Hiking and Camping Gear
Find the best hiking, backpacking, and camping gear and outdoor essentials right here. We’ve got your ultimate gear list covered for your next day, weekend, or thru-hike trip, whether you're hitting the backcountry or the local frontcountry.
See our top hike and camp gear picks, including price comparisons, in any outdoor product category: backpacks to tents, sleeping bags to pads, camp stoves to cookware and food, knives to multi-tools, lights to navigation and electronics, trekking poles to water treatment, even dog gear.
Browse thousands of independent equipment reviews and ratings by real hikers, backpackers, alpinists, and paddlers, to select appropriate, dependable, field-tested gear for your next adventure.
Learn more about how to choose hiking and camping gear below »
10 Essentials for Backcountry Travel
While a comprehensive hiking, backpacking, or camping gear list depends on many factors (season, climate, terrain, distance, activities, and personal preference), certain outdoor gear is essential whether you’re exploring the trails in your local woods or heading off on an extended backcountry climb or ski.
Wherever you're going, always bring appropriate hiking and outdoor gear for each of the 10 Essentials:
- Navigation
- Sun protection
- Insulation (extra clothing)
- Illumination (lights)
- First-aid supplies
- Fire (starters)
- Repair kit and tools
- Nutrition (extra food)
- Hydration (extra water)
- Emergency shelter
Recent Hiking/Camping Product Reviews
Northwest Territory Vacation Home 10-Person Tent 14' x 14'
How do u make your own poles for this I bought this tent with no poles hoping I could order them. Can't seem to find them anywhere. Does anyone know how to make your own poles Full review
Tribe Provisions Hammock
The Tribe Provisions Hammock is a comfortable, lightweight, durable hammock that offers great value for the average person. The Tribe Provisions Hammock is a comfortable, lightweight, durable hammock that offers great value for the average person. The hammock system that I purchased on Amazon came with a hammock, two cords and two carabiners. Everything packs neatly into the attached storage bag. I don't use the cords and carabiners, but rather I purchased a different strap system to hang my hammock… Full review
Kodiak Canvas 10x10 Flex-Bow Canvas Tent Deluxe
I think this one of the best tents out there for car camping. Its most significant downsides - it’s weight and packed size - are directly related to what makes great, which is its durability and roominess. Even though it's not perfect - no tent is - I'm giving it five stars because it does everything I want it to do. Setup: Putting the tent up is simple but takes some muscle because the tent and poles are so heavy. The tent rolls out and should be staked down first. Then, the roof rods are put… Full review
Exped DownMat UL 7 Air Pad
Best sleeping pad I've ever used, in over 40 years of backpacking! I've used this pad for over 6 years, including in the Michigan U.P. in February in a blizzard, with temperatures reaching 7 below zero! It does EXACTLY what I want it to do, and does it better than any pad I've ever used, in over 40 years of backpacking: It provides a comfortably cushioned sleeping surface; it's very light for its R-rating, and it keeps me warm all night. It's also easy to inflate, with the included Exped Schnozzel… Full review
Mountain House Pro-Pak Meals
Convenience and variety are the two main benefits of freeze dried Mountain House Pro Pak Meals. I've always prepared my own backpacking meals from real food or home made dehydrated food. However, when I was planning my first thru-hike of the John Muir Trail I decided to try the popular Mountain House Pro Pak Meals. I think that the main benefits of these meals are convenience and variety. One can order these meals online on Amazon, buy them at REI, buy them at Walmart and in various other outdoor… Full review
Cnoc Outdoors Vecto
Great idea, very poor execution. First, getting the slider off the bag is ridiculously hard. I have to push the slider against a door jamb and try to slip the bag out of the slider. Try that when you're in the back country. Second, screwing the filter onto the bag is, again, ridiculously hard. The threads on the bag are too small and/or soft to make the process easy. If the white gasket on the filter is the least bit off kilter, the connection doesn't work. I had such high hopes and was sorely disappointed. Full review
ALPS Mountaineering Mystique 2
Awesome, light weighted tent Awesome, light weighted tent Loved it during my backpack hiking to Humboldt peak, colorado Full review
