A Bucket List of Trails Worth Traveling For The United States is one of the best places in the world to be a hiker. You can…
Author: Ethan Lewis
Ethan Lewis
Ethan Lewis runs HikingStarter and writes its gear guides. A hiker at heart, he builds each guide the slow way — comparing specs, digging into manufacturer details, and reading through real owner reviews to separate genuinely good gear from marketing. When he's not weighing up kit, he's out on the trail.
Most hikers will tell you the same thing: nothing particularly dangerous happened on their last 50 hikes. Twisted ankles, yes. Sunburns, definitely. But actual emergencies remain…
Most people assume quick dry fabric is just polyester with a fancy name. After spending years testing gear in everything from desert heat to mountain rain,…
Most people overthink their first hike. They worry about getting lost, running out of water, or looking foolish on the trail. The reality is much simpler:…
Welcome to our comprehensive guide on the best kids hiking backpacks, designed to help parents and young adventurers find the perfect pack for every outdoor excursion.…
After years of dealing with cramped toes and persistent knee pain in traditional running shoes, I decided to test whether barefoot-style shoes could actually deliver on…
As someone with wide feet (size 11 EE for men’s, 9 wide for women’s testing), I’ve spent years dealing with pinched toes and blistered heels from…
I’ve burned through a lot of footwear chasing trails I probably shouldn’t have been on in the first place, and I’ve learned that expensive doesn’t always…
Choosing a waterproof hiking shoe means balancing weather protection, comfort, traction and durability for the terrain you love. After reviewing the latest products and comparing expert…
After years of hiking with water bottles that always seemed to be buried at the bottom of my pack, I decided to test eight popular backpacks…
After watching too many friends struggle with oversized, overpriced packs on their first trails, we decided to test seven budget-friendly hiking backpacks for beginners. We spent…
After testing waterproof hiking backpacks through muddy spring trails, unexpected afternoon thunderstorms, and countless creek crossings, I learned that “waterproof” means wildly different things at different…
After my trusty pack finally gave out on a Sierra switchback, I spent three months testing 7 hiking backpacks across California trails, from Joshua Tree’s rocky…
After watching my phone bounce out of my shorts pocket for the third time on a dusty Sierra trail, I finally accepted that I needed a…
Over the past few months, we put seven different hiking gaiters through serious field work to figure out what actually matters when you’re trying to keep…
Spending a day hiking in the wrong underwear is a very specific kind of misery. Picture a long, hot climb, sweat soaking through your cotton boxers…
We spent three months wearing eight different convertible hiking pants through shoulder-season temperature swings, stream crossings, granite scrambles, and the kind of brush that shows you…
After years of hiking everything from short nature trails to multi-day treks, I’ve learned that the right backpack can make or break your outdoor experience. I’ve…
After lugging my camera gear up countless trails in a worn-out daypack that left my back aching and my equipment vulnerable, I decided to find the…
Testing eight compact hiking backpacks taught me something unexpected: the sweet spot for ultralight day trips sits around 10-20L capacity, not the 30+ liters I used…
We spent two months testing seven waterproof hiking tents across varied terrain: from foggy coastal ridges where condensation is constant, to high-elevation sites with afternoon thunderstorms…
After dozens of sweaty trail miles and more than a few humid ridge climbs, I’ve tested seven moisture-wicking shirt options across conditions ranging from steamy forest…
We spent months rotating through different waterproof shells on coastal trails, ridge walks, and during steady drizzle sessions where staying dry matters more than moving fast.…
3-season tents are ideal for spring, summer, and fall excursions. They balance durability and lightweight design, making them perfect for various outdoor adventures. Whether hiking through…
We drank from them mile after mile, dropped them on rocks, stuffed them in side pockets, and watched how long they kept water cold under full…
After 14 weeks of squinting through dust, sweat, and high-altitude glare, we learned something obvious: cheap hiking sunglasses can actually work. We tested 8 pairs ranging…
We spent three months testing the best hiking compasses on everything from rainy ridge walks to bushwhacking through thick forest. After getting turned around more times…
We spent six weeks testing eight hiking tarps across high deserts, humid forests, and exposed alpine zones. The goal was simple: find the best hiking tarp…
We’ve been testing eight GPS devices across varying terrain, from dense forest canopies to exposed ridge lines, wet shoulder seasons to dry summer conditions. The goal…
After logging about 120 miles across rocky ascents, muddy descents, and creek crossings, we’ve narrowed down which best trekking poles actually deliver on trail. We wanted…