Backpacker Gear Testing Policy

Gear Testing Methods
All product reviews that appear in Backpacker magazine and in the Gear section on Backpacker.com are based on rigorous field testing performed by our experienced staff and test crew. But before we even think about writing a review, we hammer products hard to make sure they’re worthy of recommendation. (Only a fraction of what we test actually makes it into print.) We test gear in a variety of conditions, terrains, and climates, and we test it for an appropriately long time to gauge durability.

Products are provided by manufacturers and returned following testing (exceptions: base layer clothing and footwear cannot be returned for sanitary reasons). All specifications are according to the manufacturer except for weight, which is verified by a BACKPACKER scale. All products as tested are available retail to consumers at the time of publication unless otherwise noted.


Gear Testing Policy
On Backpacker.com you'll sometimes see gear-related information accompanied by a sponsor's logo. These logos, or advertisements, appear long after field testing has concluded and the article has been written. Our policy is firm: No advertiser influences our field testing in any way. This way, our gear evaluations remain unbiased and objective. For more, see our Sponsorship Policy.