By Will Rietveld As I have repeatedly said, if you are into ultralight backpacking, or day hiking, you should be using ultralight footwear. You don’t need to wear those 3-pound boat anchors. According to US Army research, taking 1 pound off your feet (0.5 pound off each one) is equivalent to taking 6.4 pounds out of your backpack. Not to belabor the subject, but assuming it takes about 2,000 steps to walk a mile, and if you are wearing shoes that weigh 1 pound less, that is 1,000 pounds that you are not lifting with each foot, per mile. That’s why we recommend a trail running shoe for ul ..read more

By Will Rietveld In spring 2019, Therm-a-Rest, a division of Cascade Designs, introduced some seriously lightweight and technically advanced gear. The Hyperion 20 sleeping bag (and its companion Hyperion 32) is in that suite. I tested the Hyperion 20 for summer backpacking. I previously used and recommended a 30F bag for summer backpacking, but as I get older I get colder and prefer a 20F rated bag. I also prefer a bag with enough shoulder girth to wear at least an ultralight insulated jacket inside to increase bag warmth when needed. So how did the Hyperion 20 meet those needs? The Ther ..read more

By Will Rietveld I was talking with a friend the other day and we reminisced to 20 years ago when there was very little ultralight backpacking gear available for purchase and many of us made our own. A “lightweight” sleeping pad at that time (often labeled “ultralight”) weighed a pound. Fast forward to the present and we now have the Therm-a-Rest Uberlite pad that weighs just 6 ounces in Size Short, 8.8 ounces in size Regular, and the luxurious Large at 12 ounces. All are thick and comfy, and have a sufficient R-2 rating for summer use. What’s not to like? Well, it’s mostly all positives ..read more

By Will Rietveld Topo Athletic is a relatively new shoe company that makes several trail models of interest to lightweight backpackers and trail runners. Features that appeal are light weight, synthetic materials, stitchless (welded) construction), a wide toebox, and snug heelcup. I have previously tested two Topo models – the Terraventure and Hydoventure – and loved both of them. A new model in Topo lineup is the Ultraventure. This review will focus on how it’s a bit different from the two models I have previously tested, and how it compares with the popular Altra Lone Peak shoe, now in vers ..read more

By Will Rietveld Just to be clear, although this jacket is called a “Parka”, it is in fact a hooded, featured windshirt. At 2.5 ounces, it’s likely the lightest one to be found. Montbell’s Ex Light Wind Jacket, made of the same fabric but Spartan for features, weighs 1.7 ounces. So, are the Parka's features worth the extra 0.8 ounce? The Montbell Tachyon Parka features a full-height front zipper, an attached adjustable hood, two zippered hand pockets, and an internal key pocket. It’s made of a more breathable version of their 7-denier Ballistic Airlight nylon fabric. Specifications and Feature ..read more

By Will Rietveld The new Altra Lone Peak 4 takes another step in the evolution of this popular trail shoe. It’s popular because its shape/fit, materials, support, cushioning, traction, and light weight are on target with what hikers and trail runners want. What’s new with this new edition, and how is it better? And further, are there advantages (or not) of switching to the mid-height waterproof/breathable version versus a traditional low-cut shoe? I started out testing the new Altra 4 RSM Mid (left), but after discovering a few quirks I decided to compare it with the Altra 4 Low (right). This ..read more