Hiking Gear Reviews

Gear Review: Five Ten Access Hiking Shoes

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Five Ten Access
Five Ten Access

Hiking/Approach Shoes
Five Ten Access
$140, 1 lb. 10 oz. (US men’s 9)
Sizes: US men’s 4-14
moosejaw.com

Five Ten bills the Access as a go-anywhere, do-anything shoe, so I thought I’d test the authenticity of that claim on an 8.5-hour, 20-mile, 4,500-foot, mid-September trail run-hike of the Alice Lake-Toxaway Lake Loop in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains—including, midway through our day, a 1,400-foot, third-class scramble up 10,651-foot Snowyside Peak. I was honestly a little nervous about committing my feet to these shoes for such a long day, mostly out of concern that they’re not really designed primarily as a trail-running shoe. As it turned out, my feet were as comfortable as they’ve ever been on an ultra-hike or long trail run. Here’s why.

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Deuter Speed Lite 20 daypack.

Review: Deuter Speed Lite 20 Daypack

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Daypack
Deuter Speed Lite 20
$80, 20L/1,220 c.i. 1 lb. 3 oz.
One size
backcountry.com

At first glance, Deuter’s Speed Lite 20 struck me as a daypack with the right capacity and features for virtually any adventure—and super lightweight, which I like. So I decided to put it to a serious test, on an 8.5-hour, 20-mile, 4,500-foot, mid-September trail run-hike of the Alice Lake-Toxaway Lake Loop in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, including a 1,400-foot, third-class scramble up 10,651-foot Snowyside Peak. And there’s much to like about the Speed Lite 20.

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Gear Review: Leki Micro Vario Carbon DSS Folding Trekking Poles

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Leki Micro Vario Carbon Antishock Trekking Poles
Leki Micro Vario Carbon Antishock Trekking Poles

Trekking Poles
Leki Micro Vario Carbon DSS Folding Trekking Poles
$220, 1 lb. 1 oz. (110-130 cm).
Sizes: regular/unisex 110-130 cm, Lady 100-120cm
moosejaw.com

How much does a good pair of trekking poles matter? I used these three-section, folding poles on a dayhike in August that I wasn’t certain I could finish: the 32-mile, 10,000-vertical-foot, nine-summit Pemi Loop in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. For the last few miles, the poles may have been the only thing holding me up. Whether or not you intend to take absurdly long hikes, this one did help me identify the many strengths of Leki’s Micro Vario Carbon DSS Folding Trekking Poles, and evaluate the usefulness of the antishock mechanism.

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La Sportiva TX3

Review: La Sportiva TX3 Hiking Shoes

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La Sportiva TX3
$159, 1 lb. 9 oz. (men’s Euro42/US 9)
Sizes: Euro men’s 38-47.5, women’s 36-43
backcountry.com

If a shoe manufacturer asked me to design my ideal, low-cut hiking shoe, I’d say it should be lightweight, with good flex yet enough cushion and support for rugged dayhikes and ultralight backpacking. I’d want it supremely breathable, reasonably armored against abusive terrain, and to have an outsole that grips any surface. I’m still waiting for a shoe manufacturer to ask me. But La Sportiva seems to have read my mind with the TX3. That shoe jumped to the top of my list after several dayhikes, including a 16-hour, August ultra-hike of the 32-mile, 10,000-vertical-foot, nine-summit Pemi Loop in New Hampshire’s rocky and wet White Mountains, and a 27-mile, 16-hour traverse of western Maine’s Mahoosuc Range.

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Gear Review: Gregory Miwok 18 and Maya 16 Daypacks

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Gregory Miwok 18 daypack
Gregory Miwok 18 daypack

NOTE: This review covers an older version of these daypacks. Click here now to read my newer review of the 2019 versions of the Gregory Miwok 18 and Maya 16.

Daypack
Gregory Miwok 18/Maya 16
$100, 18L/1,098 c.i., 1 lb. 10 oz.
One size
moosejaw.com

For most three-season dayhikes—whether it’s several miles or an ultra-hike of 20 or more miles—I want to travel light, and I prefer a daypack that helps me achieve that goal, while remaining comfortable and having a utilitarian feature set. Having been a fan of the Gregory Miwok series for some years for just those reasons, I took the new men’s Miwok 18 out for a spin on various one-day hikes, including the 32-mile, 10,000-vertical-foot Pemi Loop over nine summits in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, and came away largely impressed with its versatility for most dayhikers.

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