stg-sectionhikercom-buttons.kinsta.cloud Backpacking Gear Reviews and FAQs

Wiggy’s is a cottage manufacturer that makes a variety of products ranging from cold weather sleeping bags to insulated outwear for the wilderness hunting/military market. Their claim to fame is insulation they call Lamilite, which is a popular synthetic insulation called Climashield laminated to nylon. They hold at least one patent on the process (https://patents.justia.com/patent/4910055). If you watch some of …

Today’s winter hiking boots are waterproof, insulated, and compatible with traction aids such as microspikes, crampons, and snowshoes. While 200-gram Thinsulate insulated mids are fine for commuting and short local walks down to about 10-20 degrees (F), we recommend buying boots with higher calf coverage and 400-gram Thinsulate insulation for all-day hikes and mountain climbs in colder temperatures, down to …

An insulated water bottle sleeve is one of the ways you can keep your water from freezing on a winter hike. Most are designed to fit 32 oz (1 liter) bottles, including wide-mouth Nalgene bottles, which are better for winter use because they’re less likely to freeze closed than ones with narrow necks. Most winter hikers fill their water bottles …

The NEMO Switchback is an accordion-style closed-cell foam sleeping pad that can be used as an ultralight pad by itself or to augment the warmth of a second sleeping pad when sleeping outdoors in colder weather. It’s quite similar to the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol sleeping pad, but made with modern materials and precisely molded. Like the Z Lite Sol, one …