This new single wall tent provides convenience and ventilation, plus loads of room for one person and gear and can accommodate two people when needed. Read More...
Two-person single wall tent with a twist: one side is double wall, so the fly can be rolled up in good weather for extra views and ventilation. Read More...
ARTICLES Gear Reviews
Photon ReX Review by Roger Caffin and Rick Dreher, with contributions from Will Rietveld
The Photon ReX looks like another one of those little button-cell LED lights, but it has a couple of very nice surprises - and it even works well. Testing it presented some difficulties, but these were generally easy to overcome. Read More...
With a natural bamboo overlay and a leather grip and strap, these poles have a beautiful and classic look. Underneath the bamboo is a modern tapered carbon fiber trekking pole that is both lightweight and very stiff. Read More...
A new development in the area of microfilters which is both light and field maintainable, but does it work well enough? There are problems when the water is not crystal clear. Read More...
At 25.2 ounces for the Refuge and 15.8 ounces for the "world's lightest two-man" Refuge X, Six Moon Designs now has two of the lightest floored single-wall shelters on the market (and the only floored tent made of Cuben Fiber). Were the design compromises and added expense worth the weight savings? Read More...
With all-new, tapered and oversized carbon fiber shafts, the Gossamer Gear Lightrek 3 is significantly stiffer than previous models. As reigning “lightest trekking pole” champ, how does this affect the pole’s overall weight? Read More...
A seven-ounce mosquito-free haven which, when mated with the Gatewood Cape, becomes the inner half of an eighteen-ounce double walled tent system. Read More...
Camp chair aficionados rejoice - the ten ounce barrier has been convincingly broken by Big Agnes with their six ounce Cyclone SL chair kit. Read More...
A unique feature of the Convertible it that a third pole can be added to "convert" it from a three-season tent to a "WinterLite" four-season tent. At 3.5 pounds for a complete two-person double-wall tent, the Convertible in three season mode is 2.6 ounces heavier than Big Sky's award-winning Evolution 2P, but new design elements make it more stable and versatile. Read More...
Garmin's latest mapping GPS has a large, high-resolution display, streamlined controls (including the new "Rock 'n Roller" input wheel), and topographic maps for the entire United States at 1:100K scale. In many ways, it represents an advance in handheld GPS for the general consumer...but it appears to have missed the mark for lightweight backpacking. Read More...
This is a modern version of the traditional hardwood walking staff. Made of carbon fiber, it is much stronger and more robust than even the stiffest of trekking poles. It has an adjustable hand strap, breaks down into sections, and can even be converted into a “trail defense system". Read More...
The Golite Pinnacle is a replacement for the popular Gust pack and is the larger version of the popular Golite Jam2 backpack. It offers many upgrades over the Gust, but how do they affect the pack’s performance? Read More...
The Hennessy Hyperlight Backpacker A-Sym hammock is a refined backpacking hammock that incorporates full rain and bug protection, and has a convenient entry/exit system. Read More...
With the addition of a new ‘H’ high sensitivity receiver, the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx GPS sets a new benchmark for GPS performance in difficult reception areas Read More...
ARTICLES Gear Reviews
MSR MIOX Purifier REVIEW by Roger Caffin, with contributions from Backpacking Light staff members Doug Johnson, Mike Martin and Will Rietveld
A small electronic device for purifying water with a mixed oxidizer based on electrolyzing salt. Read More...
Removable carbon fiber stays make it the lightest and most versatile internal frame backpack in its size class, but curved stays would markedly improve its fit and comfort. Read More...
ARTICLES Gear Reviews
Helix Potty Trowel REVIEW by Roger Caffin, with forum contributions from members Brian King and Peter Lewis
A very light carbon fibre and aluminium alloy ‘potty trowel’ (which works quite well as such) which also functions very well as an ultra-light ice axe. Read More...
With over 38 square feet of floor area, this single person tent has the highest area to weight ratio in its class (single wall shelter with floor), but it has a few flaws. Read More...
A durable and versatile “convertible backpack” with removable stays that allow it to be used either frameless or as an ultralight internal frame backpack. Read More...
A lightweight down hammock under-quilt designed for a Hennessy hammock that still allows for easy bottom entry. It can also be used as a top quilt or as a top bag. Read More...
Innovative snow travel system consisting of an overboot with cleats that click into a snowshoe deck. The design eliminates the snowshoe binding and allows the use of the overboots separately, which allows wearers to use lightweight trail running shoes inside, but there are a few significant drawbacks we discovered from our field testing. Read More...
Packed with 30 ounces of 800-fill down and other heat-retaining features, this lightweight bag earns its 0 °F rating but its snug fit and curved half zipper are its nemesis. Read More...
Based on the previous Outdoor Designs tent, the Rab Summit Extreme is a rare eVENT tent that provides the ultimate in single wall breathability. It is built to handle the most extreme alpine environments and has few peers in its extreme mountaineering niche. Read More...