Camping and hiking gear guides by trip type

Clear, research-based buying guides for camping & hiking gear — we compare the options so you can pick with confidence.

Organized by trip typeWeight & packabilitySpec-sourced reviews

Latest guides & reviews

Winter Backpacking Gear Checklist: Surviving Sub-Zero Wilderness Nights
Guide

Winter Backpacking Gear Checklist: Surviving Sub-Zero Wilderness Nights

Updated Sep 22, 2026
How to Keep Squeeze Water Filters from Freezing on Cold Trail Nights
Guide

How to Keep Squeeze Water Filters from Freezing on Cold Trail Nights

Updated Sep 21, 2026
A lightweight backpacking chair set up at a mountain campsite
Guide

Lightweight Camp Chairs: Comfort vs Pack Weight (2026)

Updated Sep 19, 2026
A sleeping bag being carefully removed from a front-loading washing machine
Guide

How to Wash and Store a Sleeping Bag Without Killing the Loft

Updated Sep 17, 2026
A silhouette of a compact ultralight backpacking tent pitched at dusk in the mountains
Guide

Ultralight Backpacking Tent Guide: What Makes a Tent 'Ultralight' — and Which to Buy (2026)

Updated Sep 17, 2026
A sleeping bag and pad set up inside a backpacking tent
Guide

Backpacking Sleep System: Bag, Pad & Liner Explained (2026)

Updated Sep 15, 2026
A backpacking backpack being loaded with gear organized in zones
Guide

How to Pack a Backpacking Backpack: Weight Distribution That Saves Your Back (2026)

Updated Sep 14, 2026
A hiker filtering water from a mountain stream
Comparison

Hiking Water Filter vs Purifier: Which Do You Need on the Trail? (2026)

Updated Sep 13, 2026
A hiker fitting a loaded backpack on the trail
Guide

How to Choose a Hiking Backpack: Size, Fit, and Features That Matter (2026)

Updated Sep 12, 2026
Trail mix and energy bars laid out on a granite rock
Guide

What to Eat on a Day Hike (2026): A Meal & Snack Planning Guide

Updated Sep 10, 2026
Backpacking gear laid out for a first trip
Guide

Backpacking Checklist for Beginners (2026): The Gear That Actually Matters First

Updated Sep 9, 2026
A backpacking tent pitched at a mountain campsite
Guide

How to Choose a Backpacking Tent in 2026: Weight, Season, and Space Decoded

Updated Sep 9, 2026
A backpacker staying warm at a cold campsite
Guide

How to Stay Warm Backpacking: The System That Beats a Colder Night

Updated Sep 9, 2026
Best 2
Best-of guide

Best 2-Person Backpacking Tents (2026): 3 Honest Picks Across Price Tiers

Updated Sep 8, 2026
Budget backpacking sleeping bags at a campsite
Best-of guide

Best Budget Backpacking Sleeping Bags in 2026: Warm Enough Without the Ultralight Price

Updated Sep 8, 2026
Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings
Guide

Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings: Comfort vs. Survival Actually Explained (2026)

Updated Sep 8, 2026