Honest picks for the gear that makes trips easier: backpacks, hiking shoes, rain jackets, camping kit and the small travel accessories worth packing.
The best hiking books of 2026: 25 picks including A Walk in the Woods, Wild, beginner backpacking guides, Appalachian Trail planners, safety manuals and gift books.
The best waterproof hiking pants for men and women in 2026: compare rain pants by waterproof rating, side zips, weight and fit, plus our top picks.
The best hiking poles for women in 2026: compare lightweight carbon fiber, foldable, cork-grip and budget trekking poles, plus a simple sizing chart.
The best hiking watch under $100 in 2026: compare GPS smartwatches from Amazfit, rugged solar Casio G-Shock watches and simple Timex field watches.
The best waterproof shoes for travel in 2026: 12 picks from On, Merrell, SOREL and Timberland compared for rainy cities, all-day walking and hiking trips.
The best dog hiking boots for hot pavement: Ruffwear Grip Trex, Wagwear WagWellies Mojave, QUMY and 7 more compared on airflow, grip, pack size and price, plus AKC heat-safety tips, sizing and training.
Looking for Dirty Girl gaiters alternatives? We compare ALTRA, Salomon, AONIJIE and TRIWONDER trail gaiters on weight, price, attachment and durability, with a shoe attachment guide and sizing tips.
We compare the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT, XTherm NXT, XLite NXT MAX and Z Lite Original on R-value, weight, width, price and owner ratings, with an R-value guide, size chart and the stacking trick most guides miss.
We compare the Osprey Exos 48, Eja 48, Kyte 48 and Gregory Focal 48 on real weight, real capacity by size, load range, fit and price, so you can pick the right 48L pack for your weekend trips.
A practical ultralight backpacking gear list: 10 affordable essentials with real weights (about 3.1 lb total), how they work together, a printable checklist and a sub-10 lb base weight budget.