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Backpacking Gear Reviews, Expert Tips, & Trail Guides

We hope to inspire adventure and promote wilderness conservation through in-depth gear reviews, skill-based tutorials, and comprehensive trip guides.

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Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads of 2025
a hiker blowing air into a sleeping pad pump sack

Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads of 2025

Whether you’re looking for inflatable or foam, ultralight or ultra-plush, we’ll help you get a great night’s sleep in the backcountry with our trail-tested picks…
Best Backpacking Meals & Food of 2025
A hiker eating from a titanium backpacking pot in a lush, green forest

Best Backpacking Meals & Food of 2025

Backpacking Food Meal planning is one of the most important considerations for any backpacking trip. The food you choose will depend on taste preference, nutritional value, caloric density of each meal, and how easy it is to cook. Some hikers bring dehydrated meals because they’re quick and easy. Others prepare DIY dinner recipes and use […]
Best Backpacking Backpacks of 2025

Best Backpacking Backpacks of 2025

Whether you’re looking to tackle a thru hike or haul some serious gear, we’ve got backpack recommendations for every type of adventure.
Best Backpacking Tents of 2025
The NEMO Hornet OSMO 2 and Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 backpacking tents pitched in a campsite surrounded by granite peaks in the Sawtooth Mountains

Best Backpacking Tents of 2025

We put the most promising backpacking tents on the market through the wringer to find the ones with the best balance of comfort, weight…
Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2025
A backpacker sitting on a rock in the REI Magma 30 sleeping bag at sunset

Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2025

From summer summits to winter wanderings, our trail-tested list of the best backpacking sleeping bags will keep you warm and cozy in…
Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025
Closeup of the Sawyer Squeeze water filter in front of an alpine lake

Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

We’ve filtered out the nonsense to bring you our purest recommendations of the best water filters around.

All Backpacking Gear Reviews, Expert Tips, & Trail Guides Content

Ultralight Backpacking Basics

Ultralight Backpacking Basics

We break down what you need to know to start ultralight backpacking – whether you’re new to backpacking or a traditional backpacker looking to lighten your load.
Backcountry Weather Forecasts

Backcountry Weather Forecasts

These 4 tips will help you check backcountry weather forecasts before you head off into the wilderness
Best 4-Season Tents of 2025
The Samaya 2.0 tent pitched on snow with evergreen trees and panoramic views of rugged mountain peaks in the background.

Best 4-Season Tents of 2025

The fun doesn’t stop when snow starts to fall. All of our top-rated winter tent picks are trail-tested in the mountains so you can find a trustworthy shelter for 4-season adventuring.
Do You Really Need a Tent Footprint & How to Choose

Do You Really Need a Tent Footprint & How to Choose

Tents are expensive, so do you really need to spend another $40 on a footprint to protect its floor? Here’s our expert take
Collegiate Peaks Loop Backpacking Guide

Collegiate Peaks Loop Backpacking Guide

Searching for an epic two-week Colorado backpacking adventure? The Collegiate Peaks Loop may be what you’re looking for!
What to Wear Hiking & Backpacking: The Ultralight Packing Guide

What to Wear Hiking & Backpacking: The Ultralight Packing Guide

We use our combined 100 years of backpacking experience to put together this packing guide for lightweight adventures.
A Complete Guide to Hiking the Colorado Trail

A Complete Guide to Hiking the Colorado Trail

Stretching from Denver to Durango, the Colorado Trail is a full of challenges and rewarding experiences. Here are our first-hand tips for hiking the CT
Sawback Trail Backpacking Guide, Banff National Park

Sawback Trail Backpacking Guide, Banff National Park

The Sawback Trail in Banff National Park is a 74 km (46 mile) traverse through the rugged and beautiful Sawback Mountain Range. With most people flocking to crowded trails on the west side of the Trans Canada Highway, this trek provides a true backcountry feel in a stunningly beautiful wilderness. 
Best Winter Jackets for Men of 2025
A man with a backpack wearing a red REI Stormhenge winter jacket in a snowy scene

Best Winter Jackets for Men of 2025

We’ve taken the guesswork out of finding the best jackets to bundle up in and keep you warm and dry this winter season.
Reflection Canyon Ultimate Backpacking Guide
an aerial view of reflection canyon with rocks in a circle shape and water between them

Reflection Canyon Ultimate Backpacking Guide

A place made iconic by a National Geographic photographer (and subsequently a screen saver), Reflection Canyon, located on the Escalante arm of Lake Powell, perennially entices hikers far and wide. Though stunningly beautiful, we only recommend this hike to experienced backpackers with expert off-trail navigation skills.
A Complete Guide to Hiking the John Muir Trail

A Complete Guide to Hiking the John Muir Trail

Planning for your thru-hike of the JMT can be a daunting task. This guide breaks down every detail, so you can pull off the adventure of a lifetime
21 Tips For First-Time Thru-Hikers
PCT blaze buried in a sappy tree

21 Tips For First-Time Thru-Hikers

Are you considering the challenging yet profoundly rewarding experience of a thru-hike? Here are a few trail-tested tips to get you started
Best Tips for Hiking & Backpacking with a Dog
two backpackers and a dog taking a break on the ground

Best Tips for Hiking & Backpacking with a Dog

Following the tips in this guide will prepare you and your pooch for the trail and build confidence to take them…
5 Reasons To Ditch Your Hiking Boots
Hiker showing the bottom of the Oboz Katabatic LT Mid Gore-Tex Hiking Boots

5 Reasons To Ditch Your Hiking Boots

Bye-bye boots, hello happy feet! See why trail runners and hiking shoes rule the trail when the miles pile up.
20 Tips for Backpacking in the Desert

20 Tips for Backpacking in the Desert

Desert hiking offers some of the most stunning scenery. In this guide, we offer our tips and tricks for staying safe and healthy in this beautiful but harsh landscape.
Trekking In Nepal – A Comprehensive Guide

Trekking In Nepal – A Comprehensive Guide

Nepal is a backpacker’s dream come true, and planning a trek in Nepal isn’t as difficult as you might think. This guide will help you plan your next trip
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