Gear

Embrace the dad-core vibes, and a 5-liter waist pack may just be the MVP of your gear closet.

Diversifying your footwear keeps your feet dry, comfortable, and healthy. What else could you want?

Freestanding tents are typically considered the gold standard in backpacking shelters. But in some cases, non-freestanding models can be worth the weight savings.

You don't have to shiver in your sleeping bag or cram into a tent just because you’re outside the industry standard for height.

On a long hike, Snickers, GORP, and instant coffee can start to become as draining as the miles. Here are five—admittedly fancy—alternatives we love.

Buy new backpacking gear? In this economy?

You may not have the speed or style of an Olympic athlete, but you can still enjoy a day on the water with this top paddling equipment.

Using lightweight materials and modern construction, these rucksacks are meant for seriously heavy loads.

From a tricked-out watch to a simple yet versatile tarp, these are our editors' top gear picks for July.

The cottage industry is brimming with new products using the latest tech fleece.

Think a tarp is a backpacking non-essential? Think again.

It's Amazon Prime Day—which means big savings on camping and backpacking gear from top brands. Here are a few of the day's best deals.

Over the past 15 years, ultralight gear has gone mainstream—and gotten a bit heavier, too.

You don't finish this butt-kicker of a trail without some seriously good gear.

Check out these editor-approved bargains on everything from lightweight tents to sturdy trekking poles.

With artist prints and thoughtful design, Wild Brush gear stands out for all the right reasons.

From a stink-proof sun hoody to women's pants that actually let you pee freely, these are our editors' top gear picks for June 2024.

Everything you ever wanted to know about sun protection, from UPF ratings to color choices.

Revolutionize the way you hike with these 7 affordable must-haves.

Unplugged thru-hikes are increasingly rare—but not extinct. Here's how to thru-hike without a smart phone.

Father's Day is coming up fast. Here are our top gear picks for dads who hike.

This collection of do-it-all tools from Victorinox, maker of the original Swiss Army Knife™, has you covered at home, in the backcountry, and everywhere in between

The 16-ounce version of everyone's favorite bottle has a surprising number of uses.

Venture off the beaten path to northern British Columbia, where you’ll explore seemingly endless backcountry, meet diverse Indigenous Peoples, and encounter a world of wildlife

Backpacker editors go head to head on the most controversial of feminine hygiene accessories.

It’s pretty dang comfy to hike in, too.

A helmet built for late-season ski tours, a waterproof case built for early-season paddles, and a pair of hiking pants that's comfortable almost anywhere: This is the gear our editors rocked this month.

A cheap, thin pad is the ultimate multi-use accessory.

Thirteen testers sampled 48 meals, snacks, and cooking implements. These five stayed in our packs.

Avoid decision fatigue with our top picks for one of the biggest gear events of the year.

Mountain Equipment’s Katam handles abuse better than any six ounce layer we’ve ever met.

Here’s why we still reach for the Outdoor Research Foray II hike after hike.

At less than an ounce, the BRS 3000T is definitely ultralight. But does it work?

This year’s lineup of electronic devices made the outdoors more accessible, comfortable, and bug-free for our testers.

Choosing a low R-value sleeping pad doesn’t mean skimping on comfort.

We lost sleep over narrow, scratchy, crinkly pads so that you don’t have to

Glen Van Peski’s new memoir dishes out life advice and takes readers behind the scenes at Gossamer Gear.

With its new Mountain Series, watch brand Luminox collaborated with Bear Grylls to create some of its toughest—and most powerful—timepieces yet

With the right tools, making great meals at camp will feel just like cooking at home

When the days are long and the sun is high, these trail-worthy layers protect your skin so you can focus on the adventure ahead

From a perfect set of running shorts to a grid fleece that can do, well, anything, this is the gear that helped us hit the trail this month.

We hiked, ran, skied, and climbed in the dark to find the best head illumination of the year.

Nine testers donned dozens of tops to find the best shirts, midlayers, and wind shells for hiking.

Eight testers ran, trekked, and squatted in dozens of products to find the best bottoms for hiking.

Nine testers donned 32 shirts, jackets, and hoodies for hiking. These five came out on top.

Mystery Ranch’s Radix carries serious cargo without a weight penalty.

Trendy, high-tech pack fabrics aren’t the upgrade you think they are.

For day hikes, you can do no better than this low-top-sneaker fusion from Oboz.

We tested 25 sleeping bags. Only eight of them kept our trekkers toasty and dry all season.

Thanks to impressively lightweight materials and a crazy-high down fill, Sea to Summit’s Spark Pro Down is a fully-featured bag that weighs just over a pound.

This one-pound Dyneema trekking pole shelter can hack it just about anywhere

A backpacking stove made for gourmet meals, a pair of perfect spring layers, and a trail toy to share with your best friend: Here's the gear that elevated our outdoor experience this month.

These ounce-saving sleeping bag alternatives come in more shapes and sizes than ever. This is what you need to know before buying.

Discover the many health-boosting benefits of a night spent outdoors—and how to reap them with the right sleep gear from Sea to Summit

Our columnist takes on a DIY rite of passage.

Ultralight hiking sandals are great camp shoes that can still handle the rigors of life on the trail, but they can be expensive. We tested four designs for making our own.

Keep your feet happy—and active—with the latest addition to Birkenstock’s outdoor adventure line

A cozy fleece cap, a lightweight multitool, and a personal safety tool our editor always carries: Here's the gear that kept us moving on the trail this February.

We put the Traverse's water-shedding tech to the test.

Does the Garmin eTrex Solar live up to the hype?

Modern hiking shoes don’t last long. A few companies are trying to buck that trend.

A winterized trail runner, vegan candy, and a fast-and-light hydration pack: This is the gear that kept us moving this month.

As gear has gotten lighter, the traditional ten-pound baseweight limit for ultralighters has become a thing of the past. It's time to take a more expansive view of what it means to go light.

You’re getting ready to hit the trail but you don’t want to spend a year’s salary on gear. Fear not: It’s possible to find a system that’s both high-performance and affordable. Get equipped and ready to go with this 3 pound, 12 ounce ultralight setup.

The BioLite HeadLamp 800 Pro is a high-powered light with unlimited juice.

Graflyte looks to compete with current ultralight pack material favorite, Ultra.

From improvements in fabrics to new players in the ultralight scene, these are the stories our readers loved this year.

Over a year of backpacking, dayhiking, basecamping, paddling, ski touring, and more, these 11 pieces of gear were our personal MVPs.

LearnMYOG is leading the way for the niche community’s DIY makers and crafters.

Sure, you could send the hiker on your list cash—but these digital gift cards will show them you know what they’re about.

PSL energy gels? Why not?

Light weight, heavy hitters: These affordable gifts will help an aspiring ultralighter shave down their pack weight.

From a trail-ready pourover setup to some smart (and light) spices, these 10 gifts will help up any hiker's cooking game.

Leki’s Hemp One Vario poles prove that hemp is a viable option for sustainable outdoor gear.

This isn't your grandfather's canvas pack: From a lightweight bivy to a foam sleeping pad that adds structure to frameless packs, this gear was made for the trail.

As fall gives way to winter, these smart pieces of gear are keeping us outside.

What do you get for the hiker who has everything? We asked our editors.

Challenge Outdoor's textile lineup is growing. Here's how to know what you’re buying.