Philip J. Smith's Blog: Section Hiker’s Top Backpacking Gear Picks

Philip Werner on Mt Percival, Squam Lake Region, NH.

While I get to try out more backpacking gear than most people, I have a highly refined list of gear favorites that I bring on my personal hiking, backpacking, camping, fly fishing, and winter trips. It's the kind of stuff I've been using for years and will likely replace when it wears out. I still buy most of my personal gear, so I'm always looking for the best balance of function, durability and cost.

That said, I have dropped a few old favorites because they simply wore out or I've replaced them with gear that's more durable and attuned to the types of trips I've been taking over the past two years. (See bottom of this post.) It's was all great stuff, just not quite as well suited for my needs anymore.

With that in mind, I've tried to explain the conditions that the gear listed below performs best in. Please leave a comment if you have any questions.

Backpacks

Best ultralight backpack for one night backpacking trips, day hikes, off-trail hiking, and backcountry fishing: Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest Backpack. (2 years- link to review)

Tough as nails. The most durable backpack I've ever used to death. External Dyneema pockets are far more durable than mesh ones.

Best ultralight backpack for multi-day and shoulder-season backpacking trips: Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest Backpack. (1 year- link to review)

Same fit as the HMG 2400 but with a longer extension collar. The huge main compartment is good for storing bulkier cold weather sleep insulation.

Best high-volume backpack for off-trail and multi-day backpacking trips, including packrafting and winter backpacking. Seek Outside Unaweep Fortress 4800 external frame backpack. (2 years – link to review)

Great hip belt and external attachment system. No load is too heavy – the benefit of an external frame backpack.

Warbonnet Blackbird Single Layer Hammock in Southwest Maine — Warbonnet Blackbird Single Layer Hammock and Superfly Tarp in Southwest Maine.

Tents, Hammocks, and Shelters

Best backpacking hammock – Warbonnet Blackbird (2 years – link to review)

Swapped my double layer Blackbird for a single layer Blackbird this year and switched from cinch buckle strap system to whoopie slings to save gear weight. Still basically the same hammock, just a different suspension.

Best winter tent: Black Diamond Firstlight Tent (7 years – link to review)

Truly freestanding. Nuff said!

Sleeping Pads

Best inflatable three season sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest XLite Sleeping Pad (4 years – link to review)

Best inflatable winter sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest XTherm Sleeping Pad (4 years – link to review)

Best foam sleeping pad (for hammocking): Therm-a-Rest Z Lite (9 years – link to review)

Mainly used to insulate my feet when hammocking with a 3/4 underquilt or to augment a 3 season sleeping pad in winter weather.

Suunto M3 Compass

Sleeping Bags/Quilts

Best 3 season sleeping bag for side sleepers – NEMO Equipment Nocturne 30 Sleeping Bag (3 years – link to review)

Best summer sleeping bag (doubles as hammock top quilt) – Feathered Friends Flicker UL 40 (<1 years – link to review)

I've owned a bunch of top quilts but none have the versatility of the FF Flicker. I like its chameleon-like ability to be used in different ways and with different shelter systems.

Navigation Tools

Best compass: Suunto M3 (5 years – link to review)

Best altimeter watch: Casio Pathfinder Triple Sensor Multi-Function Solar Watch (3 years –link to review)

Best watch I've owned in years. The altimeter is invaluable. I use it on every hike in the mountains.

Headlamps

Best ultralight headlamp for in-camp use: Petzl e+Lite (3 years – link to review)

Best high-powered headlamp for winter hiking/backpacking: Black Diamond Icon (4 years –link to review)

Knives

Best ultralight knife and multi-tool: Victorinox Swiss Army Classic (9 years – link to review)

Best bushcraft/recreational knife: Morakniv Forest Stainless Steel (2 year – review forthcoming)

Trekking Poles

Best trekking poles: Pacerpole (6 years – link to review)

QiWiz Firefly Wood Stove -Ursack Allwhite Bear Bag (rear)

Stoves and Cookware

Best canister stove for boiling water: Jetboil MiniMo Cooking System (2 years – link to review)

Best wood stove: QiWiz Firefly (3 years – link to review)

Best solid fuel stove system: QiWiz Titanium Dual Fuel Cook System (3 years – link to review)

Best liquid fuel winter backpacking stove: MSR Whisperlite (4 years – link to review)

Best UL cook pot: Evernew Titanium Pasta Pot, Medium size (6 years – link to review)

Bear Protection

Best bear-proof bear bag: Ursack (9 years – link to review)

La Sportiva Ultra-Raptor Trail Running Shoes

Hiking Shoes and Boots

Best hiking shoes: La Sportiva Ultra Raptor (3 years – link to review)

Best winter hiking boots: Salomon Toundra Mid WP Winter Hiking Boots (1 year – link to review)

Best Hiking Clothes: Pants, Shirts, Baselayers, Socks, Hats, etc

Best three season hiking pant: RailRiders Eco-mesh Pants w/ Insect Shield (9 years – link to review)

Best three season hiking shirt: Ex Officio Halo Check Shirt w/ Insect Shield (2 years – link to review)

Best hiking socks: Darn Tough Hiker Socks (1 year – link to review)

Remarkably durable. I haven't worn out a pair yet.

Best underwear: Under Armour Heat Gear Boxer Jocks (7 years – link to review)

Best long underwear: Patagonia Capilene 1 long sleeve jersey and long underwear pants (10 years – link to review)

Best three-season hiking hat: Outdoor Research Sentinel Brim Hat w/ Insect Shield (3 years –link to review)

Best Water Filters/Water Purification/Reservoirs

Best Water Filter/Purifier: Sawyer Squeeze(filter only) (4 years – link to review)

Best Water Purifier: Aqua Mira Water Purification Drops (4 years – link to review)

Best Rain Gear/Hard Shells

Best three-season rain jacket: Lightheart Gear Silnylon Rain Jacket (1 year – link to review)

Truly waterproof. No DWR maintenance required, ever.

Best technical winter shell: Outdoor Research Foray Jacket (4 years – link to review)

Best wind shirt: Berghaus VapourLight Hyper Jacket (1 year – link to review)

Best three-season rain pants: Montane Minimus Rain Pants (2 years – link to review)

Best winter hiking/backpacking hard shell pant: Precip fullzip rain pant (6 years – link to review)

Best Winter Gear

Best snowshoes: MSR Evo Ascent Snowshoes (3 years – link to review)

Best ice axe: CAMP Corsa Ice Axe (5 years – link to review)

Best crampons: CAMP XLC Nanotech Crampons (5 years – link to review)

Bought a replacement pair last winter. Still love them.

Best universal winter traction aid: Kahtoola Microspikes (7 years – link to review)

Best winter water bottle insulation: Forty Below Bottle Boots (7 years – link for review)

May need to replace these this year…starting to fall apart.

Best ski goggles: Smith Knowledge Turbo Fan (5 years – link for review)

Best gaiters: Outdoor Research Crocodile Gaiters (7 years – link for review)

Retired Gear

Gossamer Gear Mariposa – Not an ideal pocket system for hammock backpacking. Not durable enough for my needs.
Gossamer Gear Gorilla – Not durable enough for my needs.
Mountain Laurel Designs Duomid – Sold. Too hard to use in heavily forested areas.
Garmont Momentum Snow GTX Boots – Wore out. Beat to death. No longer available.
Cold Cold World Choas (Winter) Backpack – Wore out. Beat to hell.
Outdoor Research Helium II Rain Jacket – Got sick of having to restore DWR coating.
Montbell Tachyon Wind Shirt – Seams unravelled, wore out. No longer available.

Disclosure: Philip Werner has received free sample products for review at one time or another from the following manufacturers mentioned in this article: Gossamer Gear, Outdoor Research, Berghaus, RailRiders, Helly Hansen, MSR, CAMP, Forty Below, Kahtoola, Mora, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, JetBoil, Pacerpole. and Therm-a-Rest. This post contains affiliate links.