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

“I want a spectacular hike,” I told my friends Lisa and Ken, two strong hikers that I became good friends with last year. I hadn’t seen them for a few months and this was going to be a reunion hike for us. We’d been tossing around ideas to hike up the Great Gulf, a huge glacial cirque that’s surrounded by …

Cold River Camp is a rustic, family style camp run by the Appalachian Mountain Club in the Evans Notch on the border between New Hampshire and Maine. It’s unique among the AMC lodging facilities because it’s managed entirely by volunteers, although there is paid croo (crew) on-site to cook and maintain the premises. Still all of the camp’s daily activities including daily …

The problem with many pyramid-style shelters (such as the MLD Duomid, the Solomid, and the Trailstar to name a few) is that they suffer from low angled walls which reduce the amount of usable interior space inside. Granted, all lightweight backpacking shelters are compromises between comfort, function, weather-proofness, and weight, but there are times when I want a shelter that …

Approach shoes, like La Sportiva’s Xplorer, provide an interesting compromise between trail runners, climbing shoes, and more rigid hiking boots that may appeal to hikers looking to down size from heavy boots to a lighter weight hiking shoe without giving up the stability and support of a boot. What are Approach Shoes? Approach shoes are basically a cross between a soft …