Garmin eTrex SE review: the budget handheld GPS that sips batteries
A rugged, waterproof handheld GPS that tracks your route and runs for weeks on two AA batteries. Our field review of the Garmin eTrex SE, the budget dedicated GPS.
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SOG entrenching tool review: the value folding shovel for fire pits and hard digging
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.
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Gerber Dime multitool review: the budget keychain tool you’ll actually carry
A pocketable 12-in-1 mini multitool with spring-loaded pliers, blade, and scissors for a few dollars. Our field review of the Gerber Dime, the budget grab-and-go and first-multitool pick.
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Emergency whistle & signal mirror review: the cheapest way to call for help
The cheapest, lightest piece of safety gear you own may also be the one that saves your life. A whistle and a signal mirror weigh almost nothing, never need a battery or a subscription, and let you call for help when your voice is gone and your phone has no signal. Everyone who goes outdoors…
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BRS-3000T stove review: the ultralight starter that boils for pocket change
Almost nobody’s first backcountry stove needs to be expensive. The BRS-3000T is the tiny titanium canister burner that has introduced more people to hot meals on the trail than almost anything else. It weighs about as much as five sheets of paper, costs less than a takeout lunch, and boils water fast. Our field rating…
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INIU Cougar P62 power bank review: the multi-day, laptop-capable step up
The Enthusiast rung of our power-bank ladder: the INIU Cougar P62 pairs 20,000 mAh with a 65 W USB-C port that genuinely charges a laptop, in a body that still fits a jacket pocket. Real-world capacity lands well under the headline number and port-sharing has hard limits, but for trips beyond a weekend, or one bank for a group, this is the right size class.
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Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Bar review
The lifeboat classic: 3600 calories in 18 individually wrapped 200-calorie bars, for anyone who wants to ration a survival brick into small, exact portions.
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Zippo 12-Hour Refillable Hand Warmer Review
The reusable workhorse: a refillable catalytic warmer that burns cheap lighter fluid for hours of strong, flameless heat. Why it beats disposables over a season, and its quirks.
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Garmin eTrex 32x review: the color-mapping handheld for regular hikers
Preloaded color topo maps, a barometric altimeter, and a 3-axis compass in a rugged AA-powered unit with no subscription. Our field review of the Garmin eTrex 32x handheld GPS.
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Ultralight aluminum trowel review: the budget backpacking cathole digger
A cheap, light aluminum trowel that digs a proper cathole where flimsy plastic scoops fail. Our field review of the budget backpacking trowel for Leave No Trace waste burial.
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TETON Sports mummy sleeping bag review: the warm, cheap starter bag
Your first sleeping bag does not need to cost as much as your tent. The TETON Sports mummy bag has warmed more first-time campers and new backpackers than almost anything in its price range. An affordable, forgiving synthetic mummy that keeps you warm without emptying your wallet. Our field rating ★★★★★4.3 What it does This…
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WATERFLY 35L packable daypack review: the budget grab-and-go bag
Not every hike needs a three-hundred-dollar pack. When you are just getting into day hiking, or you want a featherweight bag that stuffs into a pocket for the summit push or the flight over. The WATERFLY 35L Packable Daypack does the job for the price of a couple of trail lunches. Our field rating ★★★★★4.3…
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Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2 (unisex) review: the ultralight emergency rain suit
A full waterproof jacket-and-pants suit that weighs 10 ounces (280 g) and packs to nothing — the ultralight emergency backup for every pack. Our field review of the Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2.
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SPOT X review: affordable two-way satellite SOS
Once you hike beyond cell coverage, a whistle and a mirror can only reach as far as someone can see or hear you. A satellite messenger changes the equation entirely: it lets you send an SOS, and two-way messages, to search and rescue from almost anywhere on Earth. The SPOT X is an affordable, standalone…
