Trekking poles (AKA: hiking sticks) are an odd thing for backpackers. Some of our fellow backpackers refuse to use them but others refuse to go without them. We personally love them. They are a must-have when backpacking through creeks on slippery rocks as they help maintain balance and give more points of contact in uncertain…
Best Backpacking Emergency Gear – How to Choose
Nature is wild and it can be dangerous. The best backpacking emergency gear and supplies should include items that help you not only survive an accident but also follow leave-no-trace principles. More often than not twisted ankles, blisters, broken gear, and the need to use the facilities when there are none are the great challenges…
Best Backpacking Lamps – How to Choose
I am so thankful to live in an age when backpacking can be done without a kerosene lantern or even a traditional flashlight that uses heavy batteries. LEDs have made lanterns and headlamps extremely lightweight and they generate no heat, allowing for ease of use around the campsite or directly inside the tent. Flashlights are…
Best Backpacking Cooking Gear – How to Choose
Backpacking food isn’t going to be a high-end gourmet affair. Honestly, it is rarely even as good as standard camp food because fresh food is heavy and you obviously won’t have access to a refrigerator while on the trail, unless you are backpacking in the winter :). This isn’t to say we don’t carry good…
Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads – How to Choose
Having one of the best backpacking sleeping pads is crucial to getting a good night’s rest after a long day of beautiful backcountry exploration. The idea of a sleeping pad seems very simple. The goal is to lift the body evenly off the ground, making a hard, rough, and uneven surface soft and comfortable enough…
Best Backpacking Water Filter – How to Choose
Filtering and/or treating water in nature is essential for keeping your pack weight down and being able to do a trip that is more than a night or two long. Water is heavy and humans need a lot of it to survive. The best backpacking water filter will not only help save you weight in…
Best Backpacking Water Containers – How to Choose
Water is obviously an essential part of life. It is crucial to have a way of easily carrying it and having access to it while on the trail. In some desert environments, it is necessary to carry multiple gallons of water per person and this might be an argument for having a larger backpack if…
Best Backpacking Pillow – How to Choose
The best backpacking pillow is constructed with durable materials and designed to keep your head elevated and centered throughout the night. They are lightweight, pack down small and most are surprisingly expensive. Some utilize down for warmth and have different methods of preventing the pillow from sliding during the night. Classification and Rating We classify…
Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags – How to Choose
The best backpacking sleeping bags are rated by temperature, material, weight, and how well they pack down. Quality manufacturing is also of the utmost importance as cheap zippers and poor stitching can allow cold air to seep into a sleeping bag. If you aren’t planning on backpacking in cold environments, you can get by with…
Best Backpacking Tent – How to Choose
Tents obviously come in all shapes and sizes. If you are wanting to do any series backpacking your Walmart special isn’t the right tent. This isn’t to say there aren’t affordable ways to backpack with a tent but typically you will get what you pay for. There are trade-offs when you decide to go cheaper…
Best Backpacking Backpack – How to Choose
Backpacks are obviously an essential piece of gear when setting off on a multi-day trip into the wilderness and you want the best backpacking backpack you can afford. This is one area where skimping on gear because of the price isn’t recommended. Backpacks need to be made of quality materials to hold up to rigorous…
Best Backpacking Gear – What’s In Our Packs
In many ways, our love of backpacking is why we are nomads. Certainly, it is an extension of our passion for exploration. While YOLOM (our truck camper) takes us to many beautiful places, some of the most beautiful can only be accessed on foot. Backpacking isn’t just about the destination though. It is about returning…