Gear Review: Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody
A long-sleeved shirt built for hot and sunny weather.
Gear
Gear
Gear Review: Dahlgren Backpacking Sock
Socks that stay plush through heavy miles.
Gear Review: Bridgedale X-Hale Light Hiker with NanoGLIDE Socks
Socks with friction protection in all the right places.
Gear Review: Darn Tough Vermont True-Seamless Socks
Socks that promise no blisters–and deliver.
Gear Review: Granite Gear Uberlight eVent Stuffsack
These Cuben Fiber stuffsacks are light and tough.
Gear Review: Brunton Restore Solar Charger
This bomber solar charger was the most durable of all the models we tested.
Gear Review: Energizer's Xpal SP2000 Power Pack
A hybrid battery and solar array.
Gear Review: Goal Zero's Nomad 7M Charger
Through the use of monocrystalline solar cells, Goal Zero created a super effective charger.
Gear Review: Helly Hansen Muru Short
Shorts that move but aren't baggy.
Gear Review: Balanzza Mini Scale
Check out Kelly Bastone's author page.
Gear Review: The North Face Leonidas Jacket
A stretchy, three-season jacket
Gear Review: GoLite Malpais Jacket
A ridiculously light shell that also blocks wind and rain.
Gear Review: Marmot Ether DriClime Jacket
Check out Kelly Bastone's author page.
Gear Guide 2011: Weekend Packs
These packs will comfortably hold all your Friday-Sunday needs.
Gear Review: Stoic Welder Lo Jacket
The perfect three-season jacket.
Gear Guide: Lowe Alpine Alpine Attack 45 Weekend Pack
This pack is thousand-foot glissades and crampon/ice axe friendly.
Spring-Fed Water
Is it safe to drink untreated ground water?
Gear Review: Granite Gear Nimbus Trace 62 Weekend Pack
A weekend pack that can handle overtime.
Gear Review: REI ecoSensitive Revelcloud Jacket
PrimaLoft, DWR-treated Pertex Quantum, and recycled polyester make this a warm and eco-friendly puffy jacket.
Gear Review: Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka
A hooded, 800-fill down puffy.
Gear Review: Jetboil Crunchit
Easily puncture and crush spent fuel cans with this handy tool.
Gear Review: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider Weekend Pack
If you travel light and fast, this is your weekend pack.
Gear Review: Gregory Baltoro 65 Weekend Pack
An updated version of a previous Editors' Choice Awards winner.
Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Cohesion Stretch Pant
Lightweight and durable shell pants.
Gear Review: Cocoon Ultralight Air-Core Pillow
A compact pillow that inflates to 12x15".
Gear Review: REI Passage 65 Weekend Pack
Just $149 can buy you a great pack.
Gear Review: Kuhl Renegade Pants
Styled like cotton pants, but built to work out.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Revival 65/Jubilee 65 Weekend Pack
If you're an organizer, this is the pack for you.
Gear Review: Loksak's OPSAK bag
These resealable, washable, and polyethylene bags protect food and toiletries from small critters.
Gear Review: Sky Tonight Star Charts
Chart your campsite's night sky with customizable maps.
Gear Review: Pre-packaged Dinners
You won't go hungry with these backcountry dinners.
Gear Review: Pre-packaged Lunches & Snacks
Easy-to-eat lunches and snacks that actually taste good.
Gear Review: Pre-packaged Breakfasts
Oatmeal, granola, and eggs–backcountry style.
Gear Review: Leki Aergon Photoadapter Kit
Turn your Leki trekking pole into a monopod for photo ops.
Gear Review: Hurraw! Lip Balm
Handmade from fair-trade ingredients, this lip balm has BACKPACKER editors raving.
Gear Review: Petzl Core Headlamp
A rechargeable and programmable headlamp.
Gear Review: Primus PrimeTorch 1010
A 140-lumen beam in a lipstick-size flashlight.
Gear Review: Coghlan's Cooler Light
A light for your cooler–perfect for car camping.
Gear Review: Pelican HeadsUP Lite 2690 LED Headlamp
An easy-to-use headlamp (even with gloves on).
Gear Review: Lorpen Kids Light Hikers
Merino/synthetic socks that will make kids' feet happy.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Hurricane Accelerator Shell
A hooded, seam-taped, DWR-treated rain jacket for kids.
Gear Review: REI's Tarn 18 Pack
A kid-size mileage logging pack.
Gear Review: Patagonia Kid's Capilene 3 Midweight Crew Baselayer
For outdoor kids, a baselayer that will keep them dry and warm.
Gear Review: Baladeo 22G Knife
A full-size, three-inch blade that's sharp and light.
Gear Review: Adventure Medical Kits Core Lite Knife
A knife, whistle, and light in one.
Gear Review: Callpod Fueltank DUO Rechargeable Battery Pack
A rechargeable, lithium-ion battery pack for all your gadgets.
Gear Review: RoadID's Wrist ID Sport
A bracelet with all your vital information in case of emergency.
Gear Review: Rab Aeon Print T-shirt
A polyester performance t-shirt that's worth every penny–and we're giving away four! Read on to win!
Gear Review: Outdoor Research Echo Cap
A stretchy, superbreathable sun hat.
Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Downpour Wide Brim Rain Hat
A storm shell and umbrella for your head
Gear Review: Chaos Dri-Release Multi-Tasker Pro Balaclava
A versatile balaclava made of a blend of fabrics.
Gear Review: ENO ProNest Hammock
Set up camp anywhere with this easy-to-use hammock.
Gear Review: Apples to Apples
While away tent hours with this fun card game.
Gear Review: Black Diamond GTX FrontPoint Gaiters
Bomber gaiters that block out slime.
Gear Review: Stoic Welder Gauntlet Mitt
A 100-percent wool-lined glove that heats hands instantly.
Gear Review: Black Diamond Arc Gloves
A great all-purpose glove for high-output activities.
Gear Review: Outdoor Research Backstop Gloves
Gore Windstopper covers the back of the hand from cuff to fingertips.
Gear Review: Zeal Tenacity Sunglasses
High performance shades scaled down to fit small and medium faces.
Gear Review: Julbo MonteBianco Sunglasses
High-elevation glasses that have city street style.
Gear Review: Ryders Eyewear Vela Interchangeable Sunglasses
High quality interchangeable optics for one low price.
Gear Review: Smith Pivlock V90 Sunglasses
Rimless and interchangeable
Gear Review: Adventure Medical Kits' S.O.L. 3 Survival, Medical & Gear Repair Pak
A first aid kit that can handle way more than blisters.
Gear Review: Planet Dog Natural Hemp Adjustable Collar and Leash
Check out Kelly Bastone's author page.
Gear Review: Ruff Wear Cloud Chaser
A primo softshell jacket...for your dog.
Gear Review: Black Diamond Contact Crampons
Stainless steel crampons that bite into ice and repel slushy buildup.
Gear Guide 2011: Daypacks
For a day outside, grab one of these trail-tested packs.
Gear Review: Osprey Sirrus 24 Women's Daypack
The fit and comfort of this pack scored high with all our female testers.
Gear Review: Deuter Speed Lite 15
A 15 liter daypack that's small, light, and tough.
Gear Review: Black Diamond Axis 33 Daypack
A tough pack made for climbing rock.
Gear Review: Mammut Creon Light 32 Daypack
If you only want one daypack, ever, this is your pack.
Gear Review: ContourHD Camera
A tiny helmet cam with above average sound quality.
Gear Review: CamelBak Highwire 25 Daypack
A 100-ounce reservoir makes this hydration pack the best of the bunch.
Gear Review: Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA102YL Camera
A waterproof video camera that's reasonably priced.
Gear Review: Pentax K-5 Camera
A tough DSLR that's perfect for shooting wildlife thanks to its quiet shutter.
Gear Review: Pentax Optio W90 Camera
An all-conditions, high-value performance point-and-shoot camera.
Gear Review: Brunton Pioneer 26DNL Compass
A compass that floats.
Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero Shoe
550-fill down booties that are perfect winter camp shoes.
Gear Review: Patagonia Advocate Shoes
A leather slipper with a rubber sole–the perfect camp shoe.
Gear Review: Therm-a-Rest Trekker Lounge Chair
Turn any standard-size sleeping pad into a decadent recliner.
Gear Review: Clik Elite Access Pack
A light and streamlined chest camera pack.