The Collection

Hiking 101

Start here: how gear actually works, what to look for, and how to build a kit that earns its weight.

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guides
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brands tested
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paid placements

The brief

Everything a smart hiker needs before spending a dollar: how to choose a pack that fits, the boots-versus-trail-runners decision, what the Ten Essentials actually are, and the spec-sheet tricks to ignore.

No products to sell you in most of these: just the foundation that makes every review on this site make sense.

01

Start here · Explainer

The Ten Essentials: What to Actually Carry

The most famous checklist in the outdoors is almost a century old, and it's still the best answer to the question every new hiker asks: what should be in my pack? This is the modern, practical version: the ten systems as mountaineering tradition defined them, what each one actually looks like in a day hiker's pack in 2026, what it costs in ounces and dollars, and where you can honestly scale down without kidding yourself.

Read the guide~13 min read

Our top picks

Not sure where to start? Start with the winners.

Every category's #1, weighed and carried, with a live price check on each.

See the picks →

The full collection

  1. 02

    Explainer

    How to Choose a Daypack: The Complete Guide

    Daypack marketing is a blizzard of liters, straps, and acronyms, and almost none of it tells you the two things that actually matter: does it fit your back, and does it carry what your day actually needs. This is the rigorous version: how many liters you really want, how to measure your torso and judge fit, when a suspended backpanel earns its weight over a frameless sack, how hydration compatibility actually works, and which features matter versus which ones are just sewn-on marketing.

  2. 03
    Hiking Boots vs Trail Runners: Which Should You Hike In?

    Comparison

    Hiking Boots vs Trail Runners: Which Should You Hike In?

    The most heated gear debate on any trail, settled honestly: what boots actually give you (and what they just claim to), why thru-hikers overwhelmingly went to trail runners, what the old 'pound on your feet' saying really means, how dry time and durability change the math, and a clear buy-boots-if / buy-runners-if verdict so you can stop reading forum wars and go hiking.

  3. 04

    Explainer

    Ultralight Backpacking 101

    Ultralight isn't a shopping list, it's an accounting system: weigh everything, question everything, and make every ounce argue for its place in your pack. This is the honest beginner's guide: what base weight means and the tiers the community actually uses, why the big three (pack, shelter, sleep) are where the pounds hide, where cutting weight is nearly free versus where it costs $100 an ounce, and where the ultralight ethos genuinely goes too far for beginners.

Keep exploring

Best Hiking Gear

Our rankings: by category, by price, by trip type. The shortlist for every kind of hiker.

Hiking Footwear

Boots, trail runners, and the great debate between them: the decision that makes or breaks every mile.

Backpacking Gear

The overnight kit: packs, tents, sleep systems, stoves, and filters that carry your home on your back.

Camp & Sleep

Tents, bags, pads, and camp comfort: sleep well outside and everything else gets easier.

World Trails

The hikes worth crossing the world for: and exactly what to carry on each of them.

Comparisons & Head-to-Heads

Every gear matchup, settled: brand vs brand and model vs model, on the same spine.

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