America’s Best Backpacking and Outdoor Adventures
Hiking Shoes
Adidas Terrex Fast R GTX
$155, 1 lb. 12 oz. (men’s 9)
Sizes: men’s 6-14
www.adidas.com/us/outdoor
Adidas might have named this low-cut shoe the ATV, because it really is an all-terrain vehicle. On local hikes in the Boise Foothills in all kinds of conditions—dry, packed dirt, mud, wet snow, and rain-drenched rock—the outsoles bit without a slip. That’s thanks to deep and widely spaced outsole lugs and Continental rubber, the same kind used for mountain bike tires.
Hiking Shorts
REI Venturi Shorts
$70 men’s, $60 women’s, 7 oz. (men’s size 30)
Sizes: men’s 30-42, women’s 0-16
rei.com
This seems an awkward confession to make, but I admittedly have conflicting desires when it comes to hiking shorts: I want them to be as light as possible, but to have at least a couple of zippered pockets and offer more than shorty-shorts coverage (mostly for sun protection). In a quest for something that straddles those competing objectives, I found REI’s Venturi.
Hydration Pack
The North Face Enduro
$140, 10 oz.
5.5L/336 c.i.
One size each in men’s and women’s-specific models
thenorthface.com
After numerous outings dayhikes, trail runs, and mountain bikes rides wearing the Enduro, I’ve decided it may be the most stable hydration pack I’ve ever used. Credit goes to the unique design. For starters, the shoulder straps attach using a hook-and-loop patch in a V-shape over your sternum, like the arms of a kid riding piggyback. A nylon hook-and-loop waist belt wraps around your waist like your kid’s legs.
Children’s Backpacks
Deuter Fox 40
$109, 40L/2,440 c.i., 3 lbs.
One size, adjustable to fit torsos 11 to 18 inches
www.deuterusa.com
Osprey Jib 35
$129, 35L/2,136 c.i., 3 lbs. 3 oz.
One size, adjustable to fit torsos 13 to 19 inches
ospreypacks.com
There were two things I made sure of before letting my son carry a backpack instead of a daypack on our family backpacking trips: that he was ready and eager to do it, and that the pack I gave him fit him. The first question I let him answer: I waited until he asked to carry a backpack.
Tent
Brooks-Range Foray
$425, 2 lbs. 10 oz. (tent, fly, poles)
brooks-range.com
This sub-three-pound, two-person tent defies preconceived notions of an ultralight tent: it has comfortable space, is strong and dry inside in rough weather, and versatile. I found the Foray especially perfect for backpacking with a kid who’s too young to carry much, if any, gear, because living space assumes a lower priority when your companion is a child, while having a lightweight, low-bulk tent makes a huge difference when you’re carrying most of the gear.