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146 TRAIL-TESTED PRODUCTS

GEAR GUIDE THE YEAR’S LIGHTEST, TOUGHEST, BEST GEAR

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EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Hall of Fame pack p. 21

The best new stuff and our all-time favorites Lightweight puffy p. 6

KILLER DEALS UNDER $50

Perfect pants p. 18

Ultimate Fix-It Guide Custom-fit boots p. 16

HOW TO Prevent blisters Boost pack comfort Sleep warm EAT BETTER Easy-prep camp meals

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CONTENTS

GEAR GUIDE

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Anniversary

13

April 2018

13 2018 EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS

For 25 years, BACKPACKER’s editors have stayed true to one mission: hit the trail with the year’s most innovative products and come back with the best of the best. This season’s winners include an ultralight pack, a custom-molded boot, and near-perfect pants. Plus our Hall of Fame picks.

Tester Adam Roy gets tested in Egmont National Park, New Zealand.

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EDITOR’S NOTE #TRAILCHAT

31 PACKS Carry a little or carry a lot. Hike for a day or a week or a month. Whatever your plans, we’ve tested a load-hauler that will make your next trip better.

45 FOOTWEAR We got blisters so you don’t have to. That’s what happens when you try dozens of new boots and trail runners to find the best performers.

61 TENTS From a 2-pound ultralight to a foul-weather palace, these shelters provide a home away from home—no matter where “away” is.

73 SLEEPING BAGS & PADS A good night’s rest can take the sting out of the hardest day. We snoozed through hundreds of backcountry nights to find bags for every camper.

85 SHELLS There are two types of hikers: those who cancel trips when it rains, and those who cinch their hoods and head out. We know what type you are—and you’ll need a good jacket.

In every section GEAR SCHOOL THE TESTING LIFE

97 ESSENTIALS 98 100 102 104 106 108

128

LIGHTING KITCHEN ELECTRONICS MULTITOOLS TREKKING POLES EYEWEAR

110 112 114 116 118 120

KIDS’ GEAR HYDRATION CLIMBING FOOD SOCKS ACCESSORIES

UNCOVERED

ON THE COVER Mt. Taranaki, New Zealand. Photo by Louisa Albanese

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

PHOTO BY LOUISA ALBANESE

Upgrade every trip with these must-haves.

IT’S ELECTRIC. IT’S GAS. IT’S BOTH WITH SUPER ALL-WHEEL CONTROL. Introducing the all-new 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The only plug-in hybrid electric vehicle crossover with Super All-Wheel Control, for superior handling and response in all road conditions.

THE WORLD’S BEST-SELLING PLUG-IN HYBRID CROSSOVER* STARTING AT $34,595.**

Visit MITSUBISHICARS.COM to see how much you can save. *JATO Dynamics global PHEV sales (September 2017). **Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for 2018 Outlander PHEV SEL model. GT model with accessories shown MSRP is $40,665. Excludes destination/handling, tax, title, license, etc. Retailer price, terms and vehicle availability may vary. See your Mitsubishi retailer for details.

EDITOR’S NOTE

by Dennis Lewon

MEET THE TESTERS

Hiking as team building: Egmont National Park, New Zealand

We couldn’t produce this issue without the help of scores of hikers, climbers, paddlers, and guides who head out all over the world, in all kinds of weather, to test gear and religiously fill out evaluation forms. Meet them here and in the pages that follow. Thank you, testers.

The Best Bad Trips

For 25 years, we’ve been testing gear—and ourselves.

T

HE TRAIL LED through a waterfall.

Gusts of wind pushed the cascade around, so it felt like the water was following me as I dashed through, getting it full in the face on the way in and out. I was hiking around New Zealand’s Mt. Taranaki last November, on our final round of testing for this year’s Editors’ Choice Awards, and it was raining so hard that sheets of water poured off the trailside cliffs, creating falls where none usually existed. The rest of the BACKPACKER crew walked through the shower, grinning.

When the staff of this magazine heads out on an Editors’ Choice trip, we may be the only hikers in the world who wish for bad weather.

How else are we going to find the gear that really works?

This year marks the 25th anniversary of our Editors’ Choice Awards, and over the decades we’ve found scores of category-leading products on trips like this one (see page 13). But as I hiked through the deluge in New Zealand, I realized we’ve established more than a credible gear-testing program. We’ve created a bond that connects generations of editors.

Was this weather worse than on California’s Lost Coast, when we lucked into a storm spawned by a Pacific typhoon? Were either as bad as getting blown off Mt. Hood by a blizzard or sleeping in a mud-and-dungfilled pasture in Wales?

When staffers launched the awards in 1993, the ground rules were clear: Hit the trail, thrash gear, and recognize only the best of the

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best. Don’t worry about what others think or say, just get out there and use stuff.

Not surprisingly, that’s also a recipe for a great backpacking trip. I recognized it instantly on my first Editors’ Choice trek, in the Grand Canyon, in 2000. I hiked down the New Hance Trail and joined the trip in progress. I was a tester at the time, and hadn’t yet met anyone on staff. I hit the bottom and encountered a half-dozen dirty hikers camped by the Colorado River. They could have been any group of lifelong friends out for an adventure—except for the heated debates about load transfer and wicking.

By the next year, I was planning the trip (I get credit/blame for the Lost Coast), and have been on many since. It’s become clear that these adventures—grounded in our love for backpacking and its ups and downs—have shaped the magazine we make, not just the gear we review.

Turns out corporate team-building doesn’t get any better than pitching a tent in 40-mph wind and rain. Or jumping repeatedly into a glacierfed lake and flirting with hypothermia so the photographer can get “just one more shot.”

You’ve probably experienced your own selfinflicted challenges. Backpackers love to goad each other onward, to go a little farther, a little higher. Heck, it’s why we care about good gear in the first place.

Twenty-five years from now, the products will be different. The people, too. But I’m confident the Editors’ Choice trip will be, at heart, much the same. Just like all good backpacking trips.

Chris Abercrombie, Jesse Albanese, Louisa Albanese, Max Albanese, Sofia Albanese, Anastasia Allison, Kam Altar, Justin Bailey, Ron Barczak, Kelly Bastone, Phil Bates, Jon Bausman, Eli Bernstein, Aaron Bible, Jason Bickford, Dana Birke, Heather Blackmon, Logan Boon, Tyler Booth, Alice Bouchard, Coco Bouchard, John Bouchard, Lili Bouchard, Nancy Bouchard, Jason Boyle, Carina Bracy, Michele Bradshaw, Tim Braun, Eugene Buchanan, Corey Buhay, Maijaliisa Burkert, Ryan Burkert, Evelyn Callahan, Donna Campbell, Irwin Campbell, Maura Cassell, Phil Clements, Kassondra Cloos, Kristen Coats, Tom Coffin, Marty Combs, Steve Conlin, Tiffiny Costello, Paulina Dao, Josette Deschambeault, Emylee DiCicco, Michael Dimitri, Abby Dorn, Jonathan Dorn, Terry Doyle, Eric Eagan, Sheila Eagan, Annie Emmanuels, Rob Ender, Alyssa Erickson, Nils Eriksson, Kevin Flint, Joe Flowers, Julia Frantz, Kevin Gallagher, Stan Gentry, Peter Gobell, Hank Grant, Summer Holt, Maren Horjus, Ryan Horjus, Kristin Hostetter, Ryan Irvin, Marisa Jarae, Amy Jurries, Krista Karlson, Carrie Keahey, Brendon Kerr, Leslie Kerr, Jeff Kilpatrick, Erik Klaus, Laura Kottlowski, Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan, Justin La Vigne, Patrice La Vigne, Diane Lancaster, Laura Lancaster, Eric Larsen, Jeff Laskie, Giovanni Leone, Micah Ling, Ben Luedke, Casey Lyons, Dougald MacDonald, Oshie Magturo, Justin Maimone, Dan Markey, Grant Martin, Merrill McCauley, Annette McGivney, Megan Melamed, Amber Mikluscak, Clara Mills, Dina Mishev, Jac Mitchell, Catherine Moede, Kailash Moore, Miranda Mosis, Grace Moynahan, Emma Murray, Bryan Nanista, Dan Nash, Joel Nyquist, Shayla Paradeis, Phil Pfanner, Michael Restivo, Kristen Richardson, Peter Rives, Heather Balogh Rochfort, William M. Rochfort, Jr., BJ Romines, Kel Rossiter, Adam Roy, Caesar Sangalang, Steve Santoro, Gerben Scherpbier, Mattie Schuler, Matt Schumacher, Jeff Schwartz, Keenan Seidel, Bob Shaver, Scott Simper, Norman Singley, Jenna Snyder, Anna Solovyev, Brad Stapleton, Maggie Stashak, Rebecca Stubbs, Karen Tam Wu, Jillian Terry, Tim Tewell, Ben Thompson, Kristine Thompson, Morgan Tilton, Kent Towerlton, Paul Townsend, Adam Tycaster, Dorn Van Dommelen, Lang Van Dommelen, Puck Van Dommelen, Dave Vanderzee, Lucas Vannice, Dominic Vellone, Cheryl Wallace, Lindsay Warner, William Wells, Ben Wu, Matt York, Scott Yorko, Erica Zazo, Rachel Zurer, Arianne Zwartjes

In my pack

MARMOT FEATHERLESS HOODY Synthetic-fill jackets are getting more like down every year, and this is one of my favorites. The 3M Thinsulate “Featherless” insulation is soft and compressible, and there’s plenty of it for freezing temps. It’s been in my pack for three months straight, from a trek in New Zealand’s Egmont National Park to a winter backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon. $200; 1 lb. 1 oz. (m’s M); m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL; marmot.com

PHOTOS BY LOUISA ALBANESE

GEAR GUIDE

GOOD IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE SAFE WATER FOR YOU AND CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD. Follow the Liters program,

The versatile LifeStraw Flex filter, with new technology that meets NSF 53 standards for lead removal, can be used in 5 different ways:

where every LifeStraw

Lifestraw.com

LifeStraw Flex supports our

product sold provides one child in a developing country with safe water for an entire year. We’ve already reached 633,777 children and we’re striving to reach our 1 millionth child in 2018.

Let’s get there together.

1

2

3

4

5

As a personal straw

With the included soft touch bottle

Attached to a plastic water bottle

Attached to a hydration bladder

As a gravity filter

GEAR GUIDE

#TRAILCHAT

Your opinions, photos, and feats

Land of the Free Our March public lands issue inspired strong reactions from readers: Some appreciated it, while a few disagreed with our decision to cover the topic at all.

Will Butler, a petroleum engineering student, objected to the tone of our coverage of drilling. “Oil, gas, and mining companies are also comprised of people like myself: a reader of BACKPACKER and a proud outdoorsman who cares a great deal about the preservation of this Earth,” he wrote.

In response to “Walk Free” (page 76), our feature on Scottish laws which let hikers cross private property, John Eckerd wrote that similar legislation would be a “non-starter” in the United States. “People who went to the bank, got the loan for the land, and made payments for 30 years would not be enthusiastic,” he wrote.

David Nickell saw a bigger problem at play. “I see this as far more than a political issue; it is about cultural values and the threat to all wild places and natural ecosystems,” he wrote.

DESERT OASIS

BACKTRACKING Our map of America’s federal public lands (March 2018, page 10) accidentally swapped New Hampshire and Vermont. Our apologies to all the Vermonters who were excited to finally have a coastline.

WEEKEND WONDERS

@backpackermag

Tag your ’grams #trailchat for a chance to be featured here and on our Instagram feed.

In a November article about winter hikes (“Better in Winter,” page 40) we called Colorado’s Big Dominguez Canyon “a classic three-day, 35-mile route.” Ryan Staude wrote in with a field report. “The last 17 miles down [the Little Dominguez Creek Trail] is currently a heinous bushwhack with more complicated routefinding than one might expect,” he said. “We ended up having to find a different route out of the canyon.” His suggestion for an easy winter hike: a two-day out-and-back on the Big Dominguez Trail.

@kaminskiphotography Your gear isn’t just equipment; it’s a ticket to incredible places.

Kevin Kaminski captured Nick Tortajada and Kelly Guido on Arizona’s Boulder Canyon Trail.

“What I love about this trail are the views,” he said. “All the layers of the Superstition Mountains are just incredible.”

In a March story about Canyon de Chelly (“In the Right Hands,” page 74), we stated that visitors can only tour the canyon bottom with a Navajo guide. One path, the 1.3mile White House Ruins Trail, is open to unguided hikers.

Next Year’s Best Gear This year is the 25th anniversary of BACKPACKER’s Editors’ Choice Awards (find this year’s picks on page 13). We asked our Twitter followers: What new hiking gear would you like to see invented in the next 25 years?

Dehydrated craft beer @JoshHulling You’re in luck, Josh: backpacker.com/backcountrybeer

SMALL STEP

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

A rainshell that actually breathes when you’re moving @btdlak

A hydrogen fuel cell for cooking @rlinger

An AI hiking partner @Headbum_

GIANT LEAP

MARCH ISSUE COVER PHOTO BY MICHAEL DEYOUNG

Editors’ Choice Hall of Fame pack: Gregory Baltoro (page 23)

TURN IT ON… MOSQUITOES GONE

POWERFUL MOSQUITO PROTECTION FROM THE BACKYARD TO THE BACKCOUNTRY

© 2018, Thermacell Repellents, Inc. All rights reserved.

WHY IS COLLAGEN IMPORTANT? Collagen is one of the reasons our bodies don’t fall apart. Collagen literally functions to hold you together.

But what is collagen? Collagen is a protein made up of building blocks called and is so important that it makes up approximately 30 percent of all the proteins in the body, and different bodily systems and organs need specific proteins serving a variety of functions.

The truth is that collagen is literally everywhere in the body, and when there’s enough collagen in the body, then we can “keep ourselves together” and are humming along.

WHY MULTI-COLLAGEN PROTEIN POWDER? If you’re looking to boost your collagen intake, Dr. Axe Multi-Collagen Protein powder could be just what you’re looking for. Most collagens on the market feature only one source of collagen, but Dr. Axe Multi Collagen Protein features five collagen types from four different sources!

Dr. Axe Multi Collagen Protein includes hydrolyzed bovine collagen peptides, chicken bone broth collagen concentrate, hydrolyzed fish collagen peptides and eggshell membrane collagen, featuring collagen Type I, II, III, V and X. Odorless, tasteless and easy-to-mix Dr. Axe Multi Collagen Protein can be added to a wide variety of healthy foods and beverages.

PROMOTE HEALTHY SKIN† | SUPPORT HEALTHY DIGESTIVE FUNCTION† | SUPPORT HEALTHY JOINTS†

FOR BEST RESULTS, USE 1 (OR UP TO 3) SERVINGS DAILY.

Include 2 Tablespoons in your morning smoothie.

Add to baking dishes, muffins, bars or pancakes to increase protein intake.

Replace unhealthy protein powder with this.

Create a chia coconut collagen pudding.

Take several Tablespoons of collagen pre- and post-workout. †

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Our most adventurous Outback yet. ®

The 2018 Subaru Outback. It’s loaded with versatility for those who love to chase adventure. Fold-away roof cross bars. A 60/40-split folding rear seat. And standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive + 32 mpg.* Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.

Outback. Well-equipped at $25,895.† Subaru and Outback are registered trademarks. *EPA-estimated highway fuel economy for 2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i models. Actual mileage may vary. †MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, and registration fees. Retailer sets actual price. Certain equipment may be required in specific states, which can modify your MSRP. See your retailer for details. 2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited shown has an MSRP of $34,780. Vehicle shown with available accessories.

GEAR GUIDE

25

th

Anniversary

EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Mt. Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand

Good gear gets the job done. Great gear makes it easy. We should know—we’ve been at this for 25 years. That’s a quarter of a century worth of big blisters, sore shoulders, and stiff backs, all while doing battle with wind, rain, mud, and snow to bring you the year’s best equipment for hiking. We know that when we proclaim a product a winner, we do more than affix our Editors’ Choice seal to it. We stake our reputation on it. And that’s what you’ll find here: 11 items that rose to the top after this year’s bruising final shakedown in New Zealand, plus our picks for the first-ever Editors’ Choice Hall of Fame. Because after a generation of hitting the trail in pursuit of excellence, we know that the journey is the destination—and this is the gear that should accompany you. –The Editors LO U I SA A L BA N E S E

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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GEAR GUIDE

GOSSAMER GEAR MARIPOSA 60 THIS MINIMALIST PACK IS MADE FOR MOWING DOWN THE MILES.

W WHEN A FULLY GUYED-OUT TENT gets pancaked

flat to the ground, we know it’s being tested. That’s what happened on our first night on the Pouakai Crossing, a 12-mile route on the slopes of the North Island’s Mt. Taranaki. Four inches of rain and 40mph wind gusts made us feel like fools and geniuses simultaneously. Dumb because we were camping within eyesight of a perfectly good hut (anything in the name of gear testing). Smart because we’d come to this coastal volcano in search of “variable weather.” And that’s exactly what we found.

In 25 years of Editors’ Choice trips, we’ve learned the best way to separate the great from the merely good is to seek out conditions that push gear to its breaking point. That flattened tent? It didn’t make the cut.

Our selection process is the same today as it was more than two decades ago. When our test team of guides, thru-hikers, dirtbaggers, and weekend warriors winnows the field to the cream of the crop, we take the contenders on one last trip—a final gauntlet of sorts. So in November, we flew to New Zealand’s North Island with full duffels and a full itinerary: four days on the flanks of Mt. Taranaki in Egmont National Park and three days on the Whanganui River.

Both Taranaki and the Whanganui are sacred to the Maori locals—so much so they’ve been granted special “personhood” status by the government—and we could see why. We hiked through goblin forests, climbed a peak still covered in spring snow, and paddled what can only be described as a rainforest slot canyon. We also got gaiter-topping mud and so much rain that it produced waterfalls even our guides had never seen. The trail went right through the cascades at times. Perfect.

We went in search of a wild adventure that would help us choose the winners. We got it. These are the products that shined—despite all the mud.

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

1993: Mt. St. Helens, Oregon & Cochise Stronghold, Arizona

Behind the Scenes One of the founding concepts of the Editors’ Choice Awards came from our publisher at the time, Peter Spiers, who was supportive of rigorous testing.

He said, “Don’t worry about who you upset.

Just make sure that you’re right!”

— Dave Getchell, Gear Editor, 1986-1996

PHOTOS BY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) LOUISA ALBANESE (2); STEVE HOWE; ISTOCK .COM

This year’s search for the top-performing gear ended in New Zealand, where we were thrilled to encounter some of the worst weather we’ve ever seen. By Eli Bernstein

25 Years of Editors’ Choice

The Quest for the Best

Lightweight backpacking means movement, fast and constant, and every detail on the Mariposa 60 has one purpose: to keep you covering ground. The simple, cavernous packbag holds all the items you won’t need when you’re on the move (we had space for six days’ worth of gear and food on a hike around Colorado’s Gore Range), but it’s the positioning of exterior pockets that orients this pack toward big-mile days. A stretchy shove-it pocket on the front fits raingear, gaiters, and a hiking umbrella and has a drain hole to purge excess moisture. On the side, another tall, stretchy pocket swallows a tarp or minimalist shelter. “That’s the last thing you want to pack up on a rainy, cold day, anyway,” says our deputy editor.

Assorted D-rings litter the pack like Christmas ornaments, so “there’s always one where you need it,” says one tester. “You don’t have to stop to stow your gear—you can do it on the move.” Pockets on the optional hipbelt ($45; highly recommended) hold a phone and sunglasses on one side, and a quart-size bag of snacks on the other.

You shouldn’t overload a pack this light, but we found the Mariposa did fine with up to 35 pounds aboard—plenty for anyone with an ultralight kit. Credit the removable aluminum stay for the carrying comfort (though careful packing is required to prevent barreling). And when the day is done, slide out the closed-cell foam backpanel and double it over to use as a sit pad. The hipbelt comes in three sizes, but we found it runs bigger than advertised, so consider sizing down. Ding: The toplid is functional, if minimalist, but scores no points for elegance. –Casey Lyons $225 ($270 with hipbelt); 2 lbs. 1 oz. with hipbelt (M); S-L; gossamergear.com

Destinations Editor Maren Horjus glimpses Mt. Taranaki after three days of rain.

1994: San Rafael Swell, Utah

1995: Zion National Park & Wasatch Range, Utah

Our award for the Camp Trails Wilderness TL pack marked the beginning of the end for external frames. Its selling point was low cost, but that wasn’t enough as the market embraced internal frames—and never looked back.

We were ahead of our time with Ecotrek Backpacks.

Made with recycled material, they were the first multiday packs to go completely green.

Alas, they looked and carried like old British rucksacks.

The company went out of business two years later.

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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GEAR GUIDE

TECNICA FORGE GTX CUSTOMIZATION COMES TO HIKING BOOTS.

Boot-fit preferences are like fingerprints: No two are the same. And for hikers with finicky feet, finding the perfect boot can be an exercise in frustration. Until now, a custom-fit boot has been a dream (or about a thousand dollars), but that changes with the Forge.

While the Forge looks and feels like a normal leather midweight, its heel, arch, and ankle collar are made from a thermo-moldable synthetic, like many ski boot liners. It makes sense: Tecnica has been manufacturing some of the world’s most widely liked customizable ski boot liners for decades. The Forge works much the same way. When you purchase a pair, the sales staff uses an in-store machine to mold the insoles and upper (the free service takes about 20 minutes). Afterward, the boots feel like they’ve been yours for months, not minutes. “I have bunions, so new boots are always a struggle, but the personalized fit eliminated pressure on my usual problem areas,” says one Colorado-based tester who spent the summer hiking in the Forge.

But custom molding is only the start. An EVA midsole and an overlap collar (in lieu of a traditional tongue) boost comfort even more on big-mile days, which one tester appreciated when tackling the 110mile Tour du Mont Blanc. Another tester vouched for the traction after crossing miles of slick, wet rock in New Zealand. “We had to ford tons of rain-swollen creeks, and the Vibram Megagrip sole gave me confidence for rock-hopping,” he says. Tradeoff: Customization like this costs a little more than your average midweight boot. –Eli Bernstein $250 ($270 for synthetic version); 2 lbs. 10 oz. (m’s 9); m’s 7-14.5, w’s 5.5-10.5; tecnicausa.com

Brands with the most awards

12 each Mountain Safety Research, Big Agnes, The North Face The rocks and roots test

Behind the Scenes While we’re out on an Editors’ Choice trip, not only are we really doing a field test in that moment, but we have years of gear knowledge to compare that product to.

When we pick a winner, it’s not just like, “It really stood out on this trip.” It stood out to a group of people who have decades of experience testing gear.

–Annette McGivney, Southwest Field Editor

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

1997: Bull of the Woods Wilderness, Oregon

PHOTOS BY (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) LOUISA ALBANESE (2); ADELE HAMMOND; COURTESY

1996: Adirondacks, New York & Eagle Cap Wilderness, Oregon

Assistant Skills Editor Corey Buhay in the rinse cycle

HELEN KNOWS BEST EXTREME WEATHER LIP BALM DEFEND YOUR LIPS WITH THIS SILKY-SMOOTH, COOLING FORMULA. We took some of the most innovative, high-performance, and, yes, expensive equipment with us to New Zealand, and yet the most coveted piece of gear was smaller than a Snickers and cost less than a deli sandwich. True story: Even our guides wanted to make off with this tube of magic elixir.

The all-natural Extreme Weather Lip Balm from Helen Knows Best moisturizes all day with one application. That’s not a typo: A single swipe in the morning carried us through blistering sunshine, torrential rain, and even meals. Better

yet? The moisturizing aloe vera-and-shea butter formula never felt sticky on our lips and never gummed up in cold weather. Since it doesn’t use petroleum derivatives, it stays silky-smooth in all conditions. Beeswax and lanolin provide protection from both the sun and wind, and the chemicalfree formula means it’s virtually tasteless.

The lip balm rejuvenates, too, so when our lips were already cracked and chapped with neglect, we reached for Helen Knows Best. Organic peppermint cools wind burnt lips, while Vitamins C and E tag-team for repair work. As with any lip balm, the main drawback is that it’s easy to lose, but unlike others, now you also have to worry about protecting it from envious trip partners. –Maren Horjus $6 per tube; 0.2 oz.; helenknowsbest.com

1998: Olympic National Park, Washington

Primus made the first stove that could switch between liquid fuels and canisters. They called the model, inventively, the Multi Fuel System.

We loved its versatility—but are glad the category has gotten lighter since.

1999: Indian Heaven Wilderness, Washington

Schoeller Dryskin put softshells on the map, exchanging some weather resistance for a lot of breathability.

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

17

GEAR GUIDE Bells Falls in Egmont National Park

FJÄLLRÄVEN ABISKO TREKKING TIGHTS CLOSE-FITTING PERFORMANCE MATCHES THE TRAIL STEP FOR STEP. We’re used to seeing tights in the coffee shop, yoga studio, and grocery store. But out in the backcountry? Not so much. Despite the unmatched comfort—yep, this is a lady talking—leggings simply aren’t durable. They snag, bag out, fall down under a pack, and, worst of all, lack pockets.

Fjällräven solved all those problems at once, making a pair of trekking tights so stellar that they even won over the men on our staff.

The Abisko Trekking Tights atone for every downfall of every pair of leggings that came before. First, Fjällräven added reinforcements—a mix of polyamide, aramid, elastane, and polyester—on the knees and seat to protect against scrapes in the highest-wear areas. Second, the company used a dense fabric of 82 percent polyamide and 18 percent elastane for the rest of the tights, ensuring that they comfortably hug our contours—even after four days of trekking through rain. Third, Fjällräven made the pants high-waisted, so the thick, yoga-style band hits above a hipbelt, preventing plumber’s crack beneath a pack. And fourth, best of all, they gave us blessed, blessed pockets. A small zippered pocket on the left thigh is great for snacks and lip balm, while the larger, open-flap pocket on the right thigh is perfect for a smartphone. We, the women of BACKPACKER, have never looked back.

As for the men? They (reluctantly) tried out the Abisko Trekking Tights in New Zealand, and were equally impressed. (They preferred to size up, however.) The men’s offering is much the same, but with a normal waist, belt loops, button-zipper front closure, a larger crotch gusset, and hand pockets in addition to the leg pouches.

After seven straight days in the Abisko, our male editors agreed: Once you go tight, you don’t go back. –M.H. $175; 9.3 oz. (w’s S); m’s XS-XXXL, w’s XXS-XXL; fjallraven.us

2000: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah

Love your tiny, long-burning headlamp? Thank the Petzl Tikka, which debuted this year.

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

2001: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

My personal hall of fame The Kifaru teepee tent changed winter camping. It’s a siliconized nylon shelter that sleeps eight, and it has an ultralight wood-burning aluminum stove with a stovepipe that goes through the roof. I’ve pitched it in -10°F weather in a raging snow storm, and with the fire cranked up, it’s 60°F inside.

–Jonathan Dorn, Editor-in-Chief, 2002-2012

2002: Lost Coast, California

Two years after GPS satellites were opened for civilian navigation, the Garmin Rino 110 combined GPS technology with walkietalkie communication in a trail-friendly package, which made it the first tech gadget to win an Editors’ Choice Award.

GEAR GUIDE

JETBOIL JETGAUGE

FINALLY, A FOOLPROOF WAY TO MEASURE THE FUEL LEVEL IN CANISTERS.

BIG AGNES INSULATED AXL AIR CARRY LESS, SLEEP MORE.

The numbers say it all—3.25 inches thick, 10.6 ounces—and what they add up to is the best comfort-to-weight ratio we’ve ever seen for a standard-size mummy pad. “I need a pad that offers a lot of support, which normally means carting around a mattress that’s at least a pound,” says one side sleeper. “This is the fi rst one I’ve used that feels ultralight and ultraluxe.” Big Agnes does it by using a tighter-than-normal nylon weave that decreases material weight while boosting durability. Designers also ditched nylon-intensive baffle walls in favor of interior fabric ribbons that connect the upper and lower shell and provide uniform, bed-like support. And, of course, less material means better packability: rolled up, the mattress is the size of a soda can.

PrimaLoft Silver insulation and a heat-reflective liner boost warmth. Big Agnes doesn’t give the pad an R-value, but we were content in any three-season weather we encountered. (One cold-sleeping tester stayed warm while cowboy camping in the Grand Canyon with a low of 30°F.) Bonus: Thicker air chambers on the sides—a half inch taller than the middle—kept us from rolling off.

We like the mummy for maximum weight savings, but it tapers to 14 inches wide at the foot, which some testers said felt narrow. Get the same awardworthy performance in the short (66” x 20”) and regular (72” x 20”) rectangular models; the AXL is also available in a slightly heavier 25-inch wide version and a slightly lighter uninsulated model. –William M. Rochfort, Jr. $180; 10.6 oz.; 20 x 72 x 3.25 inches; bigagnes.com

We all have it: A shelf in the garage (or closet, or basement) cluttered with used canisters. They still have some fuel sloshing around, but how much? Is it enough? Unsure, we head to the store to buy a new one, perpetuating the cycle.

That’s the problem Jetboil solves with the JetGuage, a palm-size scale that’s compatible with all standard thread-top fuel canisters. One button turns the gadget on and off and cycles through the most common canister sizes—100, 230, and 450 grams—so you can get an accurate measurement of the remaining fuel.

Make sure the canister is screwed on straight and that you’re holding the scale level—and that’s it.

One tester was glad to have the gauge on a winter Grand Canyon trek. “With temps getting down to the low 30s and evening coming early at the bottom of the canyon, it was nice to be able to make plenty of hot drinks while keeping an eye on our fuel supply,” he says.

“When our large canister felt like it was getting low, I checked and it was actually at 40 percent, so I made another round.”

While we probably won’t take the JetGauge on the trail often, it’s great for determining if those lonely, discarded canisters on your shelf have got one last trip in them yet. –E.B. $15; 3 oz.; jetboil.com

2003: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

2004: Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

PHOTOS BY COURTESY (2); LOUISA ALBANESE (2); STEVE HOWE

Behind the Scenes This was a big year for gearheads. Jetboil launched the Personal Cooking System, the first integrated stove/pot, and forever changed our expectations for cooking efficiency and speed. Big Agnes and Insul Mat revolutionized backcountry sleep with insulated air pads that were lighter, thicker, and warmer than anything we’d tried before.

Some gear just doesn’t work in the conditions we seek out.

On Mt. Hood, we encountered an early-winter storm—sleet, snow, raging wind. It was a blizzard. I was testing a bivy sack. A bivy sack is a really questionable idea in the first place. But in a big storm, when you can’t seal it up, it’s just dumb. Some moments you realize: “OK, this is work.”

–Dennis Lewon, Editor-in-Chief

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GEAR GUIDE

25th Anniversary Hall of Fame

We’ve tested thousands of products over the last quarter century. Not surprisingly, we have favorites. Throughout this anniversary year, we’ll be recognizing these perennial standouts with a special Hall of Fame Award. Here are the first two; look for more in upcoming issues.

LOWA RENEGADE GTX MID

CLASSIC STYLE MEETS MODERN PERFORMANCE. Over the last 20 years, the trend toward lighter gear has pushed many hikers into trail runner territory. That’s OK if your load is light and your trips are on easy trails. But when you want support, stability, and durability, you want the Renegade.

LOWA introduced the now-classic boot in 1997, and though it has undergone a number of evolutions since (it was last updated in 2010), the German-crafted Renegade remains the brand’s best-selling boot. The formula for its success seems simple at fi rst—nubuck leather upper and supportive sole—but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Yes, the Renegade is a big, burly leather boot, built for eating miles and slaying rough terrain, but, dang, is it comfortable. “Sliding it on is like going through a portal into a slipper,” one editor says. “You think it’s going to be stiff and unforgiving, but it’s not.” A plusher-than-usual collar cushions the ankle, a multipiece upper snugs around the foot neatly, and a two-part insole adds a memory foam-like layer beneath the foot.

It’s a recipe that makes the Renegade comfortable out of the box— and after a thousand miles.

That’s unusual for a boot with such impressive technical chops.

The Renegade, with its PU midsole (great for rebound), PU frame (great for stability), and nylon shank (great for protection), shines on uneven surfaces and beneath oversized loads. It never buckled on volcanic scree slopes in New Zealand, and its Gore-Tex membrane kept us totally dry during three rainy days on the Pouakai Crossing. “We forded countless creeks and walked through ankledeep muck for hours at a time, and I always felt sure-footed,” one editor says. “At the end of the day, others had to wring their socks out, but my feet stayed completely dry.” In style and performance, the Renegade is a classic, to be sure. Good thing protection, support, and comfort are also timeless. –E.B. $230; 2 lbs. 7 oz. (m’s 9); m’s 7.5-15, w’s 5.5-11 (plus narrow and wide options); lowaboots.com

2005: South Island, New Zealand

2006: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah

It’s not often we see gear innovation that changes the way we look at a map.

Lightweight Alpacka Raft packrafts enabled hike-paddle routes that ushered in a new type of backcountry travel.

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2007: Mt. Hood & Pacific Crest Trail, Oregon

My personal hall of fame The MSR Reactor stove won for its speed and efficiency.

I’m using one that’s 10 years old and it’s still the best.

–Steve Howe, Field Editor, 1989-2015

PHOTOS BY (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) LOUISA ALBANESE (2); STEVE HOWE; COURTESY

Looking down from the Bridge to Nowhere, Whanganui National Park

GEAR GUIDE

GREGORY BALTORO 65 / DEVA 60 CARRY ANYTHING, ANYWHERE.

You can tell a lot about a hiker by his or her backpack. See a Baltoro on the trail and one thing’s for sure: The owner of this pack gets out a lot.

Just over a decade ago, Gregory designers brought comfort and durability to the fore, knowing that hikers who log big miles with big loads will gladly accept a slight weight penalty for top-notch load carry. And so they made a pack with a suspension system that swivels on a pivot, self-adjusting with the hiker’s hips. It worked then—and it works now.

“I hauled 50 pounds on treks in New Zealand, the Grand Canyon, and California’s Trinity Alps, and I never got sore hips,” one editor says. “The padded harness and dynamic movement takes the sting out of long days with big loads.”

Over the years, Gregory added and improved details, winning over more converts with angled water bottle pockets that make it easy to grab a drink on the move; a waterproof hipbelt pocket that fits a smartphone; and a clever hydration sleeve that turns into a daypack. After giving the pack an Editors’ Choice Award in 2008, we had no choice but to up its status to Editors’ Choice Gold in 2015. Sure, the Baltoro was a bit on the heavy side, but it was the Cadillac of packs.

Well, now it’s less than 5 pounds, so there goes that logic. Gregory shaved ounces off the packbag by switching to a higher-tear strength 210-denier nylon (and doing away with a PU coating). The suspension system is a bit more streamlined, but not different. All said, the Baltoro now rivals your average big-load pack in weight—while still carrying like a Baltoro. If you want to tell the world you’re all about going fast, there are other packs for you (check out the model on page 14). But if you want to send a message that you’re going far, and often, with any load, the Baltoro is still your pick. –Dennis Lewon $300; 4 lbs. 13 oz. (m’s M); m’s S-L, w’s XS-M; Baltoro is also available in 75L, 85L, and 95L and Deva in 70L and 80L; gregorypacks.com

Heaviest winner

47 pounds Mad River Escape 16 folding canoe, 1996

2009: Pembrokeshire & Snowdonia, Wales The Baltoro always has room for more.

Behind the Scenes 2008: Great Sand Dunes National Park & Sangre de Cristo Range, Colorado

Big Agnes altered the way we look at tents with the Copper Spur UL3.

Why can’t they all be spacious and light?

The awards have always been about innovation. That’s why we’ve never had predetermined categories, like Best Tent or Best Bag. Some years we have no tents, some years we have two. That also enables us to give awards to some, um, surprising products, like the Gibbon Slackline in 2009, which squeaked through after a heated debate. Awards don’t require a unanimous vote. But there’s always consensus in the end.

In a controlled setting in a lab, you can see certain types of failures, and that’s a very valuable thing. But until you’re five days in a gale in Snowdonia in Wales, with 13.5 inches of rain, you won’t know everything. It’s impossible to mimic that—to understand what an actual user will have as a living experience with a piece of gear.

–Jonathan Dorn

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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GEAR GUIDE Capturing the Whanganui River from all sides

GARMIN VIRB 360

Backpacking is all about the immersive experience.

That’s why photos and video rarely do the wilderness justice: They only see in one direction. That’s where 360 video is different. Like its name suggests, it records the action—the views, the movement, the sounds—in all directions, effectively transporting the viewer into that scene. There are a handful of 360 cameras out there, but the VIRB 360—with its blend of simplicity, picture quality, and trailproofing—is the best for hikers.

The VIRB’s 4K video and image stabilization are worthy of the pros, but its ease of use and quickrelease mounts (for changing perspective on the fly) make it amateur-friendly. Its footage is automatically stitched together in 4K, which makes processing and sharing the video simpler than ever. Editing with Garmin’s software is even intuitive enough that newbies had it dialed in no time. We liked overlaying our trip stats, like GPS location, elevation, and speed, onto our videos. And yes, the rig is trail-ready. It’s rugged enough to record footage from inside a pounding waterfall and it survived a canoe capsize, rough packing, and a 4-foot drop onto rocks.

The VIRB 360 does have its drawbacks: Though the housing is shock-proof, the convex lenses do scratch in rough falls (buy replacements for $40).

And the battery only offers about 60 minutes of shoot time (we brought extras for overnight trips; they’re $35 apiece). But overall, those are minor tradeoffs for the best 360 camera on the market.

Watch this footage, and we think you’ll agree: backpacker.com/nz-360. –D.L. $800; 5.6 oz. with battery; garmin.com

Spring 2011: Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Winter 2011: Glacier Fjords, Iceland

2010: Via Alpina, Switzerland

When Buffs came out, I thought they were dumb. And then I packed a wool Buff for our Switzerland trip and I never took it off.

–Kristin Hostetter, Gear Editor, 1994-2015

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Spring 2012: San Pedro Volcano, Chile

My personal hall of fame

PHOTOS BY (FROM LEFT) LOUISA ALBANESE; JULIE ELLISON; COURTESY; JEREMY BECKERS

THE FUTURE OF TRIP VIDEOS LOOKS LIKE THIS.

GEAR GUIDE

Corey Buhay (front) and Casey Lyons ascend the shoulder of Mt. Taranaki.

LA SPORTIVA TRANGO TOWER GTX MOUNTAINEERING BOOTS HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS COMFORTABLE. The Trango Tower is either the sturdiest hiking boot we’ve ever tried—or the nimblest mountaineering boot. Whatever its classification, it served us well on everything from overhanging ice climbs in Colorado’s East Vail, to a July summit bid up Mt. Shasta, to every long, dusty approach between.

Built on the stiff, boarded Trango last, the Tower has the foundation of a true mountaineering boot, including a sticky Vibram One sole with edging platforms, a Gore-Tex liner, and a heel welt for crampons. It kept our feet stable and fatigue-free when cramponing up 45-degree slopes and rest-stepping across snowy switchbacks. But the rockered sole allows for easy heel-to-toe walking on flats, and the upper is as comfy as a light hiker. La Sportiva uses its 3D Flex tech, which allows for forward and lateral ankle articulation—the latter increases natural foot movement on approaches—while key zones sport a breathable mesh. (It doesn’t come at the expense of durability, however, as the tough, honeycombed nylon is surrounded by a full rand.) “The Towers are as comfortable tromping around looking for climbs as they are actually climbing,” says one editor. “Most stiff boots leave my bony ankles battered and bruised, but the cutouts allowed for both comfort and ease of motion on everything from log crossings to steep uphills under heavy packs to unstable scree in Montana’s Hyalite Canyon.”

None of our testers notched a single blister—even while plunge-stepping down loose volcanic rubble on New Zealand’s Mt. Taranaki and hiking 7 miles to basecamp on Shasta. Versatility never felt so good.

–M.H. $350; 3 lbs. 3 oz. (37); m’s 36-48, w’s 3643; sportiva.com

Winter 2012: Targhee National Forest, Wyoming

Spring 2013: Walls of Jerusalem National Park, Tasmania, Australia

Water treatment got a reboot with SteriPen’s no-pumping, no-waiting, no-taste ultraviolet technology.

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GUPPYFRIEND WASHING BAG KEEP OUTDOOR APPAREL FROM POLLUTING THE OCEAN. The sad truth about your favorite rainshell? It’s made with plastic. That means that every time you wash it—or your puff y, fleece, or other synthetic—you’re unintentionally flushing microplastics down the drain, where they’ll eventually make their way into our rivers, lakes, and oceans.

That stops now with the Guppyfriend, a mesh laundry bag that traps microfibers before they escape with the waste water.

Its 50-micron mesh lets water inside to clean your garments while in the washing machine, but is tight enough that no fibers can slip out. The German Textile Research Institute and the Fraunhofer Institute put the Guppyfriend to the test and discovered that, besides trapping microfibers, it also reduces the amount that comes off the garment in a standard wash cycle. That’s great for the environment—and the life of your synthetic.

The 20-by-28-inch laundry bag fits up to three garments. When you’re done, scoop the little threads and fibers out of the Guppyfriend and toss them in the trash.

There’s not much to it, but if everyone does his or her part, it will add up to a world of good. –E.B. $30; 2.3 oz.; guppyfriend.com

Egmont National Park perk: mud bath included

Behind the Scenes We have to build trust with our testers. Getting someone to test a sleeping bag to its temperature rating—saying, “I need you to sleep in 20°F weather, and I hope this bag is warm enough”—is asking a lot.

– William M. Rochfort, Jr., sleeping bag and pad category manager

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Winter 2014: Canadian Rockies, BC, Canada

For the first time, backpackers could enjoy two-way communication with home (or searchand-rescue teams) from anywhere, without lugging an expensive sat phone, thanks to the DeLorme (now Garmin) InReach.

My personal hall of fame I’m queen of popping sleeping pads, so I love the Sea to Summit Comfort Plus. You inflate it on both sides, so you have insurance against a leak.

–Rachel Zurer, Senior Editor, 2011-2016

PHOTOS BY LOUISA ALBANESE; COURTESY (2)

Winter 2013: Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, Montana

Spring 2014: Wadi Rum & Petra, Jordan

GEAR GUIDE

DARN TOUGH HIKER BOOT SOCK CUSHION YOUR SOCKS SHOULD LAST AT LEAST AS LONG AS YOUR BOOTS. We’ve taken socks to the corners of the world and the extremes of heat and cold. We’ve gotten them wet and muddy, dried them in our sleeping bags overnight, and worn them the next day. And the day after. And here’s what we’ve learned: Most socks are good for a year or two. Some make it three. But for five years and hundreds upon hundreds of miles, the Darn Toughs have always returned to our sock drawer to bear witness as lesser socks lose their shape, lose their elasticity, and lose their yarn, leaving behind a sad nylon skeleton.

One dedicated editor put the Darn Tough Hiker head-tohead with every other major and minor brand of sock and it won every bout. Most recently? Five days in a row in Colorado’s Eagles Nest Wilderness, no washes, in a lined shoe frequently overtopped by mud and slop. Still, the Darn Tough persisted—and it was four years old by that point.

Why so durable? Credit the construction: Darn Tough’s engineers analyze wear patterns and come up with specific yarn configurations to meet the abuse, varying combinations of merino, nylon, and elastane across the foot. Need more convincing? Darn Tough backs up the durability promise with a lifetime guarantee. Not that we’ll ever need it. –C.L. $24; 4.4 oz. (m’s L); m’s M-XL, w’s S-L; darntough.com

Assistant Photo Editor Louisa Albanese in camp on the Whanganui River

Spring 2015: Eastern Sierra & Death Valley, California

Lightest frame pack

2 lbs.

Granite Gear Vapor Trail, 2003

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Winter 2015: San Isabel National Forest, Colorado

Columbia fires the first salvo in the race to eliminate toxic DWRs from rainshells (see the latest iteration on page 87).

PHOTOS BY (FROM TOP) LOUISA ALBANESE; COURTESY; CAVEMAN COLLECTIVE

Spring 2016: Lycian Way, Turkey

© 2018 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. GORE-TEX®, GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY®, GORE ® and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

THINK ABOUT SILENCE. THINK ABOUT FALLING DEWDROPS. THINK ABOUT WHISPERING TREES. DON’T THINK ABOUT WEATHER PROTECTION. DON’T THINK ABOUT GORE-TEX ® .

PRODUCTS

THE MORE WE CARE ABOUT YOU, THE LESS YOU THINK ABOUT US. Nothing protects you like GORE-TE X ® products.

gore-tex.com/think

GEAR GUIDE

GARMIN OREGON SERIES ONE GPS UNIT TO RULE THEM ALL.

Winter 2016: Coast Mountains, British Columbia, Canada

NEW ZEALAND

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Spring 2017: Páramo de Ocetá, Colombia

Whanganui River

Winter 2017: Weminuche Wilderness, Colorado

DO IT The southwest corner of New Zealand’s North Island doesn’t get much tourist attention, but it will.

From the beaches of New Plymouth to the snowy slopes of Mt. Taranaki to the verdant curves of the Whanganui River, there are enough natural hot spots within a few hours’ drive of each other to fi ll any vacation. GUIDES topguides.co.nz; canoesafaris.co.nz INFO newzealand.com/us

Editors’ Choice Live Watch all these products in action, see more New Zealand scenery, and dig into the complete list of Editors’ Choice winners since 1993 at backpacker.com/editorschoice.

PHOTOS BY LOUISA ALBANESE (2); COURTESY

Geeks and neophytes, Gen-Xers and Millennials, Apple users and Android users, it doesn’t matter: The Garmin Oregon GPS unit may be the only piece of tech we can all agree on—and hikers have been agreeing on it for a decade now. For plotting a digital course or having a handy navigation backup, there’s simply nothing better. And though the Oregon has evolved over the years, pushing the envelope with each new model (we gave the Oregon 400t an Editors’ Choice Award in 2009 for its touchscreen), its essential DNA remains the same: deliver cuttingedge features in the easiest-tooperate GPS on the market.

The current 750t is idiotproof. Like your smartphone, it has identifiable icons (hike, mountain bike, climb, fish, etc.) displayed like apps on the 1.5-by-2.5-inch color touchscreen. Our tech newbs figured out how to switch between modes, leave a breadcrumb trail, and plan a route quickly, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t enough there to keep tech wonks happy. The 750t comes preloaded with 1:100,000 U.S. topo maps, an Active Weather feature (which provides up-todate forecasts and animated weather radar with a cell signal), and an improved antenna for better GPS and GLONASS reception. Nice touch: The included battery runs for some 16 hours on one charge, but the Oregon also works with two AA batteries. –M.H. $550 (for the 750t); 7 oz.; garmin.com

GEAR GUIDE

PACKS

by Nancy Bouchard

MAKING TRACKS William Emerson hauls the 48-liter version of the Osprey Exos (page 38) up the Soldier Trail at the base of Mt. Lemmon, the 9,159-foot highpoint of Arizona’s Santa Catalina Mountains.

K E VI N K A M I N S K I

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PACKS

Daypacks

THE TESTING LIFE

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR MULTI-PITCH 16 Our take Small doesn’t equal flimsy with the MultiPitch. Packs this size—just big enough for lunch, layers, and water—are often made with light materials that don’t hold up to abuse. But 840-denier ballistic nylon (the toughest fabric in our test) on the sides and bottom and TPU-coated, 600-denier ballistic nylon on the front held up to slot canyon squeezes in Utah’s Escalante region. “After a month of trips and many close encounters with sharp rock, there wasn’t a single blown stitch,” a tester says. A streamlined design—nothing to snag—and plastic-coated gear loops round out the damage-proofing.

The details Padded, low-profi le shoulder straps and a thin foam backpanel manage loads up to 15 pounds. And despite the clean design, you get welcome extras like a stowable mesh bottle sleeve (big enough for 32-ounce bottles). A V-shaped haul loop and an internal zippered pocket complete the feature set.

Trail cred “This pack didn’t bounce or shift when I needed good balance on a sketchy traverse on the Snake River Trail down into Hells Canyon, Idaho,” one tester says, crediting the Multi-Pitch’s position between his shoulder blades and its secure, inchthick hipbelt. $95; 1 lb. 5 oz.; 16 liters; one size; mountainhardwear.com

“It can be hard to test pack durability, but I certainly tried my best. On a trip to the Wind River Range in Wyoming, my partner and I climbed the north ridge of 12,040-foot Steeple Peak, which features a two-pitch section of chimney climbing. For both pitches we attached our tester packs to our harnesses, and watched as they spun and ricocheted off the granite beneath us. When we reached the top, we were surprised to find that neither had any holes.”

–RYAN IRVIN

Killer deal

COTOPAXI LUZON 18 Our take You’ll spend more on your next tank of gas than you will on this no-frills ruck. The lightest pack in our test, the Luzon is great for travel—it packs down to the size of a grapefruit for easy stowing, yet still manages a day’s worth of supplies for moderate hikes. The minimalist design lacks interior pockets, a main zipper, and a backpanel, but our testers loved the simplicity: “The packbag’s drawstring closure opens smoothly, and I like not having a lid to buckle or a zipper to mess with or break,” one says. A zippered pocket on the pack’s front is large enough for keys, wallet, sunglasses, and bug spray; the main compartment swallows a rainshell, light puff y, and lunch. We carried 10-pound loads comfortably.

The details The 210-denier nylon isn’t as tough as heavier fabric, of course, but the Luzon doesn’t need TLC like some ultralights. (After 200 miles, ours still looks like new.) Despite the streamlined design, you do get an internal hydration sleeve and a webbing hipbelt.

Trail cred “In Antigua, Guatemala, I’d pack snacks and water in the Luzon for hikes in the hills around town,” our tester says. “When it was empty, I just stuffed it in my jacket pocket before visiting museums and shops.” $40; 10.6 oz.; 18 liters; one size; cotopaxi.com

WEIGHTS ARE PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

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PHOTOS BY COURTESY

Toughest

GEAR GUIDE

Most versatile

Most breathable

Best weatherproofing

BLACK DIAMOND MAGNUM 20

PATAGONIA NINE TRAILS 28/26

Our take Our testers dubbed the Magnum 20 a “little-big pack”—not too overbuilt for a simple dayhike, yet durable enough for heavy-duty cragging. It has plenty of storage space inside and out, including stretchy side pockets that fit a rainshell (or yoga mat), a stuff-it pouch large enough for a helmet, and a shock-cord bungee on the front that can hold a sit pad.

The Magnum has a flexible plastic framesheet that’s beefier than what we find in most packs this size, enough for one California tester to tote 20 pounds of camera gear up 2,571-foot Mt. Tamalpais. The pack isn’t bulky, though, and our tester took it mountain biking after ditching his camera.

The details The 420-denier ripstop nylon packbag shrugged off sandpaper-like rock, grabby deadfall, and one curious chipmunk over a six-month guiding season in California’s Modoc National Forest. “The pack rode close to my back, and the webbing hipbelt kept my 18-pound load stable,” one tester said after a hike up to Saddleback Pass in Banff.

Trail cred “While hiking up the Pacaya volcano in Guatemala, I could store all my quickaccess items on the outside and free up all the interior space for emergency layers, water, and lunch,” one tester says. $90; 2 lbs.; 20 liters; one size; blackdiamondequipment.com

Our take There’s usually a tradeoff between pack stability and breathability, but the Nine Trails splits the difference. While trampolinestyle backpanels create space between your back and pack (enhancing airflow but inviting sway), the Nine Trails compromises with a mesh-covered backpanel that has cutouts for air to circulate. The pack sat flush on our backs for a wiggle-free carry, but the venting provided a touch of cooling on a race up 2,097-foot Mt. Orizaba on Catalina Island to watch the solar eclipse in August. “My shirt was damp, but not soaked, like my companions’,” our tester says.

The details The women’s-specific version of this pack (pictured) received top marks due to the curved shoulder straps and canted hipbelt. “The oblong wings have enough padding to prevent rubbing, and wrap my hips like a second skin,” one tester said after carrying 25 pounds in the Nine Trails during a week of hiking in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge. Two hipbelt pockets stash snacks, and their 7-inch, angled zippers open easily with one hand.

Trail cred “The Nine Trails’s enormous, U-shaped zipper makes it easy to stow and grab gear quickly,” our tester says. $159; 2 lbs. (w’s S/M); 26 liters (m’s 28); m’s and w’s, S/M, L/XL; patagonia.com

OUTDOOR RESEARCH PAYLOAD DRY PACK 32 Our take The Payload was our go-to pack when the forecast called for the kind of rain that would make many hikers stay inside. It’s fully TPU-laminated and seam-sealed with a roll-top closure, which work together to make it completely submersible, as one rafting guide tester on California’s Salmon River was relieved to discover. “The Payload took an unexpected dunking when I slipped on a rock, and my camera stayed just as safe as it would have in one of my drybags,” he says.

The details While the suspension looks light, our tester was able to carry 20 pounds comfortably. “I never experienced shoulder or back discomfort thanks to a mesh-and-foam pad that protects the scapula area,” he says. Two V-shaped compression straps on each side of the pack pulled loads tight against our backs, but without a framesheet, barrelling was a problem with overstuffed loads.

Trail cred “When the Payload swam a class IV rapid on the Salmon, it flushed through some cheese-grater rock gardens—but didn’t rip or leak,” our tester says. However, the mesh strap that secures the roll-top frayed at the stitching after some particularly tight canyoneering. $149; 1 lb. 4 oz.; 32 liters; one size; outdoorresearch.com

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GEAR GUIDE

PACKS

Daypack/Overnight

Most comfortable

Best for mountaineering

MYSTERY RANCH RIDGE RUCK 30

MAMMUT TRION ZIP 42

Our take This pack has all the standard suspension tricks of a regular pack, but adds a secret weapon: easy-to-manage microadjustments. When you tighten the hipbelt, the shoulder straps cinch up accordingly, causing the entire harness to fit right every time you change layers, take a break, or just want to alter the carry. “I’m a put-the-pack-on-and-go type of person, so the system gives me a dialed-in fit quickly, with no effort,” says one Montana-based tester.

Molded foam shoulder straps and hipbelt are beefy for a pack this size—just right for big, gear-intensive dayhikes—and got top marks for comfort. “Stability really sets this pack apart,” says another tester who used the Ridge Ruck to carry 30-pound loads through Castle Crags State Park, California. He attributed the carry to the pack’s pear shape, which centers the weight on the lower back.

The details Two external zip pockets (one on the top and one on the front), a stuff-it panel, and two daisy chains provide plenty of options for organization.

Bummer: no hipbelt pocket.

Trail cred “Thorny manzanita bushes were no match for the Ridge Ruck’s thick mesh side pockets, the burliest in the test,” one Arizona tester says. $165; 2 lbs. 10 oz.; 30 liters; one size; mysteryranch.com

“On a September trip in California’s Trinity Alps, wildfire smoke moved in and forced us out. Instead of calling off our trip, we hiked double-time through alpine meadows and pine forests to the trailhead, drove four hours to the Lost Coast, and hiked 7 miles through redwoods to a backcountry cove. We arrived at dusk and went for a swim in the ocean—an impromptu mountains-to-sea route.”

–DENNIS LEWON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

Our take Having your gear handy is essential in the high alpine, and this sleek, climbing-oriented toploader sports the best tool attachments of any pack we tested. Adjustable (and removable) hook-and-loop straps on the front keep axe handles secure, and the packbag has pick “garages” to shield sharp edges.

Daisy chains on the lid and front let you strap on everything from a crampon pouch to a sit pad, and burly, reinforced loops on the side hold a climbing rack or skis. “Although the Trion has everything an alpinist needs, it’s not over-engineered,” says a tester who hauled it in Idaho’s City of Rocks. Bonus: Remove the hipbelt to save 7.4 ounces.

The details The hipbelt adjusts up or down 2 inches, and users of all sizes got a good fit. One tester carried 35 pounds comfortably in Glacier National Park with no sore spots, thanks to a V-shape aluminum frame and an aggressively contoured hipbelt. Three small zippered pouches in the lid let him keep things like sunblock, medication, and electronics separate. A single hipbelt pocket fits a phone.

Trail cred “The floorplan is perfect for climbs, big dayhikes, and ski tours (stash avy tools in the deep, easy-access front pocket); I could access anything inside the pack with ease,” a tester said after spring ski laps on Oregon’s Mt. Hood. $180; 3 lbs.; 42 liters; one size; mammut.com

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

THE TESTING LIFE

LEVIT Y | LUMINA

Yo u k n o w w h a t i s n ’ t c o o l ? S u f f e r i n g for the wrong reasons. Suf fering t h r o u g h p h y s i c a l c h a l l e n g e s ? T h a t ’s cool. Suf fering because your pack h u r t s ? N o t c o o l . S o w h e t h e r y o u ’r e p l a n n i n g o n d o i n g t h e L o s t C o a s t Tr a i l in a weekend or set ting a blistering p a c e o n t h e Tr i p l e C r o w n , w h y n o t take an ultralight pack that feels good on your back? Af ter all, nothing weighs more than pain.

GEAR GUIDE

The Testing Life “I CONVINCED A COUPLE OF FRIENDS TO TAKE A SUNRISE PADDLE ON DREAM LAKE IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, BUT THE WIND WAS SO STRONG THAT IT KEPT SENDING US CAREENING INTO EACH OTHER. WE COULDN’T STOP LAUGHING.” –Marisa Jarae Denver, Colorado

Pack Test Data TESTERS

43 PACKS TESTED

37 HEAVIEST LOAD

90 LBS. LONGEST DAY

30 MI. Eagle Cap Wilderness, OR

MOST CONSECUTIVE DAYS HIKED

9 Stølsheimen, Norway

105°F Wadi Rum, Jordan

HIGHEST TRIP

12,040 ft.

Steeple Peak, WY

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

PHOTO BY CARRIE KEAHEY

HOTTEST TEMP

The middle of nowhere or the center of everything?

T h e re’s n o b e t t e r p l a c e t o re m i n d y ou r s e l f of y ou r r i g ht f u l p l a c e i n t h e u n i v e r s e . At on c e i m m e n s e a n d i nt i m at e , Wy om i n g’s t i m e l e s s w on d e r s t re t c h e s out b e f ore y ou a n d f i n d s it s w ay i nt o y ou r s ou l . O ut h e re , i n s om n i a w ou l d n’t b e a b a d t h i n g .

PACKS

Multiday

Best for weekend warriors

Best carry

Best access

COLUMBIA WILDWOOD

OSPREY EXOS/EJA 58

EXPED EXPLORE 75

Our take Versatility and affordability don’t usually go together, but that’s exactly what the Wildwood delivers. It’s big enough for an overnight but not too cumbersome for a dayhike. And the low price doesn’t mean it’s skimpy on features: Twelve pockets and sleeves, including two hidden zippered security pockets on either side of the backpanel, keep things organized. A hydration sleeve is accessible from the outside, so you don’t have to dig through your gear to fi ll up, and a 5-liter kangaroo pouch on the front swallows a small tent. “The Wildwood hits the sweet spot for hut trips or packing light in warm weather,” says our minimalist-minded tester, who used the pack for excursions in British Columbia.

The details The Wildwood has 2-inch-wide foamshoulder straps and 5-inch-wide hipbelt pads. Along with a molded backpanel and plastic framesheet, they provide ample support for up to 35 pounds. The fi xed suspension fits torsos from 17 to 21 inches. Quibble: The toplid is fi xed in front, so you can’t fully extend it to fit oversized loads.

Trail cred “On a long hike in Tierra Del Fuego, I stuffed the two expansive hipbelt pockets full of fresh fruit and energy snacks.

I didn’t have to open up the main packbag all day,” one tester says. $110; 3 lbs.; 46 liters; one size; columbia.com

Our take Over more than 500 miles of testing, from Mont Blanc to Mt. Ra inier, this lightweight pack stood out for its ability to carry surprisingly big loads. Our female testers offered the most praise, due to the Eja’s (the men’s version is the Exos, pictured) canted hipbelt designed to fit angular hips and paddedyet-thin shoulder straps that accommodate breasts. Both sexes lauded the pack’s suspension, an aluminum perimeter frame that runs all the way through the large wings that wrap the waist. “The Eja delivers great transfer to our best asset as backpackers: our hips,” one tester says. “It carries weight so effectively that it reduces the feel by half. Over 100 miles on the Arizona Trail, it made the 40 pounds I was hoofing up steeps feel more like 20.”

The details The outside of the packbag has a stuff-it pouch and 15-inch-long side pockets.

The Eja has two toplids; you can remove the larger top one to save weight, but testers didn’t like that the second, unremovable lid got in the way. Ding: No hipbelt pockets, and one tester discovered a wear point on the bottom of one sample after only a few days of use.

Trail cred “The mesh covering the back and inside of the hip wings granted good breathability when the temperature soared near the Mogollon Rim,” our Arizona tester says. $220; 2 lbs. 8 oz. (w’s S); 58 liters; m’s S-L, w’s XS-M; osprey.com

Our take In a bag this big, fishing something out when you’re on the move can be an exercise in temper control. Not so with the Explore, which boasts a front panel with two 24-inch zippers on either side. On top of that, the entire flap splays open via a hook-and-loop tab to grant access to the whole packbag, suitcasestyle. “On a cold day midway through a five-day trip in Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness, the troops began to lose enthusiasm. Without dumping the contents of my pack, I retrieved my stove, cups, and some tea for a little liquid comfort,” one tester recalls.

The details The Explore has dual aluminum stays, a plus-size lumbar pad, and a thick hipbelt (almost as cushy as The North Face Prophet’s, page 41) that allowed us to haul loads up to 60 pounds. The torso adjusts to fit hikers with back lengths from 16 to 23 inches for the men’s version and 14 to 21 inches for the women’s version, the widest range in the test. A large, articulated shove-it pocket on the front fits wet clothes or a small tent.

Trail cred “During our trip in the Eagle Cap, my load fluctuated as I switched layers. The Explore’s four compression straps, which reach all the way to the front of the pack, not just the sides, were great at battening everything down,” our tester says. $289; 4 lbs. 4 oz. (m’s); 75 liters; one size, m’s and w’s; exped.com

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

GEAR GUIDE

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© 2018 Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds LLC. All Rights Reserved. WONDERFUL, THE MINDFUL NUT, the Package Design and accompanying logos are trademarks of Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds LLC or its affiliates. WP171207-12

PACKS

Multiday

Best value

DEUTER AIRCONTACT LITE 65+10 Our take If you’re on a one-pack budget, this is it. The Aircontact Lite can handle weeklong loads, is light enough for overnights, and is made with tough materials that will last for years. “It pulls some of the best features from a lot of niche pack categories,” says one tester who took the Aircontact Lite on a climbing and backpacking trip to Wyoming’s Wind River Range. Its svelte profi le is alpine-oriented, and the organization is worthy of a neat freak. The pack’s suspension subdues big loads without bulk: An X-shaped aluminum frame keeps the weight tight against your lumbar and locked into the stiff hipbelt, allowing us to carry loads up to 60 pounds. And after shuttling the Aircontact over the Winds’ rocky passes, our tester called the 600-denier packcloth “armadillo tough.”

The details Deuter teamed up with YKK on a plastic buckle that our testers deemed unbreakable. The removable two-pocket lid can be used as a daypack. A 70-liter women’s version is also available. Ding: The shoulder straps hold sweat and water.

Trail cred “With temps in the high 80s, this pack still breathed well, thanks to a vertical channel in the backpanel that aids airflow,” our tester said after hauling a 50-pound load 36 miles into the Winds. $220; 4 lbs. 6 oz. (m’s); 75 liters (w’s 70); one size, m’s and w’s; deuter.com

THE TESTING LIFE

“I hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc with my 15-year-old son, his first major trek.

On day one, toiling up the Col de Tricot, I was worried he’d be grumpy or tired. Instead, he was all smiles, and when we topped out and looked back down at Chamonix, he turned and said, ‘Mom, I could get used to this.’”

–KRISTIN HOSTETTER

TERRAFRAME MYSTERY RANCH

BUILDS THE BEST LOAD-BEARING PACKS IN THE WORLD.

Featuring the OVERLOAD™ which enables extra loadcarrying capability between pack sack and frame.

PHOTOS BY COURTESY (2); CAVEMAN COLLECTIVE

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR GUIDE Best expedition pack

THE NORTH FACE PROPHET 100 Our take The enormous Prophet carries more like a 70-liter pack, making it our choice for extended missions when a little extra comfort goes a long way.

“Packs this big are often cumbersome, but I could reach overhead, high step, and duck under deadfall due to the Prophet’s sleek design,” said a tester who carried up to 90 pounds during a seven-day epic in Tierra Del Fuego, Chile. The hipbelt has a half-inch of vertical play; when you walk, the pack adjusts with your stride, keeping the bulk from working against your hips’ natural movement. The Prophet’s fullperimeter wire frame also extends to the bottom of the hipbelt, transferring weight seamlessly. A center framestay, full plastic framesheet, and 5-inch-thick hipbelt wings combine to boost comfort without adding too much bulk.

The details One load-lifter strap extends down from the right shoulder and wraps around to the left, letting you dial in the carry with a single tug, equalizing both shoulders at once. The Prophet has a full side zipper to quickly access the main compartment, and our tester carried all his clothes on his Chile trek in the 18-by-12-inch front pocket.

Trail cred “The detachable lid has three huge pockets, and I stuffed each day’s food in one, headlamp and maps in the second, and kept my passport and valuables in the third,” a tester reported after two weeks in Banff, British Columbia. $439; 100 liters; 5 lbs. 11 oz. (S/M); S/M, L/XL; thenorthface.com

CONGRATULATIONS BACKPACKER 25 YEARS OF EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS

two pounds to paradise Photo - Devon Balet

TIGER WALL UL: 2 PERSON

· 2 DOOR · 2lb. 3oz. TENT The Mother of Comfort bigagnes.com

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR SCHOOL PACKS

by Corey Buhay

Understanding suspension and construction is key to finding the right fit—and proper maintenance and repair will ensure your load-hauler lasts thousands of miles.

Load lifters draw the weight closer to your back.

Adjust them after tightening the shoulder straps.

Look for a top lid with enough space for the day’s essentials; some convert to fanny packs or day packs.

Lift the pack by its haul loop to avoid straining straps and seams.

Tighten the shoulder straps after the hipbelt. You should be able to fit at least two fingers under them.

Compression straps stabilize the load and allow you to strap on extras if needed.

The sternum strap should be just tight enough to keep your straps from slipping; overtightening can cut off arm circulation.

Hate digging through top-loaders? Look for a side zip.

Water bottle pockets should be accessible while your pack is on.

Tighten the hipbelt first. The padding should wrap securely around the tops of your hipbones.

Use the hipbelt stabilizers to snug the load close to your body.

Store your Snickers, lip balm, phone, or other on-the-go essentials in the hipbelt pocket.

Stash your ice axe or trekking poles in these loops for safe storage.

BASIC REPAIR Worn-out zipper slider.

Tighten the slider body by squeezing the top and bottom together with pliers.

Replace when you get home.

MOST COMMON

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

Broken zipper. Coil-style zipper? Gently realign bent teeth with your fingernails.

Tooth-style zipper? Get it replaced.

Torn mesh pocket. Overlap the edges of the tear and sew them together. Permanent solution? Replace the whole panel.

Broken buckle. You’ll need a replacement. Carry an extra hipbelt buckle in your repair kit, especially if your straps are too short to tie.

LEAST COMMON

ILLUSTR ATIONS BY PETER SUCHESKI PHOTO BY DOUGLAS HURDLE

Boulder Mountain Repair (bouldermtnrepair.com) has seen packs busted in just about every way you can think of (and probably some you can’t).

BMR Product Developer Sam Goodhue shares some of the most common equipment failures and his advice for fixing them.

GEAR GUIDE SHOP TALK

Light Done Right

Kevin Rosenberg Gear to Go Outfitters, NY Kevin Rosenberg started peddling gear on the sidewalks of Brooklyn in 2009 and eventually grew his business, Gear to Go Outfitters, into a rental, guiding, and retail company, which is now based in Buchanan, New York. He’s a self-proclaimed pack geek known to stop people on the trail to offer fit and adjustment advice.

“A lot of non-ultralight people go for ultralight packs,” Rosenberg says. “Find something that fits well and carries well. If you just go for the lightest pack possible but you put 45 pounds in it, you’re going to end up with a back injury.”

Whittle down your kit before you start trying to cut pounds off your pack.

BUYER’S GUIDE: ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS 1 What’s my organization style? Are you a stuffer or a neatnik? The former might prefer a big, single-compartment packbag, and the latter, pockets galore. Pick a pack layout that matches your MO or you’ll forever fight your own nature.

2 What size am I? Pack size is based on torso length, not height. Here’s how to measure: Run a flexible tape measure (or a string) from the bony C7 vertebrae at the base of your neck to the point right between the tops of your hipbones, or iliac crests. When trying on packs, learn how to adjust them yourself.

3 How big of a pack do I need? Bring your kit into the store or grab stuff off the shelf to make sure your prospective purchase can take the load. You can get away with a 45-liter pack for fair-weather weekends, but consider sizing up to 60-plus if you plan to do some winter camping or take longer trips.

4 What kind of suspension? Opt for sturdy aluminum or sprung-steel suspension systems over ultralight or plastic-only models—unless you plan to keep your total pack weight (including food, water, and fuel) under about 25 pounds.

5 How does it compare to similar models? Don’t leave the store before you’ve tried on several packs. Fill each with about 20 pounds and take a few laps.

Pack Culture

GEAR SHOP ETIQUETTE No surprise: Your local outfitter, like many brick-andmortar stores, is likely challenged by online competition.

It’s not your job to fix their business model, but don’t abuse it either. If you go into a shop and spend an hour getting fitted by a pack expert, don’t turn around and buy the pack on the web.

HIPSTERS

THRU - HIKERS

1

2

BABY BOOMERS WITH NOSTALGIA

BABY BOOMERS WITH BAD KNEES

1. External frame packs 2. Ultralight frameless packs

OWNER’S MANUAL PACK SMART. Store heavy stuff in the high center of your pack, near your spine. Keep snacks, raingear, and essentials handy, and avoid lashing items to the outside; they’re easy to lose, and affect your balance.

SLEEP TIGHT. Keep your pack in the tent with you (remove all smellables first) or hang it up to prevent nibbling by rodents attracted to the salt in sweaty shoulder straps.

REINFORCE WEAK SPOTS. Give your pack a once-over before a big trip. Preemptively patch fuzzy or threadbare sections.

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

43

THE HIGH UINTAS. THE BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS. THE MOJAVE DESERT. THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL. THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL. CINQUE TERRE. CAMINO DE SANTIAGO. THE GRAND CANYON.

THE BAVARIAN ALPS. NEPAL. THE DOLOMITES. OTZTAL ALPS. AUSTRIA. THE INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU. NAMIBIA. ICELAND. ZION NATIONAL PARK. THE TATRA MOUNTAINS. NEW ZEALAND…

WHERE WILL YOU GO

IN YOUR LOWAs? The Camino GTX® features our patented lasted GORE-TEX® lining for a wrinkle-free fit with improved climate control, a shock-absorbing DuraPU™ midsole for long-lasting support and comfort, plus thoughtful design touches like the LOWA Flex® Lacing system that helps reduce pressure and hotspots over many miles of trekking.

It’s details like these that go into every LOWA, so you can get the most out of every trek, backpacking trip or hike.

Leave your footprint #LOWABOOTS (your pix could be in our next ad....)

Camino GTX® I Glove-leather lining option also available.

GORE-TEX®, GTX®, GORE®, and GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY® and design are registered trademarks of W.L. Gore & Associates Inc. VIBRAM®, the Octagon Logo, and the Yellow Octagon Logo and the color Canary Yellow are registered trademarks of Vibram S.p.A. ©2018 LOWA Boots, LLC.

GEAR GUIDE

FOOTWEAR

by Heather Balogh Rochfort

COMING IN HOT Justin La Vigne takes the Dynafit Speed Mtn GTX (page 46) on a quick descent of the Continental Divide Trail in New Mexico’s Chama River Canyon Wilderness.

M I C H A E L D E YO U N G

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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GEAR GUIDE

FOOTWEAR

Trail Runners

Best outsole

DYNAFIT SPEED MTN GTX Our take We had our reservations about the slipper-like Speed Mtns, but after 54 days, 140 miles, and 30,000 feet of elevation gain without a slip in these svelte runners, we’re converts. “Most folks wouldn’t consider the route up Alaska’s Mt. Troy a trail at all: You have to run up a stream, ascend through a thick spruce forest, and then cross the rocky alpine zone—but the Speed Mtns easily handled the task,” says one tester of his backyard run in Tongass National Forest. The secret is in the durable outsole, which is made of a butyl rubber compound, like a car tire. Known for its weatherproofing, the butyl sole proved just as grippy on snowy forest roads

Best ride

ADIDAS TERREX TWO BOA Our take “Like a BMW cruising down the Autobahn,” our tester says of these German-engineered low-tops. The recipe for the smoothest ride in our test is relatively simple: a slightly

as rocky singletrack. Diamond-shaped lugs vary in depth (up to a cleat-like 6mm) across the sole, while a tough canvas upper, climbing shoe-like rubber rand, and burly toe bumper protect the Speed Mtn from trail debris. And the cost for all those features? Ouch.

The details Our testers liked the speed lacing system, which keeps the shoes cinched evenly, but the protective sleeve is tough to manage with cold fingers. Fit note: Dynafit ditched its standard lasts in favor of a wider one for the Speed Mtn—meaning it fits larger-volume feet and allows for more toe splay.

Trail cred “The ballistic toe bumper kept my feet bruise-free,” says one Alaska-based tester with a history of broken toes. $180; 1 lb. 11 oz.; m’s 7-13, w’s 6-10; dynafit.com

thicker-than-average EVA midsole and a rockered profi le with a 6mm drop for a natural, roll-off-your-toes stride. Our feet stayed fatigue-free after big-mile runs and training sessions on steeps. The latter was no problem for the Continental outsole, which also held fast on wet rock and icy

singletrack in New York’s Durand Eastman Park, thanks to 4mm lugs. The Terrex Two’s 26mmthick heel provides just enough cushion for backpacking with a load under 30 pounds.

The details A Boa dial stands in for laces, making it easy to tweak fit on the fly, and one tester even dubbed the Terrex Two a great camp shoe for the easy-on, easy-off factor. Check fit: One wide-footed runner felt crammed in the slightly narrow toebox.

Trail cred “I normally have a sneaker blow-out by now, but I’m creeping up on 200 miles in these and they aren’t even close to falling apart,” our New York-based ultrarunner says. $120; 1 lb. 5 oz.; m’s 6-15, w’s 5-12; adidas.com

THE TESTING LIFE

“On a glacier traverse in Chamonix, I got lost in full whiteout conditions while making my way back to the Aiguille du Midi.

I couldn’t even see my partner on the rope ahead of me. When we finally stopped to consult our GPS, we realized we’d gone in a giant circle. But then the mountain gods took pity on us: Through a clearing in the snow and fog we caught a glimpse of another party, and by late afternoon we were enjoying beers with them in the rifugio.”

–LANG VAN DOMMELEN

WEIGHTS ARE FOR A PAIR OF MEN’S 9s, AS PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

GEAR GUIDE

Light Hikers

Best approach shoe

ARC’TERYX KONSEAL FL Our take Most shoes that aim to split the difference between climbing and hiking are great for scrambling, but less so for hammering out big miles. Enter the Konseal. A 4mm OrthoLite insole sits atop a bouncy EVA midsole, creating a plush ride more comfortable than any other approach shoe we tested this season. This combo protected one tester from rocks and roots during 100 trail miles outside Chamonix, France. (Tradeoff: The extra cushioning decreases ground feel.) A TPU frame also provides more stability than a typical low-cut hiker, allowing one tester to shoulder 60 pounds of climbing gear to and from the crag.

The details The ultrasticky Vibram Megagrip outsole held tight to slick, polished limestone in France’s Verdon Gorge, but the shallow, 3mm circular lugs weren’t much help in slush on Alaska’s Hatcher Pass. The relatively stiff sole and pointy toe help the Konseal edge, and our testers had no problems torquing it into cracks and small pockets.

Note: The Konseals are available in a Gore-Tex version for $200.

Trail cred “The insoles are so comfy that I pulled them out to use in my mountain boots,” said one Alaska-based tester after a summer with the Konseals. $165; 1 lb. 5 oz.; m’s 7-13, w’s 5-10; arcteryx.com

Most breathable

LA SPORTIVA SPIRE GTX Our take The shoe buyer’s dilemma: Do you want waterproofing or breathability? One usually comes at the expense of the other, but the Spire GTX does a pretty good job of eliminating the tradeoff. Our feet never got too sweaty in the light-duty kicks— even while tracking through Joshua Tree National Park on a 90°F day—thanks to the year’s best use of Gore-Tex Surround.

With Surround, each step compresses a liner in the midsole that squeezes sweat vapor out through the sides and under the foot; paired with the Spire GTX’s meshy upper, it’s the most breathable waterproof shoe in this lineup.

The details A PU web overlaid on the upper protects the lightweight shoe from errant rocks and sticks without compromising breathability. One tester, who carried a 40-pound load for 20 miles in Yosemite National Park, complimented the Vibram XS Trek outsole. Its chunky, rectangular lugs bit into loose gravel without issue.

Trail cred “I scree-skied through some coarse rock in J-Tree without any damage to the sole,” said our tester after 100 miles in the Spires. $190; 1 lb. 15 oz.; m’s 6-13.5, w’s 5-12; lasportiva.com

Best all-around

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

SCARPA HYDROGEN GTX Our take For fast-and-light missions on rough terrain, consider the Hydrogens your chariot. They’re stiffer than trail runners—not buckling or folding under us on a fastpacking trip on the rocky trails of Idaho’s Sawtooth Range—but at 13 ounces per foot, they’re just as light. SCARPA slices weight by using a mostly mesh upper (though leather and TPU overlays still preserve durability) and an hourglass-shaped outsole (saving ounces in the arch area). The formula kept us stable and comfortable under a 30-pound pack.

The details The Vibram XS Trek outsole and its 5mm, multidirectional lugs gripped muddy paths near Oregon’s Owyhee River and dry rock in Idaho. Thanks to Gore-Tex Surround technology (see La Sportiva, above), the Hydrogens kept us dry when we slogged through high-alpine slush, but still breathed well on warm days. Fit note: One wide-footed tester felt pinched in the heel.

Trail cred “These shoes gave me confidence on uneven, rocky terrain, but were light enough that I didn’t want to rip them off my feet at the end of the day,” says our tester, who logged 200 miles in the Hydrogens. $180; 1 lb. 10 oz.; m’s 7.5-15, w’s 5-10; scarpa.com

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

47

FOOTWEAR

Greenest

COLUMBIA CONSPIRACY III TITANIUM OUTDRY EXTREME ECO Our take Apparel has been getting greener for some time, but, frankly, it’s hard to make an eco-friendly shoe. So consider us pleasantly surprised by the new Conspiracy III. The low-top is made up of 40 percent recycled materials, including the polyester upper and regrind EVA in the midsole, and still stands up to the trail. A TPU shank keeps the Conspiracy III stable on uneven terrain, while OutDry Extreme ECO technology (which puts a PU membrane on the outside of the shoe) seals out water. Our feet stayed dry, even when

Most durable

MERRELL MQM FLEX MID WATERPROOF Our take If we were in the business of reviewing testers, we’d give the one that logged 560 miles on New Zealand’s Te Araroa track our highest score, and that tester gave the MQM Flex Mid

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

Light Hikers

splashing through the shallows on a rafting trip down the Upper Colorado River near Kremmling, Colorado.

The details The Conspiracy III’s upper is naturally either charcoal-colored (pictured) or bright-white, not dyed. By skipping the traditional dyeing process, Columbia saves an additional 15 liters of water per pair. Fit note: The OutDry Extreme doesn’t have much give in the upper, so testers with wider-volume feet felt pinched at the forefoot.

Trail cred “I use these shoes for hiking and mountain biking now,” one Colorado-based tester says.

“The Omni-Grip outsole is sticky enough to hold onto flat pedals, and the lug pattern—which isn’t aggressive—gives me plenty of contact area.” $150; 1 lb. 8 oz.; m’s 7-15, w’s 5-12; columbia.com

her stamp of approval. “Both my hiking shirt and socks are in tatters, but the boots are intact,” she says. A TPU overlay on the meshy, running shoe-like upper acts as a rough-and-tough barrier against debris, and the burly M Select Grip+ outsole showed little sign of wear. (Though the MQM Flex Mids offer enough ankle support for overnight

loads, the EVA midsole and running shoe feel make these boots best for fast-and-light missions.)

The details A unique TPU heel counter locked our feet down on technical descents, while proprietary M Select DRY waterproofi ng kept moisture out on low creek crossings in New Zealand. With M Select DRY, Merrell puts a super-thin waterproof layer (the same one the brand uses in rainshells) beneath the MQM Flex’s upper.

But, because of the shoe’s mostlymesh makeup, dry time didn’t suffer, even with the waterproof membrane: “I happily crossed streams higher than my ankles, knowing my feet would dry out in a few hours,” our tester says.

Check fit before buying: Our wider-footed testers suffered blisters.

Trail cred “You’d only need two pairs of these for an Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike, which is a great money saver,” says our New Zealand tester, who logged 34 days straight in the MQMs. $140; 1 lb. 11 oz.; m’s 7-15, w’s 5-11; merrell.com

THE TESTING LIFE

“Gear testing low point: forgoing a heated backcountry hut in New Zealand to sleep outside in a rainstorm. Two other editors and I drew short straws and ended up in the ultralight, budget three-person tent. We pitched it on tundra, which doesn’t drain, and got 4 inches of rain that night.

The wind totally flattened the thing, even guyed out, and it was more like bivying in a puddle while spooning my best friends.”

–MAREN HORJUS, DESTINATIONS EDITOR

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR GUIDE

The Testing Life

“I HAD JUST DESCENDED FROM 5,679-FOOT MT. RINTOUL IN NEW ZEALAND WHILE HIKING THE 860-MILE SOUTH ISLAND SECTION OF TE ARAROA. I WAS BUZZING BECAUSE I ‘SKIED’ DOWN A SLOPE OF LOOSE SCREE—IN SANDALS.” –Caesar Sangalang Vallejo, California

Footwear Test Data TESTERS

53 TOTAL MILES

6,133 PAIRS OF SHOES TESTED

71 LONGEST DAY

84 MI. Great Mississippi River Levee Run

WORST LUCK

2 STRAIGHT WEEKS OF RAINY DAYHIKES Seattle, WA

560 MI. Te Araroa, New Zealand

HIGHEST TRIP

20,500 ft.

Aconcagua, Argentina

50

GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

PHOTO BY LUKE HILFERTY WILSON

LONGEST HIKE IN ONE PAIR OF SHOES

GEAR GUIDE

FOOTWEAR

Light Hikers

Most versatile

LOWA LOCARNO GTX MID Our take Hikers know that “trail-to-town” is the gear industry’s version of fake news, so we were skeptical of the slick-looking Locarno’s technical chops. But a season of hard use has us thinking this midcut is the real deal.

Its PU midsole is more supportive than EVA, and we had no problems toting 25-pound loads or scouting boulder problems near Long Lake in the Eastern Sierra. True: The package is svelte and the outsole thin, but our testers reported that they actually felt quicker and more nimble in the Locarnos than typical midcuts. Credit the internal PU frame for the low-profile support— which also happens to make the boots look pretty good with jeans or slacks.

(Drawback: Though the nubuck-and-fabric upper is around town-ready, it doesn’t breathe very well on the trail.)

The details The proprietary rubber outsole has shallow, 3mm, arrowheadshaped lugs, which kept us steady when navigating loose granite on California’s Bishop Pass, and a Gore-Tex membrane seals water out. Fit note: The Locarnos don’t have enough support for high arches.

Trail cred “Thanks to a snug fit in the heel and the cushioned ankle, I hiked 6 miles the day the boots arrived, and I never experienced any hot spots,” said our California-based tester after her initial trek in the East Bay. $210; 2 lbs. 1 oz.; m’s 7.5-14, w’s 5.5-11; lowaboots.com

Best fit

OBOZ SAPPHIRE MID WATERPROOF Our take A women’s-specific last is one thing, but volume isn’t the only thing that tends to differ between men’s and women’s feet. That’s why our ladies reached for the Sapphire Mid, a women’s-only model that not only has a smaller forefoot, but that supports their more slender ankles with an asymmetrical collar. “I felt at home in this boot right out of the box,” our tester affirmed after her first outing. “I did a 3-mile hike on Canada’s Prince Edward Island the first day and didn’t experience any break-in blues.” But comfy doesn’t mean dainty. One tester, who tallied 33 miles over three days with a 35-pound pack on a rough coastline in Nova Scotia, proclaimed that her feet barely felt tired. (Three densities of EVA in the midsole provide varying levels of comfort and support.)

The details Oboz uses its B-DRY waterproof-breathable membrane in this version of the Sapphire Mid. (With B-DRY, Oboz places a PU bootie in the boot’s core.) The waterproofing works, but combined with the nubuck upper, the Sapphire Mid left our feet steamy on an 85°F day on Prince Edward Island’s Confederation Trail.

Trail cred “I covered a lot of terrain in these boots—rocks, roots, gravel, and streams—but they don’t look any worse for the wear after 150 miles,” our tester said of the Sapphires’ Swiftcurrent outsole. (Style points: The outsole has a molded topo map of Glacier National Park.) $160; 1 lb. 12 oz. (w’s 7); w’s 6-11; obozfootwear.com

Best traction Our take “These soles stick to everything,” raved one tester after a jaunt up Manastash Ridge in central Washington. We can’t argue. On feedback forms, our testers listed talus, steep scree, sand, wet rock, mud, and snowfields as terrain that the X Ultra 3s quelled. The Contagrip outsole is Salomon’s stickiest, and mixed chevron- and T-shaped lugs gripped well on sloppy descents. (A unique chassis between the outsole and midsole also helps with control on technical downhills.) But whereas super-sticky outsoles tend to wear down faster, these didn’t: Salomon uses a density gradient, so high-use sections of the sole (like the outer edge) have a harder rubber, while lower-wear areas (like the central column) are softer.

The details The X Ultra 3s have a snug heel cup and a memory foam-like OrthoLite sock liner. The Gore-Tex membrane kept water out during a slushy, 9-mile trek in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests, but doesn’t breathe as well as Gore’s Surround (page 47), and we had sweaty feet.

Trail cred “The footbeds on these Salomons make them feel more like trail runners than any other midcut I’ve tried,” says one tester. $165; 1 lb. 15 oz.; m’s 7-13, w’s 5-10; salomon.com

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

SALOMON X ULTRA 3 MID GTX

“I got completely lost looking for a ghost town. That’s when I took a look around and realized I wasn’t lost — I’d found the real Nevada.

Let my story be the beginning of yours.”

TravelNevada.com/AprBackpacker

GEAR GUIDE

Midweight Hikers

THE TESTING LIFE

Best support

ZAMBERLAN 491 TRACKMASTER GTX RR Our take It’s rare when our tester evaluation forms showcase such consistency as those for the Trackmaster did: “Extremely sturdy lateral support,” one read. “Never worried about rolling an ankle,” read another. “Excellent support in snow, ice, mud, and muck,” read another. A rigid Vibram outsole kept our ankles from buckling on a slope of sliding boulders, while the single-piece leather upper keeps the boot stiff, locking in our ankles more like a mountaineering boot. Unlike a mountaineering boot, however, the midsole is made

LAT

47.274105° N

LONG

120.56968° W

of EVA—making it cushier than expected.

The details Chunky, rectangular lugs clung to gravel near Mills River in North Carolina, and a burly PU reinforcement on the toe adds approach shoe-like protection. The Gore-Tex waterproofi ng earned high marks—even slushy snowmelt didn’t penetrate—but the combination of membrane and all-leather upper made for sub-par breathability.

Trail cred “The Trackmasters were stiff enough for kicking steps into snowfields on shoulder-season hikes,” says one New England-based tester. $220; 2 lbs. 2 oz.; m’s 8-13, w’s 6-11; zamberlanusa.com

“A good way to test pants: Head into Colorado’s San Juan Mountains about a week or two before summer hiking season kicks off and spend half your trip sliding down still-snowed-over passes on your butt.”

–ELI BERNSTEIN, ASSOCIATE GEAR EDITOR

GEAR GUIDE Best armor

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

VASQUE SAGA GTX Our take For long-haul trips when we needed a boot that could bash through anything, we reached for the full-coverage Sagas. They’re taller than typical midweights, stretching high above the ankle bone to seal out debris, and made with a tough synthetic upper that’s naturally hydrophobic. A burly rand protects the boot—and toes—while a wishbone-shaped TPU plate in the midsole keeps the Sagas stiff and stable on uneven terrain, which one tester appreciated when she found herself chasing her friend’s flock of goats down a scree field outside of Santa Fe. The details The Vibram Megagrip outsole offers above-average traction.

Five toe and heel vents keep the Sagas airier than expected for a waterproof midweight, which we appreciated on a humid, three-day trip on Vermont’s Long Trail in September.

Trail cred “My feet stayed dry even when I taught an entire aquatic biology class standing in a stream,” one New Mexico tester says. $230; 2 lbs. 14 oz.; m’s 7-14, w’s 6-11 (plus wide options); vasque.com

ObozFootwear.com

Our footwear is built to take you amazing places. Everything we design, from trail shoes to our new ultralight adventure sandal, deliver an unmatched fit, feel and performance for wherever the trail may lead.

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR SCHOOL FOOTWEAR

by Corey Buhay

Footwear tech is more complicated than it looks. Maximize your mileage by learning how to pick the right boots and make them last.

Bony ankles? Look for a cushioned tongue and collar.

Use the pull tab instead of forcing your foot into your shoe—that breaks down the structured cuff over time.

Crank down on lace hooks to secure your ankle and heel on steeps or in dicey terrain.

A one-piece upper is durable, but isn’t as breathable as one with mesh cutouts.

Metal eyelets reduce friction, making adjustments a cinch.

A soft EVA midsole absorbs shock well but compresses faster than sturdier PU.

A toecap boosts shoe longevity (and prevents toe injuries).

Deep lugs are ideal for traction in sand and mud, but provide less surface contact on slickrock scrambles.

A rubber rand provides extra protection and a waterproof seal between sole and upper.

Soft rubber outsoles stick to slick surfaces, but harder rubber typically lasts longer.

BASIC REPAIR Delaminated sole. Crisis?

Use duct tape. At home?

Clean both interfaces where the glue failed. Apply Gear Aid Freesole to reattach.

MOST COMMON

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

Cracked leather. Prevent with a water-based leather treatment. Get severe cracks patched or restitched ahead of time. Too late? Duct tape.

Peeling toecap. Use shoe glue as a temporary fix, then send your boots in for new toecaps. (Learn to add your own at bit.do/toecap.)

Torn mesh panel. Use a shoe-specific patch. In the field? Patch with a square of bandana to keep out dust and debris.

LEAST COMMON

ILLUSTR ATIONS BY PETER SUCHESKI PHOTO BY FULLERTON IMAGES

Peggy Welch, co-owner of Rocky Mountain Resole (rmresole.com), has been tending to worn-out boots at the Salida, Colorado, shop for 17 years. She talks through a few of the most common shoe failures she sees and how to fix them.

GEAR GUIDE SHOP TALK

The Perfect Fit Don’t size up to get a wider shoe, Halterman says (it’s a recipe for toe bang). Instead, find a model that runs wide, and if you know you’ve got funky anatomy, find a fitter who knows backpacking and knows feet—you need both.

Brennan Halterman Ascent Outdoors, WA Brennan Halterman grew up hiking in Southeast Alaska and has been fitting shoes since 2003. Now he’s closing in on his tenth year at Seattle’s Ascent Outdoors (his second as the shop’s footwear buyer).

“When you’re fitting people for shoes, you have the opportunity to really interact with the customer and make a notable difference in their wellbeing,” he says.

BUYER’S GUIDE: ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS 1 What’s my size (and shape)? Ask a fitter to measure your foot’s length (including heel-to-ball length) and width on a Brannock device, and to determine your foot’s volume. If a pair doesn’t work, the fitter should be able to explain why—whether it’s too wide, too low-volume, or because the ball is set too far forward or back. Different brands (and different models within those brands) approach those components differently.

2 How long will these last? Full-grain leather and nubuck uppers are typically more durable than split leather, synthetics, or suede. Sturdy PU midsoles will last 1,000-plus miles, while cushier EVA ones will start to compress in about half that distance.

3 Are they comfortable? Walk up and down an incline board to check for heel slippage and toe bang, signs of a too-big boot. Spend about 20 minutes with a loaded pack (or better yet—ask if you can take the boots home for a few days; walk around the house in them, but keep them clean). Stiffness is to be expected with beefier boots, but rubbing seams, pinching, or excess wiggle room usually indicates poor fit.

4 Do I need a waterproof shoe? If you’re expecting serious rain, snow, mud, or shallow stream crossings in cold weather, waterproof is the way to go. But hot weather and full submersions beg for quick-drying, breathable shoes.

REALITY CHECK Bigger load, more support, right? Well, to each his or her own: We’ve hiked long trails in sandals, hefted 50-pound packs in trail runners, and walked the family dog in boots that would make Paul Bunyan proud. It all comes down to personal preference: Just do whatever makes your feet sing.

Judging People Based on Their Footwear

SANDALS

1

SHOES WITH TOES

4

5

2

TRAIL RUNNERS

3

BIG LEATHER BOOTS

1. They’re a little new-agey. 2. They have strong opinions. 3. They’re hardcore. 4. They have really sweaty feet. 5. They have feet.

OWNER’S MANUAL LET ’EM BREATHE. Air out your shoes at the end of the day to inhibit bacterial growth (remove insoles for faster drying).

KEEP COOL. Don’t leave boots too close to a fire. Delamination, melting synthetics, and shrunken leather are all symptoms of overheating.

SCRUB UP. Wash boots inside and out with a stiff brush and mild detergent as needed. Air dry. Exception: You can throw lightweight, non-waterproof, full-synthetic shoes like trail runners in with the laundry. Use a gentle cycle and dry on low heat.

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

57

GET OUT MORE

COMING TO A TOWN NEAR YOU BACKPACKER is excited to announce the return of our BACKPACKER Ambassador extraordinaire, Randy Propster to host the 2018 Get Out More Tour!

As we embark on our 18th year of this national traveling Tour, we reflect on last season — the largest tour in our history. Whether you are an experienced backcountry traveler, planning your first overnight trip, or simply want to upgrade your current hiking and camping skills, the Get Out More Tour is for you. Join Randy at an entertaining and inspiring Get Out More Tour event near you for your chance to learn tips and techniques from our outdoor expert and check out the latest and greatest in outdoor equipment.

What: Randy will share his personal expertise and trail stories while bringing the pages of BACKPACKER to life during his 90-minute skills and gear seminar highlighting the tips and techniques you’ll need to pack right, buy smart, feel safer, and be more comfortable and confident during your next outdoor adventure.

Where: 45 of the United States’ best Outdoor Retailers, five Outdoor Festivals, and five on-trail “hike-club” meet-ups across the country.

When: April – November 2018 For tour schedule, dates and details visit BACKPACKER.COM/GETOUTMORE

PRESENTED BY

Backcountry Navigation BACKPACKER and the Colorado Outward Bound School designed this 7-part online course that will teach you how to use a map and compass, plan a route, use GPS and digital maps—and conďŹ dently travel into the wilderness knowing you have the tools to get back home safely.

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GET OUT MORE

DIRT. SMOKE. BUG SPRAY. UV RAYS. All reduce the waterproof performance and life-span of your tent.

Cleaning with NEW Tent & Gear SolarWash

LEARN MORE ABOUT PROTECTING YOUR TENT:

GEAR GUIDE

TENTS PHOTOS BY COURTESY

by Heather Balogh Rochfort

THE BIG STAGE Louisa Albanese tests the Eureka! Midori 2 (page 63) below the star-shot sky of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado.

J E SS E A LBA N E S E

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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GEAR GUIDE

TENTS

1-Person

Roomiest solo tent

SIERRA DESIGNS HIGH SIDE Our take Huddling in a tent by yourself for hours can put a damper on any trip. That’s why our testers appreciated the High Side, which maxes out livable space with a fly that converts into an awning on calm days. “I tied the guylines to a tree, propped up my camp chair, and watched the rain dump down while I sat underneath the awning,” said one tester after a soggy trip in Colorado’s Sawatch Range. “I didn’t get wet at all.”

The High Side’s 18.5-square-foot floor is par for the course, but the quarters feel roomier than their measurements suggest. Curved DAC aluminum poles make the door side taller than average (it has a 32-inch peak height), so testers up to 5’9” could sit up comfortably.

The details Despite a lack of vents, breathability was top-notch and condensation low during a string of 35°F evenings in the Sawatch. Credit the ample space between the mesh canopy and the tent fly, which promotes airflow. Setup is easy, and thanks to

an intuitive color-coding system our tester pitched the High Side in three minutes on her first try. It packs down to about the size of a large loaf of bread.

Trail cred “I didn’t threshold test it in wind, but the 10-mph gusts I did see made me confident in its stability,” our tester says of the High Side, which takes a minimum of seven stakes to pitch—more than some larger shelters—and has four guyouts.” $280; 1 lb. 14 oz.; sierradesigns.com

Lightest solo tent

GOSSAMER GEAR THE ONE Our take For once in the ultralight tent category, more is better. This single-wall trekking pole tent is 2 ounces heavier than the previous version, but the new construction makes it a lot more livable. By moving the poles from the center of the shelter to the head, designers made The One 2 inches wider and 5 inches taller (up to 46 inches if your pole extends that

high). “I’m 6’2” and I could sit up and read while trapped inside during pouring rain in Alaska’s Chugach National Forest,” our tester said, praising the tent’s peak height and 19.6 square feet of floor space. “Take a big gulp from your water bottle before you head out and you’ll have made up the weight difference from the original.”

The details The One’s 16-square-foot vestibule easily swallows a pack, boots, and wet gear. A secure pitch takes a minimum of four guylines and 10 stakeout points, and our Alaska tester reported no problems in 15-mph winds. Although wispy, the tent’s 7-denier body and 10-denier floor—both with sil/PU coating, and seam-sealed— stood up to rocky campsites in the Chugach with no signs of damage. Two floor vents (one at the head and one at the foot) offer some cross breeze but are easily blocked by gear, and our tester reports that The One’s subpar breathability resulted in a shower of dew after chilly nights.

Trail cred “Zippers can be finicky on some ultralights, but The One is easy to open and close without any snags,” one tester says. $300; 1 lb. 5 oz.; gossamergear.com

Fast-and-light shelter

ULTIMATE DIRECTION FK BIVY Our take At less than 9 ounces, the FK is lighter than other poled bivy structures, making it our top choice for the speed-hiking crowd. But check the forecast: The FK isn’t waterproof, so it’s best used to ward off wind, bugs, and condensation (pair with a tarp for rain). Still, the 24-inch shoulder width provides some (very relative) comfort. “It’s not a luxury suite, but I didn’t feel like I was sleeping in a coffin,” our tester said after climbing Maggie’s Peaks in California and deciding to stay the night. $180; 8.8 oz.; ultimatedirection.com

“On the CDT outside of Helena, Montana, I came around a bend and was suddenly face to face with a moose cow and her calf. The calf turned and ran, but the cow and I engaged in a staring contest. After what seemed like an eternity, she charged, covering the space between us in a second. At the last instant, she altered her path, but I was left shaken. Most hikers worry about grizzlies on the CDT, but ignore the moose at your peril.”

–PHILIP PFANNER

WEIGHTS ARE FOR TENT BODY, FLY, AND POLES ONLY, ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER.

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PHOTOS BY COURTESY

THE TESTING LIFE

GEAR GUIDE

2-Person

Lightweight deal

PARIA OUTDOOR PRODUCTS BRYCE 2P

Full-featured bargain

EUREKA! MIDORI 2 Our take This two-person shelter achieves a rare trifecta: It’s spacious, durable, and affordable. A 30.6-square-foot floor—larger than usual—and dual doors kept our testers happy during a beach camping trip near Malibu, California. The 43inch peak height and vertical walls allowed one 6’1” tester to sit up and change layers without grazing the ceiling, while a 68-denier poly-taffeta floor and fly held up to rocks and sand. Tradeoff: It’s a tad heavy for the category.

The details Our tester reported that the interior stayed dry on a mid-30s night near Bishop Pass, California. She also praised the two 10-square-foot vesitubles, which were good for cooking when ocean fog rolled in near Malibu. Nothing about the Midori screams cheap except for the stakes. Get better ones.

Trail cred “The four storage pockets on the sides of the canopy fit smaller items, and the location of the gear loft is smart,” one tester says. “They moved it to the foot area, which kept us from smacking into our stuff when sitting up.” $160; 4 lbs. 13 oz.; eurekacamping.com

Our take Usually, as a tent’s weight goes down, its price goes up.

Not so with the Bryce. It’s a tent stake under 3 and a half pounds, has legit space for two, and costs just $160. Paria’s budget strategy: Sell directly to consumers, use cost-saving material like off-brand aluminum poles, and outsource design to the factory. The result is a value-priced shelter that still boasts high livability. “My daughter is 6’1” and I’m 6’6”, but we didn’t overlap or conk heads while spending some lazy afternoon hours hiding from mosquitoes in Idaho’s Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness,” one tester says. Credit the Bryce’s above-average 31.3-square-foot floor.

The details Some lightweight shelters need TLC, but the Bryce’s 20-denier ripstop nylon fly and 40-denier nylon floor survived 12 weeks of daily use in the Frank Church with no unusual wear and tear. The single door and vestibule help save weight, but campers who like having their own storage areas will note the tradeoff. Ding: The fly design lets rain drip through the mesh door if the fly is not fully zipped.

Trail cred “The color scheme—an often-overlooked feature— is a pleasant amber hue, which creates a warm halo even in overcast conditions,” our tester reports. $160; 3 lbs. 7 oz.; pariaoutdoorproducts.com

Best for rainy days

MSR HUBBA TOUR 2 Our take This single-wall tent’s gargantuan 25-square-foot vestibule (with a partial floor, on the half opposite the door) is a boon during extended wet weather, providing an extra room to store soggy gear, cook, and hang out. “Four of us could sit around and play a game of cards in there,” said one tester after a rainy weekend trip to Mississippi’s Black Creek Wilderness. A smaller storage port at the rear is great for stashing small items like wet boots. And reducing stormy-weather clutter is a cinch: Six mesh pockets (three on each end), a gear loft, and one long pocket in the vestibule are a neat freak’s dream. All that storage space is reflected in the price tag, though.

The details At 32 square feet—a notch larger than most two-person shelters—the Tour’s interior combines with an 88-inch length for ample living space. Nasty, 30-mph gusts and rain in Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas weren’t a problem for the one-piece exoskeleton frame (plus a pole for the vestibule).

Ventilation was an issue, though; our tester reported that condensation inside was a constant issue on muggy nights.

Trail cred “I let my 12-year-old daughter

take the lead on our fi rst setup, and we were able to pitch the tent in just three minutes,” says our tester. $649; 4 lbs. 13 oz.; msrgear.com

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

63

TENTS

2-Person

Lightest freestanding

BIG AGNES TIGER WALL UL2 Our take If you want an easy pitch, two doors, and freestanding convenience for a hair over a pound per person, this is your tent. Big Agnes has long been a dominant player in the ultralight category with the single-door Fly Creek (we gave it an Editors’ Choice Award in 2010), and the Tiger Wall adds another entrance for only 4 ounces more. Our tester was initially skeptical of the Tiger Wall’s space—the 28-squarefoot floor is tight—but a few nights in Colorado’s Sawatch Range won her over. “My 6’4” boyfriend had no issues ducking into either of the two huge doors, and the 39-inch peak height let him sit (almost) all the way up,” she says. Two 8-square-foot vestibules

Roomiest ultralight

TARPTENT SADDLE 2 Our take To flirt with 2 pounds for a two-person shelter, you usually have to spend more for the lightest materials or settle for less space. The double-wall Saddle requires neither by using a trekking-pole pitch to create a

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

fit packs, boots, and extra clothes, with room for her to struggle into some pants in the morning. The Tiger Wall sets up fast thanks to a hubbed pole system (it’s all but freestanding; the corners at the foot need to be staked out). While it’s not as big as the Tarptent (below), it’s an easier pitch and handles wind better.

The details You’ll want to treat the 15-denier nylon fabrics with care, but the Tiger Wall survived our initial forays just fine. After camping in the high desert near Fruita, Colorado, our tester said, “There was no place for a clear pitch, but this tent handled the rocks and sticks without any snags.”

Trail cred “On a chilly night in the Sawatch, we awoke to frost on the outside of our tent but no significant moisture inside,” our tester says. $400; 2 lbs. 3 oz.; bigagnes.com

29.2-square-foot floor that’s on the spacious end for a two-person tent this light. Its 84-inch length and 41-inch peak height let our testers stretch out and play cards after 15-mile days on Vermont’s Long Trail. Double doors boost livability even more. (“Just don’t knock your poles down,” our tester says.) For hikers who don’t

want to use trekking poles, tent poles can be purchased separately ($42; 10 oz.). There is a tradeoff: Pitching this shelter is a pain (with practice, our tester brought his PR down to six minutes).

The details Thanks to the full mesh walls on the inner tent, condensation was never a problem, even during a 35°F night. (For more insulation, an option with partially solid walls is available for $20 more.) Rain protection was no issue, but our tester was wary of the Saddle’s performance in particularly gusty weather.

“In 15-mph winds, 6-inch strips of hook-and-loop closures at the base of the door came unstuck,” he says. “Pitch this tent in a sheltered spot.”

Trail cred “We had a warm autumn in New England, and the ability to break the Saddle down was great on toasty trips with clear weather and no bugs,” our tester says of the fly-only pitch, which brings total weight down to 1 pound 4 ounces. $329; 2 lbs. 5 oz.; tarptent.com

THE TESTING LIFE

“I seem to be incapable of setting up tents before dusk. On testing trips to Half Moon Pass and Mt. Shavano in Colorado, as well as one to Moab, I rolled into camp under cover of darkness. Thank goodness the tent industry has made such great strides in colorcoding, or I’d have been in trouble. If only my campsite selection could match, I could’ve avoided the cow patty right outside my vestibule at the base of Shavano.”

–MAGGIE STASHAK

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

GEAR GUIDE

DIG DEEPER

get off-the-beaten path Quiet ghost towns beckon you back in time. Lively, welcoming communities buzz with the creative energy of today’s modern frontier.

The landscapes that lie between Yellowstone and Glacier national parks embody all the best of Montana. Come see for yourself— Explore Southwest Montana.

OR DER YOUR FRE E TRAV E L G U IDE AT SOUTHWESTMT. C OM OR C A L L 1 . 8 0 0 . 879.1159 BIG SHEEP CREEK BYWAY, PATH LESS PEDALED

GEAR GUIDE

The Testing Life

“WE CHARGED UP A SECTION OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL, CLIMBING 1,400 FEET TO THE TOP OF A MESA THAT OVERLOOKED THE RIO CHAMA IN NEW MEXICO. I FELT ENERGIZED BY THE SURROUNDING REDS AND ORANGES AND THE TOWERING SANDSTONE CLIFFS, AND I DREAMED ABOUT HIKING THE WHOLE CDT.” –Patrice La Vigne Jemez Springs, New Mexico

Tent Test Data TESTERS

31 NIGHTS OUT

325 TENTS TESTED

35 ECLIPSE CHASERS

11 CRAZIEST CONDITIONS

EARTHQUAKE MAGNITUDE 5.2 Adak Island, AK

-10°F Chugach National Forest, AK

HIGHEST WIND

50 MPH Desolation Wilderness, CA

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

PHOTO BY MICHAEL DEYOUNG

COLDEST TEMP

TENTS

3-Person

Best for car camping

Best value

CABELA’S AXIS 3P

MY TRAIL UL 3

Our take We know that not everyone schleps their tent deep into the backcountry. So, if short treks, car, or canoe camps are your main deal, save a few hundred bucks and live large with the Axis. The 49.5-square-foot floor easily housed two adults and two infants on a canoe trip in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the 51-inch peak height allowed our 6’2” tester to kneel upright while putting his 11-week-old to sleep. Double vestibules (a whopping 18 square feet each) fit gear galore, while four mesh pockets and a gear loft keep essentials organized.

The details Even the crankiest toddler couldn’t damage this tent, thanks to burly, 40-denier mesh windows and 68-denier polyester floor and walls. Rain caused no problems, but the full vent-less fly did make for a stuff y stay in North Carolina’s Shining Rock Wilderness, where temps reached the mid-70s. Four guyout points achieve a taut pitch, but the tall profi le caused shaking in 20-mph winds.

Trail cred “Setup is simple and fast, which I appreciated since we had two hungry kids that needed to get away from the mosquitoes,” our tester says. $200; 7 lbs. 11 oz.; cabelas.com

Our take In the dollars-spent-to-ounces-saved competition, the UL 3 wins, hands down. It’s so light we carried it as a two-person shelter, but it’s still big enough for three (as long as no one uses a pad wider than 20 inches).

And, it costs some 25 percent less than similar ultralights. Testers were impressed in moderate conditions, from downpours in the Washington Cascades to light snow in the Colorado Rockies. But there is a discount tradeoff: The structure doesn’t offer adequate support in high winds, and when we staked and guyed the UL 3 out in 35-mph winds on New Zealand’s Mt. Taranaki, its aluminum poles bent (they didn’t break, though).

The details The UL 3 breathes extremely well, with no interior moisture even when temps dropped to 20°F outside Aspen, Colorado. The one-pole setup is easy, but the interior walls sag unless they’re staked out perfectly, a bummer if the tent is fi lled to capacity. Livability is what you’d expect from a tent at this weight and price: Only true minimalists will like a single door at the head and an 8-square-foot vestibule for three people.

Trail cred “With careful site selection, the 10-denier nylon fly and 20-denier nylon floor withstood a summer of backpacking around the Mountain West without suffering any damage,” our tester says. $339; 3 lbs.; mytrailco.com

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR GUIDE

Best for views

Best weather protection

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR VISION 3

MARMOT FORTRESS 3P

Our take If you like the idea of sleeping under the stars more than the reality of buzzing insects and dew on your sleeping bag, here’s your tent.

Simply roll back the Vision’s fly and secure it at the top with toggles for unfettered stargazing; it’s easy to roll back down and redeploy the stakes in case of rain, as one tester found out during a sudden shower on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, during which the taut pitch shed water well. Despite the mesh, durability proved high. Both Boy and Girl Scout troops took the Vision for a spin, and the 70-denier nylon taffeta floor suffered no damage.

The details The 37.5-square-foot floor is small for its class, so it’s best to sleep head-to-foot for maximum wiggle room (that’s the tradeoff for the Vision’s relatively low weight.) Two 55-inch-wide doors and dual vestibules (9 square feet each) stash three people’s gear, but one tester noted that he had to lean the backpacks against the tent wall to make it all fit.

Trail cred The Vision’s mostly-mesh construction means it vents well.

“Even on humid nights in the Hoh Rain Forest, the interior was never too moist or stuff y,” our Washington tester says. $349; 5 lbs. 7 oz.; mountainhardwear.com

Our take The Fortress lived up to its name through 40-mph winds, a torrential downpour, freezing rain, and light snow in California’s Desolation Wilderness. “My mom slept in a different tent, and not only did she have to physically hold it up from the inside against the wind, but her zipper failed in the ice,” one tester recounts. But the Fortress’s bomber 68-denier polyester fly and floor kept the rain out and maintained a taut pitch, even when drenched (polyester doesn’t stretch when wet, like nylon does).

The details The 41.5-square-foot floor is average for this category, but is improved by the 90-inch length (you can stash more gear at the foot) and 46-inch peak height. “It was so nice to have extra headroom while waiting out the storm,” our tester said after the freezing sleet in California. Two vestibules (10.6 and 7.8 square feet) house gear, but the low-angle rainfly made entry tricky, and it’s hard to reach the zipper from inside the canopy.

Bonus: reasonable price.

Trail cred “I’m usually all about lightening the load, but on trips where I know the tent’s going to get roughed up, the Fortress’s durability-toweight ratio is worth it,” said one tester after four days of gnarly off-trail hiking in Washington’s Chiwaukum Mountains. $289; 6 lbs.; marmot.com

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GEAR GUIDE

GEAR SCHOOL TENTS

by Corey Buhay

Home is where you stake it out. Understand the ins and outs, pick the right shelter, and treat it like you would your bedroom.

Eyebrow poles expand interior headroom. Look at tent geometry, not just peak height, when determining livability.

Having two tent doors makes it easier to get in and out without crawling over your partner, but onedoor styles typically weigh and cost less.

Aluminum poles are a good choice; carbon fiber is light but is more prone to snaps. Regardless of material, carry duct tape and a repair sheath in your kit.

Mesh panels improve ventilation, reduce condensation, and keep stargazing options open.

Make sure there’s some healthy overlap between the edge of the fly and the lip of the bathtub floor; sideways rain and splashes can be sneaky.

Look for structured vents and keep them open; they improve airflow by creating a low-to-high cross breeze.

Lots of wet gear? Look for more vestibule space: 8 to 10 square feet per person is roomy, while 5 to 6 square feet per person trends minimalist.

Some tents come with a fast-pitch option: Just stake the fly over the groundsheet and leave the tent body at home to cut weight.

Use guylines to stabilize the tent in high winds, and be sure to attach the fly’s hook-and-loop fasteners to poles.

Drive stakes at a slight angle (away from the tent) for the best hold.

BASIC REPAIR Broken slider or zipper.

Squeeze sliders with pliers to tighten, and try to realign zipper coils with your fingernails. No luck? Send it in.

MOST COMMON

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Torn fabric. Place a circle of repair tape on the outside of the tent wall, floor, or fly to patch holes. Torn mesh?

Patch with MSR Micromesh.

Detached hook-and-loop tab. Stitch the tab back on, then add Seam Grip or repair tape to waterproof the seam.

Broken shock cord. Pry out the pole cap with pliers and untie the cord. Slide off pole sections and fix the break.

Re-thread and retie the cord.

LEAST COMMON

ILLUSTR ATIONS BY PETER SUCHESKI PHOTO BY DOUGLAS HURDLE

Tent repairs are a dime a dozen at Rainy Pass Repair (rainypass.com), a Seattle-based sewing shop that’s been mending shelters since 1986. General Manager Chelsea Chon explains how to fix a few of the most frequently occurring types of damage.

GEAR GUIDE SHOP TALK

The Proper Shakedown

Emily White Roads, Rivers, and Trails, OH Emily White, her husband Joe, and her cousin Brian Wolf founded Roads, Rivers, and Trails together after a winter Appalachian Trail thru-hike. “I genuinely get excited about tents,” she says. The store is small, but Wolf and the Whites built a whole section of shelves on wheels so they could push it all aside and set up several tents at a time.

“Never buy a tent without setting it up and getting inside it first,” White says. “We had an AT thru-hiker come in, asking for a consultation on his gear. So we went through it and asked if he’d set up his tent. He said, ‘No, but it’s this awesome ultralight one with all these great reviews.’ So we set his tent up for him, and when he got inside it, his toes and the top of his forehead were actually touching the walls.

He was 6’ 2” and didn’t realize the tent was too short for him.”

BUYER’S GUIDE: ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS 1 How many people do I usually camp with? If you’re hiking with just your partner 80 percent of the time, stick with a two-person tent. Rent or borrow if your party grows.

2 Is this tent appropriate for expected conditions? Unlike a three-season shelter, four-season tents can withstand extreme winds and keep out driving snow. However, they’re heavy. You can save weight by using a tarp shelter that gets its rigidity from taut guylines instead of poles, but they lack stability in heavy weather. Expecting to camp on rocky ground? Look at freestanding models, which are easier to pitch.

3 What kind of vestibule space do I need? In prolonged foul weather, gear storage space is invaluable. “But don’t plan to absolutely fill your vestibule,” White says. “It’ll cut down on airflow inside the tent.” A two-door setup usually means more vestibule space.

4 How’s the price-to-weight ratio? As weight goes down, price tends to increase.

“Is $100 worth a pound? That’s up to you,” White says. Aim to carry around 2 pounds per person for three-season tents, and 3 for four-season models.

5 How’s livability? Practice setting up the tent in a store. Crawl around inside to make sure the space and headroom are sufficient.

SHOP SMART Balky about spending a few C-notes on a tent?

Rent before you buy—taking a few shelters out for a test run is a good way to figure out exactly what you’re looking for. Don’t have a local shop that rents? Gear To Go Outfitters does online rentals (geartogooutfitters .com).

Reasons to Sleep in a Tent

HAMMOCKING

1

4

TARPING

BIVYING 2

3

COWBOY CAMPING

1. Hard to get up to pee 2. Getting stepped on by large animals 3. Mud 4. Complicated setup

OWNER’S MANUAL KEEP IT DRY. If you can, give condensation time to evaporate— and shake out your tent to flick off dirt and leaves—before stuffing.

When you get home, hang the tent in the shade and let it dry completely before long-term storage to prevent mildew.

RESPECT YOUR POLES. Extending your pole like you’re casting for fish can damage it; instead, slide pole ends into place by hand.

USE A FOOTPRINT. Protect your tent floor from rocks and sticks. Budget option: Make your own from Tyvek.

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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GEAR GUIDE

SLEEPING BAGS & PADS

by William M. Rochfort, Jr.

SIT BACK AND RELAX Brad Stapleton reclines in California’s Silver Peak Wilderness with the Therm-a-Rest Parsec 20 (page 76).

B E N N Y H A D DA D

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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SLEEPING BAGS

Best hooded quilt

Most comfortable

EXPED HYPERQUILT

BIG AGNES PICKET SL 30

Our take Quilts are great—until your head gets cold.

But where many designers have fallen short, Exped’s team got it right with the poncho-style Hyperquilt. A hooded head opening sits 9 inches from the top of the quilt and has six baffles stuffed with 800-fi ll down to keep it warm. This isn’t the first poncho-style quilt we’ve tested, but its hood has the best position, allowing the blanket to drape over your shoulders and tuck underneath. But does it work? On cold nights, using the hood actually holds the quilt in place; our tester slept comfortably in the 30s in the Grand Canyon without needing to add a beanie. On warmer nights, cinch the head hole shut and pull the Hyperquilt up to your chin like normal. Caveat: Side sleepers couldn’t get a good wrap when using the hood.

The details Going full quilt-style too radical?

Fourteen toggles connect the Hyperquilt to a poly/ Tencel sheet ($29; 3.4 oz.) that wraps around your pad, trapping heat for a more bag-like performance.

However, purist testers maintain this eliminates the simplicity and weight savings of using a quilt in the first place, while others said the thing was simply too tight when toggled. Without the sheet, the Hyperquilt compresses to the size of a 1-liter bottle. There’s also a two-person version, the Hyperquilt Duo. Trail cred “I wore it like a poncho around the campfire,” said one tester after a weekend trip near Oregon’s Owyhee River. “When it was time to go to bed, it was already warmed up.” $199; 1 lb. 6 oz.; 32°F/41°F*; exped.com

Our take Stretch makes just about everything better.

In sleeping bags, stretch offers superior comfort and efficiency, as it allows even a mummy to feel spacious.

Big Agnes does one better by bringing stretch to the insulation itself by using PrimaLoft Gold Active.

Paired with stretchy side panels, that makes for a bag that looks like an ultralight mummy but sleeps like a rectangular comfort sack—and packs down to 5 by 6 inches. “I’m not ashamed to say I fetal up at night,” one tester confesses. “But even when I pulled my knees to my chest, pushing them up against the side of the bag, they didn’t feel any bit of cold.” The tighter geometry also makes the bag faster to heat up. Nitpick: Cheaper, static PrimaLoft Silver in the core areas felt clumpy compared to the Gold.

The details The face opening has a sharp curve at the top, which made for warmer faces without a cinch.

Even claustrophobes were content with the tradeoff.

Testers also like the zipper, which comes across the top of the bag and makes for easy escape. “We were camped at the base of Mt. Shavano, Colorado, and we had to spring out of the tent to chase off a pair of cows at 2 a.m.,” says one tester. It also comes in a 20°F version (the Bolten SL) for 10 ounces and $30 more.

Trail cred “At a lean 5’11”, I sometimes have trouble warming up standard mummy bags and use my puff y to fi ll in dead space around my torso. This one kept me warm in freezing temps with just my baselayers,” said our tester after a late fall trip to Moab, Utah. $260; 2 lbs. 1 oz.; 30°F (not EN rated); bigagnes.com

“I had a stroke in February 2017. I had secured a permit to the John Muir Trail before that, though, and used the possible trip as an incentive for rehab.

I walked, adding more distance and more weight, hiked around our foothills for three months, and headed off for the JMT in July. My diminished balance made crossing streams in the Sierra more difficult, but I was actually stronger than when I did it in 2016.”

–BOB SHAVER

WEIGHTS ARE PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

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PHOTOS BY COURTESY

THE TESTING LIFE

GEAR GUIDE

Best hybrid

Best synthetic

ZENBIVY BED

MARMOT ULTRA ELITE 20

Our take Quilts are for comfort; mummies are for warmth. The Zenbivy Bed is for both, taking the best from each design and dispensing with the liabilities. A tough 50-denier polyester pad sleeve serves as the anchor point for a trapezoid top quilt that’s insulated with 700-fi ll down. On warm nights, wrap yourself up in it “just like a comforter at home,” as one tester put it after a trip in North Carolina’s Linville Gorge, or spread it wide (54 inches) and use it as a camp blanket. On colder nights, use the 26-inch zippers on each side to seal it up around the shoulder area and trap more warmth inside.

The details Setup is multistep but quick and easy. Slide the sleeve and hood over your pad and lay (or zipper) the quilt on top. To keep toes warm, the bottom end cinches shut with a drawstring, and a 28-inch-long zipper on the bottom encloses a makeshift footbox. But know this: The Zenbivy puts comfort fi rst.

The hood lacks a drawstring and testers found it challenging to keep their faces warm down at the temp rating. Still, all this comfort and quality of sleep pack down to the size of a volleyball. The 20R fits most women; the 20L, which is a few inches wider at the shoulder, hip, and foot, fits most men and costs $270.

The Zenbivy Bed also comes in a 25L ($280) version to accommodate 25-inch-wide sleeping pads.

Trail cred “If you want to shave weight, the top quilt easily functions on its own,” our tester says. “I’d happily take this on the Appalachian Trail if I thru-hike it again.” $260; 2 lbs. 5 oz.; 23°F/34°F; zenbivy.com

Our take It’s hard to beat down for warmthto-weight, which is why so many of the bags in this issue are fi lled with feathers. But this synthetic takes aim at down performance, combining compressibility with the hallmarks of synthetic insulation: affordability and superior performance in wet conditions. “You can still tell the difference between this and down, but it does feel softer than most synthetics,” says one tester. “And when wind and rain came heavy in New Zealand, water splashed onto my bag from the tent wall, but my comfort never wavered.” The new insulation, called ElixR Micro, uses a mix of three fibers to balance softness and durability, and the bag stuffs down to the size of a rugby ball before cranking on the included compression sack.

The details From sculpted hood to a 3-inch draft tube, the Ultra Elite delivers comfort features we appreciated, and a 60-inch girth at the shoulders provides adequate space (the legs are tight, however). “When we were sharing a cramped three-person tent in New Zealand, I was glad I didn’t have to fight my bag to get comfortable,” says our tester. The full-length, two-way zipper makes it easy to vent in mild weather. Bonus: PFC-free construction. The Ultra Elite is also available in 30°F and women’s 20°F versions.

Trail cred “I’m a cold sleeper and was worried I wouldn’t be warm in this bag when rain and wind made 40°F feel like 20°F on Mt. Taranaki,” says a tester. “But if I woke up during the night, it was because of my snoring tentmates, not this bag.” $199; 2 lbs.; 22.5°F/32.9°F; marmot.com

Lightest

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR GHOST WHISPERER 20 Our take When you get well below 2 pounds for a 20°F bag, you can expect two things: a high price and a tight fit. The Ghost Whisperer delivers on the cost (ouch!), but deviates from the norm with a surprisingly comfortable cut. The 59-inch shoulder circumference is on the roomier side for the class, but the real magic happens below that.

“I could separate my legs,” said one tester after a few subfreezing nights on Vermont’s Long Trail. “That sounds like a small deal until you can’t do it, and in most ultralight bags, you can’t.” The Ghost Whisperer makes up for the dimensions by dropping weight elsewhere. Most notably, it organizes 900-fi ll goose down into the minimum number of baffles designers could get away with to reduce cold spot-causing shifting and hit the EN rating. It packs down to the size of a football.

The details To set the bag apart in a rarified field, Mountain Hardwear’s designers focused on the details, including a six-panel hood and a 2- to 2.25-inch-wide draft tube that backs the full-length zipper. Reality check: Other bags deliver similar performance for less cash, but this one is worth it if you need the space. It comes in regular and long plus a 40°F version.

Trail cred “Ultralight zips are notorious for constantly jamming, but thanks to a stiff fabric behind the zipper, this is one of the smoothest, most snag-free experiences I’ve ever had,” says one of our longtime testers. $600; 1 lb. 12 oz.; 20°F/32°F; mountainhardwear.com

*Unless otherwise noted, listed temperatures are standardized EN ratings and are intended to create an apples-to-apples comparison between bags. The two numbers represent the comfort range for campers using a sleeping pad and wearing baselayers, beanies, and socks. On one end of the spectrum, warm sleepers (and the average man) can push bags into colder temperatures, while the other end of the range is for cold sleepers (and the average woman) who should be more conservative. Lots of factors affect bag warmth; use these ratings as guideline not gospel.

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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Best all-around

Editors’ Choice update

THERM-A-REST PARSEC 20

SIERRA DESIGNS CLOUD 800 / 20 DEGREE

Our take For backpackers who want one bag that’s warm enough for shoulder season and light enough for summer, the Parsec delivers—and does it with features and comforts we appreciated from the Rockies to New Zealand. First, it’s extra roomy for a sub 2-pounder. At 62 inches, the shoulder girth is well above average, and let testers roll around in the bag without feeling constricted. Second, the design includes warmth-boosting innovations like the 4.5-inch-tall draft collar, a foot-warmer pocket, and reflective fi nish on the liner. “Those features let me push it down to its temp rating one night, while a full-length zipper let me stay comfortable when temperatures inched up to 45°F,” says a tester. It stuffs down to about the size of a rugby ball.

The details Cold feet be gone: Testers universally praised the roomy footbox, which has an extra baffle to keep tootsies warm on cold nights. “It’s large enough for me to orient my size 12 feet vertically,” says one tester. “That’s rare indeed.” A small zippered pocket on the outside keeps earplugs and electronics close at hand. It comes in short, regular, and long versions.

Trail cred “The oversized draft tube and collar kept me warm without having to scrunch the blowhole down to an uncomfortable size, even in 25°F temps,” said our tester after a trip in New Mexico’s Carson National Forest. $400; 1 lb. 15 oz.; 20°F/30°F; thermarest.com

“ The map showed a faint dotted line, but dusk dissolved any semblance of trail, so I just went for it. By the time I reached Upper Boulder Lake in Colorado’s Gore Range, the wind was blowing so hard I could barely open my eyes, but there was no way I was turning back. I camped on the lee side of a 20-foot-tall boulder. When I woke in the predawn light, I saw three mountain goats sleeping on top, backs to the wind. They snuck off, quiet as ghosts.”

–CASEY LYONS, DEPUTY EDITOR

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Our take The Cloud provided one of the best sleeping experiences of any bag we tested this season—which makes sense, considering we gave its predecessor an Editors’ Choice Award in 2014. That iteration—the Backcountry Bed—had a zipperless opening and a down comforter you could tuck around yourself. This version is even better: It’s lighter, more packable, and less expensive, while still providing the feeling of nestling down in bed. Since the oversized blanket extends 8.5 inches beyond the opening, you can burrito yourself inside. “I was skeptical at first, as I thought there was no way the warmth would seal in without a zip. But once I pulled the comforter up and wrapped it over my shoulder, I heated up like a Hot Pocket,” said one of our testers after a fall trip outside of Moab, Utah, in 40°F temps. Reality check: This one is more about comfort than warmth. Several testers reported dislodging the blanket and waking up cold.

The details The Cloud squeezes under 2 pounds through its lightweight materials (800-fill down, 15-denier nylon shell) and clever construction. Aside from ditching the zipper, designers omitted insulation under the upper back, where the fi ll is usually crushed under body weight. On summer nights in southern Utah, we loved kicking our feet out of the 16.5-inch horizontal opening on the bottom. It’s available in regular, long, and women’s, plus a 35°F version.

Trail cred “I often stuck an arm on top of the blanket like I do at home,” our tester says. “It’s one of the best night’s sleep I’ve ever gotten in a three-season bag during summer.” $300; 1 lb. 13 oz.; 15°F/26°F; sierradesigns.com

PHOTOS BY COURTESY (2); LOUISA ALBANESE

THE TESTING LIFE

Steel Yourself

Limited

At $59, this blade of legendary Damascus steel is a real steal

Edition

D

amascus steel is the stuff of legend. Using a technique first mastered in the ancient city, swords made from Damascus steel were known to slice gun barrels in half and separate single strands of hair in two, even if the hair simply floated down onto the blade.

Now, you can be a part of the legend. The 7 ½” August Knife features a blade of modern Damascus steel, inspired by the production techniques and legends of history. Damascus steel blade knives can cost thousands. So, at $59, the price itself is also legendary.

What customers are saying about Stauer knives...

“Very hefty, well-built knife and sheath. Extremely goodlooking and utilitarian.”

Once a lost art, we sought out a knifemaker who has resurrected the craftsmanship of Damascus steel to create the August Knife. The elusive, ancient production technique mixes different steel alloys to form a super steel–– the outcome is a beautiful one-of-a-kind pattern of banding and mottling reminiscent of flowing water.

With the August Knife you’re getting the best blade money can buy. What you won’t get is the inflated price tag. We know a thing or two about the hunt–– like how to seek out and capture an outstanding, collector’s-quality knife that won’t cut into your bank account.

Limited availability. Only a handful of artisans make these blades, with each handcrafted knife taking months to perfect. We currently can get less than 1500 this year, so we can’t promise they’ll stick around for long–– especially at this price. Call today!

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. If you don’t feel like we cut you a fair deal, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price. But we believe once you wrap your fingers around the August’s handle and experience the BONUS! beauty of its Damascus steel blade, you’ll be ready to carve out your own legend.

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GEAR GUIDE

The Testing Life

Sleeping Bags Test Data TESTERS

36 NIGHTS OUT

920 33 PADS POPPED

1

MOST NIGHTS BY A SINGLE TESTER

80 STRONGEST WIND

45 MPH Col de Prafleuri, Switzerland

–Paulina Dao San Francisco, California HIGHEST CAMP

12,200 ft.

Highland Mary Lakes, CO

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

PHOTO BY COURTESY

“SUMMER 2017 WAS CRAZY IN YOSEMITE BECAUSE CALIFORNIA HAD SUCH A BIG SNOW YEAR. I WAS IN TUOLUMNE MEADOWS AND FOUND THESE CAVES UNDER GIANT DRIFTS OF SNOW. I WAS PARANOID THAT THE ROOF WOULD COLLAPSE ON ME AT THAT MOMENT, BUT IT WAS PRETTY THICK, AND I COULDN’T RESIST.”

BAGS & PADS TESTED

THE HIKER COLLECTION #DarnTough

GEAR GUIDE

SLEEPING PADS Toughest

Warmest

MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT AEROSTAT DOWN 7.0 Our take Short of packing a space heater, this pad, with its unmatched, 8.8 R-value, is your best bet for winter warmth (when paired with an appropriate bag, of course). It compresses to the size of a loaf of bread, which earned praise from one Alaska tester. “I need every cubic inch I can get in my expedition pack,” he says, “and the warmth-to-bulk ratio on this pad is superb.” Mountain Equipment rates it to -40°F; we didn’t see any nights that cold, but our tester stayed cozy in single digits.

The details The warmth derives from 4.2 ounces of duck down packed into 72-inch baffles with interior walls that twist like DNA strands, preventing down migration. Extra credit: We found the included inflation sack, with narrower-than-most dimensions, to be more manageable than larger blow-up bags.

Trail cred “Closed-cell pads were my preference for winter trips, but this pad changed my mind,” says our Alaska tester. “It’s light and easy to inflate, even in cold weather when motor skills suffer.” $200; 1 lb. 4 oz.; 72.8 x 21.2 x 2.7 inches; mountain-equipment.com

Our take Stargazers, cowboy campers, and everyone else who prefers nights al fresco: This one’s for you. The base of this 2.5-inch thick pad has a 100-denier (not a typo) nylon base, armored with a layer of hexagonal resin plates.

It was impenetrable: Our 6’2”, 220-pound park ranger tester laid it out on a patch of rocks in Joshua Tree National Park that was too sharp to walk on barefoot—and he slept like a log. Downside: Security like this comes with a significant weight penalty.

The details The 50-denier nylon top fabric has four-way stretch, which our testers credit for give that felt more natural than letting out a bit of air. The pad is 23 inches wide—3 more than standard— which helps claim space in a multiperson tent, but may not pair well with some sleeping pad sleeves.

Trail cred “I like the 3.5-inch-wide side rails,” says one tester. “I’m an active sleeper, and these keep me securely on the pad.” $200; 2 lbs. 14 oz.; 72 x 23 x 2.5 inches; klymit.com

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

KLYMIT ARMORED V

GEAR GUIDE

Cost cutter

Most comfortable

PARIA OUTDOOR PRODUCTS RECHARGE UL Our take As sleeping pads have gotten lighter and thicker over the years, prices have gone up commensurately. But if you just wa a pad that’s comfortable enough (2.5 inches of cushion) and light enough (1 lb. 4 oz.), this pad delivers. We used the ReCharge on treks in the Grand Canyon and the Rockies, and slept warm in the high 20s thanks to its microfiber insulation (R-value is 3.5). And the 40-denier ripstop nylon survived two trips with pad-puncturing teenagers.

The details A single valve helps offset weight and cost. Inflation is average for an air pad, and the valve cover folds back for fast, no-hands deflation. If you want more bed than the mummy shape offers, the ReCharge XL ($80; 1 lb. 10 oz.) is a few inches longer, wider, and thicker.

Trail cred “On an early-summer trip to Colorado’s Huron Peak, temps dipped below freezing, but I slept well on the frozen ground,” our tester says. $70; 1 lb. 4 oz.; 20 x 72 x 2.5 inches; pariaoutdoorproducts.com

EXPED MEGAMAT LITE 12

OWNER’S MANUAL O Stay off the rocks. We seek them out to test, but even a ruggedized pad (like the Armored V, left) will last longer if you clear debris before hitting the hay.

O To troubleshoot leaks, submerse your pad in water and look for bubbles or listen for hissing. Find a puncture? Deflate the pad, clean around the hole, and patch with repair tape.

O If you can get an inflation sack compatible with your bag’s valve, use it, especially with insulated models. Moisture from your breath can build up inside the pad, compromising loft and causing mildew.

Our take No shame in wanting a princess-thick mattress. A 4.7-inch height and synthetic fi ll offer glamping-caliber cush in this pad. Designers bonded a single panel of insulation to the top and bottom of the baffles, resulting in full loft and a healthy 5.3 R-value. Just be prepared to carry the bulk. “I mistook the packed pad for my sleeping bag,” one tester says.

The details Once you get the hang of it, inflation takes less than five minutes with the included air sack, and deflation is quick thanks to an oversized dump valve. Extra credit: We frequently used the MegaMat around camp like a Roman daybed, and the burly 75-denier polyester on the base never popped. It comes in two lengths and three widths.

Trail cred “I thought my camping days were done when I passed the halfway point of my pregnancy,” said our tester after a trip to California’s Calaveras Big Trees State Park. “But even at six months, I could sleep on my side with this pad. If it works for a picky pregnant woman, it’ll work for anyone.” $219; 2 lbs. 2 oz.; 72 x 20.5 x 4.7 inches; exped.com

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR SCHOOL BAGS

by Corey Buhay

It’s not just a bag. It’s a lifetime’s worth of beauty sleep. Learn what features you need, shop accordingly, and keep your bag in good repair, and it’ll keep you sleeping soundly.

The draft collar seals the space around your neck with insulation.

Cinch the hood around your head at night in cold conditions.

Restless sleeper? Wear a hat instead.

Lefty? You’ll likely prefer a right-hand hood cinch (and a right-hand zip). Check that cinch cords don’t rub your face.

Draft tubes insulate the zipper.

If the zip catches on the fabric, tug gently, perpendicular to the zipper, to free it.

A mummy bag fits just like the name suggests, but reduced dead space means better thermal efficiency and a lighter bag.

If your significant other has a left zip and you want to join forces (for keeping warm or otherwise) look for a compatible right zip.

Sideblocking baffles prevent the sideways migration of down while you sleep. Vertical baffles and FlowGate technology perform similar functions.

Baffles hold insulation over your body. Look for chambers that overlap to help reduce cold spots.

A full zipper allows venting on hot nights.

Cold feet? Look for extra insulation over the footbox. Hot feet? Some bags come with a vent.

BASIC REPAIR "Lost loft." People often request a down replacement when all they need is a good cleaning to re-fluff dirty feathers. Use down wash.

MOST COMMON

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Lost loft. Send your bag in for a refill if down escapes through a tear. The repair shop will inject new feathers into each baffled chamber.

Small punctures. Clean the area around the tear with rubbing alcohol. Trim frayed threads, then patch with repair tape.

Gaping holes. Get too close to a fire? Tape up splits as best you can in the field, then dispatch it to the pros after your trip.

LEAST COMMON

ILLUSTR ATIONS BY PETER SUCHESKI PHOTO BY MICHAEL DEYOUNG

Chelsea Chon, general manager at Seattle’s Rainy Pass Repair (rainypass.com), has seen plenty of mutilated bags during her three-year tenure, including one with the bottom burnt out by hot rocks intended for toe warming (genius). Here are a few of the more common complaints she receives.

GEAR GUIDE SHOP TALK

Reading the Fine Print

Christin Schoettle Half Moon Outfitters, GA Christin Schoettle started hiking with her mom before she could walk. She’s been working at Half Moon Outfitters since 2008.

“Shopping for bags can be daunting, but the minute you put them on the floor and tell people to crawl in, they start to figure out what they need,” she says. “It’s about having a hands-on experience.”

“People see a 20°F bag and assume they’ll be warm all the way down to 20°F,” Schoettle says.

Brands aren’t required to list the standardized EN temperature ratings in the product name, and two bags called the “20” often perform differently. Buy based on the EN comfort range printed on the bag.

BUYER’S GUIDE: ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS 1 What shape do I need? Mummy bags seal in heat better (and are lighter), but can feel claustrophobic. If you sleep big (or prioritize comfort over weight), find a rectangular or semi-rectangular bag.

2 What kind of insulation do I need? Down is compressible and long-lasting, and synthetic is inexpensive, keeps you warm when wet, and dries fast, but that’s not the whole story. Ask your sales associate how well synthetics mimic down. For example, short-staple insulation better imitates feathers in terms of compressibility, but doesn’t last long. Continuous filament insulation has better longevity but worse packability.

3 Does the rest of my system complement this bag? During EN testing (see top right), heat-sensing lab mannequins wear long underwear and lie on a foam sleeping pad. Your pad, bag, tent, and layers all work together to keep you warm.

4 How often is this bag returned? “I have a war story about everything,” Schoettle says.

Ask about the bag’s durability and about feedback from other customers, and you might get some anecdotes to help inform your purchase.

5 How does it feel? Get into each one and test roll-around room, zipper action and accessibility, and hood cinch. Then pack each bag into its stuffsack to check compressibility.

Pick Your Priorities

LEARN THE LINGO REVERSE DIFFERENTIAL Describes a bag design in which the fabric used for the bag’s interior is cut larger than the shell fabric. The result?

Insulation lofts up where there’s room—between your chest and arms, and between your legs—to fill in dead space and boost warmth.

OWNER’S MANUAL DON’T PICK. Plucking feathers can widen small holes. Instead, pinch escapees back in from the inside.

SLEEP CLEAN. Wear baselayers to bed to keep body oils off your bag.

LIGHT

2

1 4

WARM

3

SPACIOUS

1. Mummy bag 2. 40°F rectangular bag 3. Your dad’s old flannel-lined bag 4. A space blanket

LET IT BREATHE. Hang your bedding in the sun while you make breakfast, and avoid burrowing in at night; exhaled vapor wilts insulation (plus it stinks in there).

Never store your bag compressed.

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE. Don’t sleep too close to fires and stoves; airborne embers can leave tiny holes in synthetic fabrics.

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THE PERFECT TRAVEL COMPANION The new Sawyer Select™ Filters and Purifiers combine Sawyer’s signature 0.1 micron absolute hollow fiber membrane filter with a high-tech foam core inside the bottle to remove virtually all contaminants found in fresh water, including heavy metals, viruses, chemicals, pesticides, bacteria, and protozoa. They also improve taste and odor and only take 10 seconds to treat water.

SAWYER.COM/SELECT

PHOTO BY SCOTT KRANZ

CLEANER, SAFER, DRINKING WATER, ANYWHERE.

GEAR GUIDE

SHELLS

by Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan

NO RAIN, NO GAIN Rebecca Stubbs puts the REI Stormbolt GTX (see page 88 for its stripped-down sibling, the Drypoint) to work stacking rocks in the Boulder River Wilderness in Washington. (She removed the cairn before moving on.)

ST E PH E N M AT E R A

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SHELLS

Hardshells

Best all-around

Best features

OUTDOOR RESEARCH INTERSTELLAR

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR QUASAR LITE II

Our take The Interstellar ticks all the boxes on our three-season shell wish list: It’s breathable, packable, stretchy, and durable. Moisture management comes from three-layer AscentShell fabric. Its air-permeable membrane directly vents sweat vapor and keeps air flowing, which we noticed when hauling a 45-pound pack on a 40°F day in Wyoming’s Wind River Range. The Interstellar’s 20-denier nylon face fabric is tougher than its weight might indicate, as its false-twist construction—the individual nylon fi laments are coiled, then woven into yarn while maintaining pliability—grants stretch without using elastane (which is less durable). This shell packs down to the size of a 1-liter Nalgene.

The details The Interstellar’s slim cut layers best over thin insulation, and its hood accommodates climbing helmets. Hipbelt-friendly hand pockets with mesh backers offer extra ventilation (a little) in lieu of pit zips. The only complaint? Testers griped that the hood’s side adjustment cords cinched uncomfortably across their ears.

Trail cred “For a lightweight jacket, it’s impressively tough,” one tester says. “I wore it on an off-trail scramble near Wyoming’s Cirque of the Towers, and it looked fi ne after I dragged it across an obstacle course of rocks.” $299; 11.6 oz. (m’s L); m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL; outdoorresearch.com

Our take A classic conundrum for outerwear designers: Features add functionality, but also weight. The brains behind this shell nailed the sweet spot between the two. An adjustable, helmet-compatible hood with a stiff brim turned away rain and graupel across Colorado and Maine, and four pockets (two hand pockets placed above a hipbelt, and two internal mesh pouches big enough for gloves or a water bottle) provide plenty of storage. Short-but-effective pit zips helped dump heat on a sunny, mid40s approach on Canada’s Upper Vowell Glacier.

The details The 2.5-layer nylon Dry.Q Elite fabric is durable, and its airpermeable membrane prevented overheating. “I left this shell on as we free-climbed finger cracks, and I never got too swampy,” said a tester after a season of climbing in British Columbia’s Bugaboos. Still, the Quasar Lite’s 30-denier nylon face fabric (even tougher than the Interstellar’s, left) was strong enough to emerge from chimney climbing and scrambling through a limestone tunnel near Canada’s Takakkaw Falls without serious abrasions.

Trail cred “The Quasar Lite felt great over bare arms, not bulky or clammy like some other shells,” said a tester after a dayhike to Schoodic Point in Maine turned from T-shirt weather to cool, wet fog. $300; 10 oz.; m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL; mountainhardwear.com

Going Green

The holy grail for shell manufacturers? A DWR treatment that’s eco-friendly, effective, and permanent. Marmot thinks it’s found the solution in EVODry fabric. Instead of coating the shell with a DWR spray containing environmentally harmful PFCs, Marmot’s technique uses heat and pressure to infuse the individual yarns with a hydrocarbon-based DWR. The treatment becomes part and parcel of the fabric itself, and should last as long as the jacket. (Why do you care about DWRs? When they wear off, jackets need retreating to maintain water repellency.

A waterproof/breathable shell without a DWR won’t leak, it will just “wet out,” which makes it heavy, cold, and less breathable.) Marmot ups EVODry’s eco cred by checking off every other green box: The waterproof/breathable membrane is also PFC-free, the fabric and zipper are made with recycled material, and solution dyeing saves water and reduces pollution. We didn’t get working samples in time to test for this issue, but we’re looking forward to getting these promising new shells into the field. (The Eclipse Jacket, pictured, costs $250; marmot.com)

WEIGHTS ARE PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR MEN’S MEDIUM, UNLESS NOTED.

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PHOTOS BY COURTESY

MARMOT EVODRY

GEAR GUIDE

Editors’ Choice update

COLUMBIA OUTDRY EX FEATHERWEIGHT SHELL Our take When Columbia introduced its OutDry Extreme tech in 2016, we had two reactions. One, we loved the durability of the waterproof/breathable fabric (the Outdry EX Diamond shell won an Editors’ Choice award that year). Two, we couldn’t wait for Columbia to lighten it up. That wish comes true with the Featherweight (women’s version pictured), which packs the never-wets-out power of the Diamond into a garment that weighs 8 ounces less. (To shed weight, Columbia switched to a lighter, 15-denier ripstop nylon.) But that didn’t reduce protection. We got blasted by rain from one latitude to the next and always emerged dry. “I’ve given this coat a fair bit of abuse, hiking through brush and climbing over rocks,” reports an Alaska tester. “But I haven’t noticed any significant wear and tear.”

The details Always-open pit vents and mesh-backed chest pockets enhance breathability, but testers complained that small items stashed in the deep pockets slid down to their bellies. The hood sports a slightly stiffened brim with two cinch cords on either side.

Trail cred “The material feels crinkly like the original, but it moves better thanks to its lighter weight,” one tester says. “I never had any problem fitting insulating layers under it.” $199; 7 oz.; m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL; columbia.com

Bargain

BLACK DIAMOND STORMLINE STRETCH Our take With low-cost shells, we expect compromises—subpar breathability and excess bulk are the usual culprits—but this sleek jacket delivers solid performance for less than $150. It shielded against gale-force gusts on an ascent of New Zealand’s Mt. Taranaki, and the proprietary BD.dry fabric earned decent marks for breathability (not as good as premium membranes, but better than other bargain shells). Add in its respectable weight and four-way stretch and the StormLine crosses into true steal territory. Caveat: We did get a little wet through a leaking main zipper during “apocalyptic” rain on Taranaki.

The details The tailored cut, with mobilityenhancing underarm gussets, accommodates a light puff y but doesn’t look baggy when worn over just a baselayer. The tradeoff for the sweet price comes in a couple of the jacket’s other features: Hipbelts cover the handpocket zippers, and we found that the main zipper often gets caught at the chin while zipping up, requiring two hands to wrestle it free.

Trail cred “The StormLine was breathable enough to use as a sunshirt while floating on New Zealand’s Whanganui River,” one tester says. “I’d zip the collar all the way up and be protected from UV and splashes, while still having the mobility I needed for paddling.” $149; 11.3 oz.; m’s XS-XL, w’s XXS-XL; blackdiamondequipment.com

Most flexible

MONTANE MINIMUS STRETCH ULTRA JACKET Our take Lightweight shells are fairly easy to find these days. But getting one that moves as well as the Minimus does for a cool $205?

That’s harder to come by. Pertex’s two-way stretch Shield fabric, along with the jacket’s articulated sleeves, let us boost ourselves over boulders in Colorado’s Indian Peaks Wilderness and scale seaside cliffs in Australia’s Murramarang National Park. Our testers especially liked the Minimus’s cuffs, which extend over the backs of the hands for extra drip protection. “No wrist-gapping here,” one long-armed tester notes.

The details The Minimus’s svelte Euro fit makes it hard to bundle up underneath. Still, there’s a fair degree of adjustability for such a light jacket, including a hood that tightens around the face (but not around the head) and fits under a helmet, and a cinchable hem. The Minimus’s 20-denier nylon didn’t have an issue with grabby branches, but don’t expect it to handle extended rough-and-tumble use like a heavier shell. Two hand pockets steer clear of hipbelts.

Trail cred “In mild temps with light rain, I unzipped the jacket and used the fabric snaps around the zipper to prevent it from blowing open,” our tester says. $205; 7 oz.; m’s XS-XL, w’s 6-14; montane.co.uk

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SHELLS

Hardshells

THE TESTING LIFE

Best value

MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT IMPELLOR

REI CO-OP DRYPOINT GTX JACKET

Our take If you want serious storm protection at the lowest possible weight, this is your shell. The streamlined Impellor dispenses with hand pockets (you do get an energy bar-size chest pocket), skips cinch cords in favor of elastic on the hem and cuffs, and employs just one cord on the hood (at the back) to get weight down to 6 ounces. Even so, Gore-Tex’s three-layer Active Shell kept us totally dry on a rainy hike in Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Already Gore’s lightest option for all-around use, the latest iteration of Active Shell features a slightly thinner membrane and ditches the old tricot liner for Gore’s C-Knit backer, a softer, lighter option. Whether scrambling up Washington’s Mt. Stuart with heavy packs in ripping winds or descending it in muggy rain, we stayed comfortable, not clammy.

The details The Impellor’s trim cut also heightens breathability (there’s less distance for sweat vapor to travel), but its short hem length left some taller testers’ baselayers exposed. Ding: $50 per ounce.

Trail cred The Impellor’s 15-denier fabric is less hardy than the stuff in fellow ultralight Montane (page 87), but it’s still impressively resilient.“When I raked this shell against the sharp walls of lava tube caves in Oregon, I was surprised when it didn’t come out covered in holes,” one tester says. $300; 6 oz.; m’s S-XL, w’s 8-16; mountain-equipment.com

Our take If you take the Subaru Outback approach to gear—performance, not flash—you’ll appreciate this shell’s recipe. For a few ounces more and $50 less than the Impellor (left), you get a more durable version of Gore’s Active Shell with a no-skimp design intended for long hours in the rain. Testers praised the welldesigned, two-way-adjustable hood—the best in the test—with a water-deflecting visor that kept precip out of our eyes during a downpour outside Silver Plume, Colorado. The adjustable cuffs seal neatly with and without gloves, and the mesh-lined hand pockets are placed high enough to help vent heat and stay clear of a hipbelt.

The details The Drypoint survived scrapes with thorns and stones without damage. A roomier fit and 20-denier face fabric mean it’s not as breathable as the Impellor, but it managed body temperature well on hikes and snowshoeing trips across Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks in 30°F weather. A regular cut, with plenty of room for longer arms and multiple layers, extends its use well into winter. If you want pit zips and a jacket that’s a bit burlier, our testers also liked REI’s Stormbolt GTX ($279; pictured on page 85), for its workhorse performance.

Trail cred “On an intensely windy ski day in Colorado with blowing snow, the hood preserved visibility perfectly,” one tester says. “It never got in the way.” $249; 10.5 oz.; m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL; rei.com

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“On Mt. Taranaki, there was more rain than I could have ever imagined. It was like the volcano had erupted, but instead of lava the slopes ran with foam and spray. In some places, runoff poured over cliffside trails and crashed into the rainforest below.

I stood under one of these waterfalls for about a minute, laughing with adrenaline and feeling the weight of the water pound down on my shoulders.”

–COREY BUHAY, ASSISTANT SKILLS EDITOR

PHOTOS BY COURTESY (2); LOUISA ALBANESE

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GEAR GUIDE

SHELLS

Windshells

THE TESTING LIFE

Most breathable

Lightest

Our take The problem with wind-blockers is that if they keep cold gusts out, they probably also keep hot air in. The Agravic breathes better than most windshells because of always-open mesh pit vents and light, 20-denier polyester fabric, which is more air-permeable than nylon. The material is also softer than nylon—but less durable—and has a DWR treatment that fends off light rain (moderate rain soaked through quickly, but even then, the Agravic dried in about 10 minutes in 40°F weather). “I wore this while trail running in Colorado’s Front Range in 55°F, and thought I’d have to take it off after 20 minutes, but I never overheated,” one tester says.

The details The Agravic’s cut is flowy but not baggy, with sleeves long enough to satisfy longerlimbed testers, and it survived being scraped against tree branches without tearing. “It’s light, but not fl imsy,” one tester says. For a minimalist jacket, you do get a few features: a chest pocket that can fit an ID or a couple of keys, stay-put elastic cuffs, a cinchable hem, and a one-way adjustable hood with an elastic rim. Ding: The superlight hood blew around annoyingly in high winds.

Trail cred “I have other wind jackets that weigh about the same, but the Agravic feels much better next to skin,” says a tester who noted the polyester’s “silky” feel. $99; 4.8 oz.; m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL; adidasoutdoor.com

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MONTBELL TACHYON PARKA “I recently moved to Japan and decided to test a shell in the hills above my house during Typhoon Lan, which hit about 20 miles away. That was a mistake.

Between the pounding rain, blowing wind, thunder and lightning, and thick vegetation, I ended up disoriented and not quite sure where I was. After stumbling through graveyards and Shinto shrines, I exited the forest five minutes from my house, relieved to have picked the right way.”

–JOEL NYQUIST

Our take It sounds like the start of a bad joke: What kind of wind protection do you get for less than 3 ounces? But there’s no disappointing punch line with this barely-there piece, which crams impressive breeze-blocking into a shell that weighs as much as a kiwi. “With high winds whipping midway up New Hampshire’s Cannon Cliff, it blocked the gusts without increasing my core temp, even during tough stretches of fist-jamming,” says a New England-based climber. Montbell reduced the density of the weave and added a special roller-flattening finishing process, which increases wind protection of the 7-denier nylon face fabric without interfering with breathability (unlike a coating or a membrane). That made for adequate breathability on vigorous, cool-weather hikes along Vermont’s Long Trail, but it’s still not as air-conditioned as the Agravic (left), as it lacks vents.

The details Despite the fabric’s cellophane-like appearance, it’s pretty soft. You trade features like a hem cinch and pit zips for the weight (though there are hand pockets and a single hood-adjustment cord).

Heads up: Something this dainty needs TLC. We ripped our sample when it snagged on a carabiner.

Trail cred “This shell has a nice, trim fit,” one tester says. “In a stiff breeze up on pitch five of New Hampshire’s Whitney Gilman, it didn’t flap around like a flag.” $99; 2.5 oz.; m’s S-XL, w’s S-XL; montbell.us

PHOTOS BY COURTESY; STEPHEN MATER A (OPPOSITE PAGE)

ADIDAS AGRAVIC WIND JACKET

The Testing Life

Shell Test Data TESTERS

45 SHELLS TESTED

51 HIGHEST WIND

60 MPH Mt. Stuart, WA

MOST DISTANCE COVERED BY ONE TESTER

250 MI.

GEAR GUIDE

“I’VE ALWAYS BEEN OBSESSED WITH THE OUTDOORS. WHEN I WAS 13, I ACTUALLY TIED MYSELF TO A TREE IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK AND REFUSED TO LEAVE—MY PARENTS HAD TO CUT ME AWAY. NOW MY OBSESSION IS PLAYING MY VIOLIN IN THE BACKCOUNTRY, LIKE HERE ON THE BOULDER RIVER TRAIL IN WASHINGTON.” –Anastasia Allison Everett, Washington (Editor’s note: Check out some of Anastasia’s performances with the Musical Mountaineers at backpacker.com/musicalmountaineers.)

BIGGEST DAY

20 MI. Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA

COLDEST TEMP

6°F Pearl Pass, CO

HIGHEST TRIP

14,410 ft.

Mt. Rainier, WA

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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SHELLS

Softshells

Most comfortable

Toughest

RAB BOREALIS JACKET

ORTOVOX PALA JACKET

Our take The best softies become like a second skin.

“After wearing the Borealis for cooler start-time temps, I’d often end up leaving it on for the rest of my climb, hike, or run,” one tester says. The 85 percent nylon/15 percent elastane fabric is flexy and supple enough to wear next to skin or use as a midlayer. Single-weave construction means it lacks an inner layer, enhancing breathability on everything from strenuous slogs up New Zealand’s Mt. Taranaki to ice climbs in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The details As with most DWR-treated softshells, anything more than moderate precip will soak through (the grace period is about 20 minutes), but the single-layer design also means the Borealis dries swiftly. Its nonadjustable hood can stretch over a climbing helmet, and a pair of 8.5-inch, mesh-backed Napoleon pockets provide extra venting. Although it’s light, this shell was tough enough for crack climbing and an off-trail hike in the Gore Range that ripped one tester’s pants. Should you happen to take it off, the Borealis packs down to grapefruit size.

Trail cred “This shell kept my core temp stable while fending off snow-laden branches when my approach to the Vail Amphitheater turned into a bushwhack,” one Colorado tester says. $115; 10.5 oz. (m’s L); m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL; rab.equipment/us

Our take The Pala is just as comfy as your favorite old hoodie, but unlike your sweats it can handle iff y weather and rock faces. The key elements: a cozy merino liner and tough materials with above-average abrasion resistance. The liner, which gives the Pala a fleece-like feel, aids wicking and kept one Vermont tester toasty on trail runs where the temp dipped into the 20s. The sturdy Cordura face fabric is a blend of nylon and elastane, reinforced with heavierweight Cordura in the shoulders and sides. We shimmied up rock cracks in the Pala and wore it bushwhacking through alder thickets in Alaska, and it emerged with nary a scratch. Breathability proved itself on tough approaches from the 20s to the 50s (though it’s too warm for anything balmier than that).

The details The cut and features suit climbing particularly well: An elastic hood stretches over a helmet or fits under one, the trim shape never gets in the way of gear, and the sleeves are long enough for high reaches. One small chest pocket fits a slim wallet or phone, but the Pala lacks hand pockets.

Trail cred “It’s much stretchier than other jackets this bomber,” an Alaska tester says. “When I was scrambling on a ridgeline around Knoya Peak, I appreciated the mobility while balancing on rocks.” $230; 12.7 oz.; m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL; ortovox.com/us

Summit attained, it’s time to head for home.

Loose rocks, steep slopes, fatigue... anything can happen.

Get a kit.

Be prepared.

Available at

and Retailers Nationwide

For information on our entire line of Mountain Series kits go to: adventuremedicalkits.com

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR GUIDE Most versatile

SALEWA AGNER ENGINEERED DST JACKET Our take We test a lot of shells, so we notice when one gets grabbed more often than the others. We chose the light-yetcomfy Agner (women’s version pictured) for snowy days in the 30s to windy ones in the 60s, thanks to a design that body-maps mobility, breathability, and durability.

Breathable, four-way stretch panels on the back and under the arms let us reach overhead without restriction, and the underarm sections vented excess heat on uphill pushes in Colorado’s Indian Peaks Wilderness in the 40s. High-wear zones across the shoulders, arms, and lower back use tough Cordura Durastretch fabric, a two-way stretch nylon weave that kept the Agner scuff-free after scraping against slickrock during hikes outside Lander, Wyoming.

The details Spare but useful features— an elastic hood that fits under a helmet, elastic cuffs, and two chest pockets—keep packability down to softball size. The Agner has a snug fit, but tops a baselayer or light midlayer comfortably. Bonus: The DWR is PFC-free (made of hydrophobic polymers, it’s supposed to last between 20 and 30 washes), and one tester stayed dry through 30 minutes of light rain.

Trail cred “On a fall trip in Colorado’s Mt. Zirkel Wilderness, I’d put the Agner on as soon as I woke up and wear it all through the day’s temp swings, even as afternoon drizzles rolled in,” our tester says. $200; 12.2 oz.; m’s 44-56, w’s 38-50; salewa.com

TRACTION YOU CAN TRUST

KENNETH J HAMILTON / MICROspikes is a trademark of Kahtoola Inc.

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR SCHOOL SHELLS

by Corey Buhay

There will be times when only a thin layer of fabric protects you from Mother Nature’s fury.

Choose the right shell and take care of it.

Size your hood to fit over or under a helmet. Look for a stiff brim, and make sure it doesn’t limit visibility.

Plastic toggles are easy to operate with wet, cold hands.

Two hood cinches better ensure a symmetrical fit.

Cold weather adventurers, look for chest pockets; electronics, like camera batteries or a phone, will stay warmer there than in a hand pocket.

Abrasion-resistant patches prevent wear from pack straps and can help boost shell longevity.

Pit zips dump heat but add ounces. Check ease of operation. Always-open vents can be a lighter-weight alternative.

Make sure hand pockets rise well above your hipbelt.

Snug up the hem cinch, especially in windy weather, until the jacket fits trimly without bunching up.

Pull cuffs over baselayer sleeves to keep water from wicking upward. It’s easier to fine-tune adjustment on cuff cinches with hook-and-loop tabs, but elastic weighs less.

BASIC REPAIR Waterproofing failure.

Wetting out but not leaking?

Clean with gear wash. Reapply DWR with a product like Nikwax TX.Direct if needed.

MOST COMMON

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Torn fabric. Clean the area with an alcohol prep pad.

Trim any threads and sandwich the tear between two circles of repair tape.

Peeling seam tape. For small peels, cut off loose bits and paint the exposed area with Seam Grip. Catastrophic peeling? Call in the experts.

Broken drawstring. Open the seam where the drawstring is anchored, cut out the old cord, and re-thread from there. Then, sew up the seam.

LEAST COMMON

ILLUSTR ATIONS BY PETER SUCHESKI PHOTO BY LOUISA ALBANESE

Shells come out when the hiking gets hard. As such, they suffer their share of abuse. Sam Goodhue, product developer at Boulder Mountain Repair (bouldermtnrepair.com), sees about 8,000 to 10,000 damaged shells per year. Here’s what tends to go wrong.

GEAR GUIDE SHOP TALK

Rookie Mistake

Bill Leo Ouray Mountain Sports, CO Ouray Mountain Sports has long been a go-to for mountaineers, and that tradition continues under Bill Leo, who bought the shop 22 years ago. “The thing that’s special about us is the knowledge of our staff,” Leo says. “That’s how we’re able to cater to high-end climbers, the people who are the hub of North American alpinism.”

“The biggest mistake I see people make is either buying a waterproof shell when they don’t need one or buying a water-resistant shell when they really need waterproof,” Leo says. Softshells are breathable and stretchy, and they’re ideal for working hard in snowy conditions or for blocking light wind. Water-resistant wind jackets are ideal for dry weather. “You only need a hardshell if you’re really going to be subjected to rain,” Leo says. But then you really need one.

BUYER’S GUIDE: ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS 1 Does it fit? Make sure you can reach over your head and cross your arms without restriction—the work of scrambling, throwing bear bags, and pitching tents needs to be done rain or shine. Winter camping? Make sure layers (including gloves) fit under your shell. Warm or windy weather? A slimmer cut offers better breathability and less flapping.

2 How well does it vent? Most shells struggle to deliver on the “breathable” promise.

The problem is exacerbated with budget shells, so look for ventilation features like pit zips and long, mesh-lined pockets.

3 How packable is it? Heavy-duty, feature-rich shells tend to take up more pack space, while water-resistant wind jackets and lighter shells often zip into their own pockets for better compressibility. Hoping to leave your shell rolled away for the majority of the trip?

Make sure it packs down small.

4 How weatherproof is it? If you’re expecting the sky to fall in, make sure your jacket’s ready for it: In all-out rain, hem and hood cinch cords, waterproof zippers (as opposed to just flaps), and cinchable cuffs can prove to be invaluable lines of defense.

5 Is it pack-compatible? Load up, cinch the hipbelt, and bend over. Exposed skin indicates a too-short cut. Also check whether pockets are accessible with a hipbelt on and that no toggles or hardware fall under pack straps.

Reality of Raingear

LEARN THE LINGO

OWNER’S MANUAL

THREE-LAYER VS. TWO LAYER Three-layer shells sandwich the waterproof layer between a DWRcoated face fabric and an interior liner to protect the delicate membrane. Twolayer shells (just the face material and membrane) tend to be less expensive and more packable, but less durable.

AVOID SMOKE. Smoke particles adhere to fabric and interfere with DWR. Ditch your shell before breaking out the s’mores.

WEAR LONG SLEEVES. Skin oils, sunscreens, and insect repellents can damage membranes and impair breathability. Avoid wearing your shell next-to-skin whenever possible.

WATERPROOF

BREATHABLE

UMBRELLAS

STORE IT DRY. Like your tent, your raingear needs to air out between uses to avoid developing mildew, especially during long-term storage.

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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Let's Spoon.

Tuck In & Snuggle Up

Sleep on Your Side, Like a Human

Blanket Fold™ provides the tucked-in comfort of your blanket at home, and helps keep drafts out.

Spoon™ shape allows you to sleep comfortably on your side, while still packing small.

Feel Good Down Our premium down is Responsible Down Standard

Blow Off Some Steam Thermo Gills™ unzip to let warm air out if you get too hot at night, without letting cold drafts in.

so you stay warm even in damp conditions.

Dry Feet are Happy Feet Waterproof/breathable footbox keeps tent wall condensation off your feet.

At NEMO, we ditch convention, and we did it again when we designed our Spoon™

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contents

Most Innovative Gear 10 game-changing designs for 2018

You: 1. Rain: 0.

Leading outdoor athletes share their wet-weather advice.

The Change Agent She’s young.

She’s talented.

She’s here to save the planet.

Most Sustainable Gear The year's biggest advances in recycling and reducing

The Toy Maker A veteran gear designer dishes on his dream job.

Spring Adventure Guide

BY KASSONDRA CLOOS

Performance that lasts a lifetime.

Rainwear that never wets out or wears out.

The Evolution of Dry

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The future is now.

These 10 gear picks set new standards in their respective categories.

SMITH

Lowdown Focus SunglassesÂ

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tive These sunglasses read minds. Smith brings high tech to its popular Lowdown frames in the form of EEG sensors that pair with your smartphone to measure your brain’s electrical activity. The app helps you learn to concentrate and avoid distractions, allowing you to focus all your mental energy on the next big send. $350, smithoptics.com

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Innovative Gear

GOPRO

Fusion

ADVERTISEMENT

GoPro’s waterproof 360-degree camera lets you shoot first and figure out the composition later. It takes spherical footage of everything in sight, then allows you to pull out traditional flat videos and photography later on to create your dream shot. Bonus: the camera connects to your smartphone so you can set it up to spy on wildlife—and then hide downwind. $700, gopro.com

MARMOT

Eclipse Jacket

The Eclipse shatters performance norms for PFC-free rainwear. Its DWR treatment is bonded to the fabric at the molecular level so it’ll never wash out or need reapplication. Each EVODry jacket saves 1.5 gallons of water thanks to a process that reduces the use of dyes by 85 percent. $250, marmot.com

OUTDOOR RESEARCH

Bitterblaze Gloves Outdoor Research takes the insulation from NASA space suits, aka the "warmest insulation on Earth," and places it

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into the palms and fingers of its Fall 2018 Bitterblaze gloves.

Gore-Tex membranes keep water out, while goat leather adds extra durability at common points of impact. $135, outdoorresearch.com

OSPREY

Levity At 1.9 lbs., the 60-liter Levity is half the weight of most overnight packs. It’s made with Osprey’s NanoFly fabric, which combines polyethylene ripstop with Cordura nylon for high-abrasion resistance that can handle squeezing through even the tightest slot canyons. $340, osprey.com

DANNER MOUNTAIN

JETBOIL $160, danner.com

Flash Jetboil revolutionizes its fan-favorite personal camp cook system with a larger, 9,000 BTU burner and wider air intake openings to create a more powerful flame. The result: 100 seconds between you and a hot cup of coffee. $100, jetboil.com

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A DV E R T I S E M E N T

600 EnduroWeave

Danner's newest boots might look like they're made for the city with their woven uppers, but they’re hiding Vibram Fuga outsoles with Megagrip technology. The multidirectional lugs flex to grab slick surfaces and scree so you stay upright no matter the conditions.

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Innovative Gear

ARC’TERYX

TECNICA

Norvan LD

Forge Custom Hiking Boot

Gore-Tex boots used to mean that your foot was encased in a waterproof bootie hidden under the lining. Arc’teryx’s Norvan LD trail runners are the first to use Gore-Tex Invisible Fit Technology, which applies the membrane directly to the upper for lightweight waterproofing without uncomfortable wrinkles and folds. $200, arcteryx.com

MYSTERY RANCH

Ridge Ruck 17 Pack adjustments are a major time suck.

Mystery Ranch’s new single-point adjustment design makes it easier to get the perfect fit. Now you can make micro adjustments to the shoulder straps—straight from your hip belt. $119, mysteryranch.com

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Until now, skiers have had all the custom-footwear fun. But Tecnica’s Forge Custom Hiking Boot brings moldable technology to hikers for the first time—cutting break-in time to zero.

Tecnica hooked up roughly 60 stores with custom machines that heat the boots’ heel, ankle and arch for the perfect, blister-free fit. $250, tecnica.it

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No Friends Left Behind Our roomy new tents redeďŹ ne happy hour.

More space.

Easy set up.

Six times the fun.

HALO 6P / COLFAX 4P / ORBIT 6P

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A DV E R T I S E M E N T

You: 1 Rain: 0 Don’t let Mother Nature keep you inside. Take it from these pros who adventure rain or shine. With their tips, there’s no such thing as bad weather.

ERIC ORTON RUNNER

Prevention and preparation are key.

If you see clouds rolling in, don’t wait for the rain to put on your waterproof layers. Put them on right away.

Know what kind of athlete you are.

What’s more important to you, being comfortable, or packing ultralight?

Choose your layers accordingly.

Choose shoes that won’t hold tons of water.

Spend time pairing shoes with the proper socks to minimize the damage when you know you’re going to get wet.

Accept that you’re going to get your feet wet.

Even with gaiters. Some people use plastic bags, and that’s really the only way to stay dry, but I wouldn’t recommend that because of blisters.

ABBEY SMITH CLIMBER

Practice when it doesn’t matter.

Force yourself to go for a hike close to home next time it rains. Experiment with layers and get wet and cold when the stakes are low.

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String up a clothesline.

A short, 3-mil piece of cord can serve as a clothesline inside your tent. It might get a little humid, but it’ll ultimately help you out.

Don’t skimp on your rain gear.

You want a jacket with cuffs that are comfortable and adjustable, so you can seal out rain from running up your arms.

Bring layers to sacrifice.

I always have a set of dry clothes I keep safe in a dry bag in my pack. The rest can get wet, but having dry socks to change into is non-negotiable for me— especially for preventing and treating blisters.

Check your hood.

If you’re a climber, you need a shell with a helmetcompatible hood, period.

Check that before you hit the trail.

Pro Tips

Pack strategically.

If you know it’s going to rain or it starts to pour on your tent, organize your gear so things you need are easily accessible. You don’t want to root through your pack in the rain to find a snack.

PETE TAKEDA

Line your pack with a trash compactor bag.

Regular trash bags are flimsy, but trash compactor bags are tough enough to handle all your gear and keep it dry no matter how hard it rains.

CLIMBER

Bring small water bottles you can fill with boiling water.

Put hot water bottles inside your socks to dry them out, and tuck one inside your sleeping bag at night to drive out moisture.

ARI DELASHMUTT PARAGLIDER AND HIGHLINER

Don’t over-insulate.

What you really need to do is stay dry, and over-layering will make you sweat.

Bring an extra baselayer.

Don’t be afraid of the rain.

If you know you’re going to sweat on your approach, you’ll want dry layers to change into.

A little water never hurt anyone. I like the rain, because it helps me see places I love in a brand-new way.

It’s like a real-life painting.

All of it. Like the plague. I pack synthetic baselayers, a featherless puffy for insulation, and a light Gore-Tex layer to stay dry.

Avoid cotton.

EDITOR'S TIPS

*Wearing a Shell Î Avoid

Site Selection Î Keep

your tent out of ditches or depressions where water can pool. Î Use natural surroundings for rain protection.

A stand of trees or a rocky outcropping can help weather the storm (though you should be extra cautious if lightning is present).

Tent Pitching Î Keep

your inner tent dry. Pre-pitch it in a sheltered area without staking it, drape the fly over, then move it as needed. Î Tighten sagging rainflies; you want a taut pitch that separates fly and tent, which increases air circulation and reduces condensation.

*Choosing a Shell Î Don’t skimp on these

key features: unlined cuffs (read: no wicking) that cover your wrists and cinch tight with Velcro; a threeway adjustable hood with bendable brim for better protection and visibility; and a cinchable hem that covers your butt.

raising your arms. In a downpour, water will enter at your cuffs and seep up your sleeves.

Shorten trekking poles to minimize wrist exposure. ÎTransform your jacket into a vest by sticking your arms out of the pit zips if conditions allow.

*Venting a Shell Î Limiting perspiration

is critical to comfort and staying dry, and helps membrane performance.

It’s best to stay slightly cool when hiking in rain, so layer down, slow down, and use zippers and vents to release body heat. Î Wear a synthetic, wicking base layer to pull the moisture off your skin so the membrane can release it as vapor.

Drying Out Î Assess

your comfort and the conditions when you have about 30 to 60 minutes of hiking left.

Overheated? Slow down, so you start drying on the trail and don’t reach camp with sweaty (read: cold) inner layers.

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PHOTO BY DEREK YARRA

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

The Change Agent / Claire Gibson

THE

CHANGE

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Ever since she started snowboarding in high school, CLAIRE GIBSON knew she’d do whatever it’d take to get a foot into the outdoor industry. But she’s not just in it for the powder days. This twentysomething is out to change the world.

CLAIRE GIBSON’S HANDS are in the early stages of the

production process for nearly everything Marmot makes.

She’s leading the charge to work with greener factories, use safer chemicals, and select more durable fabrics. Her goal? Exceed industry standards for sustainability.

bluesign system partner company. If the brand has two options for production and one’s a bluesign factory and the other’s not, “we want that bluesign mill every single time." There are certain fabrics Marmot simply won’t use because of their environmental impact—regardless of how well they stand up to the elements.

She ensures all wool is traceable and proven to have been sourced responsibly, and she’s working on securing Responsible Down Standard certification.

“Claire is tireless in her pursuit of sustainable solutions,” says Brian Thompson, vice president of design and development for Newell Brands Technical Apparel. “We really want to be on the leading edge of brands in the outdoor space in terms of reducing our footprint, and Claire can help us get there.”

Gibson is the first person to hold an official sustainability-related position at Marmot and ExOfficio, and she’s working on making the brands some of the first to incorporate letter grades on hangtags that score products on how eco-friendly they are. Think of it like nutrition facts, but for water usage, PFCs and other harmful chemicals, and carbon footprint. That would be groundbreaking, and Thompson says he thinks Gibson has the potential to be a leader at the forefront of the whole industry.

She originally set out to get a marketing degree in college, but quickly realized her passion wasn’t in selling stuff—it was in setting the bar higher for companies she knew could do more to protect the natural environments they rely upon so much. Without a healthy environment, there’s no place for you to use that high-end jacket. So, she started doing research on the Higg Index, which many outdoor gear companies use to evaluate their practices and make them greener. Now, she uses it at work to find ways her own company can get better.

“We’ve come leaps and bounds,” Gibson says. “We know the industry has a long way to go, but we’re taking all the steps we can to set a new standard.”

AGENT The fashion and textile industries are two of the worst in the world when it comes to harming the environment—some have pegged fashion as second only to oil—but if you ask Gibson, it doesn’t have to be that way.

She’s on a mission to set a higher standard for corporate responsibility. Take Marmot’s new EVODry line of rain shells and pants, which Gibson says turns all other eco-friendly DWRs on their heads. The upcycled fabric’s water repellency is bonded to the yarn fibers so it never has to be reapplied—and the new color process uses 85 percent less dye.

“We don’t want a gold star for going the extra mile to make more sustainable clothes,” Gibson says. “We have to do this. It’s not even an option anymore to ignore our environmental impact.”

On any given day, Gibson gets to the office early— armed with as much coffee as she can carry—to shoot emails back and forth with production teams in Asia, meet with materials vendors, and make sure the designers at their Santa Rosa, Calif., office have sustainable fabric samples. Gibson also makes sure the brand seeks long-term solutions that don’t end with sending less durable products to the landfill.

On top of all of that, Gibson Gibson at work is managing Marmot’s efin Marmot’s down lab forts to become certified as a

PRESENTED BY

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A DV E R T I S E M E N T

The environment all too often pays the price for high-performing gear.

But these 10 products save waste from landfills, ditch harmful chemicals, and allow you to adventure guilt-free.

BIG AGNES

Sandhoffer 20°F Until now, there has generally been a tradeoff between sustainability and performance. But Big Agnes's Sandhoffer 20°F is now friendly on both the piggy bank and the environment, thanks to DownTek's new PFC-free hydrophobic down. The new water-repellent coating performs even better than its previous stuff, DownTek says, so it'll use the eco-friendly formula exclusively moving forward. $200, bigagnes.com

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Sustainability

KLEAN KANTEEN

Insulated Classic 20 oz

Klean Kanteen used GreenScreen, a sciencebased chemical hazard assessment tool, to isolate and eliminate harmful chemicals from its powdercoating process. All 2018 bottles, including the beloved Insulated Classic 20 oz, now use chemicals safer for humans and the environment. Bonus: it’s four times more durable than previous powder coats, so go ahead and abuse it. It’ll look new for a long while.

ADIDAS

Terrex Two Parley Arriving this fall, the Terrex Two Parley trail runner features an upper made

with knit plastic that fits like a sock—and is sourced from beachfront litter. Adidas cleans up coastlines worldwide in collaboration with ocean defender, Parley for the Oceans. $140, adidasoutdoor.com

8 BUFF

Multi-Functional Headwear made with REPREVE Humans use a million plastic bottles every minute of every day. But REPREVE is working to repurpose all that plastic waste by giving it a new life

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

$31, kleankanteen.com

as recycled polyester. BUFF is moving toward making all of its signature Multi-Functional Headwear from REPREVE—and is helping its partner brand meet its goal to recycle 20 billion bottles by 2020. They’re already halfway there. $20, buffusa.com

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Sustainable Gear

MARMOT

Phoenix Jacket

GUPPYFRIEND

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

Washing Bag

Conserve water with Marmot's EVODry Phoenix Jacket. Each jacket saves 1.5 gallons thanks to a process that reduces the use of dyes by 85 percent.

Bonus: it shatters performance norms for PFC-free waterproof breathables. The DWR treatment is bonded to the fabric at the molecular level so it'll never wash out or need reapplication. $175, marmot.com

Polyester isn’t perfect. When you wash your cozy fleeces, microfibers sneak through your washing machine and end up in the ocean. We still don’t fully understand the problem—or how to change fleece to prevent it—but the Guppyfriend Washing Bag offers a temporary solution. This mesh bag traps microfibers from getting into the water so you can toss them in the trash before they end up down the drain. $30, guppyfriend.com

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ZEAL OPTICS

Windsor

Zeal Optics’s plant-based Z-Resin frames are made from castor beans, far more sustainable than the

plastic sunnies you’re likely already sporting. ProFlex Rubber on the nose and temples helps keep them secure on the trail. $150, zealoptics.com

PRIMUS

PrimeTech 2.3L Stove Set

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

Most campstoves put only about half their energy to use boiling water or cooking food.

The rest is wasted, meaning about 60 percent of your fuel is burned for nothing. But the PrimeTech Stove Set has an efficiency rating of about 80 percent, meaning you’ll use less fuel—and fewer fuel canisters—to boil water even faster. $140, primus.us

COTOPAXI

Libre Sweater

MOUNTAIN DESIGNS

You don’t need to wash this sweater. Seriously, the tag on the llama wool Libre all but forbids it. Llama wool fibers resist stink so you can save tons of water over the garment’s lifetime by just airing it out between wearings. A perforated back panel keeps you cool while hiking or climbing with a pack.

Hotaka Hooded

$140, cotopaxi.com

$300, mountaindesigns.com

This packable puffy is insulated with ECO Down, a combination of 70 percent responsiblysourced down and 30 percent recycled coffee bean fiber. The coffee beans aren’t just a feelgood eco addition, though—coffee naturally repels moisture and odors.

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TOY MAK Marmot’s Wade Woodfill took his first job for the pro deal. Now, he’s a decorated designer with multiple Editors’ Choice awards under his gear belt.

We caught up with him to find out how his passion for adventure translates into exceptional design.

You make tents, sleeping bags, and packs. What’s your day-today job like? Î I always say, I make toys—and solve problems. People aren’t seeking sufferfests anymore. My daughter wanted a lightweight tent large enough for everyone to play games. The concept morphed into the Mantis 4P tent, with a sloped roof for ample social space.

What’s the design process? Î I throw out an idea to the design team like, “Let’s build a roomier bag that’s more like sleeping at home in your bed,” and then we’ll sketch out some solutions. We’ll turn the best

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PHOTO BY DEREK YARRA

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

THE

designs into full-scale prototypes.

You have to see it in person to know if it’s going to work or not.

How do you make a tent that stands up to the weather? Î First we find the right fabric. Sun will deteriorate a flysheet faster than rain; it can turn it brittle. The tent’s pole structure also needs to be strong enough. I used to live in Scotland, where the rain doesn’t just fall straight down—it’s horizontal. We blast prototypes with “rain” in our test facility and look at all the different ways rain might get in. Then we test the tents ourselves, in real conditions.

What makes the perfect tent? Î It’s easy to make a product for gearheads and designers, but those aren’t the products consumers want and need. They want intuitive products that function really well and are elegant in their simplicity. As designers, we can never get anything perfect but I think our new Tungsten UL 2P tent gets close. There’s a lot of space in that tent and it couldn’t be easier to set it up.

The Toy Maker / Wade Woodfill

KER You spend a lot of time hanging out with your repairs department. What’s the one piece of advice you can offer readers to make their gear last longer? Î Don’t leave your gear in the hot trunk of your car, and don’t store your sleeping bags in their stuff sacks. Heat destroys a tent’s waterproof coating. And, when a sleeping bag can’t breathe, it turns into a flat

bag that’s not very warm anymore.

They’re fatal mistakes.

What’s your personal Holy Grail of gear design, the one where you can retire happily once you achieve it? Î For the last 25 years, we’ve based tent design around an aluminum pole structure. I want to figure out how we can move away from that classic, tensioned pole. I’m sure it’s a pretty

obvious solution. I just don’t know what it is yet. It’s problems like these that make gear design really fun.

What have you learned from Marmot’s repair department? Î I’ve become very good friends with the warranty department.

They give us instantaneous feedback when new gear hits the market. We don’t always catch the little details that might be a nuisance.

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AMERICA’S BEST BACKCOUNTRY HUTS

MOUNTAIN MYSTERY ON THE TRAIL OF A MISSING HIKER

The brand new BACKPACKER app integrates features such as Twitter, Instagram, and RSS feed.

Available now on the App Store and Google Play.

GEAR GUIDE

ESSENTIALS

COFFEE, COMING RIGHT UP Steam rises with the sun in Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes as Louisa Albanese boils breakfast water with the Jetboil MilliJoule (page 100).

J E SS E A LBA N E S E

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GEAR GUIDE

LIGHTING

by Adam Roy

Brightest headlamp

LEDLENSER MH10 Our take The MH10 is a head cannon. With a beastly 600 lumens, it can illuminate terrain up to about 500 feet away, which let one tester scout climbing routes up the Flatirons in Boulder, Colorado, before dawn. The MH10 combines a reflector with an adjustable lens, allowing you to focus the light by twisting the bezel for a concentrated beam that lacks the dark spots or dimming around the edges that often plague reflector-only lights. The tradeoff for all that juice? A chunky, cigar-size rechargeable battery pack that sits at the back of your head, and the MH10 lasts only 10 hours on its highest setting (120 hours on low). But at least it has a rear-facing red LED on there, too.

Trail cred “On pre-dawn patrols at our local ski resort, I have to ski at half speed with normal headlamps,” our tester says. “With the MH10, I can rip and not worry about outpacing my field of view.” $80; 5.6 oz.; ledlenserusa.com

Basecamp lantern

BLACK DIAMOND APOLLO Our take A camp lantern is a luxury item, and the redesigned Apollo feels like one. Its frosted plastic enclosure puts out 225 lumens of soft white light that dims down to a gentle glow when you hold down its single button. During a ski tour up Colorado’s James Peak, our tester took advantage of the light’s entire range, using the soup can-size lantern’s highest setting to sort gear at an open bivy, then turning it down for glare-free bedtime reading. (He also used the USB port to charge his phone.) The Apollo can run up to 24 hours on low between its two power sources—an internal battery and an optional, three-AA backup. Ding: Luxury light means luxury weight.

Trail cred “I appreciated the LED power meters for the internal battery and the AAs, which make it easy to figure out how much juice the Apollo has left,” our tester says. $60; 12.1 oz.; blackdiamondequipment.com

Smartest headlamp

BLACK DIAMOND STORM Our take Near, far, and all-around, the Storm has reliably lit our campsites and nighttime adventures for years. And now it’ll light them brighter—it’s up to 350 lumens from the previous 250—and in more colors now that a blue mode joins the existing green and red. The power boost is the biggest upgrade, giving us the confidence to get started earlier on dawn-patrol ski tours through heavily treed terrain in Colorado’s Butler Gulch. Also cool: A brightness memory returns the headlamp to your previous setting when you turn it on, and the lamp dims with the same simple touch as previous versions. In other ways, it’s delightfully retro. The Storm runs on four AAA batteries, which keep it going for about 160 hours on low. Bonus: It’s waterproof to one meter.

Trail cred “The three colored lights may sound like overkill, but they were clutch for reading the lines on multicolored topo maps,” says our tester. “The green light makes brown lines pop, while blue light turns green lines black.” $50; 3.9 oz.; blackdiamondequipment.com

Most versatile lantern Our take With the Cairn, Lander ditched the selfstanding design of most lanterns for something more packable and versatile. While it can’t stand on its own, the Cairn has an integrated shock cord anchor that let us tie it to support beams and illuminate gear piles in darkened huts in New Zealand’s Egmont National Park. “Hanging it is simple,” says our tester. “Just loop the cord around a tree branch, secure it with the plastic toggle, and bam: You’ve got overhead lighting, with none of the shadows or dark spots some lanterns cast.” The Cairn’s 3,300mAh battery lasts up to 40 hours on low. Bonus: The external USB port can fully charge an iPhone 7 Plus or similarly powerful phones.

Trail cred “We were storing our food in bear boxes in Arizona, which meant unloading our bags every night,” our tester says. “The Cairn’s 300lumen output ensured that we didn’t misplace anything in the dark.” $50; 10 oz.; lander.com

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

Lightest headlamp

UCO AIR Our take At a featherweight 1.6 ounces, the AIR is one of the lightest full-featured headlamps we’ve ever tested. “It felt like I was wearing a headband, not a piece of hardware,” says our tester. Users control the AIR with an intuitive dial around the bulb: Twist left to turn on the white LED, which was bright enough (150 lumens on max setting) for night hiking in rocky terrain in Arizona’s Saguaro National Park; twist right to trigger the red beam. Tradeoff: The Air’s miniscule 170 mAh rechargeable battery lasts five hours on low and just under an hour on high. If you’re headed out for more than a night or two, plan on topping it off from a power bank; otherwise, it’s best as an emergency option for dayhikes.

Trail cred “I frequently took it on evening trail runs in the hills outside Boulder, Colorado,” our tester says.

“I didn’t feel the Air shifting around on my head like a heavier headlamp does.” $35; 1.6 oz.; ucogear.com

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

LANDER CAIRN

ANY PATH. YOUR WAY.

AWARD-WINNING HIKING BOOT! NOW AVAILABLE IN A WIDE FIT

X ULTRA 3 MID GTX®

©SALOMON SA. All Rights Reserved. Photo: Christoffer Sjöström

GEAR GUIDE

KITCHEN

by Amy Jurries

Pressure cooker

KEITH TITANIUM MULTIFUNCTIONAL COOKER

Ultralight cookware

SEA TO SUMMIT ALPHA PAN Our take This compact nonstick pan with a folding handle weighs less than 9 ounces, making it easier than ever to justify backcountry pancakes. “Even on my tiny canister stove the Alpha Pan’s anodized aluminum distributes heat well, with no hot spots that could burn food,” said a tester after backpacking through Bears Ears National Monument. Note: Use plastic or wooden cookware to prevent damaging the PFOA-free nonstick surface. The Alpha Pan comes in 8-inch and 10-inch versions.

Trail cred “The handle’s silicone grip has just the right amount of tack, so I never worried about the pan slipping when it was loaded with dinner,” said a tester after exploring DuPont State Recreational Forest in North Carolina. $35; 8.6 oz. (8 inch); seatosummit.com

One-person kitchen

MSR TRAIL MINI SOLO COOK SET Our take If you’re a bowl and cat-can stove sort of hiker, you’ll appreciate this upgrade. The 4-inch-by5-inch set includes a pot, bowl, gripper, and straining lid—and weighs less than 8 ounces. The 0.75-liter anodized aluminum pot boils enough water for a cup of coffee and a single-serve rehydrated meal in one go, while the half-liter, BPA-free plastic bowl serves both as a measuring cup and eating/drinking vessel. “All the pieces nest together, with room for a 4-ounce fuel canister and mini stove inside, so I was able to stuff the whole set into my pack’s water bottle pocket,” said one PCT thru-hiker after traversing the Siskiyou Mountains in Oregon. Bonus: Attach the snap-on strainer and you have a mug with an easy-sipping lid.

Trail cred “The pot’s silicone ring was enough for safe handling,” says our tester. “I left the included pot-lifter behind, saving just under an ounce—and space for another Snickers.” $40; 7.3 oz.; msrgear.com

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

Cold-weather champ

JETBOIL MILLIJOULE Our take Jetboil’s first remote canister stove gives you the inverted fuel performance of the Joule (which earned an Editors’ Choice Award in 2014), but in a much more stable design. With the burner decoupled from the fuel source, the MilliJoule earned top marks from our mountaineers, who didn’t have to worry about tipping the stove on tricky ledges or in tent vestis. It also makes for better heat control.

Tip: In warmer temps, turn the canister upright to use the fuel in gas form for meals that require a lighter touch.

“The regulator delivered great simmer control for cooking cheese fondue,” one tester said after backpacking through the Uintas in Utah. The MilliJoule comes with a wide, 1.5-liter FluxRing pot with an insulated folding handle and strainer lid, as well as an extra windscreen.

Trail cred “In single-digit temps on Mt. Rainier, we melted a pot of snow in about two minutes each morning and got out of camp on time,” says one tester. $180; 1 lb. 3 oz.; jetboil.com

OWNER’S MANUAL O Keep O-rings lubricated (silicone lubes work best; lip balm is OK; spit does the trick in a pinch), and use a Q-tip to wipe dirt and grit out of valves and burner heads between uses.

O Practice taking apart your stove and putting it back together at home; you don’t want your first anatomy lesson to be diagnosing a malfunction in the cold and rain.

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

Our take Behold: perfect backcountry rice. With the Multifunctional Cooker, two titanium pots nest together with an airtight seal. Add water to the outer pot and food—rice, veggies, or brownie batter—to the inner one, close the top, and set the system on your stove.

Markers on the titanium show how high to fi ll each pot for rice, making the Multifunctional Cooker virtually idiot-proof—even our first-time user cooked up a fluff y batch in 25 minutes without issue. “I even steam-baked a cake in it,” one tester said after backpacking in California’s Channel Islands. Safety tip: the pot handles aren’t insulated.

Trail cred “No more burned rice,” remarked one tester after bikepacking through the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin. “I can’t even say that about my home rice cooker.” $100; 9 oz.; keithtitanium.com

PASSI ON TO PR O F E SSI ON

WO M E N I N T H E O U T D O O R I N D U S T RY

what I wanted to become professionally. I don’t think I even fully realized, at the time, how much the outdoor industry really would allow and enable me to have that life that I wanted.

They've taught me to be more mindful and respect my surroundings. That awareness is transferable to a lot of other things.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PERK OF WORKING FOR REI? People usually say their favorite thing about REI is our Yay Days, which are two extra days we get off every year to play outside. They’re awesome. But for me, it’s the day-in, day-out work-life balance that matters. I had my first baby a year ago and I get to go home and spend time with her almost every evening. This is a company that really values having a full life and wants you to have that. I’m enabled to have both a really fulfilling career and work life, and also to be able to devote my time to other aspects of my life, as well.

WHAT’S YOUR ONE PIECE OF ADVICE FOR WOMEN SEEKING A CAREER IN THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY? A lot of people don’t see themselves as hardcore into the outdoors, and they see that as a barrier.

Don’t be afraid to break in even if you’re not an expert. Challenge the status quo and ask difficult questions. I think the more progressive companies will welcome that. The ones that don’t probably aren’t where you want to be.

Kate Wendt

BY KASSONDRA CLOOS

DIVISIONAL VICE PRESIDENT OF STR ATEGY FOR REI WHAT’S YOUR FIRST OUTDOOR MEMORY? I was born in Seattle and growing up in the Pacific Northwest, the outdoors is often ingrained in your life. For me, that meant a lot of time exploring the beaches and forests here. It really sparked a natural curiosity in me, and I think curiosity is just as important as intelligence. I appreciate the really small details. I have fond memories of appreciating not just the big picture and looking toward Rainier, but of smaller things—like the excitement of finding a crab under a rock.

WHAT DROVE YOU TO SEEK A CAREER IN THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY? I worked hard for 10 years to become one of the youngest female senior analyst on Wall Street, which is a prestigious position. But Wall Street is cutthroat, and your success is pretty much your singular success—it’s not collective or shared. I didn’t find enough meaning in that.

I wanted to spend more time outside and have time with family and friends and for myself, and I didn’t really see a path in which I was going to be able to have that life and become

HOW HAVE THE OUTDOORS EMPOWERED YOU? Trail running has empowered me to be willing to explore new places on my own and tackle new things. Sometimes I think, “There’s no way I’m going to get up that, or do that, or finish this,” and then I push my personal boundaries.

I do my best self-reflection and meditation when I’m outdoors. Nature gives me that mental foundation to really be my best self.

FLASH ROUND 1. What’s your super power? Perspective 2. Outdoor adventure of choice for daily release? Trail running 3. What’s in your thermos? Coffee with milk 4. If you had an intro song, what would it be?

Runnin’ down the dream, by Tom Petty 5. Your number one outdoor hack? I make my own adventure food 6. One word that you think of when we say outdoors? Restorative

ELECTRONICS

by Ryan Horjus

Backcountry communicator

Connected smartwatch

Weatherproof firestarter

Long-lasting GPS watch

GOTENNA MESH

APPLE WATCH SERIES 3

POWER PRACTICAL SPARKR

Our take No cell reception, no data plan, no problem: goTenna Mesh lets you text in the backcountry. Like its predecessor, each Snickers-size antenna pairs with your phone so you can communicate with other goTenna users up to 4 miles away. Unlike the previous version, the Mesh uses—you guessed it—mesh networking, which lets it piggyback on its neighbors’ ranges. Translation: If A can talk to B and B can talk to C, then A can talk to C. The bigger the goTenna network, the better the communication.

The details goTenna is compatible with both Apple and Android devices and connects via Bluetooth (switch your phone to airplane mode to conserve battery).

Trail cred “With the mesh network, two of us could split off to set up camp ahead of the others while in constant communication,” one tester said after a group trip in the Grand Canyon. “We planted one Mesh along the way at the mouth of Deer Creek, so the other Meshes could communicate with each other, even though we were in separate canyons before reuniting.” $179 for two; 1.7 oz.; gotenna.com

Our take Ditch your phone: The new Apple Watch has the same mapping and trail-friendly functions as the Series 2 (plus a new barometer), but this one comes with built-in cellular. You’ll need a $10/month service plan, but who says freedom is free? Since it’s no longer tethered to your phone, the smartwatch does a pretty good impression of a GPS watch, mapping, tracking, and creating routes in real time (if you have service). Our trail runners loved that they could stay connected, make calls, and text without toting their phones—which might be useful for thru-hikers.

The details The Series 3 is water-resistant to 50 meters and it has built-in GPS and GLONASS, an altimeter, a heart rate monitor, and an accelerometer. Battery life is similar to a phone: about a day with normal use or about five hours with the GPS tracking turned on.

Trail cred “The nylon-weave Flash Sport Loop band breathes well and, after more than 50 trail runs, is still stink-free,” one tester says of the new hook-and-loop band upgrade ($49).

Starting at $399; 1.2 oz.; apple.com

Our take The Sparkr makes fire without using fire—which we appreciated in wind, rain, and snow. Like the spark plug in your car, the marker-size aluminum device creates an electrical arc about a centimeter wide that can ignite kindling and stoves. Press the button three times (a safety precaution) and hold to light up.

Two for the price of one: The flip side of the Sparkr doubles as a 400-lumen flashlight with three brightness settings.

The details The Sparkr’s plasma lighter lasts up to two weeks on one charge (via micro USB); since it uses a large, 3,350 mAh lithiumion cell (like a Tesla), we expect you won’t have to replace it. (Ours is still going strong after a year.)

Note: There is also a Tic Tac boxsize version of the Sparkr ($30; 1.4 oz.), but with no wand-like extension, it’s tough to use on stoves and get into tight places.

Trail cred “No singeing my thumb when igniting my PocketRocket in gusts above treeline,” one tester said after camping in the boulderfield below Longs Peak. “The stove caught on my first attempt, too.” $60; 6.4 oz.; powerpractical.com

SUUNTO SPARTAN SPORT WRIST HR BARO

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Our take With a huge color touchscreen and an impressive battery life (10 hours with onesecond GPS tracking), the Spartan Sport Baro is a GPS watch even our resident tech-phobes can get behind. “The app menu is super intuitive,” one says. “I figured out how to touch through the options to leave a breadcrumb trail, drop a waypoint, and track my elevation within seconds of picking the thing up.” Nice touch: Three buttons perform the same functions as the touchscreen—so we never had to deglove to operate the watch in cold weather.

The details The Spartan Sport Baro is water resistant to 100 meters. It uses Suunto’s FusedAlti tech for unmatched altitude accuracy. (By combining a barometer with the GPS, the watch can track your elevation to within a foot or so of reality.)

Trail cred “This watch saved my butt in Colorado peakbagging season,” one tester says. “I could trust the elevation readings, which helped me budget my time on trailless routes.” $549; 2.6 oz.; suunto.com

PHOTOS BY COURTESY (5); LOUISA ALBANESE

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR GUIDE

Robust solar panel

Portable photo storage

ENERGIZER POWERKEEP 36

GNARBOX

Our take Scratch, puncture, or tear your PowerKeep, and it will still work. The secret: no glass. Instead, Energizer uses Ascent Solar panels made with something called copper indium gallium diselenide. The thin-fi lm material can be implanted into flexible materials—like the ultrabendy PowerKeep solar panel. If you bust part of it, the rest still works (like the way a strand of Christmas lights will work even if one bulb goes out).

The details The 10,000 mAh power bank juices a smartphone about four times on one charge. The solar panel, which soaks up 1.2 amps in peak sunlight, fully charges the power bank in seven hours (or a smartphone in 2.5 hours). Though it folds down to Kindle size, the panel opens to a banner-like 30.5 by 7.3 inches.

Trail cred “Dropped this thing off a 50-foot crag for science’s sake, and it still worked,” one tester says.

“Not having to baby your electronics in the backcountry is better than any warranty (which the PowerKeep 36 has for a year, regardless).” $139; power bank: 8.5 oz., solar panel: 10.3 oz.; energizersolar.com

Our take “The one piece of gear I didn’t know I needed, but now I can’t live without,” announced our staff photographer after a 10-day adventure in New Zealand. About the size of an iPhone 7, GNARBOX is a ruggedized 256 GB external hard drive that doubles as a Wi-Fi hot spot. You can use it to back up your fi les (via SD card, micro SD, or card reader) and, if you want to edit or upload to the web, you can do so without a laptop. “During a four-day backpacking trip, I was able to store all of my RAW fi les onto the GNARBOX, access and edit them on my phone, and share to Instagram when I had service,” our tester says.

The details GNARBOX works in conjunction with an app (free; available for Apple and Android) that you use to edit RAW photos and 4K video. The rechargeable battery (USB) lasts some seven hours. Note: There is also a smaller, 128 GB version for $300.

Trail cred “I was worried about dropping my camera in a waterfall, but I didn’t think twice about the GNARBOX,” our tester says of the armored, waterresistant, and shock- and dustproof gadget. $400 (256 GB); 1 lb.; gnarbox.com

OWNER’S MANUAL O When storing electronics for long periods, remove all batteries. (Taping them to the outside of the gadget with masking tape is a good way to not lose them.)

O Cold temps drain batteries.

In subfreezing weather, keep your toys in insulated pockets or near your core. Use heat packs in extreme cold, and sleep with batteries.

O Always preload maps ahead of time when you’re on the grid— and be sure to use intermittent tracking, so as to not sap your battery with constant GPS use.

Boil in seconds.

Not minutes.

G FA ST B O

IL!

FLASH

LIGH TNIN

• Fastest food and coffee in the backcountry.

• Reduced weight for a lighter pack!

• No guessing! Heat indicator shows when hot.

JetCam

Matrix

Wilderness

Geo Java

Jetboil.com #100secboil

GEAR GUIDE

MULTITOOLS Easiest to clean

CRKT HOMEFRONT EDC Our take If your standard knife-cleaning routine means last trip’s cheese is this trip’s mold, you need the Homefront.

Its design allows you to easily remove the blade for maintenance without using tools: Just flip the top lever and spin a wheel on the bottom to release the blade. Our tester was able to strip, clean, and reassemble the knife in less than a minute without any changes in blade

Best fixed blade

GIANTMOUSE GMF2 Our take A throwback aesthetic and fine handle details make this knife look like it should be displayed in an art gallery, but apply the GMF2’s sharp, fulltang blade to a piece of firewood and you’ll know it belongs in your backcountry kit. “I’ll pass this knife down to my kids based on looks alone, and have no doubt it will hold up,” says our tester, who saw no signs of blade wear

MORAKNIV ROOKIE Our take So you’ve raised an outdoor kid who loves hiking and camping. Great. Now make sure his or her fi rst knife is a safe one. This affordable rookie blade has a blunted end to prevent accidental punctures and a protective guard to keep small fi ngers from slipping onto the blade, making it the perfect teaching tool for our scoutmaster tester. His scouts used the Rookie while backpacking in the Sierra Nevada

VICTORINOX SWISSTOOL SPIRIT XBS Our take This multitool is Victorinox’s most compact: It boasts 27 functions, yet is no bigger than a KIND bar. Our tester carried the Spirit XBS everywhere for a month—from backpacking through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to biking around New York state—and praised the array of tools. In addition

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play or centering. The stainless steel blade delivered quality performance in other respects, as well; after a month of use, it cut through paracord, polypro rope, half-inch branches, and hard sausage without losing its edge.

The nylon handle is reinforced with glass fibers to resist wear.

Trail cred “I used this knife to dig my cathole in Colorado’s San Juan National Forest, then field-stripped it and cleaned the dirt off to use it for dinner,” our tester says. $100; 4.3 oz.; crkt.com

during a season of hard use on the Appalachian Trail (after which the GMF2’s biting edge tip easily cut a new notch in a leather belt).

Its hardened canvas-and-plastic handle provides a sturdy grip, and the leather holster is one of the most handsome we’ve seen.

Trail cred “The GMF2 made short work out of sharpening makeshift tent stakes during a surprise storm in New York’s Harriman State Park,” our tester says. $165; 4.1 oz.; giantmouse.com

Best for kids

Best toolset

by Justin La Vigne

to a 2.75-inch blade, the Spirit also has Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, wood and metal saws, a fi le, can and bottle openers, a chisel, needle-nosed pliers, and wire cutters. It’s also one of the lightest offerings in its class. Ding: The burnished steel handle can slip in sweaty hands.

Trail cred “Release buttons on either side allow me to access tools one-handed, keeping my other hand free to steady what I’m fi xing or cutting,” our tester says. $175; 7.3 oz.; swissarmy.com

and were able to skin apples, cut rope, and trim marshmallow sticks without accident, all while learning about proper knife safety and use. The 2.8-inch, 3/ tang stainless steel blade 4 won’t rust (although it will lose its edge quicker than highcarbon models), and the barrel-shaped birchwood handle fits hands of all sizes.

Trail cred “The highest praise I can give this knife?

No injuries,” our scoutmaster tester says. $20; 1.8 oz.; moraknivusa.com

F A S T

H I K I N G

/

T R A I L

R U N N I N G

TERREX AGRAVIC F L Y

D O W N, F A L L

D O N ’ T D O W N

RUBBER OUTSOLE Extraordinary grip in wet and dry conditions

MIDSOLE Endless energy, and cushioning with high adaptability on rocky surfaces

A D I D A S O U T D O O R . C O M

© 2018 adidas AG

GEAR GUIDE

TREKKING POLES

by Patrice La Vigne

Women’s pick

KELTY CAIRN

GOSSAMER GEAR LT4 Our take When your empty Nalgene weighs more than your trekking pole, that’s some serious weight savings. Gossamer Gear worked with a lab specializing in golf club design to come up with the proprietary carbon wrap-toresin ratio that makes the LT4 the lightest two-section pole we’ve seen while preserving vertical strength. (A spiral wrap just above the tip, also cribbed from golf clubs, replaces the aluminum many other carbon poles use for strength.) One 6’1”, 170-pound tester saluted the LT4’s sturdiness on the ups and downs of a hut trip on New Zealand’s North Island, as well as its 20 inches of adjustability, the most of any pole in the test. Drawbacks: Our testers were baffled by the lack of length markings for quick adjustments, and the LT4 rings up at a golf club price, too. Straps are not included, and the polyester ones that come with the LT4S ($206, 9.2 oz.) are skimpy.

Trail cred “They’re soft and comfy, but still not too squishy,” one tester said of the LT4’s molded foam handles. $191; 8.2 oz.; 35-55 in.; gossamergear.com

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Most versatile

Best value

BLACK DIAMOND DISTANCE PLUS FLZ

MONTEM ULTRA LIGHT 100% CARBON FIBER TREKKING POLES

Our take We’ve been using Black Diamond’s Distance FLZ poles for a few summers, and now—thanks to interchangeable baskets—we’re pushing them into year-round use. The FLZ has two calling cards: portability and ease of adjustment. Black Diamond’s SlideLock system allows rapid deployment and breakdown, and its FlickLock technology makes length adjustments easy. Our tester appreciated how the Distance Plus simplified his kit, and he used it to traverse everything from slick vegetation to ankledeep mud to early-season powder in Colorado’s San Juans. He also lauded the new hard rubber cap on the Distance Plus’s foam grip, which stabilized his hands when pressing down hard. The poles come in two lengths, extending up to 49 and 55 inches, respectively.

Trail cred “With a tiny packed length of 15 inches, the Distance Plus is an easy choice to bring on a dayhike even when I’m not sure I’ll need poles,” our tester says. $150; 1 lb. 1 oz. (41-49 in.); 41-49 in., 47-55 in.; blackdiamondequipment.com

Our take Finally, an affordable carbon pole. Montem answers the most common gripe against carbon—price—with this sub$80 offering that performs like it costs twice as much. (Montem cuts costs by selling directly to consumers.) Carbon construction keeps the Ultra Light’s weight down despite a full slate of features: Dependable fl ip-lock mechanisms held up over varied terrain and myriad adjustments during one tester’s hike on New Zealand’s Te Araroa, and over four months of use, the Ultra Light’s foam handles molded to his hands. Despite the price, it’s lighter than many other threepiece carbon poles, and our tester reported that the shaft remained stable on New Zealand’s notoriously steep trails.

Trail cred “I was wary of a budget pole, but the flip locks never budged, even when I put my full weight on the Ultra Light in the scree beneath 5,679-foot Mt. Rintoul,” our tester says. $75; 15.2 oz.; 24-53 in.; montemlife.com

OWNER’S MANUAL O Go poling through some mud?

Strip your poles and wipe them down, inside and out. Pay special attention to screw threads.

O Use steel or carbide tips for soft surfaces and ice, and rubber tips on rock. Use plastic covers to protect your other gear during storage. Replace worn-out tips.

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

Lightest

Our take With its full feature set—including three-section adjustability, cushy neoprene straps, and grips designed for smaller hands—and the lowest price in the test, the aluminum Cairn is the best new women’sspecific pole we used this year.

One tester lauded its performance on a climb of New Mexico’s Wheeler Peak: “The flip locks held steady during the knee-busting descent, and the extended cork/ foam grips are sized just right and allowed me to choke down as the trail changed,” she says.

The Cairn’s shaft provides sturdy support, but has enough give that our tester never worried about snapping it in steep terrain.

Trail cred “In warmer weather, I appreciated the moistureabsorbing cork on the grip, which prevented my hands from slipping,” our tester says. $70; 1 lb. 1 oz.; 23-49 in.; kelty.com

No grid, no gridlock.

The 2018 Subaru Forester 2.0XT is an escape route from routine. ®

It has a 250-hp Direct-Injection Turbocharged SUBARU BOXER engine ®

and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. And the Forester retains its value better than any other vehicle in its class for 2018, according to ALG.*

Forester 2.0XT. Well-equipped at $29,495.† Subaru, Forester, and SUBARU BOXER are registered trademarks. *ALG is the industry benchmark for residual values and depreciation data (www.alg.com). †MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, and registration fees. Retailer sets actual price. Certain equipment may be required in specific states, which can modify your MSRP. See your retailer for details. 2018 Subaru Forester 2.0XT Touring shown has an MSRP of $36,090. Vehicle shown with accessory equipment.

EYEWEAR

by Maren Horjus

Best all-around

ZEAL INCLINE Our take The mark of great sunglasses? You forget you’re wearing them, which is what happened every time we donned the Incline. Like other ZEALs, the resin in the sporty, wraparound frame is made of castor beans, a fast-growing, renewable resource. But unlike others, it’s made with the company’s latest thin-injection process, which

Best lens

OAKLEY CROSSRANGE PATCH PRIZM RUBY Our take All sunglasses block light, but not all of them improve vision.

That’s the benefit of the Prizm lens, which fi lters out specific wavelengths to enhance contrast. Think about it like the difference between a natural

Best value

SUNSKI NAVARROS Our take Protect your peepers, look good, and save a Benjamin to spend on other gear in this issue. We’ve tested other bargain shades—but none with polarized lenses, wrapped frames, and throw-’em-in-your-pack durability like the Navarros. The shades feature Sunski’s most technical design to date: Channels on the nose bridge allow for airflow, while

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slices the weight in half, without affecting durability.

“I don’t baby my glasses, but these held up fi ne to drops and rough packing,” one tester says.

Bonus: The Horizon Blue lens— also plant-based—enhances blues and greens, which we appreciated on a three-day canoe trip on the super-lush Whanganui River in New Zealand. (The Incline is also available in dark gray and copper tints, but we didn’t test them.)

Trail cred “They sit lightly on my face with zero pressure points,” a tester says. “On a five-day trip on the Green River through Canyonlands National Park, Utah, we had nothing but sunshine and I appreciated the all-day comfort.” $149; 0.8 oz.; zealoptics.com

rainbow, where the colors fuse into a spectrum, versus a drawing of one with more pronounced color blocking. With the Prizm Ruby lens, Oakley essentially does the same by strategically censoring wavelengths on the color spectrum to create more contrast and boost earthy tones, like browns and greens. “It’s like putting an Instagram fi lter on your vision,” one tester says.

“Every workaday below-treeline trail looks like the Hoh Rain Forest.” Note: The Crossrange Patch frames come with interchangeable temples—one sporty (pictured) and one lifestyle.

Trail cred “The better contrast improved my reaction times on downhill sections,” one Aspenbased mountain biker says. $183; 1.2 oz.; oakley.com

cutouts in the arms let us attach sunglasses retainers. Fair warning: You’re not going to get super contrast and clarity as with more expensive models, but testers found the oversized lenses perfectly adequate for sunny dayhikes in Colorado’s Front Range and even an above-treeline mission on Peak 6 in Breckenridge. (They’re available with dark-gray or blue lens tints.)

Trail cred “The angled temples hug my head without pressuring my ears or pinching my skull,” one tester says. “They stayed comfortable—and in place—on trail runs in the Boulder, Colorado, foothills.” $58; 1 oz.; sunski.com

Most versatile

SMITH LOWDOWN 2 Our take Get high performance in a low-tech look with the Lowdown 2. These wayfarers feature Smith’s ChromaPop lens tech, which fi lters out the muddled colors you think you see where blue, green, and red light waves intersect. (It’s a similar concept to the Oakley Prizm, left, but though our testers praised ChromaPop’s clarity, they thought Prizm offered better contrast.)

Nice touch: Nose and temple grips get tackier when wet, keeping the shades in place when you sweat, which our tester appreciated on mountain bike rides and snowboard missions in Colorado. But don’t expect massive coverage; the flat, rectangular lenses still let in a lot of peripheral light.

Trail cred “The anti-scratch coating works,” our tester says.

“These shades didn’t have any scuffs on them after a few rocky tumbles on my snowboard.” $169; 1.1 oz.; smithoptics.com

OWNER’S MANUAL O Keep a microfiber cloth in your pack’s hipbelt pouch or your shell’s chest pocket: Weight and space are negligible, and it’s the only thing that can reliably clean gummed-up lenses without scratching them.

O If you spend a lot of time above treeline or on the water, get a pair with darker lenses (3 to 20 percent visual light transmission). Glasses with 21 to 40 VLT are good all-around workhorses.

O No case? Ultralight protection: Keep glasses on top of your head, tucked in the neckline of your shirt, or inside a tent pocket when not in use.

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR GUIDE

KIDS’ GEAR

by Louisa Albanese

Tough bottle

HYDRO FLASK 12 OZ. KIDS WIDE MOUTH Our take Kids wreck water bottles faster than they change their opinions on cartoons, so we were impressed when—after a season of rough use—their Hydro Flasks looked no worse for the wear. The stainless steel was tough against drops, and the rigid straw stood up to our most nibbly testers and never leaked in our packs. Bonus: lifetime guarantee.

The details Double-wall insulation keeps drinks cold, which our little testers appreciated on a hot hike to Utah’s Corona Arch. The silicone bottom adds traction, reducing spills, but makes the bottle harder to slip into mesh pockets.

Trail cred “They come in a range of colors so we let our kiddos pick their favorite. Upside: We don’t have to remind them to hydrate as often,” our tester says. $30; 10 oz.; hydroflask.com

Secure sleeping bag

KELTY TRU.COMFORT KIDS 35 Our take “My kids stay put in this bag without the straightjacket feel,” one staffer said of the Tru.Comfort, which uses an integrated blanket to keep little thrashers tucked in. The synthetic blanket folds over the opposite side of the zipper closure, keeping sleepers covered—even when the bag isn’t zipped. “It feels more like their beds at home than a standard sleeping bag,” one mom says, “and the pad loops keep them in place, so they don’t end up in the crevice between mattresses in the middle of the night.”

The details An oversized hood fits a pillow. In its included stuffsack, the bag is watermelon size. It fits kids up to 5 feet tall.

Trail cred “During a trip in Rocky Mountain National Park, we got a surprise snow storm. Our water froze but my daughter slept like a rock,” one mom says. $70; 2 lbs. 14 oz.; 35°F; kelty.com

Durable pad

KLYMIT STATIC V JUNIOR Our take Adult testers praise the full-size Static V for its smart design, weight, and price, and our kid testers liked the downsized version just as much. The V-shape baffle system creates a “side rail” that keeps sleepers in place. Thanks to 2.5 inches of cushion, one 4-year-old slept comfortably for four nights at Goose Island Campground in Moab, Utah. Caution: It’s air only (no insulation), so best for temps above 40°F. There’s no insulated version for kids, so in colder temps, pop a closed-cell pad on top for extra warmth.

The details The flap valve allows inflation in four to five (parent-size) breaths. At roughly 4 feet long, it should fit testers up to about 8 years old.

Trail cred “We tried to enforce the ‘sleeping pads are not for jumping’ rule,” one tester says. “We failed, but the Static V didn’t.” $45; 13.5 oz.; 50 x 23 x 2.5 inches; klymit.com

THE TESTING LIFE

“I like to go camping because sometimes we see elk or squirrels. I think we should go camping tomorrow. Can we, Mom?” –MAX ALBANESE, KIDS’ GEAR TESTER; SON OF LOUISA ALBANESE, ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Hard-duty pants Our take Kids don’t just hike. They slide down rocks and climb trees, shredding most pants in high-wear areas like knees and bottoms. That’s why we appreciated the Vidda’s densely-woven poly/cotton blend reinforcements in those spots. “These pants have held up to a season of scrambling, sliding, falling, and bushwhacking,” a tester says. “My daughter calls them her Mission Impossible pants.”

The details The Vidda’s waist and cuffs are adjustable, so they size up to last longer, a feature we appreciated given the price. The fit is loose enough for layering underneath.

Trail cred “During a hike in Colorado’s Never Summer Wilderness, my 3-year-old turned every trailside rock into a boulder problem,” a tester says.

“She definitely wasn’t restricted by the pants.” $90; 9.2 oz. (age 8); unisex Euro sizing (ages 2-14); fjallraven.us

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“I want to climb a big mountain!”

–WYLAN LYONS, KIDS’ GEAR TESTER; SON OF CASEY LYONS, DEPUTY EDITOR

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

FJÄLLRÄVEN KID’S VIDDA TROUSERS

GEAR GUIDE

Plush baselayer

All-purpose boots

Fit-it-all pack

Comfy climbing shoe

LUVMOTHER AHA MERINO HOODY

KEEN LITTLE KIDS’ HIKEPORT WATERPROOF

OSPREY JET 12 KIDS DAY PACK

LA SPORTIVA GRIPIT

Our take Old or young, everyone loves a soft merino top. But not many brands use the best wool for kids.

Luvmother, a kids’-specific brand out of Montreal, Canada, makes this hooded baselayer with 18-micron merino from Australia. During a late-spring trip to the desert where temps dropped into the low 40s, the Aha kept one tester’s 4-year-old warm under a fleece on an alpine-start hike to see the sunrise.

The details A drop hem prevents cold, exposed backs on scrambles up rocks and over logs. After seven months of use, the Aha hasn’t pilled, stretched, or suffered any other noticeable wear. We liked the topo print option best; its neutral design works well for both girls and boys.

Trail cred “When your kid picks out a shirt again and again that doesn’t have Cars or Moana on it, that gets your attention,” one parent says. $59; 3.5 oz. (6); sizes 2-12; luvmother.com

Our take These kiddie kicks do just as well on dusty singletrack as they do on playgrounds, which is great for parents who resist buying multiple shoes that kids will quickly outgrow. The leather upper protects from rocks, but the Hikeport’s slim profi le makes it manageable for first-time hikers who may not be used to a larger boot. “My son was prone to stumbling in other boots that were too clunky, but he did fine with these,” one mom says.

The details A waterproof membrane kept our kids’ feet dry on muddy, wet trails in Rocky Mountain National Park, and the rubber soles, with irregular geometric lugs, gripped well on slickrock scrambles in Arches National Park.

Trail cred “We’re big fans of the drawcord/hook-and-loop adjustment system, as opposed to laces,” one parent reports. “They let our 2-year-old tighten the shoes without needing us to stop and retie them.” $70; 7 oz. (size 10); 8-13; keenfootwear.com

Our take The key to getting kids to pack and carry their own stuff ?

Start them early, with just a few items they love (like a headlamp and book). The Jet 12 is sized for the littlest hikers, and its intuitive pocket organization helps them own the packing process.

Two side pockets stash a water bottle and snacks, and a shove-it pocket is perfect for a shell (or stuffed animal). An external zippered pocket and smaller internal pockets hold trail trea sures.

The details A padded backpanel, mesh hipbelt, and webbing sternum strap keep the pack comfy and secure (beware of the dreaded sternum strap whistle— kid-approved, adult-feared).

Bonus: It includes a reservoir compartment for kids old enough to handle the hose.

Trail cred “Our 4-year-old daughter took the Jet on a 3-mile hike to Mallory Cave near Boulder, Colorado, with 7 pounds in it. The pack’s harness did its job, and she never complained about the weight or any sore spots,” one parent notes. $50; 13.8 oz.; one size; osprey.com

Our take Rocks, trees, trail signs. If you have a climber, don’t fi ght it. Get the Gripit, which uses a kid-specific last that works to avoid squished toes or pressure points. La Sportiva’s FriXion soles add extra stickiness, and are thin so kids can feel what’s beneath their feet better. “Our son was frustrated he couldn’t keep up with his big sister on beginner routes—until he got this shoe,” a tester says.

The details The Gripit’s single hook-and-loop strap, attached to a lacing system, makes for easy entry and adjustment.

Our tester noted that over a full season of kiddie climbing, her son’s pair didn’t suffer any unusual wear and tear, even after he insisted on wearing them on approaches.

Trail cred “These shoes gave our tiny risk-taker just the right amount of grip and confidence to boulder outside of Moab, Utah,” our tester says. “He progressed quickly and the next day we set up a toprope nearby.” $75; 14 oz. (toddler 11); toddler 9.5-kid 4.5; sportiva.com

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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HYDRATION

by Amy Jurries

Best insulation

Editors’ Choice update

Best for group hydration

STANLEY MASTER VACUUM BOTTLE 25 OZ.

KATADYN BEFREE 3L

HYDRAPAK EXPEDITION 8L

Our take With all the insulated bottles on the market, it’s pretty tough to stand out on merit alone, but this bottle does it with four layers of insulation. Stanley added a double-layer stainless steel barrier to the Master’s doublewall vacuum construction to lock in heat or cold for up to 27 hours. Ultralighters and bargain shoppers will want no part of this, but if you like ice cream, you’re in for a treat.

“I served chocolate malts on the second night of a Yosemite backpacking trip in summer,” one tester says. Bonus: It comes with a vacuuminsulated capper cup, and the bottle is dishwasher safe.

Trail cred “This bottle is tough,” one tester says. “Mine rolled off a 20-foot-high boulder onto rocks when I was ski touring in the French Alps, but it didn’t even dent, much less leak a single drop.” $50; 2 lbs.; stanleypmi.com

Our take The 0.6-liter BeFree won an Editors’ Choice Award last year for its simple, squeezy fi ltration, but everyone had to carry his or her own.

This 3-liter version puts the same performance in a bigger package for group use. Bonus: portability. “The BeFree’s sturdy carry handle made it easy to schlep two reservoirs up a steep, crumbly incline back to my camp in the hills outside of Huaraz, Peru,” one tester says.

Trail cred “When fi ltering silty glacial runoff, the BeFree would occasionally get gummed up,” said one tester in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca. “But all I had to do to clean it was remove the fi lter and swish it through any water, clean or dirty, and it would work again.” $60; 4 oz.; katadyn.com

Our take When water is scarce, or you have a big group, this hardy 8-liter reservoir cuts down on trips to the trickle. Made from TPUcoated nylon, the Expedition survived falling off bikes and being tossed into rocky camps on one tester’s bikepacking trip across Boliva. It has a tap-style pouring spout that snaps into the cap, making it easy to fi ll multiple bottles. (“It’s also great for serving wine to a crowd,” one tester notes.) When empty, the reservoir rolls up to the size of a Pringles can. As 8 liters of water weighs almost 18 pounds, HydraPak added a grab handle along with a gear loop for hanging. Gripe: The Expedition’s 2.5-inchwide opening is too small for easy cleaning.

Trail cred “On the Southern California section of the PCT, I had to carry tons of water,” one tester says. “The cap accepted both my nonHydraPak quick-connect tube and inline fi lter, so I drank straight from the reservoir for days.” $60; 9 oz.; hydrapak.com

GEAR GUIDE

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

THE TESTING LIFE

“During a spring ski tour up Colorado’s James Peak, we bivied under a boulder at 11,000 feet. The moon was so bright that when I woke up in the middle of the night, I thought I had slept through sunrise.

–ADAM ROY, SENIOR DIGITAL EDITOR

Best bottle filter

Most versatile filtration

LIFESTRAW UNIVERSAL

MSR TRAIL BASE WATER FILTER KIT

Our take It doesn’t get any easier than fi lling your bottle straight from the source and just drinking. But until now, fans of LifeStraw’s hollow-fiber fi lter could only use it in a LifeStraw bottle (sold together). The Universal gives you a choice, letting you pop the two-stage fi lter into most brands of hardsided bottles. The fi lter eliminates bacteria and protozoa and reduces organic chemicals, and improves taste. Downside: You gotta suck pretty hard to drink, like slurping up soft-serve ice cream with a straw.

Trail cred “New Zealand’s Whanganui River was swollen with silty rainwater during our three-day paddling trip,” one tester says. “But I dipped my bottle, sucked through the LifeStraw, and am happy to report the water was grit-free and tasted fi ne.” $35; 3.7 oz.; lifestraw.com

Our take This kit is the closest we’ve seen to an all-in-one water system.

The Trail Base can be used to drink from the source, fi lter for a group, or carry water. It includes a pocketsize TrailShot fi lter (with a quick-connect head, not just a drinking spout) and a pair of 2-liter Dromedary Bags. “Pumping the bag full takes forever, but integrating the TrailShot and using the system as a gravity fi lter let me treat 2 liters in just over 2 minutes,” says one tester who used the Trail Base in Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness.

Ding: The Trail Base’s price is a bit more than the sum of its parts.

Trail cred “In Oregon, we met people who had forgotten their fi lter,” our tester says. “We provided water for nine instead of two that night, with minimal trips back to the stream.” $140; 1 lb. 6 oz.; msrgear.com

CLIMBING

Extra-safe belay device

BLACK DIAMOND ATC PILOT

Versatile harness

METOLIUS CLIMBING SAFE TECH ALL-AROUND HARNESS

Comfy climbing shoe

RED CHILI CHARGER

Full-coverage helmet

PETZL BOREO

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

by the editors of Climbing

Our take We’ve used Black Diamond’s ATC as our go-to for belaying and rappelling for 20 years, but like most tube-style devices, it lacks a brake-assist. The ATC Pilot has just that, making it great for gym and single-pitch cragging (it only threads one rope, from 8.7 to 10.5 mm, so it won’t work for traditional rappels). Like other geometry-assisted devices, the Pilot gets the job done through simple mechanics: The sharp tug created by a fall locks the rope, making this device a good choice for new belayers. An ergonomic horn lets you release the Pilot to lower a climber, and lead belaying is a snap once you master pulling up on the horn with your thumb while keeping your brake hand on the rope.

Crag cred “The Pilot’s hassle-free lowering makes for a noticeably smoother ride down to the ground,” one tester says. $45; 3 oz.; blackdiamondequipment.com

Our take The Safe Tech All-Around isn’t new, but it’s been our tester’s go-to harness for years for everything from long trad routes to clipping bolts at his backyard crag. The side-by-side belay loops are a nice touch for those who like a backup while aid-climbing or self-belaying on toprope, or staying organized at anchors (separating your tie-in point from your belay biner, for example). Four gear loops are great for easy racking (the XS size only has two). Easily adjust leg loops and rise with a single buckle on each leg.

Crag cred “The Safe Tech hits just the right blend of light and sturdy,” one tester says. “I’ve had mine for about five years, and it has no major damage even after getting pummeled on rough pitches everywhere from Indian Creek, Utah, to Kalymnos in Greece.” $109; 1 lb. 3 oz. (M); XS-XL; metolius-climbing.com

Our take Unless you’re climbing more than a few days a week, you probably don’t need (or want) to shove your feet into a low-volume, aggressive shoe. That’s why we like the Charger, a medium-volume shoe with a neutral shape and a cushy tongue. “It breaks in quickly, and I was pain-free after only a few sessions,” one tester says. “The two hook-and-loop closures let me customize the fit to my exact specifications. I ratcheted the toe down tight on tough sport routes in Boulder Canyon, and loosened the top for longer multipitch days.” The Charger’s RX-2 rubber sole—Red Chili’s stickiest—edges well, letting our tester climb vertical faces and slabs with confidence.

Crag cred “This shoe allowed me to work moves on Astrophysics, a 5.10a in Boulder Canyon, all day in comfort,” our tester says. $110; 1 lb. 2 oz. (m’s 7.5); m’s 4-13; redchiliclimbing.com

Our take As helmets trend toward lighter and more minimalist designs, Petzl has gone back to basics by prioritizing protection.

The BOREO, which is a bit bulkier than many models out there, extends lower than your typical brain bucket to protect the back and sides of your head. The full-coverage design is supposed to protect noggins against impacts from swinging falls, and it works: One Climbing editor bashed his head into limestone stalactites in Slovenia and granite roofs in Boulder and emerged from both unscathed and convinced that the BOREO is one of the best-value helmets on the market.

Crag cred “The airflow was welcome at Misja Pec, Slovenia’s premier crag, where the cliffs reflected sunlight like a solar oven,” our tester says. $65; 10.1 oz (S/M); S/M, M/L; petzl.com

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

GEAR GUIDE

THERE’S THIS PLACE where

ADVENTURE COMES WITH THE TERRITORY

Three rivers and seven wilderness areas meet in Missoula, Montana, a small town with enormous personality. It’s an outdoor enthusiast’s haven, pulsating with arts, culture, food, drink, rich roots and the best people around. Infinite exploration abounds, so get outside under Missoula’s big sky and experience this place for yourself.

Call 1.800.526.3465 or visit destinationmissoula.org/backpacker for a free travel guide.

FOOD

by Amy Jurries

BREAKFAST

DINNER

Power pancakes

Head-start breakfast

Gourmet joe

Calorie bomb

Southern feast

MOUNTAIN STANDARD CARROT CAKE PANCAKES

MOUNTAIN HOUSE SPICY SOUTHWEST BREAKFAST HASH

ALPINE START ORIGINAL BLEND

GOOD TO-GO CHICKEN GUMBO

Calling these mere carrot cakes doesn’t do the ingredients justice.

You also get pineapple, raisins, coconut, hemp, and quinoa in a justadd-water batter. “The packaging says it serves two, but our family of three thought it was more than enough for the crew,” one tester says. The fluff y, gluten-free cakes have 9 grams of protein per serving; add to that by topping them with a dollop of nut butter. $13 (2 servings); 520 calories per serving; 9 oz.; mountainstandard.com

Hash from scratch sounds like a chore even at home.

But this camp version is quick (add boiling water, wait 10 minutes) and tasty (hash browns, shredded beef, veggies, and a dash of Cholula Hot Sauce). “The hash itself is 250 calories per serving, so I combine it with scrambled eggs to make the ultimate power breakfast,” one tester says. She added that she likes being able to identify individual ingredients. $9 (2 servings); 250 calories per serving; 3.9 oz.; mountainhouse.com

BACKPACKER’S PANTRY THAI STYLE PEANUT CURRY & RICE WITH BEEF

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GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

This may be the golden era of camp coffee.

Beyond the various contraptions and pourovers, instant has finally gotten good—and you don’t need to enrich a Seattle megachain to have it. “Even if I have time to make my favorite pourover, sometimes I still choose Alpine Start,” says one reformed coffee snob. It’s packed full of bold flavor, with notes of dark chocolate and roasted hazelnuts, but isn’t bitter. $9 (8 servings); 0.9 oz. (each); alpinestartfoods.com

A twist on a Southeast Asian street food staple, this meal packs 1,080 furnace-feeding calories and 56 grams of protein into each two-serving pouch. Testers especially liked the thick peanut sauce, contained in separate packets. “The preparation can be messy, but it’s worth it for the longlasting energy boost,” said one tester after wolfing down a bowl on a chilly night in Colorado’s Elk Mountain Range. $13 (2 servings); 540 calories per serving; 8.7 oz.; backpackerspantry.com

This New Orleans-style chicken stew is the real deal, thanks to traditional ingredients like okra and fi lé powder—a thickening spice blend of marjoram, thyme, and sassafras leaves with a rich, sweet taste. Other ingredients include chicken, longgrain rice, and a trio of onions, celery, and peppers, already simmered in a mix of Cajun spices.

One packet is fi lling on its own, but we liked to pair the gumbo with cornbread or instant potatoes to soak up the tasty sauce. $7.25 (1 serving); 330 calories per serving; 3.4 oz.; goodto-go.com

PHOTOS BY FULLERTON IMAGES

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR GUIDE

SNACKS Flavor blast

Comfort food

Packable bananas

On-the-go oats

Sweet fix

ALPINEAIRE SPICY CHICKEN CURRY

PACKIT GOURMET PASTA BEEF BOLOGNESE

NATTI BARS

BOBO’S BITES

The next-best thing to bringing your Nonna on the trail? Pasta that would do her proud.

A hearty sauce of tomatoes, ground beef, carrots, onions, garlic, bell peppers, and basil mix with spiral-shape gemelli pasta for a classic Italian dish. (Real olive oil and parmesan cheese are the kicker.) Tradeoff: Prep is relatively complex compared to just-addwater meals, and requires boiling the pasta in a pot while simultaneously rehydrating the sauce. $8 (1 serving); 830 calories per serving; 8.7 oz.; packitgourmet.com

This two-bite morsel is a mini version—just under half the size—of a longtime tester favorite.

The 140-calorie snacks, made of rolled oats and brown rice syrup, go down easy. “I don’t like eating a gut-bomb bar all at once while moving, so these are the perfect quick-hit fuel,” says one fan who munched on them while hiking in Karukinka Natural Park, Chile. The gluten-free and vegan bites come in six flavors: Original, Coconut, Lemon Poppyseed, Apple Pie, PB&J, and Maple Pecan (our favorite). $5.49 (box of 5); 1.3 oz. (each); 140 calories per serving; eatbobos.com

SKINNY DIPPED ALMONDS

Unlike many freezedried meals, the individual ingredients in this Indian-inspired curry dish are recognizable.

Go ahead and cherry pick, if that’s your thing: Currants and apple chunks provide bursts of sweetness within a mildly spiced mix of chicken, lentils, vegetables, and rice in a coconut cream sauce. The set-itand-forget-it prep is easy (add boiling water, wait 12 minutes). $7.43 (2 servings); 300 calories per serving; 6 oz.; alpineaire.com

Bananas are high in potassium—great for preventing muscle cramps—but they don’t travel well. These chewy morsels, about the size of a pack of gum, won’t get smushed and contain a max of just two ingredients: unprocessed, dehydrated bananas and either cacao nibs or dark chocolate (there’s a plain version, too). Don’t mind the color: Due to a lack of artificial preservatives, the oxidized bananas take on a dark brown hue, but that doesn’t mean they’ve gone bad. And they taste darn good. $24 (box of 16 bars); 110 calories per serving; 1 oz.; nattibar.com

These almonds are covered with only the faintest coating of dark chocolate—enough to boost taste without sweetening. With only 6 grams of sugar balanced by 7 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, this sweet treat hit the spot for all testers. The nuts come in three flavors (all dark chocolatebased) and they don’t melt or freeze into teethbreaking rocks. $30 (box of five 3.5ounce packs); 180 calories per serving; 3.5 oz. (each); getskinnydipped .com

GEAR GUIDE BACKPACKER.COM

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GEAR GUIDE

SOCKS

by Laura Lancaster

Most comfortable

Best for big miles

SMARTWOOL PHD OUTDOOR APPROACH CREW

CEP DYNAMIC+ MID-CUT OUTDOOR MERINO

Our take These are the socks that get used first every laundry cycle. From an ascent of 10,541-foot Glacier Peak in Washington to a thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail, the Approach kept our feet dry, cushioned, and blister-free.

To achieve that, Smartwool uses a thin 54 percent merino/43 percent nylon/3 percent elastane blend in the majority of the sock; along with a thinner weave on the top of the foot, this minimized sweat in the heat of Colorado’s high desert.

A thicker terry-loop knit provides cushion in high-wear areas like the ball of the foot, around the toes, and at the heel (where it extends up and around the ankle). Those spots also have stronger, multi-ply merino yarn—the rest of the sock is single-ply—and nylon reinforcement to prevent holes.

Trail cred “I wore these socks every day during our climb of Glacier Peak,” said our tester after his 34-mile trek. “Despite getting wet from stream crossings and drying out (in about three hours) multiple times, the Approach didn’t bag out at all.” $25; 2 oz.; m’s M-XL, w’s S-L; smartwool.com

Our take We’ve tested a lot of compression socks, but not all of them are built for serious outdoor use.

That’s not the case with the Dynamic+, which blends durability with the benefits of compression so well that one of our testers lived in them while hiking Montana’s notoriously rugged portion of the Continental Divide Trail. Thicker-than-average, 160-needle-gauge thread held up to the rigors of the 800-mile section, and extra padding at the ball of the foot, heel, and on top of the big toe made following the many ups and downs of the northern Rockies all the more tolerable. And as for the primary benefit? Moderate compression around the lower ankle ensured the Dynamic+ never slipped, and kept swelling down as our tester knocked off one 30-mile day after another.

Trail cred “Even though it’s tough, the Dynamic+ is one of the softest, most comfortable socks I’ve ever worn, which my beat-up feet appreciated near the end of the CDT,” says our tester, who credits the sock’s silk fibers (8 percent) for the luxurious ride. $25; 3.4 oz.; m’s S-L, w’s S-L; cepcompression.com

Your next

Adventure

needs this!

PARA 3 TM

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Textured G-10 Scales CPM ® S30V ® Stainless Steel Blade 4-Way Pocket Clip High-Strength Compression TM Lock Multiple Variations Available

PHOTOS BY LOUISA ALBANESE; COURTESY (3)

GEAR GUIDE

Best for trail running

Best wicking

FITS ULTRA LIGHT RUNNER NO SHOW

HILLY TWINSKIN ANKLET

Our take When a pair of socks is this light, we’re skeptical about durability. Yet, this offering from FITS held up over a season of constant use. “I ran around the Cascade foothills all summer and into the fall in them, and never noticed any signs of wear that pop up seemingly overnight with other zero-padding socks I’ve used,” our Washington tester says. To achieve the extra staying power, FITS blends nylon (27 percent) and merino (66 percent) in a gridded pattern that incorporates more durable 23.5-micron wool at the heel and toe, and a softer 18.5micron merino on the instep. Unsurprisingly, these super-thin socks dried fast after puddle missteps. Note: Our testers appreciated the minimal stitching around the toe box, which prevented bunching, but the ultra-low profi le meant looser-fitting shoes had to be tied extra tight to prevent the socks from slipping .

Trail cred “The extra groundfeel these thin socks provide is actually helpful on slippery surfaces,” noted one tester following a month of trail running around Washington’s Issaquah Alps. $16; 1.1 oz.; m’s 3.5-15.5, w’s 5-16.5; fitssock.com

Our take Wet feet are a one-ingredient recipe for disaster, which is why the TwinSkin has become our testers’ go-to socks in the soggy Pacific Northwest. To combat moisture, Hilly takes a two-layer approach: Highly absorbent polyamide fibers on the inside suck up sweat, while a second, outer layer made of mixed 85 percent polyester and 15 percent cotton pulls the moisture up from the fi rst layer and wicks it away. (The layers are joined near the toe and around the ankle.) Thin, gridded sections at the ankle and on top of the foot aid sweat management. “Hiking on the Olympic Coast in muggy weather after a rainstorm usually swamps my feet, but I ticked off 5 miles with no discomfort,” our tester says. It can take an extra second to line up the layers at the toebox, but our testers experienced no friction. Drawback: Our feet overheated in the TwinSkin while wearing heavy hiking boots in summer.

Trail cred “I was worried the layers would bunch up in my trail runners, but the TwinSkin feels just like a single-layer sock, only a bit cushier,” our tester says. $13; 2.4 oz.; m’s M-XL, w’s S-M; hillysocks.com

ACCESSORIES

by the Editors

Picnic pack

Comfy camp chair

HYDRO FLASK UNBOUND SERIES SOFT COOLER PACK

NEMO STARGAZE RECLINER LOW

Our take Unlike a hardsided cooler, this picnic pack is great for destination lunches thanks to adjustable, cushy shoulder straps and a padded backpanel.

“Even without a hipbelt, I comfortably carried more than 20 pounds of beverages for miles in the Grand Canyon,” one tester says.

The insulated, waterproof Unbound keeps food and drinks cold for up to two days. Its molded rectangular base holds the pack upright when not in use, while a full-zip top-load opening grants easy access; along with the streamlined design, the wide opening made cleaning Grand Canyon dirt from the main compartment a breeze. Two external waterproof pockets—one on the side, and one on top—hold essentials like phones, wallets, or extra layers. Ding: price.

Trail cred “It fit 18 cans of beer, some cheese, and a salami on a three-day paddling trip down New Zealand’s Whanganui River,” one editor says. “Afterward, I hosed the sand and grime out, dried it off, and put my laptop and toiletries inside for the flight back.” $275; 2 lbs. 7 oz.; hydroflask.com

Our take Does the world need another camp chair? Turns out, yes.

This one is strictly for paddle trips and car camping—it’s too heavy for anything else—but we loved the rocking chair feel and reclining comfort. “It was the most coveted chair on a canoe trip on Utah’s Green River,” says a tester. “We liked it for stargazing, as the name implies, but mostly we enjoyed the relaxing swinging motion. And setup is easy— simply snap together the frame and hang the mesh chair.” The autoreclining system is smart; just lean back and fi nd your preferred angle. Tip: If your priority is watching the night sky, upgrade to the Luxury model ($220), which has a headrest.

Minor gripes: The feet sink into soft sand, and the cup holder is awkwardly close to your leg.

Trail cred “The aircraftgrade aluminum frame feels sturdier than most camp furniture,” says a tester. “It got treated roughly on a river trip with 20 people and tons of gear to pack and unpack everyday, but suffered no damage.” $170; 5 lbs. 2 oz.; nemoequipment.com

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PHOTOS BY COURTESY

GEAR GUIDE

GEAR GUIDE

Lightest furniture

CASCADE WILD ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKING TABLE Our take Nothing against dirt, but sometimes it’s nice to get your kitchen off the ground. Snap this onepiece wonder together to make an 8-by-12-inch table just over 3 inches high—good for minimalist cooking (but not much more). The corrugated plastic is light and strong, holding up to about 10 pounds (we didn’t push it), and the origami design folds flat and slips into a pack side pocket. For the price and weight, it’s an easy pick for hikers who want a touch of class. Tip: Snap two or more tables together to make one big one.

Trail cred “I didn’t know I wanted one until I used it,” says one tester. “In the Grand Canyon, we stopped for lunch on a beach along the Colorado River and the table made it easy to keep sand out of our sandwiches.” $10; 2.2 oz.; cascadewild.com

Clutter killer

Cooling tech

GEARSTASH 1.25 STORAGE SYSTEM

COLUMBIA F.K.T. SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT

Our take Fact: One in two hikers suffers from Cluttered Gear Closet Syndrome. Enter this hanging organizer. The 6.5-foottall fabric strip is lined with sewn-in loops and can hold up to 150 pounds, which we used to store everything from sleeping bags (in the included mesh sacks) to skis (which stayed secure thanks to a rubber-lined webbing strap). Install the included hooks in a stud, or hang the system with the optional Doorback Hanger Set ($9).

Closet cred “Instead of laying out my wet gloves in the laundry room, I hang them in one of the mesh bags,” our tester says. “They dry faster and are already stored when they’re done.” $97; gearstoragesystems.com

Our take This shirt helps take the edge off the hottest days. The F.K.T. is one of 18 new styles to sport Columbia’s Omni-Shade Sun Deflector, thousands of dots made of titanium dioxide (an ingredient in mineral suncreen) placed atop a garment’s fabric. Unlike typical high-UPF material, they deflect heat as well as UVA and UVB rays. Though some testers thought the pinhole-size silver dots were overkill, the paddlers, anglers, and other sun-dwellers among us praised them for their ability to “protect like a sunshirt and cool like aloe.”

Trail cred “The F.K.T.’s design is smart, because protection is increased where you need it most: shoulders, back of neck, and upper back,” one editor says. $75; 3.8 oz. (w’s M); w’s XS-XL, m’s S-XXL; columbia.com

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GEAR GUIDE

UNCOVERED

Pouakai Crossing EGMONT NATIONAL PARK , NORTH ISL AND, NEW ZEAL AND

Hike to this month’s cover shot.

How good is this adventure island for backpacking, gear testing, and big living? It’s the only foreign country we’ve gone to twice for testing spring gear. The diverse terrain—mountains, rainforest, coast—packed into a country half the size of California makes it easy to tackle multiple life-list journeys in a week. We started with this one on Mt. Taranaki.

8,261 feet Mt. Taranaki There are two walks-ups to the summit, but don’t ascend quite that high. Maori consider Taranaki their ancestor, and touching the very top of his head is culturally insensitive.

Egmont National Park LAND AREA

131.9 MI2 TIME SINCE PARK WAS FOUNDED

118 YEARS AVERAGE DAILY CHANCE OF RAIN

Stand here

32.3 miles Round the Mountain Circuit

From Pouakai Hut, head southwest for 15 minutes toward The Tarns, a collection of small ponds with views to Mt. Taranaki. Aim for dawn for lighter winds and a chance to see the stratovolcano reflected in still waters.

SEASON Spring and fall have fewer crowds, but more rain. In the summer (December to March), reserve huts ahead. GUIDE topguides.com INFO bit.do/EgmontNZ

53% INCHES OF RAIN PER YEAR (NORTH EGMONT)

276 SPECIES OF BIRDS

43

Myth of the Mountain According to Maori legend, Taranaki, a mountain god, was exiled here after losing a battle for the love of Pihanga, a forest-shrouded massif in the center of the North Island. She remains there alongside Mt. Tongariro, her victorious suitor. It is said that the frequent clouds at Mt. Taranaki’s summit hide the tears he cries for his lost love.

plants 500 ofSpecies Species 161 of moss

POUAKAI HUT

BACKPACKER (ISSN 0277-867X USPS 509-490) is published nine times a year (January, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, and November) by Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc., an Active Interest Media company. The known office of publication is 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301. Subscriptions are $19.98 per year in the U.S., $29.98 in Canada, $41.98 elsewhere (surface mail). Periodicals postage paid at Boulder CO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BACKPACKER, PO Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. GST #R122988611. BACKPACKER publications, including GearFinder®, Waypoints®, and Adventure Travel®, are registered trademarks of Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. © 2017 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Volume 46, Issue 347, Number 3, April 2018.

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128

GEAR GUIDE APRIL 2018

PHOTO BY LOUISA ALBANESE

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