Maui Off the Beaten Path

Last Updated: February 29, 2016

Maui’s warming sun, fine beaches, extravagant skies, tropical forests, and towering volcanoes live up to their legendary status in every way. Finding the soul of the Valley Isle, however, requires some savvy. It’s not necessarily in big-ticket resorts...

Camping Gear Reviews

Last Updated: February 18, 2016

From car camping with your family to base camping at the foot of your next serious adventure, you’ll want to have the right gear for the occasion. Below our staff at Switchback Travel breaks down the best camping gear...

Backpacking Footwear Tips and Advice

Last Updated: February 3, 2016

Backpacking footwear has come a long way from the burly and heavy all-leather boots of your grandparent’s generation. Now you can choose from...

Footwear Reviews

Last Updated: February 2, 2016

Footwear is one of our specialties here at Switchback Travel—we depend on it for just about outdoor activity that we do. From lightweight hikers to rock climbing shoes and ski boots, we have all of your adventure footwear...

About Our Gear Reviews

Last Updated: January 21, 2016

Our mission is a straightforward one: trustworthy outdoor gear advice. Our opinions reflect our team’s many collective experiences in the outdoors…

Review: Hestra Moon Mitt

Last Updated: January 19, 2016

Oh, how we love the new Moon Mitt. Made by esteemed Swedish manufacturer Hestra that specializes in handwear, this mitten is extremely warm, plush on the inside, and perfect for casual use and winter walking even in the most frigid...

Review: Arc'teryx Lithic Glove

Last Updated: December 23, 2015

We value a company that is always innovating and questioning industry norms, and Arc’teryx does that about as well as anyone. Examples include their 2-piece Bora2 hiking boots and recently announced avalanche...

Preview: SPOT Gen3 Satellite GPS Messenger

Last Updated: December 17, 2015

Since the original SPOT was released in 2007, the device has grown from a niche product used by ultra outdoorspeople to a go-to safety item that has just recently celebrated its 4,000th rescue...

Review: Keen Durand Mid WP

Last Updated: December 14, 2015

With a compelling mix of ankle support, light weight and durability, the Keen Durand Mid WP boots take aim at the popular light hiker category. To see how they compared...

IceMusic Festival

Last Updated: November 18, 2015

The IceMusic Festival held near Geilo, Norway is as unique as they come: the instruments and stage are carved out of ice and snow and the concert takes place outdoors...

An Intro to Packrafting with Brett Davis

Last Updated: October 8, 2015

Packrafting originated in Alaska and has its roots there. Guys like Roman Dial were doing adventure races and exploring the backwoods, and there is tons of water up there. They were coming across streams...

Best Cameras for Skiing and Snowboarding

Last Updated: October 7, 2015

Options abound when choosing a camera for skiing and snowboarding, from action cameras that can be mounted on your helmet to pocketable point-and-shoots and professional-grade mirrorless models...