Trekking poles have a host of benefits when it comes to backpacking, especially when it comes to carrying that loaded pack across steep gradients. A trekking pole is useless if you can’t depend on it, however. The Helinox Ridgeline Series offer light weight, stability, and most importantly, durability. About the Poles The ridgeline series come … More Helinox Ridgeline FL Trekking Poles Review
A headlamp needs to do one thing, provide reliable, usable lighting without getting in the way or weighing you down. The Cosmo from Black Diamond aims to do just that. No fancy bells and whistles, just what you need when you need it. About the lamp The Cosmo retails for 29.95, comes in 6 colors, … More Black Diamond Cosmo Headlamp Review
Curious to see some of what 2015 will offer? I have a few teasers, but there is even more to come. **Update. Foidel Cayon 2 review, Battle Mountain 2, MtnGLO, Insulated Double Z, Reviews are up.*** Some interesting concepts are the new Mountain Glo series of tents, with built-in lighting for a tiny weight penalty. … More Big Agnes 2015 tents preview
The Battle Mountain is a 4 season, mountaineering tent from Big Agnes. Designed with durability, livability, and light weight in mind, it strikes an exceptional balance of comfort on the trail, and at camp. The battle mountain is comprised of a light weight, yet rugged Cordura rip-stop nylon with a 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating. The … More Big Agnes Battle Mountain 2 Review
The Coldpruf classic is a traditionally style, single layer, 100 % merino wool base layer designed to add skin tight warmth for the cold weather adventurer without adding bulk. About the base layer The classic base layer is simply constructed, with only the essentials. It has an extended tail to block breezes while trapping heat, … More Coldpruf Classic Base Layers Review
Cotopaxi is not only producing quality gear, they’re also donating at least 10% of their sales to humanitarian causes. Here is the Luzon 18, one of their offerings; An ultra-lightweight daypack with an emphasis on build quality and storage capacity. You can find more information about their packs, and the causes they support by checking … More Cotopaxi Luzon 18, backpack for a cause.
Sometimes you need something a little bit more rugged for those long backcountry explorations. The Traverse soft-shell pants from L.L.Bean is designed to be that something. Aimed at high mountain pursuits where wind, snow, and extreme sun are an issue, these pants can handle it all. About the pants The Traverse are full featured pants, … More l.l.bean Traverse Soft-Shell Pants
When old man winter rolls in, keeping my core warm and comfortable becomes my top priority when backpacking. A solid, lightweight mid layer is vital to staying warm. The Hooded Jacket from L.L.Bean provides a good balance of warmth, weight, comfort, and looks. About the jacket The Ultralight 850 is a fairly straight forward designed … More L.L.Bean Ultralight 850 Down Jacket
The Hammer 2p from Marmot is an ultra-light 4 season/mountaineering shelter. A single wall design and minimal design eliminates all the fluff, leaving only the bare essentials for the lightest packed weight possible. Can a light weight single wall shelter hold up to the challenges of high elevation backpacking on the East Coast? About the … More Marmot Hammer 2p Review
So so warm. That’s the thought that kept rolling through my head as I drifted off to sleep on a brisk 20 degree night under high winds on an exposed peak. About the Mobile Mummy The Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy is designed to be more of a garment than a body sack. A full frontal … More Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy Review
TreeLineBackpacker 