Reveal: Our 2025 Editors' List Picks

February 11, 2025

Our first annual Editors' Lists are here.

They're something new in the world of gear reviewing. These three lists—each highlighting a specific place and time to go backpacking—replace the outdated and unhelpful “best of 2025” lists so prevalent elsewhere. We’re lending more weight to the lowly packing list, reintroducing critical context to editors' picks, and working hard to earn the trust of skeptical readers. Take a look below to get a peek at which products were chosen as picks, then grab a copy of Issue 9 to read the complete reviews, understand the context, and fully understand what makes them unique.

Editors' List: Rainy Season Backpacking in the PNW

Winters in the PNW get a bad rap. Those who haven’t experienced the rainy season here imagine it dumping 24/7 for six months. In reality, it hardly ever pours. It’s more like living in a cloud for weeks on end—not ideal backpacking conditions, but as most are packing away their tents and sleeping bags, I’m still out here. Whats the gear that took home a prized Editors' List award?

1. Arc'teryx Beta SL
2. Hyperlite Unbound 40
3. Durston X-Mid 1
4. Enlightened Equipment Enigma 20 F
5. Patagonia Nano-Air Hoody
6. Jetboil Stash System
7. Nocs Zoom Tube Monocular
8. Oboz Katabatic LT Low GTX
9. Tenkara Rod Co. Beartooth
10. Leatherman Sidekick

Editors' List: Alaskan Multi-Day Ski Traverse

Traveling through the rugged terrain of Alaska in the springtime has been a tradition in my household, so by now I’ve mastered the packing list for these trips. When Southcentral Alaska is blessed with a high pressure window ideal for glacier travel, it usually means I’ll carry my warmest gear, as temperatures will likely plummet below zero at night and peak in the teens during the day. This is the Editors' List gear that keeps me warm.

1. The North Face Summit Series Pumori Down Parka
2. Hyperlite UltaMid 4
3. Western Mountaineering Antelope MF
4. Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Therm NXT
5. Alpine Fit Rendezvous Ridge and Backcounty Baselayers
6. Western Mountaineering Standard Down Booties
7. MSR WindPro II
8. Norrona Falketind Thermo40 Shorts
9. Hyperlite Camera Pod
10. Deuter Expedition Ultra 60

Editors' List: Summertime in Colorado's High Country

It’s summer in the alpine: Wildflowers cover every part of the landscape that isn’t pure rock, snowmelt streams make water plentiful, and the alpine lakes are like perfect little gems, guarded by the craggy peaks and ridges that surround them. Save for afternoon thunderstorms that should keep you off any summits, it’s almost always bluebird. And when the sun finally sinks down for the day, temperatures follow, making a warm sleep system a necessity. Even in this summer backpacking eutopia, the right gear makes all the difference. These are the Editors' List-winning items that make the cut.

1. Hyperlite Southwest 55L
2. Mountain Hardwear Phantom 15 F/-9C
3. Nemo Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated Wide
4. Ridge Merino Solstice Lightweight Wool Hoody
5. Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol
6. Patagonia Houdini Jacket
7. Skida Brim Hat
8. Hoka Speedgoat 6
9. MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe & Flat Cat Gear Ocelot Windscreen
10. MSR FreeLite 3-Person