May 12, 2013

The Latest

May 12, 2013/ Dave Collins

We're proud to announce the launch of our new website and the launch date for our inaugural video series - Lightweight & Ultralight Backpacking Foundations! Our new website is a work in progress so please excuse any initial bugs that you might run into.

We're building up for a big launch on June 3rd. We'll be releasing two more teaser videos and giving away free CleverHiker merch from our Facebook and Twitter pages, so make sure to "like" and "follow" us. We'll even be releasing the first full video in our series for free! It's going to be a busy few weeks so stay tuned!

GEAR GUIDE 2019

TOP GEAR PICKS 2019

The CleverHiker Top Picks page is reserved for our personal favorite backpacking gear. When we hit the trail, this is what we carry in our packs.

10 BEST backpacking TENTS 2019

Packing a top-notch tent is one of the best ways to increase comfort, safety, and enjoyment on backcountry trips. So when you're in the market for a new shelter, pick up one of the Best Backpacking Tents of 2019.

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10 Best Camping Tents 2019

Choosing a tent that is comfortable, spacious, and easy to setup can make or break a camping trip. Here’s our list of the 10 Best Camping Tents of 2019.

10 BEST SLEEPING BAGS 2019

Looking for some deep trail sleep? Then snuggle up with one of the Best Sleeping Bags & Quilts of 2019.

10 BEST SLEEPING PADS 2019

Nobody likes waking up with numb hips. Get the restful trail sleep you’ve earned with one of the Best Sleeping Pads of 2019.

10 Best Pillows 2019

Because getting good trail sleep is crucial, we’ve researched, field tested, and narrowed this list down to the 10 Best Backpacking & Camping Pillows of 2019.

10 BEST BACKPACKS 2019

If you're planning to hit the trail this year, you’ll probably want one of these badboys on your back. Here's my list of the Best Backpacks of 2019.

10 best shoes & boots 2019

Choosing your footwear will be one of the most important gear decisions you'll make. Check out the Best Hiking Shoes and Boots of 2019 to find the shoe for you.

10 BEST STOVES 2019

A steamy cup of java on a crisp, quiet morning is just about the perfect start to any day in the wilderness. So pick up one of the Best Backpacking Stoves of 2019 and make that moment happen.

10 BEST WATER FILTERS 2019

Staying hydrated and avoiding parasites in the backcountry is critical. We explain the key differences of each water treatment method and share our personal favorites in our list of the Best Water Filters of 2019.

BEST JACKETS 2019

A reliable rain jacket and a warm down coat will protect you against the elements, keeping you dry, safe, and warm in the wilderness. Check out our list of the Best Jackets of 2019.

10 BEST HAMMOCKS 2019

Take your backcountry chillin' game to the next level with one of the Best Backpacking Hammocks of 2019.

10 Best Daypacks 2019

A solid daypack should be a staple of every outdoor enthusiast's gear collection. Ranging from minimalist to fully featured, we bring you our trail-tested Best Daypacks of 2019.

BEST WOMEN'S GEAR 2019

We explore several key differences in women-specific gear. Check out some of our favorite items in our guide to the Best Backpacking Gear for Women.

Best lightweight bACKPACKING FOOD

Your backcountry meal plan should balance weight, nutritional value, caloric density, and convenience. We outline critical considerations and our favorite food choices in our Best Lightweight Backpacking Food Guide.

10 Best Headlamps 2019

With all the technical data to sift through and seemingly endless choices on the market, it can be a real challenge to figure out what to buy. We researched and tested dozens of headlamps to put together this list of this year’s 10 Best Headlamps.

7 Best Trekking Poles

Trekking poles can add a lot of stability and comfort to your hike. We tested dozens of trekking poles to narrow the list down in terms of durability, comfort, weight and value to determine this year's Best Trekking Poles.

6 Best Budget Tents

We put together this list to showcase some solid budget tents that strike a good balance between cost, weight, weather protection, and durability. If you’re on a tight budget or new to backpacking, check out our Best Budget Tents of the year.

100 Gifts for Backpacking, Hiking & Camping

Outdoor adventure gifts are the best kind around. The gift ideas listed in the CleverHiker Gift Guide are can’t miss recommendations for anyone that enjoys backpacking, hiking, and camping. So give a gift that gets someone outdoors this year. Give the gift of adventure!

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8 Iconic Pacific Northwest Backpacking Trips

The Pacific Northwest is an adventure junkie’s paradise. It’s a breathtakingly diverse playground of craggy granite peaks, high alpine lakes, meadows socked with wildflowers, rugged windswept coastline, and more shades of green than your eyeballs can handle.

Top 12 Beginner Backpacking Blunders

If you’ve spent any time in the woods, you’ve probably made some epic backcountry blunders. I certainly have. In fact, the only reason I’m able to give any “clever” hiking advice is because of all the laughably bad mistakes I’ve made over the years. At one point or another I’ve fallen victim to every one of the blunders listed below (and then some!).

21 Tips For the First-Time Thru-Hiker

Completing a thru-hike will be one of the most profoundly rewarding achievements of your life. You’ll spend months communing with nature, build jaw-dropping endurance, and develop lasting friendships along the way. Mustering up the courage to set out on your first thru-hike just might be the best decisions you ever make.

5 Reasons To Ditch Your Hiking Boots

For many of us, it’s been drilled into our heads since day one that backpackers wear boots. That’s just what you do. You need the toughness and the ankle support and the water protection, right? That’s why it blew my mind a few years back when I learned that thru-hikers cover thousands of trail miles every year in running shoes. Now, after many years and many miles, I feel very confident saying: Ditch the boots and don't look back.

How to Wash a Down Coat

A lightweight down coat should be at the center of any good backpacking list. You’ll wear it just about every night on the trail. It’ll keep you toasty warm, even after spending hours jammed into the bottom of your pack. So, considering how essential your down coat is and how often you use it, let me ask you this; when was the last time you washed it?

Yeah… that’s what I thought.

CleverHiker

Lightweight backpacking video guides and reviews of the best ultralight tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, stoves, and more.

Meet Dave & Annie

We're Dave & Annie, the outdoor adventurers behind CleverHiker. We love backpacking, international travel, useful gear, and all things nature. Read more...

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Featured

10 Best Backpacking Tents

Best Camping Tents

10 Best Sleeping Bags

10 Best Sleeping Pads

10 Best Pillows

10 Best Backpacks

10 Best Hammocks

10 Best Shoes & Boots

10 Best Stoves

10 Best Daypacks

6 Best Water Filters

Best Rain & Down Jackets

Best Backpacking Food

Best Headlamps

7 Best Trekking Poles

Best Women's Gear

Gift Guide

Top Gear Picks

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Timberline Trail Day 3: More spectacular weather, water, wildflowers, and Mt Hood views. We finished up our loop (plus side trips) at just over 50 miles and 13k ft of elevation gain/loss. We got back to Ruth the van and had cold beers from one of my favorite breweries waiting for us. All in all, an absolutely fantastic trip. 👌

Timberline Trail Day 2: Barely a cloud in the sky, beautiful views of Hood from all angles, and a lovely sunset with a side of trail snacks and Yahtzee. 👌

Timberline Trail Day 1: A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of circumnavigating Mt. Hood again with one of my dearest friends. We added on a few burley (yet excellent) side trips and had fantastic weather. The wild flowers were out in full bloom and Hood was looking as glorious as ever. Here are some of my favorite shots from our first day on the trail. Photos for days two and three to come soon.

Here’s the last batch of photos from our recent Olympic National Park trip. Such an amazingly beautiful place and we feel so fortunate to have experienced parts of it that few hikers ever get to see. Now on to the next one! Gearing up for the Timberline Trail in a few days. 🤗

Distant mountain views in Olympic National Park 😍. We were treated to this lovely vista on the last day of our trek, after climbing steadily out of the valley below. The night before we camped near that tiny turquoise lake down in the valley 👌

A couple weeks ago Annie and I hiked deep into the heart of Olympic National Park on a long, gorgeous, and strenuous 6-day trek. This is one of my favorite shots from the trip during a magical, misty, moody afternoon in Upper Cameron Basin.

Lovely weekend of tent testing out by Mt Hood!

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Jun 26, 2019, 11:23 AM

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Annapurna Range - Nepal

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn." - John Muir

Half Dome - Yosemite NP

At CleverHiker, we believe that backpacking adventures provide some of life’s most rewarding experiences. Our goal is to help make your adventures as rewarding and enjoyable as possible, and to inspire you to plan your next excursion.

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