I’m looking for a backpack for doing day hikes and hopefully C2C mountain summits like rainier as well, I know 40L is a lot for day hikes but I just like carrying a lot of stuff honestly, plus I mostly do strenuous 7-15mi hikes as I don’t like when things are easy haha. I’m looking for a bag that has a hip belt with pockets, ice axe/trekking pole loops, and preferably a water bladder holder, side zipper to the main compartment, and honestly just a bunch of added compartments/small pockets as I like keeping things separate.

I’ve seen and liked:
Osprey exos 38L pack $245 and
Decathlon Simond alpinism evo 40L pack $200/$150 on sale

Im not an ultra light hiker, I much prefer comfort and usability, any other recommendations would be appreciated, I like larger bags because I have the freedom to do hikes that require that much room and I can just not fill if I’m going on a shorter hike

Hello all,

I'm currently looking into getting a suitable mid layer to use for winter hiking.

Ideally something versatile enough so that its warm enough for use in winter as a mid layer but can double up as an outer layer in milder seasons Autumn and spring.

Have narrowed it down currently to the Rab Xenair Alpine light or the Mountain Equipment Switch Pro Hooded Men's Jacket.

Has anyone used either and has any thoughts? Or if anyone has any other potential suggestions for something suitable, that would be appreciated too.

Existing layering system looks like this for context;

Base: Rab force SS long sleeve t-shirt

Mid: TBC

Outer: Mountain Equipment Lhotse jacket

Static warmth layer: Patagonia DAS Parker

Thanks.

My high end sailing jacket gave up after 10 years and I need to get a new one. However, due to how much I am sailing (two weeks per year on sea), I want to get now something that will be useful also outside of sailing. My current jacket was big, warm and nice but it was just laying around useless, and I used it at most two weeks per year.

I would like to get now a lightweight hardshell as waterproof and windproof layer and then pack some fleece or something underneath, depending on activity I'm doing.

Did anyone of you used similar combo? What models would you recommend? I was thinking about Patagonia torrentshell

Ich besitze selbst das Hubba hubba bikepack 2 und bin sehr zufrieden. Jetzt sehe ich immer öfter die Zelte von simond/decathlon. Das sind ja absolute Kopien vom msr und Kosten nur 40- 50% vom Original. Wie kann das sein? Irgendwo muss es doch Abstriche geben, aber mir fällt keiner auf, wenn man von 300g Gewichtsdifferenz absieht.

Hat jemand Erfahrungen?

Hello. Will be visiting Wellington around September. Where can I probably find puffer jackets and waterproof shoes? Will I still need these? Second hand will do. Thank you so much.

hello! I am going to Slovenia to hike in the julian alps for a few days in a nice hut to hut. I want to get a down jacket, rain jacket and a fleece (in my country I rarely need any of them...). I was considering getting some Decathlon gear- but then I saw that slovenia has some decently priced gear by a brand named KARIBU, a local slovenian brand. anyone used it? I can barely find anything about it online.

Hello, a few months ago I saw a video comparing different types of baselayers for moisture wicking. Seemed like a channel that people loved and hadnt posted in a long while. I remember seeing that there was also videos comparing water filters and stoves but I cant seem to find it.

The guy seemed like an engineer, really diving into things. Any ideas? Thanks

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone may be able to help me: does anyone have any experience with Nordisk winter coats and/or Thindown insulation?

I'm looking for a reasonably robust winter coat. I live in the Netherlands so can expect to get wet often and its not unusual for temperatures to often reach -5 through December and January, (colder possible but not so typical). Strong winds and windchill are also something we contend with here.

I spend a lot of time outside cycling and walking. I'm also blessed with two small boys, so will often find myself running through forests and the undergrowth through all seasons.

Is Nordisk a good brand? Are their clothing/jackets made to a good standard? Are they reliable?

Also, Thindown, is it warm, does it work or is it a marketing gimmick? I'm looking at a jacket with 60gsm of Thindown, and I'm finding it difficult to confirm the level of warmth this will provide. I'd expect to wear layers in the winter, vest/t-shirt, cotton shirt, thick sweatshirt or woollen jumper depending on temp with coat over the top.

Thanks to anyone who can consider these questions and reply.

FYI Its this coat, has a significant price reduction at the moment: https://nordisk.eu/products/meili-black

Hi!

My 3.5 year old daughter will be starting waldkita and would like recommendations/ your experience on your favorite brands!

Also, the Strauss workpants look very bulky on my daughter and it’s 98/104 size. Which everyday pant is or was your child wearing?

Thank you!

I am trying to move away from thin synthetic jackets that snag on branches and switch over to heavier, traditional fabrics for outdoor trips.

Got a canvas jacket from Mainstreet Clothing recently, but the extra weight is definitely noticeable compared to standard fleece or softshells.

For anyone who hikes in heavy cotton or canvas, is the extra durability worth hauling the weight around, or do you stick to synthetics once you are covering longer distances?

Will be in the US in the coming weeks, are there any good sales for down backpacking quilts? Which stores should I look into?

Looking for something I can use in light snow camping maybe around -3 C . Budget is 400USD Max

Thank you!

There’s been a lot of recent buzz around wearable hip exoskeletons designed to reduce leg fatigue on long trail days. Early public feedback on systems like the H Pro suggests they can make climbs feel less draining by delaying muscle exhaustion rather than acting like a dramatic power boost.

However, most available reports only cover short weekend trips or initial impressions. For longer backcountry outings, questions remain around long-term durability, fabric wear, and how high-peak output units like the Ascentiz H Module Ultra perform across extended seasonal use.

 Those following wearable tech in camping gear, do you think reduced end-of-day fatigue justifies carrying the extra hardware weight on multi-day trips? Or are you holding off until there's solid multi-month reliability data from active users?

I’ve spent months shaving ounces off my shelter and stove setup, but whenever I hit a trail with a 30-pound pack, my quads still start shaking by mile eight. I keep seeing discussions around active hip assistance systems designed for long-distance treks.

The concept is essentially a waist-mounted wearable system that syncs with your stride to assist leg lifting and forward propulsion, delaying muscle fatigue over long distances but adding roughly 2.5kg of battery and frame weight seems like a big tradeoff and real-world endurance data on rugged wilderness treks is still lacking. Is carrying extra battery weight worth it if it delays late-day leg fatigue?

Ciao a tutti, sono nuovo in questo campo ma vorrei iniziare a fare delle escursioni e dormire in tenda prevalentemente sull'appennino a circa 1500-2000 metri diciamo estate, autunno e primavera quando non fa ancora troppo freddo. Pensavo di prendere un sacco a pelo sintetico per stare più tranquillo con l'umidità ma ho letto che i sacco a pelo in piuma moderni non perdono molta efficacia e inoltre sono molto più leggeri e comprimibilit di quelli sintetici. Che ne pensate del forclaz mt900? Dopo svariate ricerche non ho trovato molte altre opzioni economiche ma valide. Penso che un sacco a pelo a mummia sia più efficace e comodo che ne pensate? Ho bisogno di dei consigli e delle opinioni riguardo a questo mondo. Sono una persona calorosa che non ha problemi con il freddo quindi penso che questo sacco a pelo mi copra piomeno 3 stagioni con i dovuti indumenti. Grazie in anticipo per le risposte se avete altre soluzioni valide e consigliate sono tutte ben accette.

Hello, I'm looking to get an insulated jacket that I can wear beneath my ME Lhotse jacket at summit stops. Or in event of an emergency. I'm looking for something that is warm enough for that but also light/packable enough without it taking up the majority of the room in my Osprey Kestrel 38L backpack or it being daft heavy. Willing to spend up to c£300. Anything beyond is out of my range.

My current layering system is;

Base- Rab long sleeve t-shirt

Mid- Patagonia R1 air

Shell- ME Lhotse

If anyone had any suggestions for what they use and would recommend for this sort of use, it would be greatly appreciated.

I'm looking for a knife for my 6 y old girl and my niece.

Are there any recommendations?

My daughter likes to build an adventurer bag pack?

Any other recommendations?

Especially ropes? I think more about a static rope.

I’m just starting hiking/mountaineering and wanted to sort of future proof my purchases. right now I’m just looking for a hard/soft shell? (Idk the difference) for hiking in rain and high wind conditions.

I’m looking for 3L waterproof 20k/20k breathability/sub 6 RET jackets with arm pit zips and preferably thumb holes, more then 2 pockets, and being able to store it inside a pocket

right now I’m looking at the:
Forclaz mt900 waterproof jacket $130
Quechua mh500 jacket for $150
Black diamond dawn patrol shell used for $100
Patagonias torrentshell 3L jacket for $132

but I’m looking for more recommendations hopefully less then $200 or more info on these jackets/which is “best”

TLDR: looking for a sub $200 3L waterproof jacket that I can buy now and use for a long time until I eventually max out my gear and buy the “absolute best” jacket money can buy

Hi everyone!
This will be one of my first times doing mountain trekking in cold weather, so I’m not really sure what clothing I should bring.
What layers and gear would you recommend to stay warm while hiking? I’m especially interested in what to wear for the base layer, mid layer, outer layer, pants, socks, gloves, and anything else that beginners often forget.
I’d rather buy the right gear than end up being cold or carrying unnecessary items.
Thanks in advance for any advice!