Gear Reviews

With thousands of miles on foot between us, and a lifetime of backpacking, camping, and traveling, we’ve hauled a lot of gear through the woods and around the planet. Here’s where we share our reviews of products sent to us, products we purchase, and products we use every day we’re outdoors, from technical clothing to the electronics that help us do the job of keeping you updated.

DISCLOSURE: Our reviews may contain include affiliate links so you may purchase the item if you are interested in it. We earn a small commission on each purchase.

Gear Checklists

How to pack for a Florida hike

The Ten Essentials and more: a checklist for items you’ll want to bring with you for day hiking and backpacking in Florida. Florida’s climate and weather are unlike most of the rest of the United States, so your selections take some planning.

For Day Hiking

Day pack. Water bottles. Snacks. Map. Insect Repellent. Sun Protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, hat). Custom first aid kit. Rain jacket. Small flashlight. Camera and spare batteries. Cell phone. Whistle.

For Backpacking

Backpack. Hydration bladder. Tent. Hiking poles. Sleeping bag. Sleeping pad. Headlamp. Food in food bag. Water filter. Water bottle. Extra socks. Dry clothes to sleep in. Toilet paper. Lightweight folding trowel. Custom first aid kit. Trash bag. Insect Repellent. Sun Protection. Map. Rain jacket. Camera and spare batteries. Cell phone. Whistle. Bandana. Hand sanitizer / soap. Camp shoes. Plastic bags to keep electronics dry. Optionally: Bear canister. Camp stove and fuel plus matches or lighter. Fleece. Extra shirt. Pack cover.

Selecting Gear

Choosing Gear for a Florida Trail Hike

Our detailed recommendations and reviews of the best hiking and backpacking gear for your thru-hike or section hike of the Florida Trail based on our own successful use of certain tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and more.

Gear For Florida

Hiking Basics for Florida

How to hike in Florida – the basics of what you need to know for hiking in Florida, whether you’re day hiking or backpacking.

Florida is one of the toughest states in which to try out your hiking, backpacking, and camping gear. Our extreme humidity and wide swings of temperature mean you need to be ready for anything when you plan a trip during hiking season (October-April). Our sultry, rainy summers make camping tough. Think about our humidity, heat, insects, and water issues as you make your gear choices.

How to prepare for a backpacking trip

What does a hiker need to spend a week, or a month, or three months on the trail? Here are trail-tested suggestions for backpacking in Florida for trips of a week or more

Hiking boots for Florida?

This question keeps popping up: what are the best hiking boots? John explains how, through trial by trail, he figured out what works for him. His advice? Keep trying.

Things to think about when choosing what to carry on our outdoor adventures: hydration is a must. Insect repellent and sunscreen are essentials year-round. You WILL get wet (either your feet or your whole body, in the rain). It will get hot. It can get very cold in the winter.

Once you have your core gear established, keep in mind it has other uses as well. Most notably, the things you carry on a backpacking trip can do double duty in times of emergency, such as when the power is knocked out by bad weather.

Backpacker Tips for Hurricane Prep

Backpacking skills are survival skills. Use your knowledge and gear to make personal preparations for hurricane season power loss and evacuations in Florida.

What’s in Our Gear Closet?

What are the things we carry when hiking and backpacking? These are trail-tested items in our gear closet that we use when headed outdoors. Some of this gear was with us on our Appalachian Trail journey, and all of it has seen time on the Florida Trail as well. Over time, we’ve replaced / upgraded our gear to lighten or strengthen what we carry.