Gear guides
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Rankings and buying advice built from published specs and Amazon buyer reviews, so you pick gear that goes the distance.
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Start here · Winter Accessories
Best Cold-Weather Hiking Accessories of 2026
HotHands hand and toe warmers, fleece neck gaiters, a balaclava, merino beanies and liner gloves: the small, cheap things that keep hands, feet and face warm on a winter hike.
8 min readTop pick rated 4.6
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Buying advice and ranked picks for every category of hiking, backpacking, and trail running gear.
Gear Repair
Best Gear Repair and Waterproofing Products of 2026
Wash-ins, sprays, boot wax, Tenacious Tape, seam sealers, a pole splint and a zipper kit that fix a wetting-out jacket, tired boots or a dripping tent instead of replacing them.
9 min readRead the guide →
Stove Fuel
Best Camp Stove Fuel and Cooking Accessories of 2026
Fuel canisters that fit your stove, plus a canister stand, a recycling tool, a long spoon, lighters, a fire steel and three camp mugs worth restocking before the next trip.
8 min readRead the guide →
First Aid
Best Blister Care for Hiking and First Aid Refills of 2026
Leukotape, Compeed, moleskin and the other small, cheap things worth restocking before your next hike, with a refill-your-kit checklist and how to treat a hot spot on the trail.
8 min readRead the guide →
Sleep Systems
Best Sleeping Bag Liners of 2026
Thermolite, silk and fleece liners ranked on the warmth they really add and the ounces they cost, for a cleaner bag and a few more degrees on a cold night.
7 min readRead the guide →
Trail Food
Best Trail Food and Hiking Snacks of 2026
The food you buy again before every trip: freeze-dried dinners, honey waffles, gels and chews, electrolyte mixes, jerky and camp coffee, picked so you can restock in a few clicks.
8 min readRead the guide →
Night Hike Lights
Best Headlamps for Night Hikes and Trick-or-Treating of 2026
Seeing the path and being seen are two different jobs. Headlamps for adults and kids, a red-light lamp for night hikes, and the vest, blinkers and lantern that keep a family visible after dark.
7 min readRead the guide →
Gift Guide
Gifts for Hikers, 2026 Holiday Guide
For someone shopping for a hiker whose kit they don't know. Stocking stuffers, small gifts, main gifts and big ones, every pick taken from a guide we've already ranked.
7 min readRead the guide →
Stocking Stuffers
Best Stocking Stuffers for Hikers of 2026
Eleven small gifts a hiker uses up or wears out: merino socks, LMNT and Liquid I.V., hand warmers, blister tape and trail snacks. Only the socks need a size.
8 min readRead the guide →
Hiking Sunglasses
Best Hiking Sunglasses of 2026
Every pair here blocks 100 percent of UV, so that settles nothing. Eight hiking sunglasses ranked on lens darkness, glare and side coverage, from a polarized goodr to Julbo's self-darkening mountain lens.
10 min readRead the guide →
Hiking Umbrellas
Best Hiking Umbrellas of 2026
Seven trekking umbrellas for sun and rain. Why the good ones are silver on top, how to wear one hands-free on your pack straps, and when to put it away.
9 min readRead the guide →
Water Treatment
Best Water Purification Tablets of 2026
Five tablets and drops. Which chemistry actually touches Cryptosporidium, why the wait can run to four hours, and how tablets cover the virus gap a filter leaves open.
10 min readRead the guide →
Hiking Fanny Packs
Best Hiking Fanny Packs of 2026
Eight hip and lumbar packs, from a pouch for your phone to a 13-liter lumbar that stands in for a daypack. Which ones carry water, and why the most-reviewed two rank last.
8 min readRead the guide →
Kids' Hiking Boots
Best Hiking Boots and Shoes for Kids and Teens of 2026
Most kids don't need boots. For the ones who do, nine youth pairs. Why the most-reviewed shoe ranks eighth, what a kid under eight can do up alone, and how much room to leave for growing.
9 min readRead the guide →
Bear Spray
Best Bear Spray for Hiking of 2026
Every can here is the same 2% strength, so five EPA-registered bear sprays are ranked on what their own labels say about range and spray time, then on how fast the holster lets you draw.
10 min readRead the guide →
Backpacking Trowels
Best Backpacking Trowels of 2026
Seven cat-hole trowels ranked on how they dig hard, rooty ground to six inches, from a 13.5-gram aluminum blade to a titanium tool that doubles as a tent stake.
8 min readRead the guide →
Insoles and Laces
Best Insoles and Laces for Hiking Boots of 2026
The footbed most boots ship with is a filler. Eight insoles ranked on arch support, heel hold and volume, four replacement laces, and the lacing tricks that fix heel lift and toe bang.
11 min readRead the guide →
Child Carriers
Best Hiking Child Carriers of 2026
Seven framed carriers for hiking with a toddler, ranked on how they carry for the adult, how the child rides, and what the extra money buys, from a sub-5-pound folding frame to Osprey's Poco Premium.
12 min readRead the guide →
Compasses
Best Hiking Compasses of 2026
A compass has no battery to drain, but not every one can take a bearing off a map. Eight ranked on declination adjustment, sighting accuracy and map tools, from a 5-gram clip-on to Cammenga's tritium lensatic.
11 min readRead the guide →
Hiking Hats
Best Hiking Hats of 2026
Every hat here is rated UPF 40 or higher, so the rating settles nothing. Eight sun hats and caps ranked on brim width, neck coverage and airflow, from a 2.5-ounce cape hat to the Tilley.
10 min readRead the guide →
Power Banks
Best Power Banks for Backpacking of 2026
A 10,000 mAh bank gives most phones roughly one and a half to two charges, and the ounces matter more than the number on the box. Eight power banks ranked on charge per ounce, ports and weatherproofing, from a three-ounce Nitecore to the Goal Zero Venture 75.
11 min readRead the guide →
Water Bottles
Best Water Bottles for Hiking of 2026
Plastic, insulated steel or soft? Eight hiking bottles ranked on weight, leaks, cold water and which filters screw onto them, from the Nalgene to the two-liter Platy.
11 min readRead the guide →
Binoculars
Best Hiking Binoculars of 2026
Eight binoculars light enough to bring every time. Why most hikers should pick 8x over 10x, what exit pupil does at dusk, and which popular pair to skip if you wear glasses.
12 min readRead the guide →
Trail Safety
Best Bug Spray for Hiking of 2026
Ticks and mosquitoes call for two products, not one. Eight repellents ranked, from picaridin and DEET for skin to permethrin for your clothes.
11 min readRead the guide →
Trail Safety
Best Hiking First Aid Kits of 2026
Most of what goes wrong on a hike is small, like a blister or a scrape. Seven first aid kits ranked on blister care, wound care, bleeding control and weight.
12 min readRead the guide →
Sleep System
Best Backpacking Pillows of 2026
The last piece of a sleep system anyone fixes, and the first one they notice when it's wrong. Nine picks ranked on stable loft per ounce, from a bare air bladder to foam you never inflate.
13 min readRead the guide →
Camp Comfort
Best Backpacking Chairs of 2026
A chair is pure luxury weight, so it has to earn every ounce. Seven picks from a two-ounce foam pad to full-frame chairs, ranked on weight against back support.
12 min readRead the guide →
Hiking Sandals
Best Hiking Sandals of 2026
Only one maker here publishes a lug depth. Eight open- and closed-toe sandals ranked on tread, straps, footbed and toe cover.
12 min readRead the guide →
Budget Boots
Best Budget Hiking Boots of 2026
The top pick's 5 mm lugs match Merrell's far pricier Moab. Seven ranked on upper material, tread, membrane and weight.
12 min readRead the guide →
Gaiters
Best Hiking Gaiters of 2026
Most wet feet in a waterproof boot come in over the collar. Eight pairs ranked on height, membrane and the strap that fails first.
13 min readRead the guide →
Sun Hoodies
Best Sun Hoodies for Hiking of 2026
They look identical and their UPF ratings run from 15 to 50+. Eight ranked on measured protection first, then on whether you keep them on when it gets hot.
14 min readRead the guide →
2-Person Tents
Best 2-Person Backpacking Tents of 2026
Four expert roundups name the same tent. Eight ranked on usable floor space, weather, weight and where each one can actually be pitched.
16 min readRead the guide →
Snowshoes
Best Snowshoes of 2026
Sizing runs off your loaded weight, not your body weight. Seven ranked on flotation, traction and whether the binding works in gloves.
15 min readRead the guide →
Backpacking Quilts
Best Backpacking Quilts of 2026
A quilt has no back, so the pad is half the system. Six ranked on how well each one seals down, plus a straight answer about what Amazon does not stock.
13 min readRead the guide →
Hydration Reservoirs
Best Hydration Reservoirs of 2026
The bladder, not the pack it rides in. Eight ranked on fill port, hanger and whether you can dry the thing out before it turns.
14 min readRead the guide →
Trail Running Shorts
Best Trail Running Shorts of 2026
Eight pairs ranked on what they carry without bouncing, then on whether the liner survives the distance. Why the two most-reviewed pairs finish last.
13 min readRead the guide →
Winter Hiking Boots
Best Winter Hiking Boots of 2026
Eight insulated boots, 200g to 400g. Why the warmest boot is the wrong boot if you are climbing in it, and why the most-reviewed pair finishes last.
14 min readRead the guide →
Hiking Pants
Best Hiking Pants of 2026
Eight pairs from softshell to waxable G-1000. Why the gusset and the knee darts decide more than the fabric does, and why the most-reviewed pair finishes last.
14 min readRead the guide →
Backpacking Hammocks
Best Backpacking Hammocks of 2026
Nine hammocks and complete shelters. Why a hammock is only a quarter of a shelter, what the other three parts really cost, and how wide your tree straps have to be to be legal.
15 min readRead the guide →
Hiking Base Layers
Best Hiking Base Layers of 2026
Eight merino and synthetic tops. Why fabric weight in gsm decides more than the brand does, and why the top pick has only 21 ratings.
13 min readRead the guide →
Satellite Messengers
Best Satellite Messengers and Beacons of 2026
Eight two-way messengers and emergency beacons. Whether rescuers can text you back, why Iridium beats Globalstar, and what the subscription really costs.
13 min readRead the guide →
Backpacking Cookware
Best Backpacking Cookware of 2026
Nine pots and cook sets. Why almost everybody buys their first pot too big, when titanium is the wrong metal, and why the pot with 3,525 ratings finishes last.
14 min readRead the guide →
Microspikes
Best Microspikes of 2026
Eight winter traction devices. What spike length actually buys you, where spikes stop being enough and you need real crampons, and why the pair with 1,372 ratings finishes last.
14 min readRead the guide →
1-Person Tents
Best 1-Person Backpacking Tents of 2026
Eight solo shelters. Why carrying the whole thing yourself changes which tent you want, how much of a quoted floor you actually get to use, and why the tent with 1,259 ratings finishes last.
15 min readRead the guide →
Hiking Shoes
Best Hiking Shoes of 2026
Nine low-cut hiking shoes. Why the support is in the sole rather than the ankle cuff, what the low cut actually costs you, and why the shoe with 14,909 ratings finishes second.
14 min readRead the guide →
Hiking Socks
Best Hiking Socks of 2026
Twelve merino and synthetic pairs from no-show to crew, two of them liners. How cushion changes the way your boots fit, when a liner stops blisters, and what to wear in winter.
13 min readRead the guide →
Insulated Jackets
Best Insulated Hiking Jackets of 2026
Nine down and synthetic puffies. Why fill power is efficiency rather than warmth, when synthetic beats down outright, and why the jacket with 1,259 ratings finishes eighth.
15 min readRead the guide →
Rain Jackets
Best Hiking Rain Jackets of 2026
Eight shells. Why every one of them is waterproof and only some of them keep you dry, what wetting out really is, and why the jacket with 3,766 ratings finishes seventh.
14 min readRead the guide →
Sleeping Bags
Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2026
Eight bags, budget synthetic to premium down. Why a bag called 15 is really a 27-degree bag, what fill power does and doesn't buy you, and why the two most-reviewed bags here finish last.
15 min readRead the guide →
Multi-Day Packs
Best Backpacking Backpacks of 2026
Nine 58 to 65L packs. Why your torso length decides this and your height has nothing to do with it, how much weight a frame will really move onto your hips, and which of the best packs you can't buy on Amazon at all.
16 min readRead the guide →
Gadgets
Best Backpacking Gadgets of 2026
Ten small items. Why the top-ranked power bank has only 77 ratings, what a cheap roll of tape saves that a knife can't, and when a solar panel is just 21 ounces of dead weight.
14 min readRead the guide →
Camp Kitchen
Best Backpacking Stoves of 2026
Nine stoves. Why every published boil time is a lie, what wind really costs you in fuel, and why the stoves the testing outfits pick sit near the cheap end.
15 min readRead the guide →
Trail Running
Best Trail Running Shoes of 2026
Eight shoes. Why deeper lugs are worse on rock, what a rock plate actually saves you from, and the half-size mistake that costs people their toenails.
16 min readRead the guide →
Sleep System
Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads of 2026
Ten pads, foam to premium inflatable. Why the half of your sleeping bag you lie on does nothing, what R-value finally started meaning in 2020, and how thick a pad a side sleeper actually needs.
14 min readRead the guide →
Water Treatment
Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2026
Nine filters. Why the flow rate on the box is the wrong number, what 0.1 micron never catches, and how one freezing night can ruin a filter without leaving a mark.
14 min readRead the guide →
Lighting
Best Running Headlamps of 2026
Nine rechargeable lamps. Why the lumen number on the box tells you almost nothing, where the weight has to sit to stop the beam nodding, and the runtime figure worth checking.
14 min readRead the guide →
Shelters
Best Budget 2-Person Backpacking Tents of 2026
Six budget two-person tents. Why one door costs you more sleep than a pound does, which weight number brands are quoting you, and what the $550 tents buy that these don't.
13 min readRead the guide →
Trail Running
Best Hydration Vests of 2026
Seven vests from 1.5L to 12L. Why a vest is sized by your chest and not your back, when a bladder beats soft flasks, and how to stop the thing bouncing.
13 min readRead the guide →
Navigation
Best GPS Hiking Watches of 2026
Eight watches, budget to flagship. Why the headline battery number isn't the one that matters, what onboard maps do that a breadcrumb can't, and when your phone is still the better map.
15 min readRead the guide →
Food Storage
Best Bear Canisters of 2026
Six hard-sided canisters. Why the park's allowed list beats the certification sticker, how many days of food really fits, and what the carbon ones buy you.
14 min readRead the guide →
Fastpacking
Best Fastpacking Backpacks of 2026
Six vest-harness packs from 20 to 40 liters, why the harness is the whole load system once you take the frame out, how to size one, and what the cottage makers sell that Amazon doesn't.
13 min readRead the guide →
Trail Running
Best Ultralight Trail Running Poles of 2026
Five folding carbon pairs, why folded length matters more than weight, how to size a pole you can't adjust, and what the research really says about whether poles make you faster.
12 min readRead the guide →
Trekking Poles
Best Budget Trekking Poles of 2026
Six budget pairs, why the lock matters more than the shaft, how to set the length so your knees notice on the way down, and what premium poles buy that these don't.
13 min readRead the guide →
Footwear
Best Hiking Boots of 2026
Six mid-height boots, plus how to size a boot so your toes survive the descents and when a waterproof membrane is the wrong call.
14 min readRead the guide →
Day Packs
Best Day Hiking Backpacks of 2026
Six day packs from 20 to 26 liters, ranked on fit, suspension and price, plus how to figure out the size and torso length you actually need.
12 min readRead the guide →
Glossary
Not sure what a word means?
Every guide on this page leans on vocabulary the boxes never explain. Each of those terms has its own page, with a straight answer at the top and no product in sight.
Browse the whole glossary →