The Sawyer Micro Squeeze is a 2 oz / 57 g hollow-fiber membrane water filter that removes bacteria and protozoa from water. It's a common choice of water treatment for hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail and is worth considering for shorter backpacking trips as well
BearVault BV450 Bear Resistant Food Canister Review
The BearVault BV450 is a polycarbonate (plastic), 7.2-liter, bear-resistant food canister (i.e. a bear canister or bear can) weighing 33 oz / 936 kg. It's approved for use to ward off both black bears and grizzly bears, and it is approved for use (mostly) everywhere you are required to have a bear
BearVault BV500 Bear Resistant Food Canister Review
The BearVault BV500 is a polycarbonate (plastic), 11.5-liter, bear-resistant food canister (i.e. a bear canister or bear can) weighing 2 lbs 9 oz / 1.162 kg. It's approved for use to ward off both black bears and grizzly bears, and it is approved for use everywhere you are required to have a bear
Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator Low Hiking Shoes Review
The Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator is a ventilated hiking shoe made with leather, mesh, and a Vibram sole. They're not quite the trail runners that you find many long-distance hikers wearing, but they're also not quite boots. As I said, they're hiking shoes. A pair weighs in at 31 oz / 879 g and will
Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter Review
The Sawyer Squeeze is a 3 oz / 85 g hollow-fiber membrane water filter that removes bacteria and protozoa from water. It's become the default water treatment system for hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail and is definitely worth being considered for your backpacking
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Review (WingLock Valve)
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite from Cascade Designs is a three-season 12 oz / 350 g inflatable sleeping pad with a 4.2 R-value (the measure of resistance to heat flow through a given thickness of material). It's essentially become the default ultralight, three-season inflatable sleeping pad (it's
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2 Review
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dirigo 2 is a lightweight (28 oz / 794 g) two-person shelter designed to be used with two trekking poles and eight stakes. It's a fully seam-sealed, single-wall tent made with Dyneema Composite Fabric that pitches as a single unit (there is no separate fly). Don't use
Bluffworks Ascender Chino Pants Review
The Bluffworks Ascender Chino is the sequel to the Original Chinos put out by Bluffworks a couple of years ago. Since my wardrobe still consists of primarily Bluffworks clothing whilst I'm not on the trail (but even sometimes when I am), I was excited to adopt a new pair of pants into my
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ground Cloth Review
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ground Cloth is a 3.77 oz / 107 g rectangle of green DCF8 Dyneema® Composite Fabric measuring 96 x 52 in / 244 x 132 cm. It's a groundsheet, you know, that thing you put on the ground when you camp to protect your gear from whatever horrors may be strewn about your