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

Marmot makes two styles of Precip Pants: Full Zip Precip Pants and Regular Precips. The Full Zips are designed for winter hiking, backpacking and climbing. They are sometimes called “New Style” Precips by online retailers because they were introduced after regular Precips (also called “Old Style”) which only have calf high boot zips. I own a pair of each. Winter Layering I …

Hiking the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail I went for a very pleasant 5 mile ridge walk last Sunday at the Mt. Tom State Reservation in Western Massachusetts, overlooking the town of Northampton and the Connecticut River Valley. I used to live in this area about 20 years ago when I attended graduate school and this trip brought back memories of previous hikes …

A balaclava is an incredibly useful piece of gear to bring hiking or camping. It can be worn during the day in cool weather as a hat, face mask, or neck gaiter or at night as head covering to keep you extra warm in your sleeping bag.   Balaclavas come in many different styles and materials. My personal favorite is …

Do you still long for the old days when Golite made a backpack that had mesh pockets? Those were the days of the Golite Trek, a multi-day backpack with an internal volume of just under 3950 cubic inches with a 700 cubic inch extension collar. Weighing just under 30 oz. (in a size small), this pack was state-of-the-art ten years …