In my Hiking Lady Essential Gear Reviews I put to the test various backpacks, water bottles, trekking poles, tents and more! I know how to beat up gear, and as I go on hiking adventures I test gear! When stuff is great, I let you know, and when it is bad, I also let you know!
I used to wonder why it seemed that everyone on the trail had a Nalgene bottle with them. Now that I have my own, I understand. These BPA free water bottles are extremely durable, don’t leak, and keep water or sports drinks tasting fresh. I’ve dropped my Nalgene on rough granite rocks many times, but …
I like a good night’s sleep when I’m camping and backpacking, and to do that I rely on my Therm-A-Rest Stuff Sack Pillow. It weighs just 2.6 ounces and is highly durable and easy to clean. During the day, I use it like any other stuff sack to keep my clothes and down jacket organized …
The CamelBak BPA Free Better Bottle with Bite Valve is one of my favorite water bottles. I originally found out about this water bottle when I was researching BPA-free plastic bottles that I could use while hiking. What is BPA and why I avoid it (and you should too!)? BPA is a chemical called Bisphenol-A, …
I first got a CamelBak Reservoir as a Christmas gift from my brother. It was part of a backpack set, and at first I primarily used it to stay hydrated on the ski slopes. Then after seeing some friends on the trail using their CamelBak bladder in their daypacks and even backpacking packs, I’ve been …
My goose down sleeping bag hardly takes up any space in my backpack when I have it snugly stored in this sleeping bag compression sack. Mine is the medium size, so 8 x 19 inches, but there are even smaller compression sacks if you have a higher fill down sleeping bag (the higher the fill, …
I bought my Black Diamond Spot Headlamp upon the recommendation of a friend who works at my local outdoors store. He’s an avid climber and told me it is the best headlamp on the market. Frankly, I am quite disappointed! Once I tested other headlamps, I realized that the Black Diamond Spot is inferior for …
Do you backpack in bear country? Then you’re gonna need a bear canister! I bought a BearVault bear canister Solo 450 for my backpacking trips. Why? Frankly because I like that I can see through the side and know where my snacks are inside. Plus it has a wider rim than the other canisters on …
When I first started backpacking, I ran into a friend at the local outdoors store who had already been backpacking for many years. I asked him what he thought I really needed to purchase. Guess what he said? A spork, and down booties! Certainly not what I was expecting, but now I completely understand. Sporks …
REI Backpack Duffel I never thought that I would be this happy with a duffel bag! Last March I was headed up to the Sierra Nevada mountains on a long-weekend snow camping trip. I realized at the last minute that my Gregory Backpack was going to be thrown under the bus in the mass storage …
I never thought that a whistle could actually be considered superior to other whistles. I’ve been using an old aluminum one out on the trail until the guys at OHM Industrial Designers asked if I’d like to check out their latest and greatest whistle, the Fox 40 Sharx Whistle. These guys make the Fox40 Micro …