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Backpacking Light

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You are here: Home / Archives for Gear Reviews / Gear Guides

Gear Guides

Gear Guides offer a cursory overview of a product category, with a summary of available products with their features, specifications and applications compared. Gear Guides offer less emphasis on field performance than in a State of the Market Report (i.e., this is sort of a “SpotLite” version of a State of the Market Report), but increased emphasis on showing the breadth of the product category. Gear Guides are a great resource for comparison shopping as a starting point for further research.

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Lightweight Trekking Pole Reviews & Gear Guide

Nov 21, 2018 by Backpacking Light

This lightweight trekking poles gear guide discusses the scientific justification for/against poles, and features reviews of 14 models.

black diamond, gossamer gear, helinox, Komperdell, Leki, locus gear, Mons Peak IX, rei, ruta locura, trekking poles, zpacks

Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Backpacking Dinners (Gear Guide)

May 25, 2018 by Ryan Jordan

This gear guide features several dozen options for freeze-dried and dehydrated backpacking dinners from many different brands and provides nutritional information on each one for comparison purposes.

alpineaire, backpacker's pantry, Backpacking Food, Good To-Go, mary jane's farm, mountain house, OMeals

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2017 Backpacking Light Staff Picks

Dec 31, 2017 by Ryan Jordan

The Backpacking Light Staff Picks Gear Guide offers what we consider to be our personal recommendations for high-quality, high-performance, lightweight backpacking gear that we’ve actually used this year.

altra, arc'teryx, black diamond, BRS, buff, Butt in a Sling, Fozzils, katadyn, montbell, mountain laurel designs, Nemo Equipment, Nightcore, Northstar Canoes, Nunatak, Osprey, Outdoor Research, Patagonia, Petzl, rei, Ripstop by the Roll, seek outside, Staff Favorites, staff picks, Superior Wilderness Designs, Tech4o, Zelph, zpacks

Publisher’s Gear Guide: My Personal Lightweight Backpacking Gear Recommendations

Dec 12, 2017 by Ryan Jordan

A summary of gear that I’ve used in 2017, and enthusiastically recommend for lightweight backpackers this holiday season.

Appalachian trail conservancy, aquamira, black diamond, buff, camp chair, continental divide trail coalition, crampons, crescent moon, dirty girl, down insulation, gaiters, Goosefeet, headlamp, helinox, hill sound, Hydrapak, hyperlite mountain gear, katadyn, mountain house, pacific crest trail association, Patagonia, rei, sleeping bag, smith optics, snowshoes, sunglasses, synthetic insulation, winter backpacking

Staff Picks 2016: Our Favorite Backpacking Gear of the Year

Dec 31, 2016 by Backpacking Light

View our staff picks for the best backpacking gear of the year – recommendations from our editors and guides for hiking and backpacking gear.

altra, black diamond, Cilo Gear, Exped, Goosefeet Gear, GoPro, hyperlite mountain gear, kelty, Kokopelli, locus gear, Moleskine, Montane, msr, Nemo, Oboz, Outdoor Research, Patagonia, Purple Rain, rei, ruta locura, Solo Stove, Staff Favorites, Tenkara USA, Therm-a-Rest, Tyvek, zpacks

Hiking Underwear & Shorts – Men’s (Guides’ Notes)

Aug 10, 2016 by Ryan Jordan

Underwear acts as a moisture (sweat) transfer layer to keep you reasonably dry “down there”. This guide highlights some important considerations about materials, design, fit, weight, and performance criteria when selecting a pair of hiking underwear (or shorts).

base layers, underwear, wilderness adventure treks guides' notes

Best Ultralight Backpacking Gear of 2015: Our Staff Favorites!

Dec 30, 2015 by Backpacking Light

Patagonia Kids Clothing, Best Backpacking Gear of 2015, Backpacking Light

This article summarizes our staff’s best backpacking gear of the year – the ultralight hiking, backpacking, and camping gear they pick as their favorites for their annual adventures.

black diamond, bluewater, buff, canon, helinox, hyperlite mountain gear, lawson outdoor equipment, lite outdoors, new feature, Oware, Patagonia, seek outside, spot, Staff Favorites, steripen, trail designs, ULA, vargo outdoors

2014 Staff Picks

Jan 1, 2015 by BackpackingLight.com Staff

Backpacking Light’s staff is some of the most passionate backpackers around. Take a look at the ultralight gear we use and treasure.

alpacka, altra, bluewater, buff, cascade designs, deejo, dynafit, feathercraft, golite, hoka, hyperlite mountain gear, kovea, new balance, paradox, Staff Favorites, suluk46, trail designs

Gear Guide: Ultralight Inflatable Pillows

Oct 1, 2014 by Ryan Jordan

Neck problems? Back problems? An ultralight inflatable pillow may be an ideal solution, but don’t dive in head first. Read this first to see which ultralight pillows are the best.

Gear Guide: Packrafts

Jul 22, 2014 by Ryan Jordan

Review the current offerings in the packraft market and find out which boats are most appropriate for a variety of purposes including alpine lake fishing, incidental river crossings, flatwater boating, expedition packrafting, and whitewater paddling.

ISPO 2014, Munich, Part 3

Mar 11, 2014 by Matthew Pullan

We’ve covered the materials, the combinations, and now ISPO wraps up with a look at some innovative ski gear.

ISPO 2014, Munich, Part 2

Mar 4, 2014 by Matthew Pullan

ISPO 2014 features some innovative products. From sleep systems to clothing the new technology is exciting.

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