Hiking & Climbing Gear
Jul 02 2026
An insulated jacket is one of the most useful pieces of clothing a hiker can carry. It provides warmth during rest stops, cold mornings, windy summits, evenings at camp, and unexpected changes in mountain weather. However, insulated jackets vary enormously. A thin synthetic jacket designed for active climbing serves a different purpose from a lightweight …
Jun 30 2026
Hiking pants are designed to provide comfort, mobility, and protection across changing trail conditions. Unlike ordinary jeans or casual trousers, they typically use lightweight technical fabrics that stretch, dry quickly, resist abrasion, and remain comfortable beneath a backpack. The best hiking pants depend on where and when you hike. Lightweight trousers may be ideal for …
Jun 28 2026
The outdoor industry includes hundreds of brands offering everything from inexpensive day-hiking clothing to equipment designed for technical climbing and high-altitude expeditions. Some manufacturers produce almost every type of outdoor product, while others concentrate on one category such as footwear, backpacks, lighting, navigation, or camping equipment. No single company makes the ideal version of every …
Jun 27 2026
A personal locator beacon is a compact emergency device designed to alert search-and-rescue authorities when someone faces a serious emergency in a remote location. Unlike a satellite communicator, a traditional PLB is not intended for routine text messaging, weather forecasts, location tracking, or casual check-ins. Its principal purpose is much simpler: transmit a dedicated distress …
Jun 27 2026
A headlamp is one of the simplest pieces of hiking equipment, but it can become one of the most important. It provides hands-free light for following a trail, reading a map, setting up camp, preparing food, making repairs, and responding to an emergency after dark. Headlamps are not only for planned night hikes. A short …
Jun 18 2026
Realizing that you are lost can trigger an immediate urge to move faster, search harder, or descend toward what appears to be safety. Those reactions are understandable, but hurried movement often makes the situation worse. The safest first response is usually to stop. Continuing in an uncertain direction can take you farther from the trail, …
Jun 17 2026
A hiking compass is one of the simplest and most dependable navigation tools a person can carry. It requires no cellular service, satellite signal, software subscription, or rechargeable battery. When used with a suitable topographic map, it can help a hiker determine direction, orient the map, follow a planned route, identify surrounding landmarks, and return …
Feb 22 2026
Mountain hiking does not have to begin with exposed ridgelines, exhausting climbs, or technical summit routes. Across the United States, numerous short and well-maintained trails allow new hikers to experience mountain scenery without committing to an advanced backcountry expedition. The best beginner-friendly mountain hikes combine manageable distances, straightforward navigation, relatively modest elevation gain, and rewarding …
Jan 24 2026
Few hiking boots manage to look equally natural on a forest trail, beside a mountain campsite, and on the streets of a small outdoor town. The Danner Mountain 600 has built its reputation by doing exactly that. Introduced during the mid-2010s, the Mountain 600 combined the appearance of a traditional leather hiking boot with the …
Jun 25 2025
Hiking and mountaineering can both lead to spectacular summits, remote landscapes, and memorable days in the mountains. However, they are not interchangeable activities. A strenuous hike may involve thousands of feet of elevation gain, rough terrain, high altitude, and a very long day. Mountaineering adds another dimension: technical terrain and skills that may involve snow, …
