After spending 45 days testing 8 of the top dry bag backpack straps on kayaking trips, portages, and SUP outings, I can tell you the right strap system transforms how you carry gear on the water. Our team hauled 20- to 40-liter bags through muddy launches, across 400-meter portages, and through Class II rapids to […]

I have spent more weekends than I can count standing thigh-deep in a river, fumbling through a vest pocket for the right fly while a trout drifts lazily past. That frustration is exactly what pushed me to test every fishing sling pack I could get my hands on. Over the past two seasons, our team […]

If your favorite pack's shoulder strap foam has gone to concrete or the hipbelt buckle finally snapped mid-trip, you already know the truth: the frame and harness are usually the first things to fail, and they are almost always the last thing a brand will warranty. After our team spent 90 days testing 8 backpack […]

I have logged more than 2,400 backcountry miles over the past decade, and I can tell you one thing straight: nothing ends a long day on trail quite like lowering your tired body into a real chair. The best backpacking chairs weigh next to nothing, pack smaller than a Nalgene, and turn a basic campsite […]

I spent the last 45 days testing 12 different compression strap systems across my own gear closet, from a 65L backpacking pack to a 30L daypack I take on travel days. I strapped sleeping bags, bear canisters, tent poles, and even a wet rain jacket to each one to find out which straps actually hold, […]