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Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads of 2024
A backpacker holding the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite in Yosemite National Park

Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads of 2024

Whether you’re looking for inflatable or foam, ultralight or ultra-plush, we’ll help you get a great night’s sleep in the backcountry with our trail-tested picks…
Best Backpacking Meals & Food of 2024
A hiker eating from a titanium backpacking pot in a lush, green forest

Best Backpacking Meals & Food of 2024

Backpacking Food Meal planning is one of the most important considerations for any backpacking trip. The food you choose will depend on taste preference, nutritional value, caloric density of each meal, and how easy it is to cook. Some hikers bring dehydrated meals because they’re quick and easy. Others prepare DIY dinner recipes and use […]
Best Backpacking Backpacks of 2024

Best Backpacking Backpacks of 2024

Our team of seasoned backcountry experts hiked thousands of miles using the best backpacking packs on the market to narrow down this list of…
Best Backpacking Tents of 2024
The NEMO Hornet OSMO 2 and Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 backpacking tents pitched in a campsite surrounded by granite peaks in the Sawtooth Mountains

Best Backpacking Tents of 2024

We put the most promising backpacking tents on the market through the wringer to find the ones with the best balance of comfort, weight…
Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2024
A backpacker sitting on a rock in the REI Magma 30 sleeping bag at sunset

Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2024

From summer summits to winter wanderings, our trail-tested list of the best backpacking sleeping bags will keep you warm and cozy in…
Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2024
Closeup of the Sawyer Squeeze water filter in front of an alpine lake

Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2024

We’ve filtered out the nonsense to bring you our purest recommendations of the best water filters around.

All Backpacking Gear Reviews, Expert Tips, & Trail Guides Content

Big Agnes Zoom UL Insulated Sleeping Pad Review
A man stands in front of a lake and mountains holding an orange inflatable mattress.

Big Agnes Zoom UL Insulated Sleeping Pad Review

Last Updated: November 21, 2024
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better pad in this price range. This rectangular sleeping pad is plenty warm for most three-season adventures, and its compact, ultralight design will help keep your pack and back happy.
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Tent Review

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Tent Review

Last Updated: November 21, 2024
Combining lightweight design with exceptional comfort and weather protection, this tent is livable and easy to love.
Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Sleeping Pad Review
In a large field with trees in the background, a man holds an inflatable grey sleeping pad.

Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Sleeping Pad Review

Last Updated: November 21, 2024
You’ll fall asleep and wake up thinking you’re at home in your bed with how cushy this sleeping pad is. This new model incorporates the comfortable “air sprung cells” that erases uneven ground and the lofty 4-inch thickness prevents bottoming out.
NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad Review
A man holds an orange mat in a grassy area in the woods.

NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad Review

Last Updated: November 21, 2024
A closed-cell pad can’t be any lighters, simpler and faster for softening the ground you sleep upon. Use for warm seasons, or pair with an air pad for winter camping.
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol Sleeping Pad Review
A man stands holding a yellow and grey foam sleeping pad, showcasing the pattern and accordion-style packed size.

Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol Sleeping Pad Review

Published: November 21, 2024
CleverHiker founder Dave Collins relied on this pad while thru-hiking the PCT. Affordable, indestructable, and lightweight, its a great option for hard sleepers or anyone who’s going for an ultralight backpacking set-up, or will be winter camping.
Klymit Static V2 Sleeping Pad Review
A woman relaxes inside a tent, sitting on a green inflatable sleeping pad. Trees are visible through the tent.

Klymit Static V2 Sleeping Pad Review

Published: November 21, 2024
This air pad is your affortable ticket into “oh sleeping on the ground isn’t that bad!” Perfect for new backpackers looking for a light sleeping pad on summer trips.
Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad Review

Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad Review

Last Updated: November 21, 2024
It’s nice when a pad doesn’t break your bank or your back. This version’s simple and clever design features provide you with a reliable and cushioned sleep.
Best Backpacking Tents of 2024
The NEMO Hornet OSMO 2 and Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 backpacking tents pitched in a campsite surrounded by granite peaks in the Sawtooth Mountains

Best Backpacking Tents of 2024

Last Updated: November 20, 2024
We put the most promising backpacking tents on the market through the wringer to find the ones with the best balance of comfort, weight…
REI Helix Insulated Air Sleeping Pad Review
A woman is lying on an inflatable mattress on the grass on a sunny day.

REI Helix Insulated Air Sleeping Pad Review

Published: November 20, 2024
This air pad a great option for backpackers who sleep on their backs and tend to camp in colder temps. Plus the price won’t make you lose any sleep at night.
Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated Sleeping Pad Review
A man stands in the woods holding a red inflatable air pad.

Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated Sleeping Pad Review

Published: November 20, 2024
Big Agnes designed a pad that sets up easily, deflates quickly, insulates the cold ground, is soft and cushy, and takes a good old fashioned backcountry beating.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite Sleeping Pad Review

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite Sleeping Pad Review

Last Updated: November 18, 2024
We absolutely love how light, compact, quiet, and comfortable the Therm-a-Rest UberLite is. This is the pad you’ll find in our packs for all our summer outings. The main question to ask yourself with this pad is: how often do you backpack in sub-freezing temps? If the answer is rarely, this might be the perfect pad for you.
Zion Traverse Backpacking Guide

Zion Traverse Backpacking Guide

Last Updated: November 13, 2024
Also called the Trans-Zion Trek is a gorgeous full plate sampler of the Kolob Canyons, Hop Valley, Wilcat Canyon, Horse Pasture Plateau and the West Rim with Zion Canyon as its centerpiece.
100 Best Gifts For Hikers, Backpackers & Campers 2024

100 Best Gifts For Hikers, Backpackers & Campers 2024

Last Updated: November 13, 2024
Give the gift that gets them outside with our guide to the best gifts for hikers and backpackers.
NEMO Tensor Trail Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad Review
A man stands next to a lake gripping a large yellow inflatable camping pad.

NEMO Tensor Trail Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad Review

Last Updated: November 12, 2024
Thick, cushy, quiet, and very comfortable (even for side-sleepers), this ultralight pad is a perfect companion for summer backpacking trips that stay above freezing temps at night.
Zpacks Vertice Rain Jacket Review
a hiker with their hood up in a forest in the rain.

Zpacks Vertice Rain Jacket Review

Last Updated: November 11, 2024
This featherweight shell provides excellent coverage, is incredibly breathable, and is surprisingly durable for how light it is.
Zion Narrows Top Down Backpacking Guide
A hiker wearing an Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultralight Backpack in a slot canyon in Utah

Zion Narrows Top Down Backpacking Guide

Last Updated: November 11, 2024
One of the nation’s deepest and longest slot canyons, The Narrows is the consummate epic adventure. Sheer walls of sandstone reach thousands of feet above the North Fork of the Virgin River, framing blue slivers of sky while lush hanging gardens pulsate from the canyon walls.
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