April is the most difficult month to hike the White Mountain 4000 footers and hiking out to The Bonds is one of the most difficult hikes to complete due to the distance and early spring snow conditions. This April has been particularly difficult since it snowed an additional five feet earlier in the month adding … The post Hiking the Bonds in April and Gridding Out the Month appeared first on SectionHiker.com ..read more

Stuff sacks are an essential piece of backpacking and camping gear that keep sleeping bags or quilts dry, organized, and compressed. However most of the manufacturer’s stuff sacks that come with sleeping bags or quilts are designed for uncompressed storage, not field use, and it’s often necessary to purchase a separate compression sack, roll-top stuff … The post 10 Best Sleeping Bag Stuff Sacks of 2024 appeared first on SectionHiker.com ..read more

The Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 is a lightweight ultralight-style backpack that weighs 34.5 oz. It’s ideal for weekend backpacking and long-distance trips, particularly if you prefer a backpack that has lots of pockets and a frame, like a more conventional backpack, but weighs half as much. Sporting a unique combination of pockets, it’s an easy … The post Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 Backpack Review appeared first on SectionHiker.com ..read more

The Big Sky Revolution 1.5 Tent is a freestanding double-wall tent, designed for bikepacking with tent pole segments under 30 cm/12″, that weighs 3 lbs 1.6 oz. A lighter-weight backpacking version, weighing 2 lbs 11 oz is also available: the weight difference is due to the use of lighterweight tent poles. Bikepackers like tent poles … The post Big Sky Revolution 1.5 Bikepacking Tent Review appeared first on SectionHiker.com ..read more

Ultralight backpacking tarps are a great camping option if you want to significantly reduce your backpacking gear weight while experiencing a deeper connection to the outdoors, by sleeping under a shelter without walls. Ultralight backpacking tarps come in two basic flavors: shaped, catenary cut tarps that have curved sides to reduce weight and flapping in … The post 10 Best Ultralight Backpacking Tarps of 2024 appeared first on SectionHiker.com ..read more

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Shoulder Pocket is the most popular accessory pocket used by backpackers and for good reason. I’ve been using them for years and attach one to all of my backpacks so I can use my phone to take photos. The Shoulder Pocket is effectively waterproof since it’s made with Dyneema DCF, seam-taped, … The post Raffle: Enter to Win a Hyperlite Mountain Gear Shoulder Pocket appeared first on SectionHiker.com ..read more

J-shaped shoulder straps and S-shaped Shoulder Straps are two different styles of shoulder straps found on backpacks for hiking and backpacking. They differ in their shape, how they conform to the body, and in the placement of the sternum strap affecting comfort and fit. In the past, most backpacks had J-shaped shoulder straps which are … The post Backpacks: J-Shaped vs S-Shaped Shoulder Straps – Which is Right for You? appeared first on SectionHiker.com ..read more

Pyramid tarps often called “mids”, short for pyramids, are available in multiple forms ranging from one-person ultralight monopole tarps to multi-person winter tipis, complete with inner tents, stove jacks, and wood stoves. Despite their differences, all pyramid shelters share a few common properties.  They are exceptionally wind and weather resistant, they have a single peak, … The post 10 Best Ultralight Pyramid Backpacking Tarps of 2024 appeared first on SectionHiker.com ..read more

The Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 Ultralight Backpack (updated in 2024) is a multi-day internal frame backpack that’s optimized for ultralight backpacking and thru-hiking. Now in its fifth generation, it’s a great backpack for people who want to transition from carrying a much heavier back to a lighter-weight one, without having to replace all of their … The post Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 Backpack: A Comprehensive Review appeared first on SectionHiker.com ..read more

Buying a kid’s backpack is very different from buying an adult backpack because kids have smaller physical proportions. They also grow very quickly so you want to make sure that you purchase a backpack that can be adjusted over time. In addition to bringing them close to nature, the accomplishment they feel at being able … The post 10 Best Kids Backpacking Packs for 2024 appeared first on SectionHiker.com ..read more