Gear

Keep your wine at the perfect temperature in the backcountry with this perfectly sized bottle.

A souped-up trail runner.

With a 100-ounce reservoir and shoulder straps and hipbelt that hugged our testers' every curve, this pack excelled at hauling water on the move.

With a wide mouth, stainless steel construction, and large capacity, this water bottle did the trick on a hike of Vermont's Long Trail.

Lighter than many carbon-fiber models and extremely collapsible, these poles are perfect for all hikers and ultralighters.

Featuring a merino lining and insulated with Primaloft these gloves were soft enough for nose-wiping yet tough enough for ice axes and high-friction rappelling.

With a snug fit and excellent compression system, this daypack handles up to 20 pounds and stuck like glue canyoning in southern Utah.

At 10.5 ounces, this jacket worked as a windshell in the Swiss Alps and and handled rain and wind in New England and the Rockies.

The Coast Lenser is the lightest and cheapest headlamp we tested.

The Mammut Lucido provides the steadiest light.

The Petzl Tikka features the best light quality.

The Black Diamond Spot has the brightest light and best battery life.

This best all-around headlamp passed every test we threw at it.

This top-shelf GPS can pinch hit as a digital camera.

This top-shelf GPS can pinch hit as a digital camera.

This top-shelf GPS can pinch hit as a digital camera.

This top-shelf GPS can pinch hit as a digital camera.

This top-shelf GPS can pinch hit as a digital camera.

This top-shelf GPS can pinch hit as a digital camera.

This wrist-ready, weather-resistant GPS device is only 2.2 ounces.

Easy to read touch screen with a tough hard-shell

This top-shelf GPS can pinch hit as a digital camera.

Easy to read touch screen with a tough hard-shell

This top-shelf GPS can pinch hit as a digital camera.

Easy to read touch screen with a tough hard-shell

This top-shelf GPS can pinch hit as a digital camera.

This top-shelf GPS can pinch hit as a digital camera.

This watch boasts all the bells and whistles of a great training watch and GPS device.

Check out Bryan Bardley's author page.

Check out Backpacker Editors's author page.

Every week we go into our gear closet and pull out a sweet prize.

This all-purpose midweight hits the hiking boot trifecta–great fit, support, and price.

Here's high-performance proof that a big pack can have a small footprint.

Sleep-anywhere evidence that luxury and lightweight can go hand in hand.

This classic windshirt–a favorite of BACKPACKER testers for 15 years–goes green.

Don't ask yourself if you need this useful little widget. The question is: How many?

Get clean drinking water in mere seconds with this ultralight, ultra-quick filter.

Be the brightest hiker on the block with this laser-like headlamp.

Unparalleled breathability and clean, lightweight designs distinguish the year's top shells.

Charge your light (and cell phone, too!) with this bright lamp and its companion solar panel.

Got a big load to carry? Put it in this ultra-comfortable pack and forget about it.

Now you can call in a rescue–or simply send the OK signal–from anywhere.

These sacks are warm like the Grand Canyon is big: You gotta experience it to understand it.

The Khumbu is an all-terrain mountain boot with a design that promotes comfortable walking for any kind of adventure.

The Khumbu is an all-terrain mountain boot with a design that promotes comfortable walking for any kind of adventure.

It packs down as small as a summer bag and weighs just two pounds

It packs down as small as a summer bag and weighs just two pounds

Ten reader-testers hiked nearly 1,000 miles to rate new midsize load haulers. Their five picks: five models that deliver comfort, affordability, and convenience.

4 featherweight sleepers for all types of ounce-counters, spring through fall.

With just 700-fill-down, a warmth-trapping hood, a radical, weight-saving design and no zipper-- or pad straps--that's innovation.

Stuffed with 800-plus-fill down, the Arc Specialist is a hoodless, mummy-shaped bag that's warm right down to its 32 F degree rating.

Check out 2010 Reader Test Team's author page.

Check out 2010 Reader Test Team's author page.

Forget the frills: This shell provides superior breathability with lightweight, all-season protection
.

Hate hoses? This bottle/filter combo is perfect for ultralighters in wet places

These tough pants excel (and look snazzy) in all seasons.

Enjoy features galore without emptying your wallet with this light-duty pack.

This winter winner performs best on cold-weather hikes, climbs, and ski tours.

Obsessive-compulsive packers will appreciate this pack's organization options.

This comfortable pack offers stability on tough and uneven terrain.

This best-overall pack's simple design will win over ultralighters and traditional backpackers alike.

Existing model

Existing model

It packs down as small as a summer bag and weighs just two pounds

It packs down as small as a summer bag and weighs just two pounds

It packs down as small as a summer bag and weighs just two pounds

The Khumbu is an all-terrain mountain boot with a design that promotes comfortable walking for any kind of adventure.

The Khumbu is an all-terrain mountain boot with a design that promotes comfortable walking for any kind of adventure.

The Khumbu is an all-terrain mountain boot with a design that promotes comfortable walking for any kind of adventure.

The Khumbu is an all-terrain mountain boot with a design that promotes comfortable walking for any kind of adventure.

The Khumbu is an all-terrain mountain boot with a design that promotes comfortable walking for any kind of adventure.

The Khumbu is an all-terrain mountain boot with a design that promotes comfortable walking for any kind of adventure.

The Khumbu is an all-terrain mountain boot with a design that promotes comfortable walking for any kind of adventure.