Gear Reviews

Allow me to introduce you to the tolerably ultralight, totally undyed Crown 3 60L backpack from Granite Gear, a backpacking pack I’ve been wanting to get my hands on for quite some time now. Firstly, because I’m a huge fan of undyed gear (it’s more sustainable that conventionally dyed gear, plus stands out in a crowd–and in photos–and is stupendously fun to get filthy). So to test it out for ourselves, we took it on a backpacking trip to Grand Teton National Park to see how it performed Here’s what we thought after we both carried it for several days over mountainous terrain.

Anyone who’s been hangin’ around Terradrift for more than about 10 minutes is likely aware that I’m a big fan of barefoot shoes. I’ve reviewed lots of them, from sandals to boots to trail runners. And at this point, it’s safe to say I’m all in on barefoot hiking boots. So I thought it was high time we compared the Vivobarfoot Magna Lite SG with the Xero Shoes Scrambler Mid. I tested them both out, so let’s dish about how they differ and who’s gonna wanna check out which one.

There’s a new ultralight backpack in town and it’s kicking it’s predecessor to the curb: the Ultralight Osprey Eja 55 Pro, also available as a men’s version, called the Exos, and it’s not only the newest Osprey ultralight backpack, it’s replacing their old one: the Levity (for men) and Lumina (for women). But is that a good thing? We tested them both to find out.

If you want to improve your balance on the trail, actually feel the ground you’re walking on, strengthen your feet and feel the breeze on your hot toes, there’s no better footwear for the outdoors than barefoot sandals designed for hiking and outdoor adventure. We tested 6 to help you find the pair that’s perfect for you.

We’ve used a lot of water reservoirs over the years, but almost always find something to complain about with all of them. However, we may have just found the perfect reservoir for hiking and backpacking: The HydraPak Contour. We dish about what makes an excellent bladder and how HydraPak fits the bill.

Trail running: It’s one of the fastest growing outdoor activities. Largely because it’s one of the most accessible. Mostly because you don’t need a bunch of expensive, specialized gear to do it. Just a pair of trail runners and the drive to leave the pavement behind. And all you need to get started is a half-way decent pair of shoes, trail-specific preferably. Fortunately, we tested out 7 pairs of more sustainable, vegan trail running shoes so you can order yourself a pair with confidence. Check ’em out.

Altra recently released the newest version of their immensely popular hiking shoe: The Altra Lone Peak 7. And they made some changes this time around. Changes a lot of people don’t seem to like. But are they really all that different? I put my feet in a pair of the Lone Peak 6 and 7 to try to figure that out.

Spring has has officially sprung! And we couldn’t be more excited about it here at Terradrift (if it would only stop raining for more than five minutes so the mountain bike trails could dry out…)! Because spring backpacking might be the best backpacking. And we do love some early season backpacking gear (think insulated sleeping pads, cozy but lightweight insulated jackets, and lighter packs). So I hit the trail in Big Bend National Park this month with a handful of other rad, outdoorsy journalists to enjoy the season and test some fresh new gear. Miles were logged, elevation gained, views enjoyed, company appreciated, and a lot of good gear got the opportunity to shine. Here’s the spring backpacking gear we put to the test and what we thought of it.

We practically live in sweatpants here at Terradrift. If we’re not hiking, biking, or exploring, we’re working from our computers at home, and not usually in slacks and a nice button-up. Naw, we’re in sweatpants. But if we’re gonna live in sweatpants, we want them to be sustainable, preferably made out of natural or recycled materials that don’t compromise on style or comfort. Good thing there’s plenty to choose from when it comes to sustainable sweatpants and sweatshirts (and loungewear in general). Here are our 4 favorite sustainable sweats so you can be as cozy as we are as we sit and contemplate whether we want to get off the couch to go test those new hiking boots (or wait until tomorrow).

I travel light, usually with just one or two pairs of shoes, so I’m always on the lookout for the perfect pair of vegan boots for travel that can do it all: take me from the hiking trail in the morning to a cafe for lunch to a cidery at dinnertime. I want to be able to wear them mountain biking, for a hike to a rad viewpoint, and into town without people staring at my feet and grimacing in disgust. So we dug in, put our feet in boots, pounded the pavement, hit the trails, tested a few travel-friendly boots that also happen to be vegan, and found five of our faves that we think fit the descriptors “stylish” and “functional” supremely well (and are often packable, to boot–see what I did there?).