REI Gear Guide (Updated Winter 2023)

Introduction

This REI Gear Guide contains an updated collection of hiking and backpacking products available at REI Co-Op that are recommended by Backpacking Light.

The primary purpose of this gear guide is to provide REI Members with a highly-focused list of products that meet the following criteria:

• High Performance – The product is representative of the most performant products available among its market peers in the same weight range.
• Light Weight – The product is representative of the lightest products available among its market peers in the same performance/functionality class.
• Reliability – The product is not characterized by systemic functional flaws as a result of unsound design principles or defects in material or manufacturing quality.
• Market Resilience – The product has an established market presence with a positive reputation among users. These two factors generally place the product among the top 10% of products in its category in terms of retailer sales volumes and low return rates.

Ratings

• Minimalist – A product that is uniquely characterized by its light weight and simple design. Minimalism is most often reflected in material and design choices.
• Performance – A product that is uniquely characterized by a notably high performance-to-weight ratio. Performance may include factors such as durability, feature set, storm resistance, suspension performance, etc.
• Comfort – A product that is uniquely characterized by a notably high comfort-to-weight ratio. Comfort may include factors such as warmth, padding, load-carrying ability (packs), ease of use, etc.

Disclaimers

• All products appearing in this gear guide have been used, tested, and inspected by Backpacking Light as part of its product review or guided wilderness trekking programs.
• This gear guide contains affiliate links. However – buyer be aware – just because REI sells some gear that is lightweight and performant does not mean that the lightest or most performant gear available in a category is available at REI! In many categories, lighter and more performant options are available from cottage manufacturers and other retailers. For example, check out Garage Grown Gear, Feathered Friends, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, Tarptent, Durston Gear, and others in our Gear Brands database.
• We do not recommend all products for all situations. We leave it up to the user to identify the strengths and limitations of a particular product in a specific use case scenario.

Video: About the Gear Guide

Learn more about this gear guide and watch this video tutorial:

 

Browse the REI Gear Guide (Product Database)

• Use the search and filter drop-down boxes to narrow your search.
• On smaller screens (i.e., tablets and small laptops), scroll right to see the entire table (not required on phones, which show the product data below each product photo.
• Click a link in the OPTIONS column to see the product at REI.

	CATEGORY	BRAND	PRODUCT	RATING	RECOMMENDED FOR...	OPTIONS
	gifts	REI	Membership	n/a	10% dividend annually, members-only specials, early access to sales.	Membership
	gifts	REI	Gift Card	n/a	A versatile gift for just about everyone!	Gift Card
	backpacks	REI Co-Op	Flash 55	Comfort	Modularity, ease of organizing gear, and load-carrying comfort.	Men's Women's
	backpacks	Hyperlite Mountain Gear	Southwest	Performance	Durability, load-carrying stability, waterproofness.	2400 3400 4400
	backpacks	REI	Tarn 40 Backpack	Comfort	Slim profile, comfortable harness, durable, gear organization and access features.	Kid's
	backpacks	Osprey	Eja / Exos Pro 58	Performance	Load-carrying comfort at lighter (< 30 lb) weights, gear access, sleek profile, manufacturing quality.	Eja Pro 58 Exos Pro 58
	shelters	Big Agnes	Copper Spur HV	Comfort	Headroom, porch with awning configuration, interior volume.	UL1 UL2 UL3
	shelters	NEMO	Hornet Osmo	Performance	Wind-resistant low profile, very light weight, small packed size.	2P 3P
	shelters	REI Co-Op	Flash Air Tent	Minimalist	Very light and packable, easy to pitch.	1 2
	shelters	Sea to Summit	Alto	Performance	Headroom and interior volume, stability in moderate wind, reasonable resistance to snow loading.	TR1 TR2
	shelters	Kammok	Mantis Ultralight Hammock System	Comfort	A complete turnkey ultralight hammock system, hanging comfort, high-quality materials.	Mantis
	shelters	Sea to Summit	Escapist Tarp	Minimalist	Simple rectangular shape with quality materials.	Escapist
	shelters	Kammok	Kuhli Tarps	Minimalist	Quality materials, catenary edges, trapezoidal shape.	Standard Ultralight Pro XL
	sleeping bags	Sea to Summit	Spark Ultralight	Performance	Ultralight materials, high-quality down fill, high warmth-to-weight ratio.	18F 28F 40F
	sleeping bags	REI Co-Op	Magma Trail Quilt	Minimalist	Being one of the best values on the market with a very effective pad attachment system.	30F
	sleeping bags	REI Co-Op	Magma Sleeping Bag	Performance	Value-to-weight ratio is high, quality materials, down fill, draft collar make this a warm bag at this weight.	30F Men's 30F Women's
	sleeping bags	Thermarest	Vesper Down Quilt	Minimalist	Surprisingly warm for its weight, owing to ultralight fabrics, high quality down fill, and a generous draft collar.	20F 32F
	sleeping bags	Sea to Summit	Ember Ultralight Down Quilt	Minimalist	Hybrid baffles, ultralight materials, and a double quilt option.	35F 50F 50F Double
	sleeping pads	Thermarest	NeoAir NXT Sleeping Pad	Performance	Gold standard of inflatable sleeping pads, now upgraded with more warmth; stable, light, durable, and reliable.	XLite XLite MAX XTherm XTherm MAX
	sleeping pads	NEMO	Switchback Sleeping Pad	Minimalist	A durable, light, no-fuss, no-fail option.	Switchback
	sleeping pads	Sea to Summit	Ether Lite XT	Comfort	Stable, durable, easy to inflate, and warm.	Mummy Insulated Rectangular Insulated Women's Insulated Air
	footwear	Merrell	Moab 3	Comfort	Trusted design, reliable, durable, supportive.	Hiking Shoes Men's Hiking Shoes Women's Waterproof Hiking Shoes Men's Waterproof Hiking Shoes Women's Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots Men's Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots Women's
	footwear	La Sportiva	Ultra Raptor	Performance	Technical design suitable for more difficult terrain.	Mid GTX Boots Men's Mid GTX Boots Women's Trail-Running Shoes Men's Trail-Running Shoes Women's
	footwear	Danner	Trail 2650 Hiking Shoes	Minimalist	Durability for long miles in a minimalist design.	Hiking Shoes Men's Hiking Shoes Women's
	footwear	Hoka	Speedgoat	Performance	Highly protective midsole and cushion for moving fast or carrying heavier loads.	Trail Running Shoes Men's Trail Running Shoes Women's Mid GTX Hiking Boots Men's Mid GTX Hiking Boots Women's
	footwear	La Sportiva	TX Approach Shoes	Minimalist	Alpine & desert scrambling in a minimalist design.	TX4 Men's TX4 Women's TX Guide Men's TX4 R Men's TX4 R Women's
	footwear	Scarpa	Mescalito	Comfort	Alpine & desert scrambling in a trail-runner style for better comfort.	Women's
	footwear	Altra	Lone Peak	Comfort	Zero-drop trail shoe with wide toebox.	Men's Women's
	cooking	Soto	Fusion Trek Stove	Performance	The most efficient remote-canister stove on the market, a good choice for cold weather backpacking.	Fusion
	cooking	Soto	Windmaster Stove With 4Flex Pot Support	Performance	A top-rated stove in our most recent Stovebench survey of upright canister stoves.	Windmaster
	cooking	MSR	Reactor Stove System	Performance	The fastest and most weather resistant canister stove system we've ever tested.	1.0 L Kit 1.7 L Kit
	cooking	MSR	Windburner Stove System	Performance	A top-rated stove in our most recent Stovebench survey of upright canister stoves.	Windburner
	cooking	MSR	Pocket Rocket 2 Stove	Performance	The #1 stove we tested in our most recent Stovebench survey of upright canister stoves.	Pocket Rocket
	cooking	Esbit	Solid Fuel Stove and Cookset	Performance	A tightly-integrated package that provides weather resistance and efficiency not normally found in solid fuel stove systems.	Stove and Cookset
	cooking	Toaks	Light Titanium Pots	Minimalist	The lightest titanium pots available.	550 ml 650 ml 750 ml 900 ml D115 mm
	cooking	Humangear	GoBites Uno Spork	Minimalist	Compact form factor, durable, and comfortable to eat with.	nylon titanium
	cooking	Toaks	Long Handled Titanium Spoon	Minimalist	Recommended when eating packaged meals out of their plastic or mylar bags.	Spoon
	cooking	MSR	Titan Kettle	Performance	A better option than Toaks if durability and longevity is a higher priority, optimized height:diameter ratio for heating efficiency.	Titan
	hydration	Hydrapak	Flux Water Treatment System	Performance	High-quality filter cap + durable and taste-free soft-sided bottles; our recommendation for a squeeze filter over other options from Platypus, Sawyer, and Katadyn.	42mm Filter Cap Flux 1.5 L Bottle + Filter Cap System Seeker 3.0L Bottle + Filter Cap System
	hydration	Platypus	GravityWorks Water Treatment System	Performance	Recommended for groups and basecamping, one of the lightest gravity filters available.	2L 4L
	hydration	Aquatabs	Water Purification Tablets	Performance	Recommended for backup or additional water treatment when crypto or giardia cysts highly suspected (e.g., sheep or cattle-grazing mountain and desert areas of the US West).	Aquatabs
	hydration	Sawyer	Squeeze Water Filter System	Performance	#1 choice of water treatment by thru-hikers, compatibility with Smartwater bottles a big plus.	Squeeze System
	hydration	Aquamira	Aquamira	Minimalist	Very effective, fast, light, with no foul tastes or odors.	Aquamira
	hydration	Platypus	Water Bottles	Minimalist	The gold standard of collapsible water bottles - still the lightest.	34 oz 70oz
	hydration	Hydrapak	Seeker Water Bottles	Minimalist	When you need more water storage in a collapsible form factor.	2 L Seeker 3L Seeker 4 L Seeker
	electronics	Black Diamond	Sprint Headlamp	Minimalist	A very simple, small, light, bright, and waterproof headlamp.	Sprint
	electronics	Fenix	HM50R Headlamp	Performance	Recommended when you need a lightweight headlamp that offers a very bright mode for navigation when needed.	HM50R
	electronics	GoPro	Hero 11 Black Camera	Performance	High frame rates, high resolutions, ease of use, image quality, waterproof, extensible, easy to use, capable of pro/cinematic audio and video.	Hero 11
	electronics	BioLite	Charge PD Power Bank	Performance	Durable, reliable, light, fast-charge delivery.	20 40 80
	electronics	Garmin	Fenix Watch	Performance	Consistent accuracy, reliability, durability, and connectivity in a crowded market; leading choice of pro athletes.	7 Sapphire Solar 7X Sapphire Solar 7X Solar 7 7 Solar 7S Sapphire Solar
	electronics	Garmin	inReach Mini 2	Performance	The most functional and lightest standalone satellite communicator and GPS, with versatility when paired with a smartphone.	Mini 2
	electronics	ZOLEO	Satellite Communicator	Comfort	Easy to use smartphone app, seamless communications across satellite & cellular channels.	Satelite Communicator
	chairs	Helinox	Chair Zero	Comfort	Light, compact, comfortable for more upright sitting position.	Chair Zero
	chairs	REI Co-Op	Flexlite Air Chair	Performance	Lightest real chair, comfortable for slightly reclined sitting position.	Flexlite Air
	chairs	Crazy Creek	Hex Chair	Minimalist	When you need a chair for sitting in your tent, or to serve multi-use as part of sleeping pad system.	Original Longback
	jackets - rain	Arc'teryx	Beta LT	Performance	Lightest jacket with absolute reliability for consistently stormy conditions and moderately abrasive environments.	Men's Women's
	jackets - rain	Patagonia	Torrentshell 3L	Performance	High breathability and low weight at a very reasonable price point.	Men's Women's
	jackets - rain	REI Co-Op	Rainier Jacket	Comfort	When budget is the highest priority and you still need reasonable breathability, durability, and light weight.	Men's Women's
	jackets - rain	Arc'teryx	Alpha SV	Performance	The only jacket on the market less than 18 oz where you can't sacrifice durability or storm-resistance, i.e., alpine climbing, bushwhacking, scrambling, etc.	Men's
	jackets - rain	Outdoor Research	Foray / Aspire	Performance	When ventilation is your highest priority - 2-way hem zips vent the entire sides of the jacket.	Men's Women's
	jackets - rain	Outdoor Research	Helium	Minimalist	When light weight is your highest priority, and you only need a rain jacket for intermittent use.	Men's Women's
	jackets - insulated	Patagonia	Nano Puff	Comfort	A thin and very layerable jacket, especially under a rain jacket when layering bulk is not desirable.	Men's Jacket Women's Jacket Men's Hoodie Women's Hoodie
	jackets - insulated	Arc'teryx	Atom LT	Performance	Warmer and loftier than the Nano Puff, with more breathable fabrics that mitigate overheating.	Men's Jacket Women's Jacket Men's Hoodie Women's Hoodie
	jackets - insulated	Arc'teryx	Cerium	Performance	Moderate warmth-to-weight ratio, high manufacturing quality, durable but light fabrics.	Men's Jacket Men's Hoodie Women's Hoodie
	jackets - insulated	REI	650 Down Jacket	Minimalist	A very budget-friendly option that provides solid performance for the value.	Men's Jacket Women's Jacket
	jackets - insulated	Mountain Hardwear	Ghost Whisperer	Comfort	A minimal-loft, ultralight down layer for mild weather.	Men's Jacket Women's Jacket Men's Hoodie Women's Hoodie
	food storage	BearVault	Food Storage Canisters	Comfort	Cost-effective, clear view of contents, easy to use, extremely reliable.	BV425 Sprint BV450 Jaunt BV475 Trek BV500 Journey
	food storage	Ursack	Major Food Storage Bags	Performance	Very light and easy to use food storage option for areas not requiring hard-sided bear canisters.	Major Major XL Major 2XL
	trekking poles	Black Diamond	Alpine Carbon Cork	Performance	For the weight, one of the sturdiest and durable trekking poles on the market.	Men's Women's
	trekking poles	Black Diamond	Distance Carbon Trekking Poles	Minimalist	Compact, folding, lightweight carbon poles with a long-standing reputation for durability.	Distance Carbon Z Distance Carbon FLZ
	jackets - wind	Arc'teryx	Squamish	Performance	High exertion levels, durability, and storms. High MVTR, high APR, and a real storm hood.	Men's Jacket Women's Jacket
	jackets - wind	Patagonia	Houdini	Performance	A lot of bang for your buck for a moderate MVTR, low APR wind shirt for high winds, cold temps, and lower exertion levels.	Men's Jacket Women's Jacket
	jackets - wind	Patagonia	Airshed Pro	Performance	Warmer conditions or higher exertion levels where a high MVTR, very high APR wind shirt is desirable.	Men's Jacket

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