The North Face FuseForm Brigandine 3L Jacket
This durable hardshell is ski armor, built for 100-day seasons, year after year.
Gear Reviews
Gear Reviews
Find the best backpacking gear with help from our expert reviewers and gear testers at Backpacker. We review the best backpacking gear on the market, from sleeping bags, to cookware, to backpacks, to the best hiking boots, in the most rigorous trail conditions imaginable so you can find the perfect setup for all your adventures.
At Backpacker, we take our responsibility to provide readers with fair and accurate gear advice seriously. When you make a purchase through our site, we may earn a commission.
Find the best backpacking gear with help from our expert reviewers and gear testers at Backpacker. We review the best backpacking gear on the market, from sleeping bags, to cookware, to backpacks, to the best hiking boots, in the most rigorous trail conditions imaginable so you can find the perfect setup for all your adventures. At Backpacker, we take our responsibility to provide readers with fair and accurate gear advice seriously. When you make a purchase through our site, we may earn a commission.
Mountain Standard Hooded 3-Layer Jacket
This jacket is one of the most affordable three-layer shells we’ve tested.
Patagonia Refugitive Jacket
This versatile hardshell's supple fabric proved stout enough for winter storms but light enough for summer wear.
FlyLow Genius Jacket
This ski jacket provides top breathability and good mobility in one lightweight package.
Sherpa Adventure Gear Shakti Jacket
This full-featured jacket is built for plundering powder.
Brooks-Range Hybrid Wool Jacket
This hybrid jacket is a warm-yet-breathable technical layer that looks good enough for a night out.
Craghoppers CompressLite Packaway Jacket
This bargain puffy is a screaming deal.
UCO Titan Stormproof Match Kit
Rain, sleet, snow? If you need a fire in the worst conditions, these are your matches.
Patagonia Dual Aspect Hoodie
This jacket is a fleece, but warmer. It’s a softshell, but more breathable. It’s one of the most versatile midlayers we’ve ever tested.
Dynafit Mezzalama Alpha Pant
Breathable insulation makes these the most versatile winter pants we’ve tested.
Arc’teryx Zeta LT Jacket
This 11-ounce jacket sets a new bar for shells: It’s light and protective enough to wear 12 months a year.
High Sierra Symmetry 18
Save big on a full-featured ski pack.
Mountain Hardwear Ozonic 65 OutDry
No need for fussy rain covers or liners with this waterproof pack.
The North Face Summit L6 Jacket
The warmest midlayer we tested kept us toasty on seven trips up Mt. Rainier.
Columbia Decompression Jacket
This ultralight down jacket gives you maximum warmth with minimal weight and bulk.
Big Agnes Spike/Lucky Penny Vest
This slim vest will warm your core with heat-reflecting insulation.
Berghaus VapourLight Hydroloft Reversible Race Smock
This half-zip jacket is the lightest synthetic midlayer we’ve ever tried.
2015 Winter Editors' Choice Awards
The only way to find the best winter gear? Get out and stay out—all season long.
Salomon Park LS Tee
Natural bamboo charcoal fibers make it the quickest-drying, most breathable baselayer in our test.
Westcomb Luminous
This quick-drying wool baselayer’s double-sided fabric delivers great wicking, insulation, and durability.
Bambool BT1 Baselayer Top & Pants
A cozy PJ feel meets powder-friendly design in a baselayer adored by backcountry skiers.
VOORMI Thermal II Baselayer
The merino/polyester construction of this baselayer top offers cold-busting insulation.
SCOTT Air Free Alpride Pack
This pack's light, low-bulk airbag system means less weight on your back and more space for your gear.
Atomic Backland Carbon Boots
Set your ankles free with these ultra-flexible touring ski boots.
Sea to Summit Specialist Solo
It’s one of the lightest solo models out there, even before swapping the tent poles (3.9 ounces) for trekking poles.
Yama Mountain Gear Cirriform SW 1
It has the best performance-to-weight ratio of the bunch.
Big Agnes Bitter Springs UL-1
This solo tent can take a beating
Our Favorite Women's Gear That Actually Fits
Despite huge advances in women’s gear, women are about twice as likely to have trouble getting a good fit. Here are our contributors' best solutions.
The Complete Guide to Female Urination Devices
FUDs are funnels that let everyone pee standing up. We tried most brands to report back on the pros and cons of each model. Plus: Tips on how to use them.
Five Backpacking Gear Picks for August 2015
A breezy shell, a comfy packbag, and a convenient water sterilization pen highlight this month's testers' picks.
From Long Hikes to Speed Ascents: 2016 Shoe Preview
Quick-drying shoes, lightweight hikers, and footwear that transitions from trail to tavern all debut at the Outdoor Retailer show. Check them out in this 2016 shoe preview.
2016 Tent Preview
Fun colors & built-in device charging on one hand; even lighter and faster tents on the other. It's the 2016 tent preview from the Outdoor Retailer Show.
2016 Portable Power Preview
The 2016 portable power options we're previewing at the Outdoor Retailer Show are lighter, faster, and waterproof.
2016 Waterproof Jackets Preview
A new kind of waterproofing, a superlight rain shell, a short-sleeve rain jacket, and more sneak-peak 2016 waterproof jackets from the Outdoor Retailer Show
What's New In Sleeping Bags | 2016 Gear Preview
A sneak peak from the Outdoor Retailer Show of what's new in sleeping bags for 2016, including a no-slip bag and a fast-inflating pad.
How to Upgrade Your Camp Kitchen
No matter how great a trail chef you are, if your kitchen is a sty, meal-time will be a drag. Do it up right, though, and you can turn any patch of ground into a five-star establishment.
Black Diamond Recalls JetForce Avy Packs
Technical problem could cause JetForce airbags to not inflate; customers urged to return certain models for repair.
Hit the Water: Paddling Essentials for 2015
In a kayak, you’ll see new terrain and score remote beach camps while your boat does all the heavy lifting. Here’s everything you need to build a high-performance package for less than $1,500.
Little Big Shoes: Lightweight Hikers That Hold Up
These lightweight, low-cut hikers are stronger than you think.
Ask Kristin: How Do I Pick My First Backpacking Tent?
A reader asks: What's the difference between a $100 tent and a $300 one?
Field Notes: June 2015
Our testers review a bargain bag, a bombproof tent, and more.
Ask Kristin: Can I Swap a Pool Float for a Sleeping Pad?
Can a pool float replace a pad for budget-conscious hikers? Our gear editor responds.
How Gore Surround Technology Works
The technology behind the new trend in waterproof breathable footwear.
The Year's Best GPS Watches
Outfit your wrist with a GPS watch that does a lot more than tell time.
Sweet Layers: Stay Warm, Stay Cool, Stay Outside
Behold, the year's best new base layers.
Kayak Safety Gear
When it comes to kayak safety, here are 4 items that could save your butt on the water.
Gear Testing in the Rockies
The BACKPACKER test crew just returned from five days in the mountains, where we put next winter's hiking, camping, and skiing gear through a final round of testing.
Kammok Roo
There are plenty of two-person hammocks out there, but the Roo is the best we’ve found
Pacific Crest Trail Gear List
Everything needed for five and a half months on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Hang In There: The Best Hammocks of 2015
Once you go hammock, you never go back. Or so say fans of these light and comfy rigs. We hammered 18 slings for 10 months to find the right one for every hiker.
Salomon Agile 12 Set
Thanks to a form-hugging fit, the Salomon Agile 12 Set is the next best thing to wearing no pack at all.
CamelBak Pursuit 24 LR
The unique lumbar reservoir spreads water weight low across the hip shelf for improved stability.
Osprey Syncro 15
In hot temps, this pack kept us coolest, thanks to max airflow across the back.
Marmot Aquifer 22
A drybag-style closure makes this pack the most functionally waterproof.
Dakine Drafter 12L
Plentiful pockets will please the most obsessive organizers.
Just Add Water: The Best Hydration Packs of 2015
Hydration packs for every hiker and budget.
Evolv Cruzer
Sticky climbing rubber and an EVA midsole make this shoe at home on the crag or trail.
Patagonia Nano-Air Vest
Get core warmth without bulk.
Black Diamond Ember Power Light
We used this new take on the old school light as a backup for headlamps and also to revive dead smartphones on multiday trips.
NEMO Equipment Wagontop 4P
A lavish palace that packs down smaller than other family tents.
Optic Nerve V12
Usually you have to choose between max coverage and visual clarity in shades. The V12 offers both.
Exped Ergo Hammock Combi
The king of comfort in all temps.
Sierra Madre Research Adventura Combo
A three-part system: the hammock, a pair of slings, and the versatile Nubé shelter.
Exped Scout Hammock Combi
A superior safe haven from bugs.
Grand Trunks Ultralight Travel Hammock
This 12-ounce polypropylene perch disappears into any pack and takes only two minutes to hang.
Bergans of Norway Rondane 12
A unique strap configuration obliterates pack sway and jiggle. Plus: great price.
Appalachian Trail Gear List
Our contributor compiles gear for a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.
The Best New Hiking Boots of 2015
Waterproof. Breathable. Tough. The best new hiking boots of 2015 prove that when it comes to footwear, you really can have it all.
Arc'teryx Bora 2 Mid
We all know that layering systems are the way to go for protecting your body through a variety of conditions—these boots will do the same for your feet.
La Sportiva Bushido
This trail runner is perfect for runners who favor a minimalist feel and goat-like grip for moving fast over rough terrain.
Dynafit Pantera
Runners who prefer cushioning and protection for long mountain runs will love these trail runners.
La Sportiva LS Trango Cube GTX
The heavy-duty Trango boot is stiff enough for ice climbing, yet nimble enough for long mountain approaches.
Hanwag Cengalo GTX
The unrivaled support and precision lacing in these heavy-duty boots kept our feet and ankles happy on long, all-season tours above treeline.
Salomon S-Lab X Alp Carbon GTX
This is the first ever low-cut mountaineering boot.
Salewa Alp Flow Mid GTX
The miraculously universal fit of this mid-duty boot means killer comfort over long miles.
Five Ten Camp Four
The high, wraparound rand on these mid-duty boots is tank-tough.
Helly Hansen Rapide Mid Mesh HT
This mid-duty hiker serves up a whole lotta boot for the money.
LOWA Renegade Deluxe GTX Mid
The premium leather upper on this mid-duty hiking boot molds to your foot.
Vasque Breeze 2.0 Low
Torsional stiffness and superior support help this low-cut hiker perform like a bigger boot.
Columbia Conspiracy III
This shoe is a light hiker and a trail runner in one.