NEMO Rocket 2P
Best for fastpacking
All Content
Big Agnes Scout 2 Platinum
Lightest tent
REI Co-op Shell Bivy
Best bivy
Thule Rail 8L
Best hydration pack
Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Travel Pack
Best travel pack
EXPED Whiteout 30
Best for mountaineering
Mountain Equipment Ogre 33+
Most versatile
Arc’teryx Alpha AR 35
Most durable
Marmot Eiger 42
Most comfortable
REI Co-op Flash 45
Lightest
Osprey Rook / Renn 50
Best value
Gregory Zulu 65 / Jade 63
Best all-around
The North Face Banchee 65
Best feature set
Mystery Ranch Glacier
Best for big loads
Kelty Zyro 68
Best ventilation
Gear Guide: The Best of the Rest
There's a lot of great gear out there, and only so much space in our gear guide. Here are 35 products that barely missed the cut.
Project Vertical: Snowshoeing to Dream Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park
Nate Dodge, one of the members of BACKPACKER and Bight Gear's new test team, knows the best way to beat the crowds is to brave the snow.
Editors' Choice Awards 2019: The Best Gear of the Year
For five months, we crisscrossed continents, climates, and comfort zones to put the newest outdoor products to the ultimate hiker’s test. A final, weeklong gauntlet in the Pyrenees Mountains, in Spain’s Catalonia region, was the finishing touch: By its end, we had elected these 12 winners of this year’s Editors’ Choice Awards.
Polartec Power Air
Stay warm and save rivers with this eco-friendly fleece layer.
Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo
Go light for less with this affordable solo tent.
Rab Kinetic Alpine Pant
Finally, a pair of rainpants you won't be afraid to wear all day.
Editors' Choice Awards 2019: Rab Kinetic Alpine Pant
All-day rainpants
MSR Reactor Stove System
This efficient stove has been one of our favorites for more than a decade.
Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20°F
Cut weight and stay warm with this featherweight bag.
Ombraz Sunglasses
The best parts about these new-school shades are what they don't have.
Editors' Choice Awards 2019: Ombraz Sunglasses
New-school shades
Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Long-Sleeve Hoody
This sun shirt is a soft alternative to wearing sunscreen.
Granite Gear Blaze 60
This lightweight hauler just keeps getting better.
Editors' Choice Gold Awards 2019: Granite Gear Blaze 60
Load-hauling lightweight
GoLite ReGreen Windshell
It used to be a bunch of plastic bottles. Now, it's one of the most eco-friendly windshells on the market.
Editors' Choice Green Awards 2019: GoLite ReGreen Windshell
Keep the breeze out with this recycled windshell.
Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 Platinum
This ultralight tent cuts weight, not features.
Editors' Choice Awards 2019: Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 Platinum
This sub-two-pound tent is both feature-rich and light.
Gerber Devour Multi-Fork
This multitasking utensil won't just keep you fed: It works as a can opener, flathead screwdriver, and more too.
Editors' Choice Awards 2019: Gerber Devour
This isn't just a fork—it's a can opener, a screwdriver, and more.
The 8 Best Water Filters for Backpackers
Ultralight, ultrafast, and ultraeffective—the best new water treatment devices do the job better than ever.
NEMO Airpin Ultralight Stake
Do you really need a better stake? When it's this featherweight beauty, you do.
America's Most-Visited National Park is Getting its First Female Chief Ranger
Lisa Hendy will assume post at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in April.
Watch: Avalanche Danger in Colorado is at its Worst in Decades
Conditions in four of the state's ten regions are rated Extreme, a first since forecasting started in 1973, as slides run bigger than they have in years.
The Power of an Outdoor Education Field Trip
Plant a group of kids in cabins in the mountains, and watch them grow.
How This Outdoor App Is Using Data to Improve Sustainability
With easy, innovative technology, Fishbrain is enabling anglers and researchers to work together to ensure sustainability of fisheries.
Hawksbill Crag Hike, Arkansas
Score an aerie overlooking the Buffalo River Valley to yourself when you visit Whitaker Point in the offseason.
The Best Gear for Hiking With Dogs
You have good gear. Why shouldn’t your best friend?
How Far Can Kids Hike, and How Much Can They Carry?
Make the most of every outing by knowing what your kids can and can’t do.
Congress Just Passed the Most Important Public Lands Bill in a Decade
Big win for the outdoors
Live Like a Local This Winter in Estes Park
Find adventure-and solitude-in this quintessential Rocky Mountain hideaway.
Yosemite Hiker Killed by Rockfall
Park says Xuan Wang entered a closed area; incident is currently under investigation.
Thru-Hiker Heather "Anish" Anderson’s Big Year
In 2018, Anish became the first woman—and sixth person overall—to hike the Triple Crown in a single calendar year. Doing it would take a lot of sweat, and 8,000 miles on the the trail.
Get Fit for Backpacking Now
From your muscles to your meal planning, all it takes is a little fitness to make your hikes longer, better, and more fun than ever.
Hike of the Week: Mill Creek Trail, Jedediah Smith State Park, CA
Walk among giants on this quiet hike past the Grove of Titans and other 300-foot-tall redwood trees.
Gear of the Week: Farm to Feet Denali Sock
A sock to fend off the worst winter has to offer.
The BACKPACKER Backcountry Skiing Kit
Get in a perfect day tour with this 11-piece editor-tested setup
Indiana Dunes Is its State’s First National Park
A National Lakeshore gets a promotion.
Whistleblower: Grand Canyon National Park Stored Radioactive Materials in Museum Building for 18 Years
But experts say uranium ore is unlikely to harm visitors’ health.
Five of the Best European Adventure Cities
Rich culture and easy access to some of Europe’s most stunning scenery? Count us in.
Master the Basics of Backcountry Ski Touring
See more—and have more fun—this winter with these gear and technique trips.
Hike of the Week: Sunrise Peak, Scottsdale, AZ
Savor views of the Sierra Estrella and Mazatzal mountain ranges on this close-to-home leg-burner.
Backcountry Skiing 101: Plan a Tour on CalTopo
Learn how to find a great backcountry skiing zone and create a custom map with this guide to CalTopo.
It's Not Too Early to Book Your Summer Campsites
If you want a great family camping vacation in summer, you'd better make reservations in winter.
5 February Wildlife Hikes to Feel the Love
Humans aren't the only species making moves this month. Hike these five trails to see wildlife trying to get a little action.
The 2019 BACKPACKER Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
Chocolate and champagne are fine, but this year, give your Valentine something that will keep them happy on the trail.
REI President and CEO Jerry Stritzke Resigns Following Investigation
In letter to employees, company says he failed to disclose "personal and consensual relationship" with another outdoor industry figure.
Hike a National Park in One Day
Get the best of three of America's best wild areas on these tours de force.
Explore the Las Vegas Wilderness
Nevada's Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area has miles of trails and hundreds of climbing routes just a short drive from the Strip.
Skiing a Winter Wonderland at Colorado's Maroon Hut
Whether you’re after mellow snowshoe flats or steep powder runs, you’ll get both—as well as a four-burner stove and a full-size bed—in Gothic, Colorado.
Glyphing is a Hiker's Tour of History
Embark on a treasure hunt to find rock art—and clues of the past.
Hike of the Week: Hogpen Gap to Low Gap, Appalachian Trail, Atlanta, GA
Visit Georgia's best section of the Appalachian Trail in winter for a crowd-free experience and Blue Ridge vistas frosted in white.
How Nature Encourages Sibling Bonding
Give me some dirt, or snow, or sticks to glue them together.
Pattie Gonia is Making Hiking Fabulous
In her first public appearance, the wilderness’s favorite drag queen dreamed of an outdoor community where everyone feels like they belong.
Sneak Peek: Sweet Protection Interstellar Goggle
Your coat is Gore-Tex. Soon, your goggles could be too.
Trail Runner Kills Mountain Lion With Bare Hands After it Attacks Him
Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife confirmed the man's story in a tweet.
Columbia Powderhouse Titanium Omni-Heat 3D OutDry Boot
Extreme conditions call for extreme boots.
Sneak Peak: Holden Outerwear Schoeller Corkshell and WholeGarment Line
An outerwear line that uses cork and a waste-free computerized knitting system are among the innovations the company hopes to show off this year.
This is Why You Fart So Much at Altitude
It’s called high-altitude flatus expulsion, and yes, it’s a real thing.
Sneak Peak: Marmot West Rib Parka
We thought we had seen every possible way to package down. This coat proved us wrong.
Gordini Polar II Glove
The full coverage, warmth and breathability means this glove can go from the trail to the slopes.