The best down jackets

We’ve own a LOT of down jackets, and below are three of our favorites. The first two are are ‘heavyweight’ jackets meant for cold weather. The last one is a midweight jacket perfect for spring, summer, and fall. We wear these items year round for a wide variety of activities!

Stio Hometown Jacket

The heavyweight Stio hometown down jacket (for women and men) is VERY warm and puffy, and it comes in a wide variety of fun colors. It’s great for staying warm on the trail on extra cold days, and it also looks great for in-town adventures. You can use code GWYN&AMI for 20% off Stio orders.

REI Magma 850 Down Jacket

Like the Stio Hometown, the REI Magma 850 down jacket (for women and men) is ultra-warm due to its high 850 down fill. These jackets have the advantage of being more compact, and they have an integrated stuff sack that makes them perfect for travel. I like it so much that I’ve convinced several friends and family members to get this jacket, too! I own the hooded version of the Magma jacket, but they also come in a non-hooded version (for women and men). 

REI 650 Down Jacket

The REI 650 Down Jacket (for women and men) is a midweight puffer that is perfect for spring and fall, as well as cool summer evenings. It layers well underneath the two heavyweight jackets listed above, so we tend to wear them year round. It’s lightweight and packs down small, and is a good “all rounder” if you don’t do a lot of cold winter adventures.

Our favorite hiking boots

Lowa Renegade GTX

Hiking boots are deeply personal, but our favorites for the third year in a row are the Lowa Renegade (for women and men). These waterproof hiking boots have a great tread and robust ankle support. They’re well made by a European company that stands by its products!

The very best wool socks

Darn Tough wool socks

We own a variety of Darn Tough socks (for women and men) and find them to be some of the most high quality and durable wool socks on the market. They don’t slip, wash well, and are super comfortable. They’re our #1 sock recommendation. 

Smartwool wool socks

I’ve been wearing Smartwool wool socks (for women and men)  for over a decade and highly recommend them. They wash well and hold up to a lot of abuse. They come in at a close second to Darn Tough socks!

Our favorite hiking daypacks

Gregory Juno and Citro daypack

The 24 liter Juno (​​for women) and 30 liter Citro daypacks (for men) are the perfect size for day hikes! They have a robust external frame, which makes them comfortable to wear even in summer. There are thoughtful pockets throughout the pack, they’re durable and well-constructed, and they can accommodate a hydration bladder. However, if you buy one of these you’ll need to purchase a rain cover, since they don’t come with one. This is Gwyn’s go-to daypack. 

REI Trail 25 daypack 

The 25 liter REI Trail 25 (unisex) hiking daypack comes in several bright and fun colors, and they’re ultra durable. The shoulder straps also have tons of padding, making these daypacks extremely comfortable! They come with an integrated rain cover, and can accommodate a hydration bladder.  This is Amiana’s go-to daypack. We also sometimes use it for travel.

Our go-to hydration reservoir for hiking

HydraPak HydraSleeve Reservoir – 3 Liters

I love the simplicity of a hydration reservoir, but I find many of the ones I have tried are heavy, awkward to fill, and difficult to clean. Although they are still a pain to clean, I find HydraPak’s HydraSleeve Reservoir to be one of the best hydration reservoirs on the market. They’re relatively lightweight, durable, easy to fill, and can be used with or without the insulating sleeve.

The absolute best water filters

We’ve tried a lot of water filters and filtration methods, and these are our top two! They both work well, perform consistently, and are lightweight. 

Katadyn BeFree AC 1.0 L Water Filter Bottle

The Katadyn BeFree is our go-to water filter, and it doubles as a water bottle! These water filters are lightweight, pack down small, and filter quickly and easily. They have a fast flow rate of 2 liters per minute.  We’ve been using them for years and, although we have punched a hole in one of the bottles, we have never had one of their filters fail. Amiana is pictured above using the BeFree to filter water in Desolation Wilderness in Tahoe.

HydroPak Flux 1.5 L Collapsible Water Bottle + Filter Cap

The HydroPak Flux bottle and filter combo has a slightly more rigid plastic, which can be a pro or a con depending on your perspective. We have found them to filter and hold water well, and they have a larger capacity than the BeFree. However, they’re also double the weight of the BeFree, don’t pack down as small, and have a much slower flow rate than the BeFree. As such, this is our “second favorite” water filter on the market (and we’ve tried a lot of filters!).

Our go-to sun hoodies 

We wear sun shirts year round, either by themselves or layered over a wool base layer in cold weather. They provide protection from the sun’s rays, which means fewer sunscreen applications. See below for our current favorites!

Mammut Selun FL Sun Hoodie 

The Mammut Selun FL Sun Hoodie (for women and men) provides ultra lightweight and robust sun protection. They’re also buttery soft! 10/10.

REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie

The REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie (for women and men) has a cult following for a good reason. These sun hoodies are relatively affordable, often go on sale, and come in a wide range of colors. They’re very comfortable, but don’t feel quite as lightweight and breathable as Mammut sun shirts.

Our favorite sunscreens

I’m a big fan of La Roche-Posay sunscreens and, in particular, their Anthelios Mineral sunscreens. However, lately I’ve been gravitating to Dermatone products, which are more tailored to outdoor recreation needs. Below are our current favorites.

Dermatone Skin Protector Balm SPF23 Moisturizer

Dermaton’s Skin Protector Balm is my number one sunscreen recommendation for cold weather and wind. This sun protection balm sits on top of your skin, protecting you from wind and cold chapping. From Banff in fall to southern Utah in winter, this balm has kept my skin protected and moisturized during all day adventures in the wind and cold! It’s thick, though, so I probably won’t use it too much in weather weather.

Dermatone Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50

Dermatone’s sport sunscreen is my new go-to for everyday adventures. It offers robust SPF protection while still feeling lightweight! It also comes in an SPF 30 version. 

The best headlamp for backpacking and Hiking

Black Diamond Storm 500-R Rechargeable Headlamp

There are much cheaper options on the market (we’ve tried a lot of them!), but the Storm 500-R Rechargeable Headlamp is still our #1 headlamp recommendation. They’re lightweight, compact, and waterproof. They’re also USB rechargeable, which is a huge asset. 

Pee cloths – helping us ‘go’ anywhere

Kula Cloth Reusable Antimicrobial Pee Cloth

If you haven’t heard of Kula Cloth before, get ready to have your mind blown. These reusable pee cloths help you ‘go’ just about anywhere. We literally never hike or backpack without them. No more damp underwear! IYKYK. We’ve even given them as gifts to friends. 10/10.