Camping Gear Reviews & Expert Tips
REI Co-op Magma 15 & 30 Sleeping Bag Review
REI Co-op Magma 15 & 30 Sleeping Bag Review
The REI Co-op Magma 15 and Magma 30 sleeping bags are some of our favorite in terms of quality for money. These bags are ultralight, ultra comfy, and much easier on your wallet than most bags with similar specs. Last season’s Magma bags made our top picks list, and these new bags are also at the very top of our 10 Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags and Quilts list.
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol vs. NEMO Switchback Review
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol vs. NEMO Switchback Review
Closed-cell foam sleeping pads are a popular option among thru-hikers and lightweight backpackers on a budget, and the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol has dominated that market for many years with very little competition. New in 2019, the NEMO Switchback offers some long overdue updates. We were curious to see how the two matched up, so we tested them side by side to determine a winner.
Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Sleeping Pad Review
Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Sleeping Pad Review
New in 2019, the Ether Light XT Insulated is their lightest and thickest insulated sleeping pad yet. This new model incorporates the comfortable “air sprung cells” we love from their other pads with a lofty 4-inch thickness to prevent bottoming out. With an r-value of 3.8 and a durable build, the Ether Light will be a great fit for most 3-season backpacking trips.
NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad Review
NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad Review
For years, the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol Sleeping Pad has been the industry leader foam pad with very little competition, but the NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad brings some long overdue updates to the closed-cell foam pad market. The Switchback features improvements to comfort and packability, and we find it to be superior to other foam pads we’ve tried.
Big Agnes Q Core SLX Sleeping Pad Review
Big Agnes Q Core SLX Sleeping Pad Review
The Big Agnes Q Core SLX is a super cushy sleeping pad that differentiates itself from other pads with its large side rails that help keep users centered.
REI Co-op Magma Trail Quilt 30 Review
REI Co-op Magma Trail Quilt 30 Review
REI has officially entered the quilt market and their first offering is quite competitive, as we would expect. The Magma Trail Quilt 30 has an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, packs down small, and is priced fairly for its quality.
Therm-a-Rest Vesper Quilt Review
Therm-a-Rest Vesper Quilt Review
Therm-a-Rest’s new Vesper Quilt is one of the lightest, most packable quilts on the market. Therm-a-Rest accomplished this by using a simple, effective design with a trim cut, free of all non-essentials, and by using the highest quality materials available.
Feathered Friends Flicker Quilt Sleeping Bag Review
Feathered Friends Flicker Quilt Sleeping Bag Review
The Feathered Friends Flicker Quilt Sleeping Bag is an excellent trail quilt with a great design that will help you sleep comfortably in the wilderness under many different conditions. We absolutely love how it can be opened fully like a blanket or cinched up tight like a mummy bag to hold in heat on chilly nights. It’s a very smart, comfortable, effective, and well-designed quilt sleeping bag.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite Sleeping Pad Review
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite Sleeping Pad Review
We absolutely love how light, compact, quiet, and comfortable the Therm-a-Rest UberLite is. This is the pad you’ll find in our packs for all our summer outings. The main question to ask yourself with this pad is: how often do you backpack in sub-freezing temps? If the answer is rarely, this might be the perfect pad for you.
Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20°F Sleeping Bag Review
Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20°F Sleeping Bag Review
The Hyperion is the newest sleeping bag in Therm-a-Rest’s Fast and Light line and it’s one of the lightest and most compressible bags we’ve ever tested. The Hyperion comes in two temperature ratings (20°F and 32°F), which both use very high-quality 900-fill-power down to make them extremely warm while keeping weight to an absolute minimum.
NEMO Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad Review
NEMO Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad Review
We’ve thoroughly enjoyed testing NEMO’s new Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad on recent camping and backpacking trips in the Pacific Northwest. Its main strengths are being thick, cushy, quiet, and very comfortable.
10 Best Headlamps of 2024
10 Best Headlamps of 2024
Sunset doesn’t have to be the end of the adventure when you’re carrying one of our trail-tested headlamps recommendations.
10 Best Backpacking & Camping Pillows of 2024
10 Best Backpacking & Camping Pillows of 2024
No need to wake up with a knot in your neck. Our list of the best pillows for camping and backpacking has the comfiest options available.
Helinox Chair Zero Review
Helinox Chair Zero Review
Weighing just over a pound, the Helinox Chair Zero features a remarkably low weight, incredible packability, and durable construction unmatched by its competition. After some rigorous field testing of sitting around, we found the Chair Zero’s performance lived up to its reputation.
How to Wash a Down Sleeping Bag
How to Wash a Down Sleeping Bag
A down sleeping bag can be a backpacker’s greatest ally in the wilderness. If treated with care, a down sleeping bag can…
Does Bear Spray Really Work?
Does Bear Spray Really Work?
You’ve packed a can of bear spray and are heading off to your favorite wildlife-populated backcountry. But somewhere in the back…