There is no better time to hit the trail than late summer/early fall. Trails really open up once the kids head back to school, leaving trails uncrowded and the best campsites vacant. And as the days shorten and the first fall leaves begin to show their colors, you can enjoy warm days, cool nights, and no bugs. Whether you’re headed out for a day hike or planning an extended trek into the backcountry, here are some new products you’ll want to consider making your next hiking adventure just a little comfier.
For more than 90 years, Oregon-based Danner has been building toughest, long-lasting boots that offer great comfort and support without all the weight. But even the highest-quality boots need some care and repair over time. Today, Danner is introducing a solution to keep its modern hiking boots on the trail longer: the Mountain 600 Leaf GTX. This new “recraftable” hiker is packed with the same performance features as the original, along with the addition of recycled components.
The new style features waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX® liners that use 45% post-consumer recycled materials, a 100% recycled collar liner, Leather Working Group – certified full-grain leather and OrthoLite® Eco™ footbeds that use 12% plant-derived bio-oil. For added protection and performance outdoors, the Mountain 600 Leaf GTX features a Vibram® Fuga outsole with Megagrip rubber compound designed to cling to any surface, no matter the conditions. And at about two pounds a pair, these boots are lightweight and super sturdy.
If you’re looking to save weight, GSI’s Pinnacle Dualist HS Complete is a light, strong, hyper-efficient backpacker’s cooking and eating system for two. Built for maximum cooking efficiency, and designed to carry light and pack small, this is GSI’s highest performance two-person backpacking system. The rugged, hard-anodized aluminum 1.8L boiler is coated with durable, scratch-resistant PFOA-free Teflon® with Radiance Technology for superior non-stick performance, easy cleaning, and outstanding heat transfer. Then, GSI added a hyper-conducting heatsink to speed cook times by 30% so you save fuel and time.
The kit also includes all your eating gear. Nesting perfectly into the pot – with room for your fuel canister – are two 20oz wide-mouth mugs with insulated sleeves and Sip-It lids, two 20oz bowls, and a couple of Foons – GSI’s folding spork. The pot’s strainer lid makes draining easy, and the whole system fits into a carry bag that doubles as a camp sink.
New from Helly Hansen, the Odin Light Stretch Hooded Insulator 2.0 can serve as either a mid-or outer-layer. Men’s and women’s sizes are available. And this rugged top that’s insulated with 40g Primaloft also comes in a 60g version with or without a hood.
Additional features include:
Add Helly’s Odin 1 World Infinity Shell Jacket, on top and you have a layered system that can’t be beat.
The Trail Series Wide Mouth Bottle from Hydro Flask is ultra-durable, yet it is it 25% lighter than Hydro Flask’s other bottles. This lightweight, stainless steel insulated water bottle is made for a day on the trial and is available in 24- or 32-ounce versions in several color options.
The wide opening lets you add ice easily and the streamlined design fits easily in your pack—perfect for keeping water, tea, or coffee hot or cold on the trail.
Finally, a hiking pant designed for women that are engineered for outdoor comfort. Voss hiking pants from Kari Traa offer excellent water repellence and breathability with thoughtful features like vent zips and room to add a base layer underneath. Articulated knees and a crotch gusset allow freedom of movement, the four-way stretch material moves with you, plus you can adjust the ankle and elasticated waist. Water-repellent and with ventilation zips, this pant is a climate controlling powerhouse.
Pair them with the Voss Anorak—a great hike-ready rain jacket that’s supper packable and a Rothe Vest—toasty warm fleece available in a wide variety of colors, and you’ll be ready to face whatever weather Mother Nature brings your way.
The Coulee series from Mystery Ranch was designed to offer a better fit for a wide audience - the novice, new, and minimalist hiker (even young kids/teens) and comes in both men and women sizing. This pack is perfect for those who want a well-priced, easy-to-use pack for shorter hiking trips and summit pushes. It’s versatile and super comfortable, plus it’s made with 100% recycled nylon.
The Coulee 30 is designed with Mystery Ranch’s signature 3-ZIP design for easy access to the interior. It has a lightweight trail yoke that micro-adjusts to the torso length and pocketed waist belt that offers extra storage and easy access to small items. The top-zippered lid compartment is ideal for storing small essentials, like a phone or camera, and this pack is hydration reservoir-compatible.
Everyone loves taking their favorite four-legged friend on the trail. Now your dog can carry its own essentials with the new Trail Runner Vest from Ruffwear. Designed for trail runners, but equally at home with any hiker heading up the trail, the Trail Runner is a lightweight running hydration vest designed as a carrying solution for dogs running with their owners. This vest includes a versatile leash attachment, two soft flasks, and zipped pockets allowing dogs to carry items comfortably on and off-leash. Its reflective trim keeps dogs visible in low-light conditions while offering a light loop for attaching your pup.
This amazing harness pack comes with two hydration bladders, so your pup can carry its own water and a handy pocket on the front is big enough for a few treats and a pick-up bag.
Perfect for stashing in a pack pocket for a light-and-fast Teton mission, stuffed in a hip pack on an endurance trail run, or donned to push a few miles further on the singletrack, the Exploit Hooded Jacket from Stioanswers the call when ounces matter and the conditions are not guaranteed.
Featuring GORE-TEX’s lightest and most breathable 3L Active technology, this jacket is made with 100% recycled nylon that’s comfortable to wear and GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY™, shedding the elements while allowing sweat vapor to escape. The pared-down design features one zippered chest pocket to stash the essentials—a perfect trail companion.
Try a pair of trekking poles on the trail and you’ll never go hiking without them again. Lightweight and easy to carry, they really help shift your weight when maneuvering through boulders and rough-and-tumble trail sections, and they can also double as emergency tent poles if you need to get a rainfly up in a hurry.
These collapsible KL17 Scree trekking poles from Kelty telescope down to easily attach to your pack when you don’t need them. And when the going gets tough, they pop out in seconds to provide a sturdy leg to lean on:
Adjust to the perfect height and lock these in so you can focus on the fun
The Cascade Peak Mid from Forsake builds on the exceptionally lightweight Cascade platform to offer a rugged and supportive mid-top silhouette designed for the most demanding terrain. Available in men’s and women’s versions, this high-performance hiker features a waterproof/breathable membrane, engineered mesh, leather reinforcements, and an aggressive MultiGrip outsole—perfect for day hikes and long weekend overnights. Features include:
