I spent the last three months logging trail miles in 10 different pairs of bamboo socks to answer one question: are bamboo socks actually any good for hiking? After 280 miles of testing across the Cascades, the foothills near Bend, and humid lowland forests, I have a real answer. Yes, bamboo socks are good for […]

One wrong step on black ice ended my January hike two years ago. I slipped on a flat rock shelf, twisted my knee, and spent the next six weeks off the trail. That was the winter I started testing hiking boot crampons seriously, and I have not hiked a frozen trail without them since. Crampons […]

After 18 months of rotating through eight different waterproofing waxes on my personal collection of leather and hybrid hiking boots, I can tell you one thing without hesitation: not all boot waxes are created equal. I have spent wet weekends in the Lake District, slogged through Scottish bog, and crossed more ankle-deep fords than I […]

Wet boots are the silent killer of outdoor gear. After 14 years of running rivers, hiking in the Pacific Northwest, and testing gear for our team at PaddleRoundThePier, I have lost count of how many pairs of boots I have prematurely retired because of moisture damage and the stink that comes with it. The right […]

I learned the hard way that boots are not born waterproof. After ruining a pair of leather hiking boots in a single rainy weekend in the Pacific Northwest, I started testing every boot waterproofing spray I could get my hands on. Our team has spent the past three months applying six different products to leather […]

I still remember the first time my Belgian Malinois lifted her paw on a granite scramble and whimpered. That bloody pad ended our hike 3 miles short of the summit. If you have ever carried a 55-pound dog down a rocky trail, you understand why finding the best dog boots for hiking became an obsession […]

I've been hiking for 17 years and own more pairs of boots than I'd like to admit, and the single biggest upgrade I ever made wasn't the boots themselves. It was swapping the flimsy stock liners for proper aftermarket insoles. After testing eight of the best hiking boot insoles on everything from a 60-mile stretch […]

If you have ever tried wrestling a screaming toddler into boots that refuse to slip over a chunky sock, you already know the stakes. The best toddler snow boots are not just about warmth. They need to slide on without a fight, keep slush out during a puddle-stomping session, and stay light enough that new […]

Blistered toes can ruin a backpacking trip faster than any storm or gear failure. If you have ever limped the last three miles back to the trailhead because your toes were rubbing raw against each other, you already know why so many thru-hikers are switching to the best toe socks for hiking on the market […]

I have spent more winters than I can count freezing my toes on cold trails, and I have learned the hard way that regular hiking boots simply do not cut it once temperatures drop below freezing. After testing dozens of pairs over the past three winters on everything from icy New England trails to deep […]