With the right tent you can protect yourself from the weather, spread out in luxury, and settle into a home away from home
Editor's Letter
New Beginnings
This is a gear guide unlike any other. It is a partnership between five magazines—Outside, Backpacker, Beta, VeloNews, and Climbing, all siblings under Outside Interactive Inc. These pages represent the collective efforts of ten gear editors, 40 category managers, and nearly 150 testers. It is the biggest, most comprehensive, and most exhaustive gear guide any of us have produced. That’s saying a lot, seeing as the editors who worked on it have more than five decades of combined experience.
How did this work? Team members from each magazine spent weeks planning as a group, then divided and conquered. Outside and VeloNews worked together on road and gravel biking. The Beta crew handled mountain biking, including vital data from their week-long bike test in British Columbia (see Mountain Bikes). The Climbing gang logged hundreds of pitches to find the best climbing shoes and equipment. Meanwhile, the Backpacker bunch focused on hiking apparel, footwear, and multi-day gear, and the Outside magazine team handled car camping, watersports, travel, and fitness. Each team then nominated and re-tested Editors’ Choice finalists. The highlight: a four-day trip through Panama’s Parque Internacional La Amistad with Backpacker and Outside. Reviews of award winners like the Deuter AirContact Ultra pack and Box Synergy7 solar panel are the result.
When all was said and done, our family of gear nerds—bigger, more seasoned, and more specialized than ever before—wound up testing more than 1,000 products and covering thousands of miles from high-alpine peaks to lowland forests to coastal waterways, in order to present you, our members and readers, with the best gear for summer adventures. I won’t lie: it was a lot of hard work. But it was also an incredible opportunity for growth. By sharing information on our testing tactics, we learned a lot from one another. We debated gear-reviewing philosophy and evolved our collective understanding of what makes a product writeup useful and engaging. And the learning has only just begun. This first unified Gear Guide is just that: a beginning. We have big plans for the chapters to come, and can’t wait to share them with you. —Ariella Gintzler, editor
Hike
This pack bridges the gap between ultralight and ultracomfy
Shoulder the load and make miles with these trail-ready rucksacks
This nifty container makes gear organization a cinch
These bags and pads will keep you warm and promote healthy sleep without weighing down your pack
With the right tent you can protect yourself from the weather, spread out in luxury, and settle into a home away from home
Finally, a hiking boot that can truly do it all
These hikers will help you carry your load and stay comfortable and secure, no matter the terrain
Fend off water and wind with these breathable, packable jackets
Scarpa is pushing approach shoes to new heights—and distances
These bags redefine carrying comfort
These shelters score major comfort points
The comfiest base-camp bedding
Pants made by—and for—plus-size female hikers
Technical layers for any occasion
Technical layers for any occasion
These accessories might not make or break your trip, but you’ll sure be glad you packed them
A lightning-fast water filter makes staying hydrated on the trail easier than ever
Feast-making cookware that won’t slow you down
A five-star kit for base-camp meals
A cool kit for eager little adventurers
Keep your pup safe and stylish on the trail with these seven accessories
A reliable workhorse that will last for years
From the backcountry to the airport, this pack has you covered
A beginner friendly backpacking pack with everything you need—and nothing you don’t
This shelter is a versatile three-season performer
A portable three-person tent for deep backcountry adventures
For comfort and storage space, this shelter is hard to beat
Bike
From the park to the podium, the Privateer 141 does it all
Rigs to put a smile on anyone’s face
These rigs impressed us with fresh design
Allied’s new gravel-road crossover bike is the best two-in-one we’ve ever tested
Top-notch rigs for riding where the pavement ends
These motor-equipped rides are both fun and functional
Devices bringing innovation to the trails and beyond
Round out your trail kit and get riding
A secure connection to your bike starts with your feet
These top-notch lids won us over
Rigorous testing was no match for these pieces
Rigorous testing was no match for these pieces
Step up your cycling game with these road, gravel, and spin shoes
On-bike essentials for a better ride
A cycling outfit that everyone will love
A cycling outfit that everyone will love
These lids tick all our boxes
Clothing and accessories for urban riding
Float
Give the pack the slip
Purpose-built platforms for a variety of experiences
A new wave of inflatables is approaching shore
Leave the heavy lifting to these pieces
Masterful sleds for a variety of conditions
Workout
This shoe brings carbon-plated speed to the masses
These rugged runners love to rally
Blisters are history with this snug, no-slip pair
Kicks for logging tarmac miles
There’s a lot more to these bottoms than meets the eye
Don’t be afraid to sweat it out in these running pieces
Don’t be afraid to sweat it out in these running pieces
Carryall solutions for every kind of run
Unlock your project with this cragging gear
Quality rubber is the most important part of your crag bag
Focus on your session—not your clothes
Focus on your session—not your clothes
This featherlight racerback doesn’t sacrifice support
The best comfort and performance for all levels of activity
Embrace the heat and take your practice deeper
There’s a great new wearable for every kind of athletic goal
This travel speaker impresses with studio-quality sound
You’ll want to know about these earbuds
Travel
This portable, packable device will repel mosquitoes no matter where you take it
These bags’ innovative features make them standouts for adventure travel
Winning shades for every kind of adventure
These rigs make car camping easy
The best gear for staying put outside
This compact solar panel will juice up your next long-distance trek
Upgrade to these versatile trip staples
We adore these easy breezy on-the-road pieces
The best gear for capturing your adventures
This is the most innovative camper we’ve tested in years
Take the whole family along in this distinctive camper
You’d be hard pressed to find a better deal on a fully built camper van
The fuzzy tops we’re reaching for when summer adventures turn cool