof and insulated boot like the Durand Polar instead of an uninsulated or …