Backpacking Tents

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 Tent

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 2

43 oz | $530

If you want the best overall freestanding backpacking tent that money can buy, choose the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2. Compared to similar freestanding models, it’s taller, lighter, better ventilated, and more livable. This is the backpacking tent we’d want to hang out in on a rainy day because the innovative awning system adds ventilation, and the near-vertical sidewalls and fully lofted ceiling provide excellent headroom for sitting up. The Copper Spur is sturdy, lightweight, and fully featured. This tent does it all and does it all extremely well. Read more in our full-length Big Agnes Copper Spur Review.

Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2 Tent

35 oz | $450

At only 2.2 pounds and with one of the best area-to-weight ratios, the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 is the lightest option available among traditional backpacking tents. And priced at $450, it’s a really great blend of performance, value, features, and headroom. In addition to overall lightweight materials, the Tiger Wall UL2 utilizes a semi-freestanding design to reduce weight, so you’ll need to stake out the corners. This is an excellent lightweight tent and great option to save weight without going overly minimalist.

REI Half Dome SL 2+ Tent

63 oz | $349

The REI Co-op Half Dome SL 2+ is a best-seller for a reason; it just works. No matter where and how you choose to camp in the back or front-country, this large backpacking tent will keep you comfortably protected. Its vertical walls, spacious interior, and expansive vestibules make for great livability, and an excellent crossover into car camping. Backed by REI’s warranty.

Backpacking Packs

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55

32 oz | $379 

This is one of our all-time favorite backpacks, and the model we’ve used most over the past decade. Constructed with ultralight, waterproof, and tough-as-nails Dyneema fabric, the HMG Southwest 55 delivers the best overall performance. We laud it also for a surprisingly comfortable carry, unfathomable durability, and massive external pockets. It is simply unequaled.

REI Co-op Flash Air 50

30 oz | $299

We’re thrilled to see REI continue pumping out Co-op brand ultralight gear, and the Flash Air 50 has potential to be their crown jewel. Weighing in at just under two pounds, it hits the bullseye and is competitive with most other ultralight packs, albeit not pushing any limits. The design is like a streamlined version of the popular Flash 55 Pack. They have a similar chassis and pocket configuration, with similar accessories, only Flash Air 50 has no brain, uses lighter weight materials across the board, and costs $100 more.

REI Flash 55 Backpack

REI Co-op Flash 55

45 oz | $199

REI Co-op Flash 55 is a well-rounded lightweight backpack that delivers excellent performance at an impressive value. From our perspective, it is the singular best backpack one can purchase for under $200. For a 45 oz backpack, there’s lots of modular pockets and features, plus the fit is adjustable. Almost everyone finds this backpack to be comfortable, and we love the distinct yellow colorway.

Sleeping Bags & Quilts 

REI Co-op Magma 15 Sleeping Bag

35.6 oz | $429

We ran the down fill weight numbers, and it would be more accurate to call REI Co-op Magma 15 Sleeping Bag a 10 degree model. While nothing special in terms of total weight (35.6 oz for unisex medium), it is filled with 23.3 oz of down, roughly 50% more than the previous version of this sleeping bag. This bag is likely too warm to be most people’s daily driver for summer mountain backpacking, but it’s perfect for cold sleepers and for shoulder season. Plus, look at how cozy that hood with insulated yoke is. You might also consider the Magma 30 degree bag, which is more like a 25 degree. In closing, we commend REI on a very inclusive size range, generously filling the baffles, and an overall sustainable design.

Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20

20 oz | $550

We value warmth-to-weight above all else in an ultralight sleeping bag for backpacking,  which is why we like the Therm-a-rest Hyperion 20. Based on our estimation, it has one of the highest warmth-to-weight ratios of any conventional 20F ultralight sleeping bag from a mainstream outdoor gear brand.

Therm-a-Rest Vesper Quilt 20

Therm-a-Rest Vesper Quilt 20

19.0 oz | $460

Weighing only 19 oz, Therm-a-Rest Vesper is likely the best ultralight quilt REI has ever sold. With 900 fill power hydrophobic goose down and 10d fabric, this one is seriously ultralight and keeps campers comfortably warm down to freezing. The boxed baffle construction helps prevent cold spots and it has a neck snap, cinching, and sleeping pad attachment points to prevent drafts. Stay cozy and carry less weight with this ultralight quilt!

REI Co-op Magma 30 Down Trail Quilt

20.3 oz | $329

The REI Co-op Magma 30 Down Trail Quilt is a versatile, fully-featured quilt capable of shifting between blanket mode and hood-less sleeping bag by way of a zippered footbox. Its 850 fill power down, warmth-to-weight, and overall backcountry performance seems to be appropriate for the $329 price point, and with lots of inclusive sizing options. All that said, it’s not the huge value pickup that it used to be, and lighter weight minimalist options are available on the market for a similar price. But for a lightweight trail quilt, this seems like a pretty dang good, readily available option.

Sleeping Pads

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad

13 oz | $210

Building on excellence, the new for 2023 Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT (shop now) delivers a higher R-Value (4.5 vs 4.2), an extra half inch of thickness (3″ vs 2.5″), and a quieter and less crinkly user-experience. The stats show this is the highest performance sleeping pad on the market. Until proven otherwise, the NXT is now our go-to sleeping pad. Consider saving an ounce by switching to the short, 66 oz length! Read more in our full-length Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Review.

NEMO Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad

14.1 oz | $200

Wow, the NEMO Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated is a dang impressive sleeping pad and our new preferred model. With an R-Value of 5.4, and weighing only 14.1 oz, it clocks the highest R-Value-to-weight-ratio among 3-season pads, besting the esteemed Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT, despite being an ounce heavier in total. This is achieved with two suspended layers of thermal mirror film – ultralight insulation, but ultra efficient. You also get the industry standard, ultra comfy 3.5″ thick NEMO Spaceframe baffles and overall quiet sleep experience. What’s more, Tensor’s predecessors had been known for durability issues, but this is solved with the increase to 40d ripstop nylon underside, up from 20d. Great work, NEMO!

REI Backpacking Equipment: Stoves & Cookwear

JetBoil Stash Stove

7.1 oz | $150

The lightest fully integrated stove-pot combo system available! We love Jetboil Stash Stove‘s best-in-class fuel efficiency, and how nicely all of the components nest into the pot. This is our go-to all-in-one cook system, and a very smart piece of ultralight backpacking gear. While the stove unit itself is good-not-great, the Stash pot is the single most effective water boiling vessel on the market.

MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe

2.9 oz | $85

The MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe improves on the baseline Pocket Rocket II by adding pressure regulation, a built-in ignitor, and a dash of wind resistance. And it boils a liter of water in just 3.5 minutes on full blast. Crank it back to medium output for slightly better fuel efficiency. This is our top pick for a standalone stove unit.

 

TOAKS Titanium 900ml Pot

4.0 oz | $45

The TOAKS 900ml titanium pot is ultralight, beloved by users, respectably affordable, and nests small or medium sized canisters. Titanium is stronger than aluminum, but doesn’t conduct heat quite as well. Its fold-out handle handle is space saving and effective. Ditch the orange storage baggie, which has been noted to shed microplastics. You didn’t need it anyway.

TOAKS Titanium 450ml Mug

2.7 oz | $20

Built with sturdy, ultralight titanium, the TOAKS Titanium Single Wall 450 is our go-to camp mug. It holds 15 oz, is a great value, and may just last forever. Pro tip – ditch the orange mesh bag – you don’t need it.

TOAKS Titanium Long Handle Spoon

TOAKS Titanium Long Handle

.7 oz | $11

It’s hard to imagine any backpacking spoon scoring better user ratings than the TOAKS Titanium Long Handle Spoon. At time of publication it averages 4.7 out of 5 stars on 145 reviews at REI Co-op. The $11 price point is lower than we expect to see relative its ultralight and ultra durable titanium construction. Plus, it features an upward tilted bowl for ease of lifting food out of a meal bag.

Benchmade Mini Bugout Grivory best hiking knife

Benchmade 533-04 Mini Bugout Grivory Knife

1.5 oz | $153

The Benchmade Mini Bugout is lightweight and made with extremely high quality CPM-S30V stainless-steel. Yes it’s spendy, but it stays sharper for longer in the backcountry, making quick work of food prep with a 2.8″ blade. The Grivory handle is lightweight and grippy, and has a secure locking mechanism for sure-fire cutting. Also great as an everyday carry.

Rain Gear

Patagonia Torrentshell 3L Jacket

Patagonia Torrentshell 3L

14.1 oz | $179

We love when sustainable gear made with recycled materials performs as well as unconstrained designs, and the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L Jacket leads the pack for rainwear. But not only is it eco-friendly, it’s also a fully featured 3L rain jacket, making it one of the most affordable of it’s kind. We love the pit zips, and the tricot backed membrane is waterproof and comfortable to wear. Learn more in our full-length Patagonia TorrentShell 3L Review.

Arc’teryx Beta Lightweight Jacket

12.0 oz | $500

Formerly known as Beta LT, the revised Arc’teryx Beta Lightweight offers the same exceptional waterproof protection and features in a lighter weight and more sustainable package with the new Gore-Tex ePE membrane. And it is exactly what we want for hiking into a downpour. The chassis features pit zips, large hip-belt compatible pockets, and is constructed with a hybrid mapped split of 70d recycled nylon in high abrasion zones like shoulders and outer arms, with 40d along the inner arms and lower mid/lower torso. More than durable enough for 99.9% of hiking scenarios.

REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket

11.4 oz | $100

The REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket is the best hard shell we know of for only $100, and has been one of the most popular pieces of cheap backpacking gear for ages. The 2.5L HydroWall membrane checks all of the basic boxes for waterproofness and breathability. And we can’t stress enough how nice it is to have pit zips. But you also get an adjustable hood, hem/cuff cinches, and of course the REI warranty. What’s more, Rainier is super sustainable and ethically manufactured. You get Fair Trade Certified, bluesign approved, use of recycled nylons, and nonfluorinated DWR.

REI Trailmade Rain Pants

7.7 oz | $70

A basic pair of 2.5L, lightweight rain duds. What’s not to like? The REI Co-op Trailmade Rain Pants design features ankle zips, an elastic drawcord waistband, and a zippered back pocket. They’re available in a very wide array of sizes for all body types. Good all around cheap backpacking gear, perfect for hikers on a budget.

Puffy & Fleece Jackets

Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer 2 Down Jacket

8.8 oz | $360

The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Jacket is the best selling ultralight down jacket of all time, now in its second edition and made with 100% recycled fabric. It achieves its low, low weight by combining 10d Pertex Quantum Ripstop and 800 fill power down. It is an effective and easy choice for a great down jacket.

REI 650 Down Jacket

10.9 oz | $129

It’s really difficult to find a down jacket from a reputable outdoor brand for this price. Yet the REI Co-op 650 Down Jacket is still lighter than average. Sure, it uses low fill power down, has no hood, and isn’t exactly the warmest puffer, but it certainly gets the job done without breaking the bank. Plus, it’s 100% recycled.

The North Face FutureFleece Hoodie

7.3 oz | $170

The North Face FutureFleece Hoodie is a lightweight, all-purpose mid-layer with exceptional breathability and a high warmth-to-weight ratio. It outperforms every fleece except for Alpha Direct, but still trumps that in terms of durability, wind-resistance, and versatility. Its performance is thanks to Octa hollow-core yarn, same as Mountain Hardwear AirMesh, but in a flat face exterior with grided interior. The inside face alternates between voluminous loop clusters that insulate, and channels of empty space to encourage breathability. Read more in our full-length FutureFleece Review.

Patagonia R1 Air Fleece

10.2 oz | $129

Patagonia R1 Air is the warmest, coziest, and comfiest of the lightweight fleece family and is a nice, nearly strict upgrade to the original R1. Its zigzagging knit pattern is designed to boost breathability in a similar way to how grid fleece functions. We like how the zigzag valleys create less empty space than square grid fleece. This boosts breathability significantly with only a minimal hit to its insulative ability. Read more in our full-length Patagonia R1 Air Review.

Shirts & Pants

Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie

Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie

5.2 oz | $75

For a majority of three season hiking, we recommend the Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie. This sun hoody is incredibly light, stretchy, comfortable, breathable, airy, quick drying, moisture wicking, and rated to UPF 15-20 (depending on color). This shirt does it all, and is perfect compliment to an ultralight backpacking gear kit. Pack a sun hoody and you’ll find that you will save weight carrying less sunscreen and also get less sun burns. We’ve worn this shirt around the world and are always impressed. What’s more, it’s built with eco-friendly recycled polyester!

REI Sahara Shade Hoodie

7.5 oz | $50

For extreme sun exposure, we prefer a hiking shirt rated to UPF 50, and that’s where the REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie comes into play. This is what we would choose for activities like climbing a Cascade volcano in spring, backpacking through high altitude plateaus in the San Juans of Colorado, traversing a glacier in the Alps, or hiking in the Altiplano Desert of South America.

Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants

10.7 oz | $99

The Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants are a lightweight, stretchy, comfortable, and weather-resistant pair of all-purpose hiking pants. Highly recommended! The stretch woven ripstop nylon is tough, and now made with 46% recycled materials. We’ve worn these to great success all over the world. The only downside is that they have just one cargo pocket and it’s small.

Kuhl Freeflex Roll-Up Pants

14 oz | $99

The Women’s KUHL Freeflex Roll-Up Pants offer spandex-free stretch, which doesn’t sag or bag. But more importantly, they have much sought-after dual cargo pockets on the thighs for handy storage of knickknacks like lip balm or a small tube of sunscreen. As the namesake implies, they have mid-calf snaps for converting into a capri. A functional and flattering Design from KUHL.

 

Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants

15.2 oz | $109

There’s so much to like about the Men’s KUHL Renegade Convertible Pants. You want the best cargo pockets in the biz? Check. The most durable pants fabric for bushwhacking and scrambling? Check. Zip off lower legs to convert to shorts? Check. Add in a dash of stretch and a comfortable, roomy fit and these Renegades make for some of the best hiking pants imaginable. Our only knock is that they’re a bit heavier than average, but it’s not a huge deal since you wear them rather than carry them.

Shoes & Socks

HOKA Speedgoat 5

10.3 oz | $155

Our staff pick trail runner! The HOKA Speedgoat 5 is technical, cushioned, very sturdy, and very very grippy, even on challenging terrain. This shoe is great for hiking long days thanks for the comfortable cushion and wide toe box. The average overall width of shoe keeps feet from sloshing about on sloped terrain and provides accurate, stable footfalls. Perfect for everything from casual day hiking to super ultralight fastpacking, and everything in between. Read more in our full-length HOKA Speedgoat 5 Review.

HOKA Challenger 7

HOKA Challenger 7

8.9 oz | $145

A true Goldilocks, HOKA Challenger 7 is the best all-around hiking shoe for use on trail. It’s lightweight, well-cushioned-but-not-too-cushioned, and just the right balance of traction to energy return. We love this shoe best for crushing long mileage days without sore feet. Read more in our comprehensive HOKA Challenger 7 Review.

Smartwool Performance Run Ankle Socks

Smartwool Performance Run Ankle Socks

1.6 oz | $21

When it comes to a comfortable and secure fit, nobody beats Smartwool Performance Socks. Because we do all of our hiking in trail running shoes, running socks are a better choice than thicker hiking socks designed to be worn with boots. The thinner fabric reduces foot sweat, and thus also reduces blisters caused by maceration. When choosing between models, we recommend ones with light to no cushioning. Apply your personal preferences when choosing ankle height.

REI Backpacking Equipment Accessories

Black Diamond Spot 400 headlamp for backpacking

Black Diamond Spot 400-R Headlamp

2.6 oz | $65

Choose the Black Diamond Spot 400-R because it delivers exceptional stats, user experience, and comes with more positive user reviews and expert accolades than any other model. The 400 lumen output is perfect for all but the darkest of outings, and its 1500 mAh battery is powerful and sufficient for four hours of use on high to get you through the entire evening. The only knocks we have for it are that lighter weight models exist, and that it’s still on micro-USB, which is slower than USB-C, and keeps you stuck in multi-cord limbo.

Sawyer Squeeze Water Filtration

Sawyer Squeeze Water Filtration

3.6 oz | $41

Faster and more efficient than pumping or waiting for chemical treatments, the Sawyer Squeeze System offers on-the-go hydration at a good flow. This product is long-lasting, affordable, reliable, cleanable, and very user-friendly. We also like the sawyer water bags for compressibility and having on hand so you can camel up at the last water source before dry camping at a viewpoint. This is ultralight backpacking gear. The filter itself weighs only 3 oz, and the 3.6 oz listed total also include a .6 oz 1L bag.

Outdoor Research Swift Cap

Outdoor Research Swift Cap

2.5 oz | $30

A simple UPF 50 sun cap gets the job done best. The Outdoor Research Swift Cap is comprised of a lightweight, breathable mesh, with a 3-panel nylon layer on the crown to block the harshest UV. It also has a moisture wicking sweat band and adjustable at the back. We’ve worn this one all around the world.

REI Flash Carbon Trekking Poles

13.6 oz | $169

The REI Flash Carbon Trekking Poles are nearly everything we’d hope for in a pair of trekking poles, and a great do-it-all pick. They have burly, well-built flip locks and weigh less than seven ounces per pole for an easy and accurate swing. Our only knock is that they did not extend the foam handle lower down the pole for grip adjustability while ascending.

Garmin inReach Messenger

4.0 oz | $300

Garmin inReach Messenger is the latest contender in the satellite communicator genre, and offers best-in-class battery life, signal receptivity, and nearly all of the most desirable features for just $300 and four ounces. As such, it takes our top slot award, narrowly beating out ZOLEO and inReach Mini 2.

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bag

2.6 oz | $40

For waterproof gear storage at a great price, we recommend the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bag. The largest model weighs only 2.6 oz and holds 35L, enough for a sleeping bag, puffy jacket, and camp clothes with room to spare.

Arcade Belts

Arcade Belts

2.5 oz | $32

Arcade Belts could be a big upgrade for hikers. It’s made of polyester webbing that is soft to the touch and stretchy, so it doesn’t dig into your skin or bite, even when you have it pulled taught. Adjusting this belt is straightforward, the clasp is very secure, it holds tightness, and does an excellent job of keeping pants up. Highly recommended if you’re still using something old, heavy, leather, or otherwise uncomfortable.

Tifosi Swank Sunglasses

Tifosi Swank Sunglasses

1.0 oz | $30

Backpacking is hard on shades. They tend to get scratched, lost, crushed, or otherwise damaged. That’s why we recommend a basic, functional, and more economical option like the Tifosi Swank Sunglasses. They look great and you can replace them without breaking the bank. But you may never have to as they polycarbonate lenses are shatterproof, 20x more impact resistant than glass, and provide 100% protection from UVA and UVB rays. The frames are similarly durable.

Kahtoola MICROspikes

Kahtoola MICROspikes

11 oz | $75

Often copied but never equaled, the Kahtoola MICROspikes are the go-to option for walking on steep snowy and icy terrain. They have incredible traction, last forever, and are the preferred option of PCT thru hikers in the Sierra Nevada mountains during high snow years.

Suunto M-3D Compass

Suunto M-3 D Leader Compass

1.6 oz | $65

The Suunto M-3D is a simple and durable lightweight compass with all of the essential features, including declination adjustment. Should always carry along with paper maps as a backup to GPS.

Sea To Summit Mosquito Head Net

Sea To Summit Mosquito Head Net

1.0 oz | $15 MSRP

Weighing only one oz and totally bug-proof, you barely notice the Sea to Summit Mosquito Head Net. Yet in early summer, it might be the hardest working piece of ultralight backpacking gear you carry. It’s comfy see through, and outperforms bug repellent sprays and lotions. We like the version treated with InsectShield permethrin to further ward off mosquitos. This is a must-bring in June and July in the mountains.

REI Backpacking Equipment List Conclusion

Thank you for reading! We hope you’ve found what you’re looking for in this backpacking equipment list. We’ve had positive experiences with  everything here, and we’re sure you will too! If you want to see more categories highlighted or something else featured, drop us a note in the comments. Happy hiking!