America’s Best Backpacking and Outdoor Adventures
Lightweight Boots
Scarpa Moraine Mid GTX
$129, 2 lb. 2 oz. (men’s Euro 42/US 9)
Sizes: men’s Euro 39-46.5, 47, 48, women’s 36-43
scarpa.com
I asked a lot of these boots—and they measured up well to every task I asked of them, from hiking with a light daypack in the Boise Foothills to backpacking with a 50-pound load (including more than 20 pounds of water) on a three-day, early-spring family trip in Capitol Reef National Park.
By Michael Lanza
The bison swings his massive, battering-ram head in our direction. Steam issues from his nostrils in short bursts. I’m not sure whether bison actually glare, but this 2,000-pound beef bulldozer with horns distinctly appears to be glaring at us. He looks perturbed.
Trail Food
Probar
$3, 3 oz.
theprobar.com
I’ve grown tired of some of the energy bars on the market. But having sampled the new Probar flavors—double chocolate, peanut butter, peanut butter chocolate chip, and superfruit slam—on several days of backcountry skiing, I have to say they taste really good.
Backpack
Gregory Savant 58 (men’s) and Sage 55 (women’s)
$199, 58L/3,539 c.i., 3 lbs. 9 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: S-L
gregorypacks.com
Ultralight packs have their place, but they’re not for people who want assured comfort when carrying a little extra weight—whether it’s in creature comforts like a fatter air mattress and a roomier tent, or just food for a longer trek. For that backpacker, there is hardly a better midweight, midsize pack than the men’s Savant or women’s Sage, perfect for traditional backpacking trips of two to five days.
Daypack
Osprey Syncro 20
$119, l lb. 15 oz. (M/L)
Sizes: S/M 18L/1,098 c.i., M/L 20L/1,220 c.i.
ospreypacks.com
This daypack is all about organization, comfort, and versatility for several hours of hiking or biking. On hikes, rides, and light ski tours in Idaho’s Boise Mountains, I found its suspension super stable, thanks to a single, aluminum perimeter stay that wraps around the back panel and flexes with your torso motion while providing enough support for loads of 15 pounds or more. The trampoline-style back panel allows lots of air circulation, which kept my back cool on long uphill slogs, while the lightly padded, mesh waistbelt and shoulder straps are comfortable without being bulky or obtrusive.