SectionHiker.com Backpacking Gear Reviews and FAQs

A Puffer Jacket also known as a “Puffy” is a lightweight jacket insulated with down or synthetic insulation used as a warm layering garment by hikers and backpackers. It’s so-called because the insulation is sewn into small pockets called baffles that trap …

An insulated hoodie or lightweight synthetic jacket can be used for hiking or backpacking as an outer layer or mid-layer during spring and autumn when mornings and nighttime temperatures stay cool. Our preference is to use jackets that have hoods because we …

The REI Flash 3 is a freestanding, double-wall 3-person tent that’s lightweight and compact enough for backpacking but spacious enough for car camping. While REI rates it for 3 people, I think it’s on the small size for three full-grown adults unless …

An insulating sleeping pad is a must-have for backpackers who sleep on the ground in tents and under tarp shelters to prevent body heat loss to the ground. The best backpacking sleeping pads are air mattresses or foam pads because they’re lightweight …