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The Best Backpacking Gear of 2025 (All Budgets)

203.6K views· 4,929 likes· 35:30· Nov 23, 2025

🛍️ Products Mentioned (41)

Featherstone Backbone

Featherstone Backbone

Available on alnk

Zenbivy UL Bed

Available on alnk

Kelty Cosmic 20

Available on Amazon
Nemo Tensor Mattress

Nemo Tensor Mattress

Available on alnk
Featherstone Calcatta Mattress

Featherstone Calcatta Mattress

Available on alnk
Nemo Tensor Extreme Mattress

Nemo Tensor Extreme Mattress

Available on alnk
M!Go Water Bottle

M!Go Water Bottle

Available on alnk
Sawyer Squeeze

Sawyer Squeeze

Available on alnk
Cleaning Connector Cap

Cleaning Connector Cap

Available on alnk
Cnoc Vecto Water Bag

Cnoc Vecto Water Bag

Available on alnk

NiteCore NU 27 Headlamp

Available on Amazon

NiteCore NU 25 Headlamp

Available on Amazon
Adotec Bear Locker

Adotec Bear Locker

Available on alnk

CampingMoon XD-2F Stove

Available on Amazon
Soto TriFlex Adapter

Soto TriFlex Adapter

Available on Amazon

BRS-3000 Stove

Available on Amazon

Firemaple G2 Pot

Available on Amazon

Firemaple G3 Pot

Available on Amazon
MSR Switch

MSR Switch

Available on alnk
ZPacks ArcHaul 70 pack

ZPacks ArcHaul 70 pack

Available on bit

NatureHike 60L pack

Available on Amazon

Nemo Moonlite Elite Chair

Available on alnk
Midlayer jacket

Midlayer jacket

Available on alnk
Puffy Jacket

Puffy Jacket

Available on alnk
Pinnacle Foods

Pinnacle Foods

Available on bit
Durston X Dome 1+

Durston X Dome 1+

Available on bit
Thanks to LMNT for sponsoring this video! Head to

Thanks to LMNT for sponsoring this video! Head to

Available on drinklmnt

Wool Hiking Socks

Available on Amazon
Hiking Underwear

Hiking Underwear

Available on Amazon
Stretchy Hiking Belt

Stretchy Hiking Belt

Available on alnk
Trekking Poles

Trekking Poles

Available on Amazon

Leather Hat

Available on Amazon
Satellite Communicator

Satellite Communicator

Available on alnk

Thanks to onX Backcountry for sponsoring this video. It's my favorite map/navigation/route planning app. You can save 20% using my link

Available on bit
Backcountry Exposure Mesa Bag

Backcountry Exposure Mesa Bag

Available on bit
UCO Camp Cup

UCO Camp Cup

Available on Amazon
UCO Spoon and Fork

UCO Spoon and Fork

Available on Amazon

Verve Coffee

Available on Amazon
Hyperlite Camera Pod

Hyperlite Camera Pod

Available on alnk
Zenbivy Flex

Zenbivy Flex

Available on alnk

Stove

Available on Amazon

Thanks to OnX Backcountry for sponsoring this video. It's my favorite map/navigation/route planning app. You can save 20% using my link: https://bit.ly/45dRW7a Gear in this video: Durston X-Dome 1+: https://bit.ly/45dKSWr Featherstone Backbone: https://alnk.to/a45HEav Zenbivy UL Bed: https://alnk.to/aWGm2Fy Kelty Cosmic 20: https://amzn.to/4oevEI6 Zenbivy Flex Mattress: https://alnk.to/28TMXyX Nemo Tensor Mattress: https://alnk.to/90C11kH Featherstone Calcatta Mattress: https://alnk.to/6bXTkid Nemo Tensor Extreme Mattress: https://alnk.to/1CabP5y M!Go Water Bottle: https://alnk.to/9xmhXOk Sawyer Squeeze: https://alnk.to/fHnX2E4 Cleaning Connector Cap: https://alnk.to/8tRK4Vh Cnoc Vecto Water Bag: https://alnk.to/5Q7w6Y9 Backcountry Exposure Mesa Bag: https://bit.ly/4oRh5eN UCO Camp Cup: https://amzn.to/480jLRu UCO Spoon and Fork: https://amzn.to/47XK4HV Verve Coffee: https://amzn.to/4oogFf2 LMNT Electrolytes: http://DrinkLMNT.com/ERICHANSON NiteCore NU 27 Headlamp: https://amzn.to/3ZVTyin NiteCore NU 25 Headlamp: https://amzn.to/3I4a8qk Pika Lid: ttps://alnk.to/2uJrFDU Adotec Bear Locker: https://alnk.to/esZvqC1 CampingMoon XD-2F Stove: https://amzn.to/487bsmZ Soto TriFlex Adapter: https://amzn.to/3XHTFfU BRS-3000 Stove: https://amzn.to/4iechgW Firemaple Stove: https://amzn.to/47UFTfW Firemaple G2 Pot: https://amzn.to/48cdTmH Firemaple G3 Pot: https://amzn.to/4iAiaFH MSR Switch: https://alnk.to/4qOjwoJ ZPacks ArcHaul 70 pack: https://bit.ly/3DchQfE NatureHike 60L pack: https://amzn.to/4kg7D1s Not discussed, but worthy of awards: Nemo Moonlite Elite Chair: https://alnk.to/2QzuVfB Pinnacle Foods Backpacker Meals: https://bit.ly/4914fTT Fizan Trekking Poles: https://amzn.to/3ImY7Mw Hyperlite Camera Pod: https://alnk.to/g3cb5DO Satellite Communicator: https://alnk.to/5jnzniW Sun Hat: https://amzn.to/3I64bca Wool Hiking Socks: https://amzn.to/3ZeRjqi Hiking Underwear: https://amzn.to/4eGGrGc Stretchy Hiking Belt: https://alnk.to/28SjDnc Midlayer jacket: https://alnk.to/31ufU6h Puffy Jacket: https://alnk.to/bElnY5i 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. Most of the above links are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. It's a great way to support creators you enjoy! Want to collaborate with me? You can reach me at erichanson@thestation.io

About This Video

Backpacking gear can get crazy expensive, and with endless options it’s easy to feel totally overwhelmed. In this video I break down my Backpacking Gear Awards for 2025—stuff I’ve actually put through the wringer over hundreds of miles on missions around the world, across all budgets. I’m talking the gear I keep coming back to, plus a few new ideas that genuinely changed how I backpack. I start with shelters, because tents are one of the “sexiest” categories, and for me there’s a hands-down winner: the Durston X-Dome 1+. It’s a freestanding 2‑lb tent that’s easy to set up, has fly-first pitch advantages in bad weather, and even has a trekking-pole reinforcement trick that made a real difference for me in 50 mph winds in the Canadian Rockies. I also highlight a legit budget surprise: the Featherstone Backbone trekking-pole tent—proof you don’t need to spend thousands to get out there. From there I get into sleep systems (my beloved Zenbivy UL Bed, plus budget and winter options like the Kelty Cosmic 20 and Nemo Tensor Extreme), then the accessories that make trips smoother: OnX Backcountry for planning and safety, the M!Go bottle + Sawyer Squeeze + connector cap for an all-in-one gravity-ish filtration workflow, my kitchen organization bag, my favorite Nitecore headlamp, and a few nerdy-but-brilliant problem solvers like the Pika Lid and a bear/rodent solution that can replace a lot of bulk.

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