The Collection

Hiking 101

Start here: what to carry, what to wear, and how to build a kit that earns its ounces.

2
guides
4
brands tested
0
paid placements

The brief

Everything a smart buyer needs before spending a dollar: how a pack should actually fit, boots versus trail runners, what the Ten Essentials really 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 · 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.

Read the guide~13 min read

Merrell Moab 3 Mid WaterproofTop pick · Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof

Every category, one page

Not sure where to start? See our top picks.

Every category's winner, with the reasoning shown and a live price check on each.

Our top 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.

Keep exploring

Best Hiking Gear

Our rankings by category, by price, and by use case. The shortlist for every kind of hiker.

Gear Comparisons

Every head-to-head, settled: brand vs brand and model vs model, on the same spine.

World Trails

The hikes worth flying for, and exactly what to carry on each one.

← All reviews & guides