Hiking Gear Reviews

Gear Review: Black Diamond Dome Beanie

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Black Diamond Dome Beanie
Black Diamond Dome Beanie

Lightweight Hat
Black Diamond Dome Beanie
$19, 1 oz.
One size
blackdiamondequipment.com

Nordic skiing, backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing—those high-energy winter activities require a little head coverage to stave off a chill, but too much hat will make you overheat. Enter the Dome Beanie, perfect for aerobic activities when you only need light insulation on your head. I’ve worn it for several days of skate-skiing and backcountry skiing and found it ideal in temperatures from the mid-20s to 30s when I’m exerting at moderate to high levels. This stretchy skullcap feels soft, covers your ears, fits under a helmet or even a warmer hat (as a wicking layer in deeper cold), and dries lickety-split.

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Gear Review: Lorpen and Merrell Socks

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Lorpen Trail Running Multisport Sock

Socks
Lorpen Trail Running Multisport Sock
$13, 2 oz. (men’s medium)

Lorpen Midweight Hiker Sock
$21, 3.5 oz. (men’s medium)

Lorpen Merino Light Ski Sock
$22, 3 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes (for all models): men’s M-XL women’s S-M
lorpen.com

Merrell Men’s Chameleon Stretch/Women’s Siren Sport Sock
$18, 2 oz. (men’s medium)

Merrell Men’s Courant Solid/Women’s Scamper Solid/Stripe Sock
$18 2 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes (for both models): men’s and women’s S-XL
merrell.com

How much can you say about socks? The best feel comfortable, keep your feet dry to prevent blisters, and hold their shape for more than just one day—important when you’re on a multi-day backcountry trip. After numerous days of trail running, dayhiking, backpacking, and backcountry and resort skiing, I’ve picked out some favorites.

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Gear Review: Petzl NAO headlamp

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Petzl NAO

Headlamp
Petzl NAO
$175, 7 oz.
petzl.com

Stepping outside my tent during a black night in Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness, I turned in the direction of our food stuff sacks hanging from a tree more than 300 feet away—and saw them lit up brightly in the beam of this headlamp. Then I swung my gaze back to the ground before me to watch where I was walking, and the Nao’s beam instantly switched over to wide-area mode, brightly illuminating a broad perimeter around me. And it did this without me touching the device.

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Gear Review: Norrona Lofoten Warm2 High Loft Jacket

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Norrona Lofoten Warm2 High Loft Jacket

Norrona Lofoten Warm2 High Loft Jacket
$199, 13 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: Men’s S-XL, women’s XS-L
norrona.com

A highly breathable fleece jacket is a layering staple for almost any cool- or cold-weather outdoor activity year-round. This lightweight jacket raises the bar in the two most important characteristics to look for in this type of piece: insulation and breathability. After wearing it on numerous winter days backcountry skiing in Idaho’s Boise Mountains, I’ve decided the Lofoten is the Goldilocks insulating layer: it always feels just right.

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Gear Review: GoLite and MontBell Trekking Umbrellas

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GoLite Collapsible Trekking Umbrella
MontBell U.L. Trekking Umbrella

Trekking Umbrellas
GoLite Collapsible Trekking Umbrella
$50, 10 oz. (including case)
One size
golite.com

MontBell U.L. Trekking Umbrella
$39, 6 oz. (including case)
One size
montbell.us

My kids and mom were pretty psyched when I pulled out these trekking umbrellas during periods of cold rain on a weeklong, hut-to-hut trek in Norway’s Jotunheimen National Park.

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