Hiking Essentials

Find the hiking gear that matters most for safer, easier, and more comfortable days on the trail. This category includes hiking backpacks, trekking poles, hydration gear, navigation tools, trail safety items, and other hiking essentials, with practical advice to help you choose gear that fits your terrain, distance, and experience level.

Ultralight Survival Kit packed inside an open hiking backpack with trail essentials for a day hike emergency backup.

Lifeline Ultralight Survival Kit Review: Your 4.5oz Backup Plan

Being prepared outdoors usually looks a lot less dramatic than most people expect. It is rarely about planning for a […]

Leatherman Wingman Multi-Tool open in hand on grass for camping, hiking, and everyday outdoor use

Leatherman Wingman Review: The Ultimate Everyday Outdoor Multi-Tool?

A multi-tool usually earns its spot the same way any good outdoor gear does: by solving small problems before they

Emergency survival shelter pitched between trees in a forest with a hiking backpack, trekking poles, and water bottle nearby.

Emergency Survival Shelter Review: Does This Mylar Shelter Actually Help in an Emergency?

It’s easy to head out for a short hike feeling like everything is under control. The weather looks steady. The

Person hiking through the woods with the ALPS Commander Freighter Frame loaded with camouflage gear, showing the pack’s heavy-hauling external-frame design in the field.

ALPS Commander Freighter Frame Review: The Ultimate Heavy-Hauler?

Some trips ask more from a pack than a normal backpack can reasonably handle. A few days of camp gear,