Category: gear

My favourite layer for hiking — and almost anything. I wear this jacket most days of the year.

I bought 2 MORE Men’s Helly Hansen LIFALOFT™ Hooded Insulator Jackets.

I fear Helly might stop making them one day.

The LIFALOFT™ jackets have been my favourite since 2019 when Kraig Becker sent me one.

LIFALOFT™ is not down. It’s arguably lighter and warmer.

The idea is to trap a maximum amount of air in a small space. And due to the hydrophobic properties of LIFA®, LIFALOFT™ has an inherent water repellency that seems to keep me warm, even when wet.

And I’ve drenched these jackets over the years.

They are light. Durable. Machine washable.

And relatively inexpensive. About half of what I would pay for a Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer/2 Hoody.

If I bought a new pack today — it would be the Unbound 55.

It’s similar to my current Hyperlite 3400 Windrider, but I like the pockets and boxier shape even more.

I want a huge pack for 5-6 days without resupply, but one that I can get on to the plane as carry-on luggage.

I prefer the black as it’s not going to show the dirt nearly as much.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related – Adventure Alan review

Alan recommends the Unbound 55 over the Unbound 40 for 99% of people. It only weighs an ounce more.

I put thousands of miles on Granite Gear Virga Backpacks — before finally switching to the awesome (but expensive) Hyperlite Windrider.

I feel the black Hyperlite is the best looking light backpack available.

One complaint I had with the Virga line was that they were the ugliest light pack on the market. 😀

The Granite Gear packs — however — are now offered undyed.

Read a GearJunkie review.

Very cool.

You can decorate an undyed pack any way you like.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Granite Gear (@granitegear)

The Virga 3 is also possibly the most adjustable backpack on the market, as well. AND inexpensive.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I could happily go back to the Virga 3 using my inflatable Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Uberlite as the ‘frame’ support.

I’d decorate the pack with the ‘theme‘ of my trek.

By BestHike editor Rick McCharles

The Ultra 3R sleeping mat is just one of a number in the Ultra series.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

My Medium (20.5 in wide) weighs 16.4 oz so I don’t take it for multi-day hiking — only car camping and bikepacking where weight is less an issue.

I got the heavier rectangular shape to completely cover the bottom of my 1-man-tent.

Exped offers 1R to 7R. I’m a warm sleeper and — so far — the 3R option has been plenty warm enough.

After about 30 nights on the mattress, I’ve already had 2 punctures. Happily, they are easy to repair with the included glue. The system does not require a patch on top — only the glue. So it’s quicker to seal the hole.

The Schnozzel Pumpbag does not work nearly as well for me as in the Exped video. 😀

I do use the Schnozzel as a waterproof dry bag, as well.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I used Granite Gear lightweight packs for about 20 years. Thousands of kilometres. A great product.

Finally switched to a Hyperlite Mountain Gear pack in 2019 for the aesthetics, water proofing, and durability.

But I’m still a fan of the Virga line.

… longtime Minnesota-based brand, Granite Gear. Its latest ultralight backpack, the Virga 3, is a top-to-bottom rethink of the previous Virga, with more inclusive sizing at the center of the new design. …

The Virga 3 isn’t the first size-inclusive backpack, but it’s among the first explicitly made for an ultralight audience. It’s frameless, designed to carry 25 pounds or less, and weighs in at 27 ounces for the 55-liter version (the 26-liter pack totals 20 ounces).  …

… accommodates waists from 28 – 42 inches (26 – 40 inches for the women’s model), and is exchangeable for a larger ReFit belt that fits waist sizes from 36 – 52 inches for no additional cost.  …

Granite Gear’s Size-Inclusive Ultralight Pack Is a Step in the Right Direction

I like the looks of the Virga 3, as well.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’d made dozens of flights with a tiny Swiss Army knife in my carry-on without a problem.

But flying out of Vegas, the TSA told me that NONE were allowed — not even those with blades no longer than 2.36 inches long and no wider than 1/2 inch.

Those were allowed at one time but are not in USA 2023.

related – Flying with a Camping Stove in your carry-on luggage.

Many have had clean camping stoves confiscated from their personal luggage.

I put my pot in one carry-on bag. The tiny screw-in stove part mixed in with other small electronics and metal pieces in another bag.

So far that’s worked for me. I don’t check luggage for a hiking trip unless absolutely necessary.

Shout out from As The Crow Flies Hiking.

I agree. Hyperlite is the only pack I hike with.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.