We review waterproof, breathable rain gear for hiking, backpacking, travel to find the best lightweight rain jackets. We tested side-by-side for waterproofing, breathability, comfort, sizing, hood quality, and sleeve cuffs.
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We tested the most popular hiking tights and leggings for fit, comfort, pockets, sun protection, moisture-wicking, quick-drying and more.
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Updated for 2024, our gear list and strategy for the Appalachian Trail prepares you for a thru-hike or long distance section of the AT. As weather and ecosystems change, so should your gear. Here’s what we’ve learned from 5 thru-hikes and 11,000 AT miles of trial-and-error.
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More than just a gear list, read our comprehensive gear strategy for the Pacific Crest Trail. As weather and ecosystems change, so should your gear. Here’s what we’ve learned in 20,000 PCT miles of trial-and-error.
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We review 44 down jackets to find the 7 best puffy jackets for most outdoor activities: hiking, camping, backpacking to around town—ultralight to extreme cold
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Discover the Hoka Anacapa 2 hiking shoes in our in-depth review. Read about advanced features, exceptional comfort, and performance on various terrains.
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Long-term review and test notes of the Hoka Sky Kaha hiking boots, our winner for best hiking boots for fit, comfort, support and style
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We test the Nemo Disco sleeping bag for warmth, comfort, weight, packability, and ease of use while backpacking and camping.
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Garmin inReach Messenger in-depth review — easy-to-use, affordable satellite communicator (vs. inReach Mini) with emergency SOS, 2-way texting, weather, and more.
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Looking for a way to stay upright in icy conditions? Sure-footed traction in snow and ice allows you to carry your outdoor life into the shoulder seasons and beyond.
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Our verdict: over years of testing and 1000s of trail miles, the Ghost Whisperer 2 down jacket is as good as it gets.
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We tested 2 dozen lightweight, midweight, and heavyweight men’s and women’s base layer tops for 4 years. We put these base layers to work, and came out with the best base layers for warmth, durability, comfort, wicking away sweat, and not retaining odor over time.
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We spent 200+ nights testing the best headlamps for brightness, battery life, comfort, and ease of use for backpacking, hiking, running, climbing, and camping.
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The Patagonia Micro Puff is our favorite synthetic insulated jacket with an incredible warmth-to-weight ratio and retains its warmth when wet.
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We review 20 of the most popular synthetic insulated jackets and tested the top models for months in conditions as diverse as mountains in Arizona to snow storms near Bend, Oregon to walking a toddler in Portland. We considered models by Patagonia, Arc’teryx, L.L.Bean, Mountain Hardwear, Rab, Outdoor Research, The North Face, and Montbell.
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In-depth review of the ZPacks Duplex based on 9000 miles of backpacking, it’s our favorite two-person tent and best ultralight backpacking tent for waterproof DCF fabric, ease of set up and spacious design
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Thru-hikers share what’s in their backpacking backpack. Gear lists for an ultralight, super ultralight (SUL), and comfort trail kit for AT, PCT, and JMT hikes.
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We researched, tested, and used our own experience to find the best lightweight backpacks for backpacking. We researched 18 packs to find the best overall for most people, best Dyneema (DCF), high volume, heavy loads, budget, frameless ultralight packs for multi-day trips in the backcountry.
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An easy-to-use, compact, lightweight double-walled backpacking tent with the perks of a traditional backpacking tent.
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We tested 22 different lightweight travel coffeemakers to find the best camping coffee brewers. We included the AeroPress, pour over, percolator coffee pots, and french press portable coffeemakers for on-the-go travel, backpacking, bikepacking, and car camping. AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press · Hario V60 · MSR Mugmate · GSI Outdoors Enamel Percolator · ESPRO Ultralight Travel Press Bottle
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