I learned the hard way on a John Muir Trail section in that the wrong food bag ends a trip. A curious black bear found my lightweight sack hanging too low on a willow branch, and I spent two days eating cold couscous from a torn bag. Since then our team has logged more than […]

After three months of testing backpacking windscreens across the Pacific Northwest's gustiest ridgelines and the still waters of Hood Canal, I've boiled enough water to fill a small lake. Backpacking windscreens aren't flashy gear, but the right one can stretch a 100g fuel canister by 15 to 30% in real wind, shave minutes off boil […]

I've been running rivers and paddling coastal estuaries for over 15 years, and nothing kills a perfect day on the water faster than a swarm of biting insects around your face. Mosquito head nets have become the single piece of gear I refuse to launch without, especially during the buggy shoulder seasons. After spending 30 […]

Last summer, I spent 47 nights on the water testing night fishing lights with my buddy who runs a charter out of Galveston. We ran the same dock, same tide cycles, and same rigs - only the lights changed. By the third weekend, we had caught more crappie and bass under a 10000 lumen green […]

I have dumped a wet rain shell into the bottom of a backpack, watched my socks slide into the seams, and fished through three days of rolled layers looking for a single base layer at 4 a.m. on a trail in the Cascades. That is why the best packing cubes for outdoor travel matter: they […]

Peak bagging hits different when your gear actually works. The alpine starts before dawn, the exposed ridgelines above treeline, and the fast summit-and-return schedule demand equipment that balances weight against protection. I have spent the last three seasons refining my own kit on peaks from Colorado fourteeners to New Hampshire's Presidential Range, and this guide […]

Carrying snowshoes without a proper bag means scratched car interiors, torn backpacks, and the constant annoyance of crampons snagging on everything. I learned that lesson the hard way after a weekend trip where my bare snowshoes ripped through a nylon pack and left a gash in my trunk liner. That experience sent me searching for […]

Expert reviews of the top fishing backpacks for every budget and use case, with 3 months of real-world testing across 47 criteria.

After 15 years of backpacking and 8,000+ trail miles, I've tested the top men's backpacking backpacks. Discover which packs offer the best comfort, capacity, and value for your next adventure.

After testing 20+ hydration packs over 3 years and 500+ trail miles, we review the top 12 models for hiking, running, and biking. Find your perfect hydration companion.