Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe review: the benchmark pack axe
The benchmark packable axe: hand-forged in Sweden, shaving-sharp out of the box, and sized for a rucksack – a true buy-it-for-life tool for carving, limbing, and kindling.
-
-
Suunto MC-2 compass review: a real navigation tool, not a backup toy
A GPS runs on batteries; a compass runs on the planet. When the electronics die or the sky closes in, a map and a good compass are what get you home — which is exactly why “map & compass, not just GPS” is one of the ten essentials. The Suunto MC-2 is the compass we recommend to hikers who want a real navigation instrument.
-
Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew (men’s) review: guaranteed for life
Blister-free over rough ground, cool in heat and backed by an unconditional lifetime guarantee. Runs snug, so size up and keep it out of the dryer.
-
Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew (women’s) review: the last sock you buy
Long days without blisters, strong odour resistance and a lifetime guarantee, in a women’s cut. The leg runs compressive, so try one pair first.
-
Garmin Enduro 3 review: the mapping watch for thru-hikes and expeditions
The Garmin Enduro 3 is a solar GPS watch with topographic maps, multi-band GPS, sapphire glass and a flashlight. It is rated at 120 hours of GPS tracking and 36 days as a watch, and comes in one large 51 mm size.
-
AquaQuest Guide tarp review: an ultralight tarp that still handles a storm
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.
-
MSR Lightning Ascent Review: the snowshoe for steep, firm snow
360-degree serrated steel frames, DTX crampons and a pole-flickable heel lift. 4 lb 5 oz (1.96 kg) for the 25 in (64 cm) pair. The snowshoe for traverses and sustained climbs, not Sunday loops.
-
Outdoor Research Aspire 3L (women’s) review: the vented Gore-Tex storm shell
The women’s storm shell for hard weather — durable 3-layer Gore-Tex with TorsoFlo hem-to-bicep venting, built for sustained rain, wind, and alpine objectives.
-
ESEE-4 review: the buy-it-for-life survival knife
A US-made 1095 survival knife with a no-questions lifetime warranty — the buy-it-for-life fixed blade. Our field review of the ESEE-4.
-
Leatherman Surge review: the heavy-duty multitool for serious use
Leatherman’s biggest tool: 21 functions, oversized pliers, full-size lockable blades, replaceable cutters, made in USA. Our field review of the heavy-duty Leatherman Surge.
-
ACR ResQLink 400 review: the subscription-free rescue beacon
When your life is on the line in a remote place, you want the most dependable way to summon rescue, one with no monthly fee to lapse, no messaging to fumble, just a single button wired to the world’s government search-and-rescue satellites. That is exactly what a personal locator beacon is, and the ACR ResQLink…
-
Petzl Swift RL review: the reactive headlamp for moving fast in the dark
For an alpine start at 3 a.m., a technical trail run in the dark, or a ski descent under headlamp, a basic light is not enough. You need serious output and a beam that keeps up with you. The Petzl Swift RL throws 1100 lumens from a 100-gram headlamp and, thanks to a light sensor,…
-
MSR WindBurner review: the stove that wins in wind and cold
On an exposed ridge in a stiff wind, an ordinary canister stove flickers, wastes fuel, and takes forever to boil, if it boils at all. The MSR WindBurner is built to ignore all of that. Its enclosed radiant burner and pressure regulator keep boiling fast and efficient in wind and cold that bring lesser stoves…
-
Grayl GeoPress review: the purifier for water you cannot trust
A hollow-fiber filter handles the backcountry streams of North America beautifully, but point it at a questionable tap in a developing country, or a stagnant pond after a flood, and it meets its limit: viruses. The Grayl GeoPress is built for exactly those consequential situations. Fill it, press it like a French press, and drink…
-
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT review: the winter warmth benchmark
Cold ground steals more warmth than cold air, and in winter it will end a trip fast. The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT is the pad alpinists and mountaineers trust to put a thick layer of insulation between them and frozen, snow-covered ground, a 7.3 R-value in a mattress that still packs to the size of…
-
Osprey Atmos AG 65 review: the load-hauler that floats the weight
A benchmark multi-day pack whose Anti-Gravity suspension makes forty pounds feel like far less — the hauler to trust on long, heavy trips.
-
Hennessy Hammock Expedition Zip review: the complete hammock shelter in one bag
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).
-
Hestra Army Leather Heli Ski 3-Finger review: warm, workable, and built to last
A three-finger leather mitt with a removable liner: among the warmest handwear you can still work in, and built to last for years. For demanding winter trips in cold, dry conditions.
-
Agawa Canyon BOREAL21 review: the packable folding bucksaw
A genuine 21-inch (53 cm) bow saw that folds flat and rips through logs – the packable bucksaw for winter camps and firewood-heavy trips, the saw that makes an axe optional.
-
Smartwool Merino 250 (men’s) review: the base layer to buy once
The men’s base layer to buy once — benchmark merino warmth and odor control with the best cut, seam placement, and durability in the category.
-
Lowa Renegade GTX (women’s) review: the backpacking boot to buy once
The women’s backpacking boot to buy once — a supportive, precise-fitting Gore-Tex boot that carries a loaded pack over rugged ground for years.
-
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer (women’s) review: packable down warmth
The packable-warmth benchmark for women — 800-fill down warmth for half a pound that stuffs into its own pocket, prized by people who live in the backcountry.
-
Smartwool Merino 250 (women’s) review: the base layer to buy once
The women’s base layer to buy once — benchmark merino warmth and odor control with the best cut, seam placement, and durability in the category.
-
CNOC Vecto review: the ultralight collapsible for gravity filtering
The ultralight collapsible that scoops shallow water and threads onto a Sawyer filter for hands-free gravity filtering. Our field review of the CNOC Vecto.
-
Garmin GPSMAP 67 review: the expedition-grade multi-band handheld
Multi-band accuracy that holds in the worst terrain, a 3-inch (7.6 cm) screen, topo maps, and days of battery. Our field review of the Garmin GPSMAP 67, the flagship handheld GPS.
-
Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ review: ultralight folding poles for fast-and-light miles
Ultralight 100% carbon poles that fold into thirds for a pack or running vest, with FlickLock length adjustment. Our field review of the Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ for fast-and-light miles.
-
NEMO Disco review: the premium down bag for sleeping well
Spend enough nights out and you learn that a sleeping bag is not just about a temperature number. It is about how well you actually sleep in it. The NEMO Disco is the premium down bag for hikers who have figured that out: a spoon-shaped, feature-rich bag engineered around real comfort, for people who log…
-
My Medic MYFAK Large review: the serious kit for far from help
Far from a trailhead, hours or days from help, “first aid” stops meaning a bandage and a blister patch and starts meaning managing a real injury until you can get someone out. The My Medic MYFAK Large is built for that reality: a 150-item, EMT-grade kit organized to handle serious situations, not just scrapes. Our…
-
Salomon Quest 4 GTX (men’s) review: the backpacking boot for heavy loads
Strap on a heavy multi-day pack and point yourself at steep, rough, rooty terrain, and a light trail shoe stops being enough. Your ankles and feet need real support and protection. The Salomon Quest 4 GTX is built for exactly that: a supportive, waterproof backpacking boot engineered to carry a load over hard ground trip…
-
MSR Access 2 tent review: the four-season shelter for winter trips
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…
-
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer (men’s) review: packable down warmth
The packable-warmth benchmark for men — 800-fill down warmth for half a pound that stuffs into its own pocket, prized by people who live in the backcountry.
-
Outdoor Research Foray 3L (men’s) review: the venting Gore-Tex shell for hard weather
A durable 3-layer Gore-Tex hardshell with full hem-to-bicep side venting for hard mountain weather. Our field review of the Outdoor Research Foray 3L.
-
Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3 power bank review: the ultralight benchmark
A phone running GPS with a bright screen is doing the most power-hungry work it can do, and the backcountry has no outlets. The Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3 is the power bank serious backpackers keep landing on: a full 10,000 mAh in a carbon fibre body barely heavier than most 5,000 mAh banks, tough enough for trail life, and light enough that it never gets left at home to save weight.
-
Karecel Rechargeable Hand Warmer Review
Instant, adjustable, double-sided rechargeable heat that doubles as a power bank. The most convenient warmer for frequent cold-weather use, and where its battery falls short.
-
SOG entrenching tool review: a folding survival shovel
A folding high-carbon-steel shovel that digs fire pits, trenches runoff, and clears snow, then packs to hand size. Our field review of the SOG entrenching tool, the best-value camp e-tool.
-
Altra Lone Peak 9 (women’s) review: a trail shoe shaped like a foot
A wide, foot-shaped toe box, zero drop and a wide option. The trail runner for long days when your toes need room, with average grip on wet ground and early collar wear.
-
Altra Lone Peak 9 (men’s) review: the long-trail shoe with room for your toes
The long-trail favourite: a foot-shaped toe box on a zero-drop platform. Superb fit for high-mileage hikers, with average wet traction and a transition that needs respect.
-
La Sportiva TX4 Evo (women’s) review: sure-footed on rock, if the fit suits you
A precise, sticky, supportive approach shoe for scrambles and rock approaches. Excellent if it fits, but it runs narrow and small, so try it on first.
-
La Sportiva TX4 Evo (men’s) review: a technical approach shoe with a fit you must check
Vibram Megagrip, a climbing zone and a resoleable leather build for scrambles and talus. Superb on rock, but narrower and shorter than the original TX4, so fit it before you trust it.
