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

The North Face Apex Bionic 2 Soft Shell Jacket is a hoodless, windproof fleece jacket that you’d normally wear as an outer layer. The jacket’s exterior has a smooth, almost suede-like, exterior fabric that has some stretch to it. Called WindWall, the jacket’s exterior fabric has a low level of air permeability, which helps block the wind. It is coated …

MSR Needle Stakes are lightweight aluminum tent stakes with square-shaped shafts, a wedge tip, and a hook at the top. Weighing 8 grams each and 6 and 3/8″ long, they’re ideal for staking out tents and tarps that use cords as guy-lines. You can also use them to stake out webbing, of course, but there’s nothing better for staking out …

Outdoor Research HighCamp Gloves are insulated waterproof winter gloves with soft goat leather palms and touchscreen compatible liner gloves rated down to -15 F / -26 C. They’re best used in cold and exposed mountain terrain when you need to balance the competing demands of insulation and dexterity. For example, if you need to grip an ice ax in the …

I’m a big fan of REI’s clothing because it’s affordable, good quality, and virtually indistinguishable from the other name brand products they sell. This includes their Waterproof/Breathable Rain Pants (the latest update has been renamed “Essential Rain Pants”) which are a steal at $60/pair (often available for less), and are available for both men and women. A comparable pair of …