The Best Backpacking Gear of 2025 (All Budgets)
Thanks to OnX Backcountry for sponsoring this video. It’s my favorite map/navigation/route planning app. You can save 20% using my link:
Gear in this video:
Durston X-Dome 1+:
Featherstone Backbone:
Zenbivy UL Bed:
Kelty Cosmic 20:
Zenbivy Flex Mattress:
Nemo Tensor Mattress:
Featherstone Calcatta Mattress:
Nemo Tensor Extreme Mattress:
M!Go Water Bottle:
Sawyer Squeeze:
Cleaning Connector Cap:
Cnoc Vecto Water Bag:
Backcountry Exposure Mesa Bag:
UCO Camp Cup:
UCO Spoon and Fork:
Verve Coffee:
LMNT Electrolytes:
NiteCore NU 27 Headlamp:
NiteCore NU 25 Headlamp:
Pika Lid: ttps://alnk.to/2uJrFDU
Adotec Bear Locker:
CampingMoon XD-2F Stove:
Soto TriFlex Adapter:
BRS-3000 Stove:
Firemaple Stove:
Firemaple G2 Pot:
Firemaple G3 Pot:
MSR Switch:
ZPacks ArcHaul 70 pack:
NatureHike 60L pack:
Not discussed, but worthy of awards:
Nemo Moonlite Elite Chair:
Pinnacle Foods Backpacker Meals:
Fizan Trekking Poles:
Hyperlite Camera Pod:
Satellite Communicator:
Sun Hat:
Wool Hiking Socks:
Hiking Underwear:
Stretchy Hiking Belt:
Midlayer jacket:
Puffy Jacket:
Chapters:
Intro 00:00
Tents: 00:27
Sleeping Bags and Quilts: 05:22
Sleeping Mattresses: 10:12
Maps and Navigation: 15:44
Water Bottles and Filtration: 17:49
Organization Bag: 20:50
Headlamps: 22:00
UL Lid gadget: 23:50
Bear Locker: 26:21
Stoves: 27:52
Backpacks: 30:25
2025 was a big year for great backpacking gear. I tested a huge amount of backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, quilts, mattresses, camp stoves, new and old gear, expensive and budget. This is a compilation of my favorite gear I used this year and how it changed how I go backpacking. Whether you are a hard core ultralight thru-hiker or a regular Joe backpacker a few weekends a year, this video has some gems for you.
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Want to collaborate with me? You can reach me at erichanson@thestation.io
Very helpful, thanks!
you mean electric pump lol
14:05 information but can we talk about this shot that you got! Stars during the day? How did you do that?
Hope everyone is paying attention because there’s going to be mass blackouts soon, prepare yourselfs fellow Americans
Eric, big thanks for finding and recommending the Naturehike backpack. This year my teenaged son started backpacking, and I went on the hunt for budget gear for anything that I could not hand-me-down and which he would outgrow, which included a backpack.
I got the smaller one for him and was actually super impressed for the price point. It’s not a super-durable pack, but it doesn’t need to be – just a couple of seasons and my kid will be close enough to actual size to invest in his first quality pack. But other than durability, I have no complaints – similar in design and features the heavy-hitting UL backpacks at 1/3 the price (or less).