Gear

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

For the price, the Lafuma Manang 65+20 packs a hard punch with superb padding and durability.

Ward off the chill of cooler temps with these Backpacker-tested base layers and shells

Cutting-edge fabrics make outdoor gear eco-friendly.

Stay light on your feet with the Lafuma Active Raid GTX XCR, Garmont Eclipse XCR, Merrell Chameleon II XCR, Montrail Mountain Mist XCR, and Vasque Breeze Low XCR.

How the warm-weather down mummy bags Marmot Atom, Montbell Super Stretch Down Hugger #3, Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32, and Feathered Friends Osprey stack up.

Midsize internal-frame backpacks that do everything--and do it well

Go light on your feet with the Adidas Cloudcap XCR and Garmont Nasty.

A pack that's comfortably and curiously strong.

For just over 3 ounces, you get a smart, powerhouse light with all the functions you'll ever need.

Get a mobile phone, data organizer, walkie-talkie, and GPS, all in one device.

If cost is no object, this unit is like having an interactive topo map at your fingertips.

You'll never lose your partner if you're each carrying a Rino.

A favorite unit for beginners

Get killer ankle and underfoot support in an ultralight hiking boot.

This rugged unit will let you call home from the trail

Testing confirms it: You can get a real rain jacket for less than 8 ounces.

A reliable and moderately priced unit with high-end capabilities

A pack that cuts the weight without sacrificing the comfort.

A pack with everything you need.

An ultralight pack that can hold a sizable load.

A traditional tent with ample room for one.

5 ways to get rid of unneeded pounds without buying a new pack

An aluminum cookset that's light in your pack and on your wallet.

The lightest freestanding double-wall tent in the universe.

A weather- and bug-proof tent of negligible weight.

Pick up the pace with these lightweight trekking poles.

An atypical hoop tent that's cleverly spacious.

Boots that are amazingly stable, delightfully lightweight, and surprisingly waterproof.

A two-setting headlamp with sharp, shadow-free light and a great price.

A spacious ultralight tent that stays dry.

Breathable low-cut hikers for medium-volume feet.

An economically-priced sleeping bag that's one sweet deal.

A bright mini-lamp with one-click operation.

Light boots that are good for medium-sized feet.

A sleeping bag that's ideal for small women.

A headlamp with a swiveling compact head and easy-to-use buttons.

Boots for women that are both sturdy and compact.

A water bottle that doubles as an emergency lantern.

A pack that's light, affordable, and durable.

Keep your feet warm and dry while snowshoeing, camping, and shoveling the driveway with the Columbia Ice Dragon, North Face Ice Storm GTX, and Kamik Patriot.

Holds a week's worth of three-season supplies--or just enough for a light summit day

You'll never miss a shot with this camera's lightning-fast lens.

Proven extra-tough after 30 straight days of hiking

How to make your cold months warmer: boots, bags, jackets, backpacks, and booties for frosty weather

Film your first wildlife documentary with this svelte digital video recorder.

Our tester praises the 'rip-proof, poke-proof, and amazingly waterproof' fabric of the Traverse

This low-cut's shallow tread grips well through it all

Keep from tripping over your partner with this tent made for two

Capture every backcountry moment with this wafer-slim digital camera

Pinch me: Our favorite bag is also the least expensive.

This furnace comes in a small package, but substitute your own stuff sack.

Sleep warm, carry less with these 20-degree sacks.

Slash weight, not weather protection, with this year's top new ultralight tents.

How to get the most out of your trekking poles

Socks so darn perfect they can make a thief out of your dearest friend

Catch the hot spot before it's too late

Comfortable, water-resistant fabric earns points lost from this jacket's boxy fit

A hiking boot that provides outstanding protection against rocks, cactus, snow, and rain

Budget shopper or big spender? We have the perfect three-season layering system for you.

Enough support and comfort to carry a big load for 56 miles in four days--that is, if you're up to it

Want to impress friends and family? Strap this baby to your pack.

What to do when your soles come undone.

An affordable two-person tent that holds up in any weather, spring through fall

An ultralight backpack that does it all

A bargain pack with enough room for winter gear, a week's worth of food, camera supplies, and more--as long as it's all under 45 pounds

Three tents that'll save you money, weight, your friendship, and your head

A light pack cover that kept contents dry in rain from New Zealand to the Pacific Northwest

A bargain base layer designed to maximize wicking and enhance layering