Hiking Kit
Editors' Picks
Unfiltered hiking favorites from the Better Trail team.
On Better Trail, we usually keep things balanced—presenting the facts and helping readers find what works best for them. But this kit is our turn to let our freak flags fly, and it’s your chance to see what we really think. Here, we share our personal favorites—no caveats, no compromises, no thinking for the masses. And yes, we don’t always agree (which makes assembling these Editors’ Picks kits… spirited, to say the least). Below are the winners of each category showdown—the gear that truly stole our hearts.
La Sportiva Prodigio Max ($185)
Gregory Zulu 24 LT ($170)
Arc'teryx Gamma SL ($160)
Patagonia DAS Light Hoody ($349)
Patagonia Granite Crest ($289)
Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Hoody ($79)
Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z ($220)
HydraPak 42mm Filter Cap ($40)
The endurance champ of the Prodigio series, the Max is built for all-day (or multi-day) comfort and durability. Designed as a long-distance trail runner, it also makes for an excellent hiking shoe for long days, fast pushes, on- and off-trail terrain.
Comfort
Support and Stability
Traction
Durability
Foot Protection
Sustainability
The Zulu 24 LT is basically a backpacking pack in miniature, and we mean that as a compliment. This is a comfortable, sturdy daypack with excellent design elements, especially its breathable trampoline-style backpanel.
Comfort & Support
Organization
Weight
Durability
Water Resistance
Sustainability
The lightest pant in the Gamma series, the SL blends the stretchy, weather-resistant performance of a softshell with a streamlined build tuned for mild mountain conditions. It’s an excellent choice for high-alpine travel in summer, but can feel overkill for warm, below-treeline outings.
Comfort & Mobility
Durability
Breathability
Weather Resistance
Features
Sustainability
Purpose-built for the alpine, the DAS Light Hoody delivers impressive warmth for its weight, excellent water resistance, and a feature set dialed for vertical pursuits. Its steep price tag reflects that performance, making it best suited for serious rather than casual users.
Warmth
Comfort & Mobility
Breathability
Weight & Packability
Weather Resistance
Sustainability
The Granite Crest is a breathable, comfortable, and highly mobile rain jacket with a full suite of performance-oriented features, including a helmet-compatible hood and watertight zippers. However, it's on the expensive side for a rain jacket.
Weather Protection
Comfort
Breathability
Weight & Packability
Durability
Sustainability
We never thought a sun hoody could feel like butter until we tried the Crater Lake. Built with soft, stretchy, and cooling material, this simple sun protection layer is fun to wear whether active or at rest. The fabric mercifully resists pilling, too.
For the best combination of lightweight and packable, the Distance Carbon Z is the pole to get. Our testers swear by this ultralight offering for moving fast in the mountains with minimal weight—despite its high price, middling durability, and lack of adjustability.
Comfort
Durability
Weight
Packed Size
Features
Sustainability
One of the most refined bottle filters on the market, the HydraPak Filter Cap threads onto any bottle with a 42-millimeter opening—the standard size for HydraPak soft flasks—and lets you filter water straight into your mouth or another vessel. It’s compact, lightweight, and refreshingly easy to clean.
User Friendliness
Filtering Speed
Weight & Packed Size
Durability
Maintenance
Sustainability
How We Built our Editors' Picks Kit
There’s not a whole lot of science behind the Editors' Picks Kit—it’s simply a reflection of our favorite day-hiking gear. All three of Better Trail’s founders weighed in on this list, which means it’s a little less cohesive than our other kits (and that’s part of the fun). Our favorite pack leans plush and supportive, while our go-to trekking pole is about as light as you can get without venturing into trail-running territory. And the La Sportiva Prodigio Max, technically a long-distance trail runner, made the cut because our CEO, David, just won’t stop singing its praises for everything from day hikes to overnights.
In short, if friends ask what we recommend—with zero hints about their style or upcoming trip—this is the gear we recommend first.
Better Trail's founding team weighed in on this hiking kit, which is made up of three very different—but equally trail-obsessed—individuals.
Born, raised, and still residing in Boulder, Colorado, David would probably hike in jeans if John and Jenny didn’t stop him. That said, after decades steeped in the outdoor industry, he understands gear and brands better than anyone. And with Chautauqua Park practically in his backyard, he’s out on the trails almost every day.
John, based in central Washington, is the undisputed gear nerd of the bunch and a connoisseur of lunch laps—getting out midday, rain or shine, on foot, bike, or skis. He can tell the difference between backpack foams and 3-layer membranes by feel alone, and the team mantra “Always trust John” has yet to steer us wrong.
And then there’s Jenny, our resident mountain goat. She’s all about fast-and-light travel, off-trail routes, and a touch of Type Two fun. She’s put holes in more jackets than we can count and uses her bottle filter multiple times a week. If anybody with a full-time job gets out more than Jenny, we’d like to meet them.
All this to say, the checks and balances among the Better Trail team run high—but the list above might be one of the few things we actually agree on.
We’ll let the picks above largely speak for themselves, but we wouldn’t be doing this kit justice without a few more words on footwear. We love footwear at Better Trail: we love geeking out on it, testing it, and having opinions about it. When a friend is planning an adventure, one of our favorite questions to ask is, “What shoes are you wearing?”
We won’t be shy about our stance here: we think trail runners are the best choice for most day hiking. You don’t need to be a seasoned hiker to appreciate their lightweight, nimble feel, and everyone can get behind the added cushion underfoot. Most lack any sort of break-in period, and modern designs are more durable than ever, with high-tech uppers made from Kevlar, Cordura, and other abrasion-resistant fabrics. And if you choose wisely, traction won’t be an issue—the trail runners we recommend for hiking feature full rubber outsoles that grip confidently on rock, roots, and slick terrain.
A few addenda to our soapbox. First, not every trail runner deserves a hiker’s attention. Plenty are too soft, too fragile, or rely on exposed midsole foam that wears out fast. Others are so minimal they feel downright squirrely. On the other hand, some of today’s hiking shoes blur the line so well that they’ve also earned our respect. The Topo Athletic Traverse is a prime example—we had a pair endure over 600 miles on one tester’s Continental Divide Trail thru-hike—but even burlier, stiffer shoes like the Merrell Moab Speed 2 and Keen Zionic have impressed us with their balance of weight, comfort, and capability.
In addition to our editors’ choice, the La Sportiva Prodigio Max, a few other trail running standouts deserve mention. Our team loves the Brooks Cascadia 19—a classic trail runner with serious thru-hiking credentials. The NNormal Tomir 02 brings European precision and high performance in a sleek, durable package, while the Saucony Peregrine 15 is a nice match for folks who will value a snug toe box and serious grip. And if you’ve got wide or hard-to-please feet, we’d be remiss not to mention the Altra Lone Peak 9, a zero-drop favorite with a roomy toe box and a long history on the world’s most iconic trails.
If you haven’t caught on yet, you soon will: For us at Better Trail, layering is the name of the game when it comes to staying comfortable outdoors. Especially if you’re moving at a clip or venturing out in questionable weather, dialing in your layers helps you stay warm—but not too warm—and dry throughout the day.
For hiking, you’ll want three main layers:
- A next-to-skin piece—usually a tank top, T-shirt, or sun hoody (or a base layer in colder conditions). We’re big proponents of sun hoodies not only for skin protection but also for keeping a pep in our step. Long days of sun exposure are surprisingly fatiguing, and covering up your skin (and head) can go a long way toward conserving energy.
- An insulating layer, whether that’s a down or synthetic jacket or a fleece.
- A weather-protective shell, be it a rain jacket, windbreaker, or hardshell.
In terms of insulation, the DAS Light Hoody is a staff favorite, but there are plenty of solid alternatives depending on your needs. If you prioritize breathability and don’t need much weather resistance, a synthetic jacket like the Arc’teryx Atom or The North Face Casaval Hybrid fits the bill. You could also go the fleece route—popular picks include the Senchi Designs A90 or Patagonia R1 Air. For a best-of-both-worlds blend, we love the Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hybrid (our top midlayer in the Backcountry Ski Kit), which combines 40-gram synthetic insulation with fleece at the back, sides, and under the arms. If coziness or warmth-to-weight are your main priorities, down jackets like the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer or Arc’teryx Cerium are hard to beat, though they’re best reserved for trail-side breaks or hanging at camp—they’re not as breathable or weather-ready for active use.
As for shell jackets, here’s our take: if there’s no rain in the forecast, grab a windbreaker. These ultralight layers (like the Patagonia Houdini) disappear into your pack but offer a surprisingly protective barrier when needed. It’s always a little mind-blowing how much warmth a single layer of windproof fabric can provide by cutting the wind and sealing in body heat. If moisture is on the horizon, go with a 3-layer rain jacket—pieces like the Patagonia Granite Crest or REI Co-op XeroCloud 3L lead the way. The 3-layer construction makes them more breathable, durable, and comfortable than most 2.5-layer shells, and modern materials keep weight impressively low. (We go into far more detail in our article: Evolved: The Shift from 2.5- to 3-Layer Rain Jackets.) In general, they’re also much softer and quieter than true hardshells (like the Arc’teryx Beta SL, for example), which tend to feel stiffer and work best in extreme mountain or winter conditions.
Is the Editors’ Picks Hiking Kit for You?
You can’t go wrong with any of the gear in our Editors’ Kit—from hiking shoes and pants to the rain jacket and water filter, it’s some of the best equipment on the market and has our full stamp of approval after seasons (and in some cases, years) of use. If you’re just getting started, this kit is a great place to begin—it showcases some of the most premium, field-tested gear out there. But if you already have a sense of your hiking style, one of our other kits might suit you even better.
For those who like the freedom of traveling light and moving quickly, check out our Fast-and-Light Kit.
If you’re looking for gear that looks and functions just as good at apres as it does on the trail, check out our Trail-to-Town Hiking Kit.
For hikers headed to high places, check out the Peak Bagger Hiking Kit.
And if you're looking to hit the trail without too big a hit on your wallet, see what there is to see in our Budget Hiking Kit.
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