Gear Reviews
Backpacking Light has built a hard-won reputation for comprehensive and fair product reviews, reflecting our Editorial Values of Objectivity, Trust, Authority, Inclusivity, and Clarity.
We publish three main types of reviews: performance, limited, and first looks. Learn more about review rating and gear awards program and review our affiliate disclosure. If you represent a brand and would like to submit a product for review, go here.
- GEAR • Gear Reviews
- GEAR • Gear Guides
- GEAR • Gear Checklists
- GEAR • Make Your Own Gear
- GEAR • Gear Testing & Research
- SKILLS • Tips, Tricks, and Hacks
- SKILLS • Wilderness Skills
- SKILLS • Training
- SKILLS • Trip Planning
- SKILLS • Food Preparation
- PLACES • Trips
- PLACES • Routes
- CULTURE • Essays
- CULTURE • Stories
- CULTURE • Issues
- CULTURE • People
- CULTURE • News
- CULTURE • Media Reviews
- ARCHIVES (Before 30.Nov.2015)
- SEARCH LIBRARY
- TRAILHEADS
Latest
Timmermade SUL 1.5 Down Sweater Gear Review
The Timmermade SUL 1.5 Down Sweater is a down jacket with an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio for ultralight backpackers.
No Normal Coffee Paste Review
No Normal Coffee Paste is a compact coffee alternative that requires no brewing. It can be eaten directly from its tube or mixed with water (cold or hot), or spread on or into other food for a quick caffeine boost or coffee flavor injection. It offers a convenient way to consume real coffee without the weight or complexity of traditional brewing methods.
Garmin inReach Messenger Plus Review
The Garmin inReach Messenger Plus can send short text, photo and audio messages, weighs 4.1 ounces and has an MSRP of $500.
REI Magma Trail Quilt 30 Review (Updated)
This REI Magma Trail Quilt 30 review features a high quality, well-insulated quilt that uses water-resistant down and includes an insulated draft collar.
Superior Wilderness Designs Rugged Long Haul Review
The Superior Wilderness Designs Rugged Long Haul is a 35 to 50 L internal frame backpack weighing 2 pounds made from Ultra and EPX fabrics.
Outdoor Research Flurry Sensor Glove Review (Updated)
The Outdoor Research Flurry Sensor Glove (2.5 oz / 71 g, $40) is the warmest glove I've found that I can use effectively with a smartphone.
MSR Pro Bivy Review
The MSR Pro Bivy weighs less than 10 ounces (285 g). It's a very compact, feature-less bivy sack that embodies the essence of bivy sack camping.
Granite Gear Crown2 60 Gear Review
The Granite Gear Crown2 60 is a 60 liter capacity internal frame backpack that carries up to about 35 pounds comfortably and weighs around 2.1 to 2.5 pounds.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P vs. ZPacks Duplex Zip
The Unbound 2P and Duplex Zip beg for a direct comparison. Both of them are six-panel, symmetrical designs with zip-access, side-entry storm doors, and both are generally pitched with a total of 8 tent stakes. They have similar footprints, similar weights, and offer similar levels of weather protection.
ZPacks Duplex Zip Tent Review
The ZPacks Duplex Zip Tent is a 2-person, 2-door, 2-vestibule, side-entry trekking pole tent made with Dyneema Composite Fabrics. The ZPacks Duplex Zip weighs 20.4 ounces (577 g) and has an MSRP of $699.
Gossamer Gear Whisper Review
The Gossamer Gear Whisper is a 1-person, 2-pole, floorless full-perimeter shelter made with Dyneema Composite Fabrics. It includes an attached noseeum mesh netting skirt, is pitched with 7 stakes, and weighs 9.8 oz (280 g).
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Review
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Shelter is a single-wall, Dyneema Composite Fabric, 2-person, 2-trekking-pole-supported tent with two vestibules, two side-entry doors, a weight of about 24 oz (g), and an MSRP of USD $699.
Durston X-Mid Pro 2 Review
UPDATED! (Long-term performance) - The Durston X-Mid Pro 2 tent is an ultralight (20.4 oz / 578 g) two-person, side-entry, double-door, double-vestibule single-wall Dyneema Composite Fabrics (DCF) trekking pole-supported shelter.
Yama Flat Tarp Review
Yama Flat Tarp Review: our first looks at this 7' x 9' silpoly ultralight shelter for ultralight backpacking.
Yama Mountain Gear 1P Cirriform Min Tarp Review
The Yama Mountain Gear 1P Cirriform Min Tarp ($210 in silpoly) is a one-person, 2-trekking pole, side/end-entry full-perimeter tarp shelter.
Superior Wilderness Designs Movement 40L Backpack Review
This review focuses on the modularity of the Superior Wilderness Designs Movement 40L backpack. In particular, the Movement has the ability to morph from a frameless to a framed pack with a suspension capable of carrying 35 pounds (15.9 kg) or so.
Alpacka Refuge Review
The Alpacka Raft Refuge Packraft weighs less than six pounds but includes a cargo fly and whitewater deck.
Bearvault BV500 Review
The Bearvault BV500 Journey (41 oz, 700 cubic inches, $88) is an IGBC-certified and SIBBG-approved bear canister. This review focuses on its usability and quality.
Alpacka Scout Review
The Alpacka Raft Scout packraft (2022 model) weighs less than four pounds. We review its durability and stability for both flatwater and Class 1 river running.
Durston Kakwa 40 Review
Gear Review: the Durston Kakwa 40 backpack utilizes an inverted U-shaped internal frame for stability and comfort at moderate loads. But how does it fare at heavier weights?
