Honest, field-minded reviews of outdoor and safety gear.
The AquaQuest Safari is a 70D ripstop nylon tarp with taped seams, a 5,000 mm waterproof rating and 19 tie-outs, at 1.7 pounds (770 g) in the 10 x 10. Light enough to carry and tough enough for regular use, it is the one we would pick first.
The AquaQuest Guide is a 40D ripstop nylon tarp with taped seams and a 5,000 mm waterproof rating that weighs 1.3 pounds (590 g) in the 10 x 10. It is the backpacking tarp of the range, for hammock campers and tarp sleepers who carry their shelter.
The AquaQuest Defender is a heavy 70D nylon tarp with taped seams, a 20,000 mm waterproof rating and 19 tie-outs. At 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) in the 10 x 10 it is built for car camping, canoe trips and base camps, not for counting grams.
The Wise Owl Outfitters camping hammock is a simple nylon hammock that comes with tree straps and carabiners and weighs about a pound. It is the low-cost way to find out whether you can sleep in a hammock before buying a full system.
The onewind 11 ft hammock is long and wide enough to lie flat on the diagonal, and comes with a bug net, an adjustable ridgeline and 12 ft tree straps at 2.6 pounds (1.2 kg). Add a tarp and insulation and it is a complete place to sleep.
The Hennessy Expedition Zip is a complete hammock shelter: asymmetric hammock, sewn-in bug net, structural ridgeline, rain fly and suspension, at 2 lb 12 oz (1.25 kg). It fits campers up to 6 feet (183 cm) and 250 pounds (114 kg).
Most people who die in the backcountry die of exposure, not injury. A 3.8-ounce (108 g) emergency bivvy that reflects most of your body heat is the cheapest insurance you can carry against a cold, unplanned night out. Planning for the worst? Pair this with our guides to emergency shelter and staying warm on a…
When the forecast turns hostile and you still have to sleep out, an ordinary three-season tent is the wrong tool. The MSR Access 2 is a lightweight four-season shelter built for exactly those nights: ski tourers, winter backpackers, and shoulder-season alpine trips where wind and snow load are the real test. Our field rating ★★★★★4.6…
A durable, weather-ready freestanding two-person tent that pitches fast and includes a footprint — the tent to grow into when entry-level shelters start to feel limiting.
The Kelty Discovery Trail is a lightweight, freestanding tent aimed at people getting into backpacking and weekend camping without spending a fortune. It is not the roomiest or most ventilated shelter out there — and it does not pretend to be. What it offers is a genuinely easy pitch and honest durability at a price that makes sense for first seasons and fair-weather trips.
