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Well-known in the backpacking realm for their sleeping mats, Australia-based Sea to Summit jumped into the tent market this year with the introduction of their freestanding Telos TR and semi-freestanding...

Osprey might be best known for their impressive lineup of backpacking packs, but they took that expertise and tailored it to the alpine with the climbing-focused Mutant. We took the 52-liter version on an expedition in the Alaska Range, using it both...

Effectively balancing weight, carrying comfort, and features is a tall order, but Granite Gear’s Blaze 60 pack manages to do so with very few compromises. We took the women’s Blaze on a 35-mile backpacking trip along the Grand Canyon’s challenging...

A favorite among trail runners, lightweight hikers, and thru-hikers for almost a decade, the La Sportiva Wildcat balances a burly build with an approachable $110 price tag. However, after testing the shoe back-to-back in the Pacific Northwest with...

Hoka One One’s Sky Arkali blends the lacing of an approach shoe with the midsole of a trail runner and the height of an over-the-ankle hiking boot. Billed as a “do-anything” trail shoe, we were eager to see if the radical Arkali truly could tackle any...

Arc’teryx jumped into the trail running shoe market a few years ago with the Norvan VT, and the latest “2” model saw some notable improvements. The “VT” in its name stands for vertical: this shoe is designed for scrambling and tackling steep...

In an ever-growing field of lightweight gear, the sub-2-pound Osprey Levity is a formidable contender in the UL backpacking pack market. Coming in 11 ounces lighter than their popular Exos, the design targets thru-hikers and minimalists. We took the...

Granite Gear is a market leader in ultralight packs, with a strong following among thru-hikers and other minimalist backpackers. Arguably, their best design is the Crown2, which balances impressive cushioning, thoughtful features, and a weight of just...

In today’s backpacking market, there’s no shortage of ultralight, minimalist packs for those looking to cut weight on the trail. Gregory’s Optic 58 is one of these designs, coming in at under 3 pounds and featuring very few organizational components...

Osprey’s proven lineup of backpacking packs runs the gamut from simple entry-level haulers and ultralight builds to premium, feature-rich models. The Aura AG—and its men’s counterpart, the Atmos AG—falls right in the middle, deftly balancing weight...

Osprey is a leader in the pack market, and their Stratos line is an all-around favorite for day hiking. We’ve owned multiple variations over the years, and all have delivered nearly flawless performance through extended, rough use. We’ve been testing...

Best known for their heavy-hauling Baltoro, the Paragon backpack from Gregory cuts weight to appeal to the core overnight and weekend crowd. We really liked the original, and they recently updated the design with a mesh-heavy suspension system and side...