Adidas Terrex Swift Solo Day Hikers

www.adidas.com/us
We confess to feeling some skepticism when we first saw the Adidas Terrex Swift Solo hiking shoes.  The mega-brand already makes award-winning shoes for practically every sport that requires footwear, and we worry that hiking might be their Achilles heel. Thankfully, these day hikers stride confidently into the market. After six months of testing, the shoes continue to excel.  The wear-resistant textile mesh uppers were durable and breathable during mid-summer hikes, but they offer enough warmth to work well in cooler autumn temps, especially when paired with a nice pair of merino wool hiking socks. The toe cage protects the feet from rocks and roots on the trail without adding too much stiffness, and the heel-to-toe cushioning offered out-of-the-box comfort.  We also like the molded tongue, which rested comfortably against the tendons and never slipped, even after a ten-hour slog through the trails of Shenandoah.  The tread is fairly modest compared to other day hikers, but the front outsole is climbing-specific and the proprietary Traxion grippy rubber held up well in easy rock scrambles. You won’t be doing any serious climbing in these shoes, mind you. But they may become your go-to approach shoe.
Note: we tested the early model, which had a slightly different look. But the difference between our tester and the new models are purely aesthetic.

Product Type
Hiking Shoes
Good For
,
Tested In
Hiking throughout Virginia's national and state parks, approach shoes in Smith Rock State Park, OR

Icebreaker Hopper Lite T-Shirt

us.icebreaker.com
As you might’ve noticed, we’ve got a thing for merino wool. It does us proud in the winter—but in hot, sunny and humid climates, it really shines (and yes, we also have a thing for apparent paradoxes: Wearing wool in the summer?).  The Hopper Lite has become our go-to Tee for hiking, backpacking, and biking in hot conditions.  The smooth-to-the-touch fabric is the lightest in Icebreaker’s line, with raglan sleeves that allow for unencumbered  range of movement. The off-the-shoulder seams also assure that you won’t get rubbed raw with an irritating shoulder strap-seamline issues. You’ll love the all-natural wicking ability; wool isn’t as quick-drying as many synthetics, but its natural thermo-regulating properties keep you cool when you start to heat up and warm if you start get chilled. And—unlike synthetics—it’s naturally odor-resistant, which is a huge boon for go-light adventurers (and their tentmates). The clean lines and athletic fit also makes the Hopper as at home in a pub or on a plane as on the trail.

Product Type
Shirts
Good For
, , , , , ,
Tested In
A long, hot series of activities (biking, hiking, running, wandering) in the horrible humidity of Washington, DC; backpacking in Dolly Sods Wilderness

Osprey Poco Plus Child Carrier

www.ospreypacks.com, six pounds, 15 ounces
When the task of shopping for baby items falls to mom, dad is often left with gear that he’d rather not sport in public (flowery diaper bags being the primary offender). But Osprey’s Poco Child Carrier accommodates any wearer, both aesthetically and functionally. The pack’s torso length adjusts easily, with a handy embroidered size label to use as an approximate guide.

The series has three packs (Poco: $199, Poco Plus: $259, and Poco Premium: $299); we tested the Poco Plus and think this model gives you the most bang for your buck. All of the packs feature torso adjustment, but only the Plus and Premium offer a Fit-on-the-Fly Hipbelt that lets you tweak the length of the hipbelt pads while you’re wearing the pack. These two models also come with the must-have sunshade, which is ingeniously slipped into the back of the pack and springs out (with a near-audible boing) when you pull it out. The Premium features a removable daypack and a changing pad, so it’s up to you if that’s worth the extra $40. Regardless of the model, all the packs are for kids who can sit-up unassisted and weigh at least 16 pounds. The adjustable seat and shoulder straps also mean that the pack can grow with your kid. The stability proved to be reassuringly perfect after several outings. The maximum load is 48 pounds (carrier, child, and gear combined). The Poco Plus weighs 6 pounds, 15 ounces, so with a 25-pound kid in tow, you have 16 pounds to play around with. That’s a heavy load for a day-hike, but the pack has a hydration sleeve and a mesh back-panel to aid in staying hydrated and cool.

Product Type
Day Packs, Gear All-Star
Good For
, , ,
Tested In
National Mall, Maryland regional parks

EZ-Fit Insoles

ezfitinsoles.com; 2 ounces
Custom insoles can make the difference between performance and pain. They can also be incredibly expensive. Masterfit’s EZ-Fit Insoles are a solution that provides miles and miles of comfort at an affordable price. Cheap shoes have sewn-in footbeds, but performance footwear generally comes with a removable insole; shoe manufacturers realize that runners, skiers, hikers, and other athletes immediately pull out these cheap, flimsy factory insoles and replace with ones that provide real support and cushioning. One Bend, Oregon-based tester wears insoles 90 days a year in ski boots, and twice that in hiking and running shoes. Her top choice for support and all-day comfort? Masterfit’s EZ-Fit insoles. Rather than requiring you to go to a boot fitter (which we still heartily recommend, especially when you buy new ski or hiking boots), the EZ-Fit insoles can be trimmed at home for a perfect fit. The insoles then quickly adapt to your individual arch and heel shape to provide maximum comfort, stability, and performance. The insoles have “Contour Domes” that ring the heel pocket base—they automatically adjust to the volume of your heel for a snug fit—whether you’re foot is super thin or ultra-wide. The body of the insole is a multi-layered EVA, with a contoured arch that automatically adapts to provide just the right amount of support. Underneath the heel and forefoot are shock pads and a forefoot cushion for a smooth, pain-free stride.
EZ-Fit Terra is designed for running and hiking footwear; EZ-Fit Snow is designed for ski, snowboard and mountaineering boots

Product Type
Footwear, Gear All-Star
Good For
, , , , , , , ,
Tested In
Three Sisters Wilderness, OR; Mt. Washington, New Hampshire; Yellowstone National Park; Grand Teton National Park

Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Solar Charger

www.goalzero.com
One piece of gear that almost everyone should buy–or at least hose who spends a great deal of time camping or backpacking far from the conveniences of the nearest outlet–is the Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus. It will keep lanterns, flashlights, GPS, iPad, iPod, Radio, portable speakers, warmers, and cell phones all up and running for the whole trip. With a few extra batteries you can continue to swap fresh for new from the AA or AAA recharger or directly connect cellphones or other devices through the USB jack. If you have often found yourself conserving power like a miser or hoarding time on a portable device like Gollum covets his precious, worry no longer because with the Guide 10 you’ll have plenty of power to spare. Although it takes eight hours or so to fully charge the battery pack, it can be attached to a pack or left on a rock, passively collecting power as you play. Rock out on the trail all day and worry about the batteries later.
-Michael Savage

Product Type
iPads and iPad Accessories
Good For
, ,
Tested In
Days upon days in the (formerly unforgiving) backcountry.
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