Home > Backpacking

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.

Popular Content

Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads of 2025
A backpacker holding the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite in Yosemite National Park

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

Our team of seasoned backcountry experts hiked thousands of miles using the best backpacking packs on the market to narrow down this list of…
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

Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie Sun Shirt Review
hiker walking around pine forest

Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie Sun Shirt Review

With expert sun protection, all-day comfort, quick-drying fabric, and a delightful zippered pocket at the side, this is one of the best overall sun shirts on the market.
REI Sahara Shade Sun Shirt Review
woman hiking in high desert with dog

REI Sahara Shade Sun Shirt Review

A top-rated CleverHiker shirt that’s also reasonably priced, this sun shirt is lauded for its comfort, fit, and excellent sun protective features.
Milk & Whiskey Chaser Sun Shirt Review
woman hiking with backpacking pack on in pine forest

Milk & Whiskey Chaser Sun Shirt Review

Sun protection, soft hand-feel, and incredible fit made this sun shirt earn a top spot on our guide to the best sun shirts.
Jolly Gear Triple Crown Button Down Sun Shirt Review
Woman in floral sun shirt looking out at view of foothills in high desert detting

Jolly Gear Triple Crown Button Down Sun Shirt Review

Snack pockets, adjustable hood, thumbholes, hood with vent/ponytail slot, and UPF 30 protection. The Jolly Gear Triple Crown Button Down is a thoughtfully designed, thru-hike tested sun shirt worthy of a rave review.
Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Long Sleeve Hoody Sun Shirt Review
Hiker looking at friend during conversation

Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Long Sleeve Hoody Sun Shirt Review

A great pick for staying comfortable in the sun, this lightweight, heavenly soft sun shirt provides excellent sun protection, good breathability and wicking.
Best Sun Shirts of 2025
Woman in floral sun shirt looking out at view of foothills in high desert detting

Best Sun Shirts of 2025

We rooted through outdoor brands for the best sun protective shirts and then put the top ten through tough adventures and many miles to give you the most complete guide to the best sun shirts for hiking.
Outdoor Research Echo Sun Shirt Review
woman hiking with pack on in high desert landscape

Outdoor Research Echo Sun Shirt Review

The ultimate lightweight sun shirt that features excellent breathability and wicking powers. Long loved by CleverHiker thru-hiking staff, this is the top you want when you only have one shirt in your pack.
Free Fly Bamboo Lightweight Hoodie Sun Shirt Review
woman hiking with day pack in rocky high desert landscape

Free Fly Bamboo Lightweight Hoodie Sun Shirt Review

Perfect for taking into town, this shirt is flattering and has an irresistible silky fabric with a UPF 20+ rating so you can stay out all day.
Free Fly Bamboo Shade Hoodie Sun Shirt Review
woman hiking in high desert

Free Fly Bamboo Shade Hoodie Sun Shirt Review

This ultra-comfortable sun shirt is a solid choice for casual hikers seeking reliable sun protection on cool, sunny days. While it doesn’t have the high-tech features of some top-rated options, it offers great value for the price.
Minus 33 Micro Weight Woolverino 1/4 Zip Sun Hoodie Review
woman hiking with backpacking pack on through high desert

Minus 33 Micro Weight Woolverino 1/4 Zip Sun Hoodie Review

This breathable, lightweight sun shirt features a wool-based fabric that handles changing temperatures (even when sweaty) like a pro.
Arc’teryx Women’s Taema / Men’s Cormac Hoody Sun Shirt Review
woman hiking and running through high desert

Arc’teryx Women’s Taema / Men’s Cormac Hoody Sun Shirt Review

A CleverHiker favorite, this ultralight, breathable, quick-drying, and anti-odor treated sun shirt is the champion of summer and winter outings.
Best Power Banks for Backpacking of 2025
The Iniu 20000 PD power bank sitting on a granite slab while charging a rechargeable Biolite headlamp with the Wallowa Mountains at sunset in the background

Best Power Banks for Backpacking of 2025

Supercharge your backcountry adventures with our guide to the most portable, dependable, and lightweight power banks out there.
Best Hiking Socks of 2025
Closeup of a hiker's feet in the Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew socks and Salomon X Ultra shoes on the rim of the Grand Canyon

Best Hiking Socks of 2025

Keep blisters at bay with the perfect pair of well-cushioned hiking socks. Check out our top picks to pamper your feet on your next backpacking adventure.
Zpacks Vertice Rain Pants Review

Zpacks Vertice Rain Pants Review

These are the ultimate ultralight and waterproof rain pants ideal for thru-hikes and wet trail travels.
Montbell Versalite Rain Pants Review

Montbell Versalite Rain Pants Review

If you want to be ultralight in all conditions, then you need to know Montbell. These rain pants are perfect for active adventurers seeking lightweight, durable gear.
Outdoor Research Men’s Foray / Women’s Aspire Rain Pants Review
Closeup of someone wearing the Outdoor Research Foray pants on a snowy trail.

Outdoor Research Men’s Foray / Women’s Aspire Rain Pants Review

A perfect companion to a rainy hike, bike, or campout, these rain pants are designed with thoughtful features to keep you happy and dry while the weather tries to do the opposite.
1 2 3 33