Field Tests and Gear Reviews

When out on the trail, the equipment you have along is all you have to rely on until you get back to the comfort and safety of your home. It is up to you to determine the essential equipment you bring along to make your hike comfortable and safe. Failing to bring along the right gear may mean a miserable experience or worse.

As field-testers, the reviews we have provided are based on our own experiences and represent an unbiased account of the gear we use and trust. 

If you are a retailer or manufacturer and would like us to field-test your gear please drop us an email at explore@trailhiking.com.au

Check out our Field Tests and Gear Reviews and feel free to leave your comments so that they may benefit others.

Grivel G10 New-Classic Crampon

Field Test - Grivel G10 New-Classic Crampon Hiking becomes much more challenging during the winter months when the trails are ...

Grivel G1 Plus Ice Axe

Field Test - Grivel G1 Plus Ice Axe It goes without saying that the milder weather is a lot more ...

Osprey Aether AG™ 70

Field Test - Osprey Aether AG™ 70 When I embarked on my first overnight hike, quite a few years ago, ...

5 Ways to Lighten the Load

Are you new to overnight or multi-day hiking or an experienced adventurer who is looking at grabbing some new gear ...

Back Country Cuisine Freeze Dri Food

Field Test - Back Country Cuisine Freeze Dri Food Every time I think of my first overnight hike I recall ...

Jetboil Flash Java Kit

Field Test – Jetboil Flash Java Kit When I first started hiking all I was really interested in was day ...

Helinox Chair Zero

Field Test – Helinox Chair Zero A few years ago I was leading a hike through the Lerderderg State Park in ...

SNOWGUM Micro 600 Down Sleeping Bag

Field Test - SNOWGUM Micro 600 Down Sleeping Bag I remember with great excitement the first time I grabbed my ...

Klymit Insulated Static V Lite

Field Test – Klymit Insulated Static V Lite Unless you are participating in the ultra-light movement and can be found ...

SNOWGUM VaporTEC® Ultra Jacket

Field Test - SNOWGUM VaporTEC® Ultra Jacket (Valdez for men and Vienna for women) You might be expecting perfect weather, ...

Helinox FL135 Hiking Poles

Field Test – Helinox FL135 Hiking Poles Who would have guessed that there are hiking poles for every occasion? Aren’t ...

Fitbit® Surge™

Field Test - Fitbit® Surge™ Navigating the trail is one of the most important aspects of heading off into the ...

TrekSta Kobra GORE-TEX® Hiking Shoe

Field Test - TrekSta Kobra GORE-TEX® Hiking Shoe Anyone who knows me will know that I own and have tested my ...

Big Sky Chinook 2P 4 Season Tent

Field Test – Big Sky Chinook 2P 4 Season Tent When I first started hiking I spent the first twelve ...

SNOWGUM Cooper MKII VaporTEC® Boot

Field Test – SNOWGUM Cooper MKII VaporTEC® Boot Hiking footwear needs to protect feet from damage and to provide a solid ...

Sawyer Mini Water Filter

Field Test - Sawyer Mini Water Filter My recommendation is that everyone should own the Sawyer Mini water filter. Sawyer have ...

Helinox TL Series Hiking Poles

Field Test - Helinox TL Series Hiking Poles I have owned at least five set of hiking poles over the ...

ArmaSkin Dermal Protection Layer

Field Test – ArmaSkin Dermal Protection Layer Earlier this year I was getting ready for a trek through the Himalayas, ...

SV Topographic Maps

Field Test - SV Topographic Maps - Northern Prom My wife and I undertook a 3 day hike recently in Victoria's South ...

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