Backpacker magazine's Best Outdoor Gear Summary for Spring 2015

Before we know it, spring is just around the corner. New spring outdoor gear is starting to appear in stores, and Backpacker Magazine has already sent out its annual gear guide (Editor's Choice Awards)! So, this time, we've picked out some interesting items from the Editor's Choice award-winning gear, one of the most prestigious awards in the outdoor industry. Let's take a look!

Backpack

The award-winning large pack has been completely renewed [Gold Award Winner]:
Gregory Baltoro (for men) / Deva (for women)

Gregory's Baltro series, long acclaimed as a large pack for long trails, has been completely redesigned and has been awarded the top prize (Gold) in the awards. While maintaining its ultimate comfort and stability, the pack's ease of carrying has been significantly improved. Despite its large size, its slim form makes it ideal for a variety of uses, including mountain climbing, long-term travel, and mountain climbing!

Read the full review here

Extremely easy to use, with a superb fit thanks to the full mesh:
Osprey Atmos AG (for men) / Aura AG (for women)

Osprey's 2015 release is the fourth-generation revamp of their best-selling Atmos backpack. The newly labeled "AG" stands for the newly designed ventilation back system, "Anti-Gravity Suspension (AG)." It further evolves the existing full-mesh structure, creating space in almost every area that comes into contact with the body (including the back, hips, and shoulders), providing exceptional cushioning and breathability. It still boasts the same clever pockets and attachments, and its storage capacity is outstanding. This pack, just like the Gregory, is sure to set a new standard for large packs!

Read the full review here

Clothing

The perfect combination of fleece and insulation:
the Outdoor Research Deviator Hoody

Image: OUTDOOR RESEARCH

This latest mid-layer from OUTDOOR RESEARCH combines Polartec Alpha, which offers moderate warmth and breathability compared to conventional synthetic cotton, with Polartec Power Dry High Efficiency, a grid fleece that is highly breathable and compressible despite its warmth. It combines comfort as both a workwear and a cold-weather garment. While it has yet to be released in Japan, it promises to be the perfect winter garment for all three seasons

Read the full review here

Shoes

UL hiking shoes from a leading shoe maker:
La Sportiva Synthesis Mid GTX

Image: La Sportiva

This looks like it'll be useful! Ultra-lightweight hiking shoes have been all the rage lately, and it feels like a mountaineering boot manufacturer has finally come out with a serious shoe. What's more, this shoe THE NORTH FACE ULTRA FASTPACK MID GTX . With the high breathability provided by the new GORE-TEX SURROUND TECHNOLOGY and the stable grip of the Vibram sole, we're already excited! (The Japanese release date has yet to be decided.)

Read the full review here

Other camping gear

Nearly down-light and packable:
Mountain Hardwear HyperLamina Spark

Image: Mountain Hardwear

The warmth that impressed even our testers, who normally use down sleeping bags, is due to Mountain Hardwear's proprietary material, "Thermal.Q." Developed based on the feather structure of goose down, the warmest synthetic insulation material ever made . Since sleeping bags tend to get damp one way or another, this evolution is truly something we've been waiting for.

Read the full review here

Japan's world-renowned ultra-lightweight stove finally wins Gold Award:
Snow Peak GigaPower Stove

Snow Peak, Japan's proud outdoor gear manufacturer, has finally won a gold award for its Giga Power Stove, a hit camping stove released in 1998! The reason for the award is that it has not only remained one of the smallest and most powerful stoves in the industry since its launch, but it is also being offered at less than half the price it was 15 years ago. Continuing to create "better tools" is exactly what Japanese manufacturers excel at

Read the full review here

No more "unnecessarily expensive, high-performance water heaters":
JetBoil MiniMo

I remember that JetBoil became incredibly popular among UL backpackers thanks to its amazing thermal efficiency and ease of use. Personally, I ended up passing on it because its shape meant it could only be used to boil water, which just didn't seem cost-effective. But the MiniMo is different! Compared to the cups of conventional personal cooking systems, the opening is 23mm wider and the height is 45mm lower, making it optimized for cooking. This means that this highly efficient stove is finally not just a tool for boiling water incredibly quickly, but a truly amazing cooker! While the price remains a bit daunting, I'm excited to give it a try this season and see if it really does make cooking easier

Read the full review here

   

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