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

Last weekend I was hiking a section of the Long Trail in Vermont and I met up with an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker who asked me what time it was. I was a little surprised that they guy wasn’t wearing a watch and stuttered out an answer. Now, I can understand the relief of not wearing a watch while you are …

When we think about which wild animal encounters to avoid in the backcountry, bears, snakes, and mice are on the top of most backpackers’ lists, not the homely porcupine. Perhaps porcupines should be taken a bit more seriously. You see, porcupines love salt, and they will go out of their way to gnaw on anything that contains salt, particularly sweaty …

I made a lot of changes to my gear list on my last Long Trail section hike from Clarendon Gorge to Bromley Mountain, particularly around my sleep system, changing from a hammock to a tarp tent. Despite some condensation issues with the tent in high humidity conditions, I'm going to stick with a tarp tent because I prefer the extra …

On my last backpacking trip, the temperatures were warm enough that I could bring one of my lighter weight sleeping pads, a Torsolite, designed and manufactured by Bozeman Mountain Works, a boutique gear manufacturer that specializes in ultralight synthetic insulating clothing and sleep systems. At 10.4 oz., the Torsolite is surprisingly tough and packs up very small, about the size …