Gear

Young hikers deserve performance shoes

Pamper your feet with the most supportive footbeds we've tested

These Editors' Choice Green Award-winning socks are soft on the planet-and your feet

Slip into the most comfortable all-leather backpacking boot you've worn in years

Winners of the 2005 Editors' Choice Gold Award, these innovative shades continue to lead eyewear evolution.

Stay dry in the wettest weather with this lid, winner of a 2005 Editors' Choice Gold Award

Be cool in fastpacking's finest footwear

These boats are so light they redefine where you can paddle

Satellite broadcasting gets light, cheap, and trailworthy

Use a map, compass, and GPS unit to plot an ambitious route with this beginner's guide to bushwhacking

This ultralight weekender stabilizes any load

Not going light? Experience a revolution in big-load backpack comfort

This versatile midsize pack is the sweetest deal of the year

Meet the new benchmark in lightweight, three-season shelter

Get started--or get simple--with the best GPS deal

Two tried-and-true favorites--the Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero and the Smith Sliders sunglasses--join our gear hall of fame

Despite its name, Garmont's lighter boot provides excellent support, but a bit too much for fastpackers and trail runners.

This shoe fits the fastpacker interested in traveling long distances on hot days.

Give this boot a little time to really feel broken-in, and it will reward you with years of comfortable hiking.

The Trek brings serious trail mileage capabilities to the original (and winning) Trango S.

Your complete guide to the latest in outdoor electronics, including a smart watch, a weatherproof MP3 player, and the best in GPS.

When it was time for Ladies' Choice, they picked the boot that 'just plain fit.'

Check out the best lightweight boot for your heavyweight foot.

If there's a rough and tough masochist in the ultralight category, it's the Cyclone.

Just ask our Northwest editor how these boots hold up and he'll tell you a little bit about the 13-mile, 6,000-foot-elevation trail he covered. Easy as instant-pudding pie.

What kind of scrambler would pass up a shoe with soles described as Spider-Man-like? C'mon!

Don't underestimate the power of this model's plus sign -- the new and improved shoe almost offers too much to use the same name.

The Terrastryder-Mid triumphs in the "Best Fit" category for the hard-to-fit group -- just beware of its sogginess factor.

This scrambler provides everything you need to go anywhere you want: support, grip, comfort, and waterproofing.

Mesh-covered vents take these strong midcuts into the future of fastpacking shoes.

If you wake up wanting to walk 1,000 miles, go out and purchase a pair of these first.

Testers give the Jannu two thumbs up, despite wanting more space

Carry less, enjoy the cold months more with the latest four-season tents, gloves, hats, and gaiters.

Stay sweat-free in all conditions with this lightweight shell

Two experts debate whether a (very) sophisticated Swiss Army is worth the weight.

A knife expert's guide to blade selection and safety.

Way warm for the weight

Give that old tent a new waterproof coating without shelling out big bucks.

You'll find this bag to be the most comfortable for mild weather.

Great fit, but lacking loft

Call this sack a rebel--a synthetic bag that weighs less and stuffs small.

Easy to pack and easy to vent

Don't tell us money can't buy happiness.

We went to outdoor educators and gear retailers to uncover the most common questions asked about staying dry in the backcountry. Here are the top 6.

How to keep your gear--and yourself--dry on your next backpacking adventure.

How do you know that your gear is crying out for help? Consult our handy list of signs and solutions.

A complete guide to buying gear that will keep you dry--no matter what

You won't miss a thing with this piece of raingear.

You don't have to be a direct Mayflower descendant to appreciate a little Yankee thrift with this rain shell

Look chic when you head for the alpine life.

Racing a storm to a peak is no time to whip out an inferior rain shell.

You think thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail is a long walk?

This super-compact and affordable shell is perfect for the Southwest

Pillows underfoot might be softer, but they won't last like these cushy shoes.

One of the lightest shoes in the test scores big with trail runners.

Ready, set, go. You'll literally run down the trail with these featherweight kicks.

No toes will be lost in these mountaineering boots.

Not a speed demon? These traditionalists are great for light hiking.

Ventilation and traction are a nice combo, but stability doesn't match the best.

Even big guys with wide feet will feel agile with these supportive shoes.

Stop lugging extra water weight. This pack comes with downspouts.

Let others wilt in the heat; your feet are air-cooled by these ventilated runners.

Get the lowdown on what your socks are made of.

Get more mileage from your stockings, on the trail and in the wash

This is one of the lightest three-season sleep systems we've seen

New tools for water navigation: Strap one to your thwart, and you'll never paddle in circles again.

These shoes can handle any terrain.

This bargain bag could turn car campers into ultralight zealots.

What's GPS, how does it work and will it help you? Find answers to these questions and more!

Don't let your GPS unit stump you. Try one of these suggestions to get your unit trail ready.

Learn this mapping technique for better off-trail travel.

The cork-bed of your sandals in a boot.

While these shoes aren't for running they are great on the trail or on the town.

Boreal gives us a boot that provides stability and waterproofing.

Become geckolike the minute you slide into these shoes.

Given an Editors' Choice Award in 2001, this boot continues to be a great value.

Whether you're on rocks or a grassy trail, you're sure to love these boots.

Hike on the trail then run on the road with these versatile shoes.

Light and supportive all in the same package