Gear

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 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.

Tackle the biggest terrain–under the heaviest loads–in this uncommonly comfortable boot.

Tackle the biggest terrain–under the heaviest loads–in this uncommonly comfortable boot.

Tackle the biggest terrain–under the heaviest loads–in this uncommonly comfortable boot.

Tackle the biggest terrain–under the heaviest loads–in this uncommonly comfortable boot.

Tackle the biggest terrain–under the heaviest loads–in this uncommonly comfortable boot.

Tackle the biggest terrain–under the heaviest loads–in this uncommonly comfortable boot.

Tackle the biggest terrain–under the heaviest loads–in this uncommonly comfortable boot.

Tackle the biggest terrain–under the heaviest loads–in this uncommonly comfortable boot.

It's tough to find the perfect something for everyone. These picks should give you some options.

Multi-day trip? No problem. These gifts will have your special someone dialed for their next outing.

These essentials will make your dayhiker the envy of everyone else around the tree.

These gifts pack up so small, they're perfect for any stocking.

A superlight boot for high-mileage speedhikers

A superlight boot for high-mileage speedhikers

A superlight boot for high-mileage speedhikers

A superlight boot for high-mileage speedhikers