The other day, while getting groceries, I saw a well-loved first-generation Toyota Tacoma with a camper shell. Walking past it, I realized that even though I hadn鈥檛 seen the owner, I had them pegged. This was the type of Tacoma that a young person would drive all across the American West. I was confident there was a homemade wooden sleeping platform and a pair of well-used hiking boots somewhere in the back.

This was all conjecture, of course, but it got me thinking about how each Tacoma, more than any other kind of car, develops a certain look and feel that often says something about their owner鈥檚 ethos, interests, politics, and lifestyle. I should know: I鈥檝e owned two Tacomas over the past decade and both trucks definitely reflected who I was, or at least who I wanted to be.

You may think your Tacoma is just how you get around, but I believe every one reveals something about the owner. I put together a random collection of Tacomas and made up descriptions of who would drive each truck. Read on to see if you find yourself in one of these stereotypes.

The Stock Classic

Even though it鈥檚 bone stock, this truck has seen more dirt miles than any overland truck out there. It鈥檚 creeping past 200,000 miles but doesn鈥檛 eat any oil and still cruises on the freeway. It鈥檚 had three owners, and the current one (which could be a man or woman) works for some kind of crunchy nonprofit that allows them to spend a lot of time outside. They had always wanted to go to NOLS, but never had the time or the money and instead got their WFR and did a three-day avalanche training course five years ago. They鈥檙e not a mountain biker because it’s too much gear, but love to in the summer (they particularly love trail running hats) and backcountry ski in the winter. There鈥檚 a sage bundle somewhere on the dash that鈥檚 never been burned, and they鈥檝e been guilty of stringing up Tibetan prayer flags at their rental house.

The Techie鈥檚 Toy

This type of Tacoma owner lives somewhere in Southern California and works in tech. They鈥檙e not at Google, but instead have an engineering position at a smaller company that contracts for the larger ones (a fact that irks him and hurts his ego a bit). The owner is a slightly overweight man, who is married but doesn鈥檛 have kids so he doesn鈥檛 feel guilty about spending thousands on his truck (there are, however, occasional fights about money with his wife). It鈥檚 his daily driver, and he secretly loves the way it stands out while stuck in freeway traffic on the 5. He鈥檚 also part of an informal Tacoma club that goes for trail rides on the weekends. In that group, he鈥檚 known as a timid driver, but is still welcomed because he鈥檚 generous and often buys dinner for the gang at a local brewery post-ride. His garage is immaculate, and he鈥檚 done some of his own modification work, but sends the truck off to the local overland shop when things get complicated.

The Lifetime Love Affair

This truck has only had one owner and they bought it new back in 1985. The owner, now 72 years old, is happily retired after a 30-year career as an accounting professor at the local community college. At least twice a week, someone leaves a note on their windshield offering to buy the truck, but they鈥檒l never sell because it only has 105,000 miles and they still love driving stick shift to get groceries (even if they now have trouble finding the gears at times). That, and the truck is full of memories. They loved the summers when they and their lifetime partner (loyalty runs deep) used it to tow a little camper out to various national parks for early-morning hikes and late-night hankypanky. They also love to talk about that one time the truck safely got them up a high-alpine Colorado four-wheel-drive road that scared the shit of them and was probably more than they should have chewed off.

The Redneck鈥檚 Rowdy Ride

This Tacoma鈥檚 owner has a Ford F-250 for their daily driver because they need more power for towing and hauling, and because they鈥檝e modified this Tacoma so much that it sucks to drive on the freeway. But when the owner, who鈥檚 very much single at the moment, is not at work, they spend hundreds of hours tinkering with this truck and love driving it at stupidly high speeds on dirt roads, rock crawling at their local spot, and standing in the bed to drink beer, listen to Kid Rock at high volume and shoot AR15s with their buddies out in the middle of the desert. The owner did all the modifications and even custom-fabricated the front bumper based on their own design. Politically, they鈥檙e on the exact opposite end of the spectrum from the first-gen owner above, but they both appreciate Toyota engine reliability in just the same way.

The Low-Key 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Rig

You can tell this owner is completely unpretentious because there are zero modifications on the truck other than a simple gear rack. The on the rack also shouts 鈥渄own to earth鈥� because canoeing is such an easy-going outdoor activity (unlike jet skiing, or rock climbing) and one that鈥檚 easily shared with spouse or friends (even if he has to go solo much of the time). There were kids in the picture, but they are off to college so there鈥檚 no need for a quad-cab setup. That makes him feel a bit old, but he reinforces his youth and vigor every time he lifts the canoe off the rack and carries it on his shoulders past the trucks with trailers waiting their turn at the state park boat landing. When the canoe isn鈥檛 on the truck, there鈥檚 usually a steel-frame Jamis hard-tail in the back. The owner likes that the truck is four-wheel drive because they live down a dirt road and have to battle mud and snow. They鈥檝e never upgraded to all-terrain tires, however, because he prides himself on how well he knows their road and has never been stuck鈥攅xcept that one time when he over-estimated his skills, slid off a washout, and they had to call a neighbor to pull them out with a tractor.

The Midlife Image Change

After decades of driving boring-ass Camrys, this is a splurge by a 55-year-old man who鈥檚 wanted a truck since he was eight years old. He鈥檚 spent years obsessively researching and finding the exact truck he wants. His wife has long encouraged him to shut up and just spend the money, but he鈥檚 resisted because he prides himself on his frugality. He鈥檚 going with a Tacoma because he knows they鈥檙e legendary for being reliable and that makes him feel better about spending more cash than he ever has on a car. It鈥檚 not new, but has low miles and never been in an accident. He would never put bigger tires on (which would lower the fuel economy) and doesn鈥檛 want a camper shell because he wants to use it as a truck to haul landscaping supplies, lumber, and other materials for DIY home improvement projects. He鈥檚 meticulous about maintenance鈥攃hanging the oil every 3,000 miles even though the dealership said 8-10,000 is now the norm鈥攌eeps the interior spotless (he has a monthly membership to the do-it-yourself car wash), and isn鈥檛 bothered by the fact that the truck has no get-up-and-go because he drives defensively on city streets and never goes above 70 on the freeway.

The Handyman鈥檚 Toolbox

We all love when this Tacoma shows up in front of our house because it means the local handyman has arrived. He鈥檚 missing a few teeth, smells like cigarettes, is kind of hard to get a hold of because he鈥檚 not a proficient smartphone user, but does amazing work, can fix anything, and always undercharges, especially if you pay him cash. The back of his truck is full of tools that are organized in his own special way, and there are definitely some fast-food wrappers scattered around the cab. There鈥檚 a Steely Dan CD stuck in the stereo that still works and he drives around without a spare because he blew a tire and never got around to replacing it. He intentionally bought a rear wheel drive version of the truck: It gets much better gas mileage and the only dirt he drives on is in the alleys behind houses he鈥檚 working on.

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Most of the vehicles displayed in the booths at Overland Expo West are showpieces. They鈥檝e been built to catch your eye and highlight the newest gear. There鈥檚 nothing wrong with these adventure rigs鈥攖hey鈥檙e works of art that any overlander would be excited to drive. But, because they sit at the very top of the overland gear pyramid, they don鈥檛 exactly represent the reality of everyday overlanding.

Consequently, our team always spends a day out in the nearby campgrounds. It鈥檚 out there, under the trees and in the dirt, where you find trucks, vans, and other creations that represent the best of DIY culture and showcase the kind of rigs that people actually use on global adventures. Here are our favorite DIY overlanding rigs from this year.

Also check out: The Best Trailers, Campers, and Van Conversions of 2025 and The Best Tents for Car Camping

The post The 7 Best DIY 国产吃瓜黑料 Rigs from Overland Expo West 2025 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Overlanders are arguably the most intense gearheads in the outdoor community. They鈥檙e willing to spend months (if not years) and thousands (if not tens of thousands) of dollars dialing in their perfect setup. As such, the overland product market is usually a rich place to find new and innovative gear. Some of it is way too specific and not much use to the general public, but a handful of items have a much broader appeal, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檝e rounded up below. Over three days, we scoured dozens of booths at Overland Expo West to find the gear that will help recreational campers enjoy summer camping trips that much more.

Watch: Our Favorite Rig at Overland Expo West

($269)

Air conditioning and adventure rigs have never really gone hand in hand. Usually, the AC units you see sitting atop travel trailers and RVs require a lot of electricity to run, meaning your rig needs to be plugged into a standard, household 120v outlet (or 鈥渟hore power鈥�). Twelve-volt AC units, like the or portable , are capable of running off your rig鈥檚 house battery, but they鈥檙e very expensive and run times are usually limited to a few hours without a massive battery bank. The Transcool E3, on the other hand, can run for up to 157 hours on a 100ah battery. It鈥檚 an Australian-made, portable evaporative cooler that holds a half gallon of water and only weighs 4.2 pounds. While it won鈥檛 cool down an entire rig or room the way a true air conditioner will, it could be the perfect solution for anyone looking to add a little cool air to their rig鈥攅specially since it costs just a fraction of a 12V AC unit.

($3,299)

, which until recently was called , makes these nifty little camper boxes that are meant to be mounted in a truck bed or on a flatbed trailer. At 180 to 190 pounds depending on the size you choose, they’re lightweight and designed to be easily removed from your truck or trailer when not in use. They鈥檙e also very well insulated鈥攖he two-inch, rigid foam walls have an R12-15 rating, which is incredibly high for a camper and means it won鈥檛 take much to heat or cool this thing. You can pick from either a truck mounting or during purchase, or you can simply strap the box down via ratchet straps.

($175)

Camping lanterns have been around forever, but Devos is changing the market with their LightRanger series of lights. The LightRanger 1200 is a USB-C rechargeable LED lantern that puts out 1200 lumens and comes with an adjustable light stand capable of telescoping the lantern up to 9 feet in the air. Raising the lantern that far overhead means it’s capable of lighting up a 60-foot area, and it鈥檒l keep the bugs up above you rather than buzzing around your camp table. It can run for up to 80 hours on its lowest setting (60 lumens), and nearly four hours on max.

(From $30)

We love it when someone finds a problem with an existing product and decides to make it better. Case in point, the Rollercam L Track Kit. The founder of Rollercam got sick of using traditional cam straps on river trips, which become difficult to tighten when friction builds between the cam and webbing. He designed a strap with a brass roller (hence the name Rollercam) integrated into it, which alleviates the friction problem problem and makes it easier to tighten the straps securely. Rollercam鈥檚 latest innovation is the L Track kit, which lets you pair different-length straps that come with L-Track fittings attached to the ends. As a result, you easily secure all sorts of gear to L-track systems commonly used in van builds, trailers, truck beds, and more.

While Koni has a long history in the automotive world, the brand is still somewhat unknown in the overland space. This was Koni鈥檚 first year at Overland Expo West, and they were showing off their current line of shocks along with the new , which is the company鈥檚 first overland-specific shock. The Explorer is a 2-inch aluminum, monotube design that features the brand鈥檚 ACTIVE FSD, or Frequency Selective Damping, technology. Basically, it uses mechanical components to automatically switch between low and high damping forces depending on whether you鈥檙e driving on the highway or off pavement. In other words, these shocks will likely be perfect for the vast majority of overlanders out there.

($549)

It can be a little spooky to drive your overland rig out into the middle of nowhere, set up camp, and just hope that nothing goes wrong. Some people bring firearms for protection, but if that makes you uncomfortable, the Byrna is a great alternative. The device, which looks exactly like a traditional gun, fires less-lethal projectiles that are powered by a CO2 canister. Those projectiles, which are round and not designed to penetrate, come out at 400 feet per-second and will deter most humans and many animals within a 60-foot range. If you want added protection, you can also load the Byrna with rounds that are full of a chemical irritant that sprays out when the projectile makes impact. The CL is not classified as a firearm so you don鈥檛 need a permit or background check, but you do have to be 18 years old to buy one.

($122)

When we first walked up to the Kama booth, we were confused by the product on display but drawn in by the beautiful colors and designs. Owner and founder Rachel Dobronyi explained that what we were looking at were high-quality mats made from a 1000-denier nylon shell and lined with marine-grade foam. These mats spreadsout quickly but also pack up into a tight and easy-to-transport bundle. When we asked about their intended use, she gave us a laundry list. She said people use them as changing mats during ski, surf, and bike days, put them outside their vans as a place to hold their shoes, and even drape them over the back of their truck tailgate so they can transport mountain bikes without scratching any paint. We photographed the medium-sized offering but there鈥檚 also a larger mat that would be great for gatherings in the park, and a smaller version that people can use as a place to sit when backpacking or hunting.

($100)

When you head out camping, there鈥檚 always a question about how to transport and store the little stuff. We鈥檙e talking headlamps, walkie talkies, extra cords, flashlights, etc. The best place, based on lots of experience, is in a headrest bag like this one from Onwrd. With two big storage pockets, it will hold a family鈥檚 worth of headlamps, help you keep your cords organized and tangle-free, and also comes with a padded sunglasses pocket so you have a safe space to store your sunnies overnight. There are other companies out there that make headrest bags, but we think Onwrd’s design is the best because it slips over any headrest on the market via elastic bands and then can be tightened down with straps so it doesn鈥檛 rattle around on rough roads.

($699)

We鈥檝e been going to Overland Expos for a decade now and noticed that there鈥檚 a new trend in the market. Some people still want big campers and plush rooftop tents, but lots of other folks want to keep their camping setup as simple as possible. Enter sleeping platforms like the Hideaway, which slides into the back of your SUV or truck and creates a comfortable but ultra-simple way to sleep in your car when you鈥檙e adventuring off the grid. Similar to an extra-large cot designed for vehicles, the Hideaway come in three sizes (single, double, and XL) and is made in the U.S. from durable materials, including 500-denier cordura fabric for the cover and anodized aluminum for the legs. The legs are also adjustable so you get storage underneath, and when not in use, the Hideaway packs away and roll up into a similarly-sized package as a ground tent.

($400)

The Bugout is a wildly popular model from Benchmade because it鈥檚 the perfect size for everyday carry. At just 4.22 inches when folded up, it fits nicely in your pocket and never interferes when you need to grab your phone or keys. But at a respectable 7.46 inches when open, it鈥檚 enough knife for any everyday task鈥攃utting salami at the campsite, gutting a fish, opening a box, etc. This version of the Bugout recently launched and ups the ante by using a higher quality blade (CPM-S90V stainless steel) and by including the red richlite material on the handle that鈥檚 designed to come away with its own unique patina over time. The Bugout is not the knife you want for a hunting trip, or a survival outing, but you鈥檇 be hard pressed to find a nicer knife for everyday use.

($1,719)

Well-known as the premier bike rack company on the market, 1Up just expanded its offerings with a rack specifically designed for motorcycles. The Moto Rack borrows a similar design from the company鈥檚 original bike racks with two arms that clamp down on the wheels but don鈥檛 rub any of the frame compartments. It also comes with included wheel chocks that fit in the trays and sit snugly against the tires to cut down on wobble. If you want even more security, the rack has a mechanism to hold and tighten down ratchet straps that go over the arms (or any part of the bike) to create one more layer of assurance. Rated to carry motos up to 500 pounds with tires up to seven inches wide, the Moto Rack is not designed for big road motorcycles but instead for dirt and enduro bikes or other smaller, two-wheel motorized devices. An included ramp that pulls out of the tray makes loading and unloading a cinch.

More Gear Reviews

The Best Trailers, Campers, and Van Conversions of 2025
The Best Tents for Car Camping
15 Camping Accessories That Aren’t Essential But Are Really Nice to Have

The post The Most Exciting New Gear at Overland Expo West 2025 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Cameras present a unique challenge in the backcountry or on an adventure. They鈥檙e often heavier, always more expensive, and usually more fragile than any other outdoor gear you鈥檙e hauling around (including your phone). That means you need a trustworthy camera bag that carries exceptionally well, is easy to access, protects your gear from drops, falls, and the elements, and is designed well so you can keep everything organized.

That鈥檚 a high bar to clear, so the list below of my favorite camera bags for adventure and travel is a long time coming. It鈥檚 the result of my work as a photographer over the past 20 years, where I鈥檝e shot assignments in a wide variety of locations鈥攅verywhere from the Middle East to the summit of several 14ers across Colorado. As a gear tester for 国产吃瓜黑料 over the past 10-plus years I鈥檝e made a point to get my hands on every camera bag I could in search of the best. Here are my favorite camera bags for photographers on the go.

At a Glance

• Best Photo Backpack: with
• Best Photo Sling: with
• Best Old-School Camera Bag: with
• Best Lightweight Backpack: with
• How to Choose a Camera Bag
• How I Tested

Best Photo Backpack

Shimoda Action X50 v2 with Medium Mirrorless V2 Core Unit

国产吃瓜黑料 dimensions: 22鈥� x 11.8鈥� x 7.9鈥�

Pros and Cons
鈯� Carries well when loaded down
鈯� Nearly indestructible
鈯� Feature-rich
鈯� Heavy
鈯� Expensive

Designed specifically for backcountry photographers who spend a lot of time outside, the X50 v2 comes with all the features you鈥檒l want while off the grid and trying to lug around a bunch of heavy and expensive cameras and lenses. Most important: The bag carries exceptionally well thanks to an adjustable shoulder harness that you can dial to your exact torso height. That鈥檚 matched with a sturdy, padded, and breathable hipbelt that takes most of the weight off your shoulders and makes it possible to carry 30 to 40 pounds of gear for extended periods of time on long trails.

A photographer friend turned me onto Shimoda about five years ago after I spent a miserable day carrying cameras for 15 miles without the right pack and walked away with a sore and tired back. I鈥檝e been a big fan of their carry system ever since and was excited to see them launch the v2 that improved on an already bomber design.

Inside, the bag can carry two mirrorless/DSLR bodies and two pro-quality lenses via the medium camera cube or 鈥渃ore unit.鈥� You can access your cameras two ways: a backpanel that splays open to provide a full view of your gear, or a side zipper that you can reach when you still have the bag slung over one shoulder. The core unit comes with a little padding so nothing will get damaged when you鈥檙e bouncing around on skis or a bike, and like all camera cubes, it鈥檚 infinitely adjustable so you can carry your exact camera setup. Two padded laptop sleeves each fit up a 16-inch MacBook Pro.

What I love most, however, is the rolltop pocket on top of the X50. Out on the trail, or when you鈥檙e chasing skiers in the snow, you have to carry all your outdoor gear in addition to cameras. This pocket is perfect for stashing extra layers, lunch, and anything else you鈥檒l need to spend the day outside. Most other photo bags forget this pocket, forcing you to squeeze jackets, gloves, inReach devices, and more wherever they鈥檒l fit.

Straps on the outside allow you to carry skis, ice axes, and tripods, and the bag also comes standard with a mesh helmet-carry strap, a water bottle holder, and a pocket on the front strap where you can store your phone. A waterproof cover deploys easily when it鈥檚 dumping rain or snow and gives you peace of mind that your very expensive cameras and laptop will stay dry鈥攅ven if you have several hours to go before you鈥檙e back at the car.

Unfortunately, all these features come with a bit of a weight penalty鈥攖he bag comes in at 4.6 pounds on its own. I can attest to the fact that nearly five pounds makes a difference during a daylong slog and have often wished for a more feathery build. Add on a $425 price tag (with the camera cube included) and you definitely narrow the customer field. But even with those penalties, the X50 v2 is still the best bag, by far, for those of us who have to carry lots of camera weight and outdoor gear for long periods of time.

Best Photo Sling

Peak Design Outdoor Sling with X-Small Camera Cube

国产吃瓜黑料 dimensions: 13.58″ x 8.46″ x 4.13″

Pros and Cons
鈯� Doesn鈥檛 scream 鈥渃amera bag鈥�
鈯� Great on a bike
鈯� Light
鈯� Doesn鈥檛 come with a camera cube included

If you鈥檙e just carrying one camera and one lens and want to move fast, this is your bag. It鈥檚 big enough to fit a mirrorless/DSLR and a smaller lens like a 35mm f1.4, but is even better suited to smaller cameras like the or the splurge-worthy . You鈥檒l need to buy a Peak Design Camera Cube as well ($50, not included), but the bag and cube work perfectly together and create a snug and protective spot for your pricey camera.

I like the Photo Sling for when I鈥檓 trying to move fast and follow athletes, either on bike or on foot. I鈥檝e ridden with it and loved how easily I can bring it around from my back to my chest, unzip it, and access the camera, all with only one hand. I also appreciated how snug it fit to my back while chasing my daughter around a cross-country meet.

The bag weighs a feathery .74 pounds but is still feature-rich, with a quick-adjust shoulder strap that can be worked with one hand, several internal pockets that hold a large phone, keys, camera cards, and other knickknacks, and a burly 210-denier ripstop nylon exterior that comes with a PFAS-free water resistance treatment and is matched with weatherproof zippers. The bag is not water tight, but it effectively shrugs off light rain and snow.

Two elastic and adjustable gear cords at the bottom of the pack hold a small tripod, a jacket, or a water bottle so that you can bring the accessories you need to stay out for several hours of shooting.

Best Old-School Camera Bag

Mountainsmith Day Lumbar Pack with Peak Design Camera Cube V2 Size Small

国产吃瓜黑料 dimensions: 13鈥� x 12鈥� x 6鈥�

Pros and Cons
鈯� Bombproof
鈯� Sits well on your hips and your stomach
鈯� Well featured
鈯� The top zipper doesn鈥檛 splay open wide enough

Next time you鈥檙e at an event where there鈥檚 a pack of photojournalists鈥攁 football game, ribbon cutting, graduation鈥攍ook at what bag those photographers are using. I bet you鈥檒l spot at least one Mountainsmith Lumbar Pack in the crowd that shows the patina of hundreds of assignments and years of abuse.

The Lumbar Pack is not an actual camera bag, but it became a thing with photojournalists (photographers who work at newspapers and magazines) some 20 or so years ago. Back then, the camera bag market was much smaller鈥攖here weren鈥檛 many options if you didn鈥檛 want to haul around a full backpack.

By combining a camera cube with the Lumbar Pack, you have a bag that鈥檚 big enough to carry a body and at least two lenses, can swing around to your stomach for easy access, comes with a comfy shoulder strap, and is stacked with important accessories like two huge pockets on the sides for things like a water bottle, extra layer, or reporter notebooks.

I realized the Mountainsmith Lumbar Pack was a great camera bag all the way back in 2005, when I was a photo intern at a paper in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and was trying to copy all the staff photographers who already had one. I found that it was the perfect grab-and-go option for running from assignment to assignment. One ding: If I鈥檓 trying to wrench a camera out in just a few seconds, a wider opening on the zippered top would be nice.

Today, several companies make a number of well-designed photo bags that are a similar size, but I鈥檓 still a fan of this old-school favorite because it鈥檚 such a proven workhorse. It鈥檚 made from 420-denier ripstop nylon and comes with bombproof YKK zippers, making it burly enough to survive years of hard abuse. I鈥檝e had several Lumbar Packs over the years, but my current one, which I鈥檝e had for more than five years, barely looks like it鈥檚 broken in.

Best Lightweight Backpack

F-Stop Loka 37L – Ultra Light with Slope Medium Interchangeable Camera Unit

国产吃瓜黑料 dimensions: 22鈥� x 12.5鈥� x 11鈥�

Pros and Cons
鈯� Light
鈯� Sleek design
鈯� Not as comfortable for heavy loads
鈯� Flashy colorway

When you鈥檙e trying to climb 5,000 feet of vert or hike 20 miles with camera gear on your back, every pound matters. And at just 2.7 pounds, the Loka is light yet packed with features and comfortable to carry even when loaded down with electronics.

Like the Shimoda bag, the Loka is big enough to haul two mirrorless/DSLR bodies and two pro-quality lenses. You access your gear through a back panel that splays open, or you can pull the entire camera cube insert out through the top zip pocket. An external pocket on the front and two on the sides will hold a water bottle, a small rain jacket, and other daily items. An internal sleeve stores a large laptop, but it鈥檚 not padded, so you鈥檒l need to cover your computer with its own protection.

The Loka is not as feature-rich as the Shimoda pack (no roll top for example), and the harness system is not quite as robust, but I鈥檝e carried 30 pounds in the Loka for an entire day and never had any major problems. You can strap skis on the Loka, but I鈥檇 be hesitant to carry a full load of cameras plus outdoor gear because the harness is not designed for an extra heavy load. I鈥檝e come to think of the Loka as a bag that I use for big day trips that don鈥檛 last more than 12 hours. If I鈥檓 traveling or on a multi-day trip, I reach for the Shimoda.

Style-wise, I鈥檓 a fan of the clean lines on the Loka because there aren鈥檛 many straps or doodads that will get stuck on trees or ripped off if I鈥檓 trying to squeeze through a slot canyon. But the baby blue straps are annoying out in public and scream 鈥渓ook at me,鈥� which is not something I want when traveling with cameras.

How to Choose a Camera Bag

Don鈥檛 put the cart before the horse when it comes to camera bags. And by that I mean: Don鈥檛 buy a camera bag until you鈥檝e figured out your ideal camera setup. Do you need two mirrorless cameras so that you can easily switch between a wide-angle and zoom lens during high-octane shoots? Do you only use one mirrorless camera and a 24-70mm lens? Are you a Leica fan? Once you鈥檝e determined what gear you鈥檒l haul most often, then you can get the bag.

Camera Backpacks vs. Smaller Camera Bags vs. Camera Slings

If you want to haul two cameras, look for bigger bags, like the offerings from Shimoda and F-stop. The companies also make larger bags that fit three cameras or a giant 300mm f/2.8 lens.

If you just have one mirrorless camera and a couple lenses, you may still want to shop for a backpack because it will always carry better than a sling or waist pack, and mirrorless cameras and lenses get heavy, quick. There are smaller 20- and 30-liter options from and that are well-liked by many photographers. If you鈥檙e just shooting with a Leica, or a smaller camera, then you don鈥檛 need a fully-featured backpack and will be fine with a sling.

If you can afford it, I would recommend that all mirrorless/DSLR shooters get a sling or hip bag in addition to a backpack. There are going to be instances where you just want to haul one camera and one lens so that you can move as quickly as possible, and these smaller bags will be much less cumbersome and easier to access on the go.

What to Look for in a Camera Bag

Start by choosing a bag that鈥檚 the right size for your current setup plus a little extra space, so you can haul a few more lenses or bodies when you invest in new gear. Next, look at how the bag is designed for access. Some bags, like a hip pack, allow for access on the go but won鈥檛 carry as much gear as a backpack. Most backpacks have to come off your body if you want to really dig through your gear. An included camera cube is nice but not a dealbreaker, as you can always add your own.

Extra pockets are more important than you think because your bag has to carry more than just cameras. If you鈥檙e going out for long periods of time, you鈥檒l need a bag that comfortably carries water, food, extra layers, and a first-aid kit. Even bags that are just meant for a quick assignment need well-thought-out pockets because you鈥檒l still need access to water, snacks, and your everyday carry.

If you plan to shoot photos in remote places where it rains or snows a lot, make sure the bag comes with a waterproof cover. Larger backpacks like the Shimoda come with a rainfly that鈥檚 easy to deploy and covers the entire bag, so you can hike out in a total downpour and be confident that $10,000 worth of gear won鈥檛 get ruined.

How I Tested

Camera people tend to be gear geeks. We love dialing in our setup and chasing down the newest and best thing that will help us capture a stunning image. That means it鈥檚 easy to also be obsessed with camera bags. If we鈥檙e going to spend lots of time figuring out what cameras to use, we鈥檒l gladly spend a similar amount of time figuring out how to carry everything around.

I鈥檝e probably touched, tested, and trashed well over 40 camera bags to find the ideal setup over the past two decades. Testing highlights include several trips to the Middle East where I was loaded down with cameras and audio gear, events like Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, Arizona, where I walked 20 miles chasing down a gallery of the most creative rigs, many days in the Sangre de Cristo mountains north of Santa Fe, New Mexico, where I took cameras backpacking and skiing, and long bike rides around Albuquerque where I was constantly trying to find the best way to carry a camera on a bike.

After testing so many different bags, engineering has become my number one priority. Is it obvious that the company built the bag with a real photographer in mind, and can I tell that the designers wanted to find smart and helpful ways to allow photographers to carry their gear鈥攏o matter the terrain? Is the bag designed so that it will carry anything comfortably? This usually comes down to a great harness that can handle weight, durable materials that can take a beating, an easy-to-access main compartment, and accessory straps and pockets that will carry extra gear.

If a bag didn鈥檛 meet my needs, it immediately got rejected. That鈥檚 a privilege I have as a gear tester, but also a commitment to the work of testing. I knew the camera bags were constantly evolving as photography exploded in popularity and I wanted to work through the pile in order to find the bags that worked best for those of us who love to travel and explore.

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Overland Expo West is always full of amazing adventure rigs, and this year the buzz was around electric vehicles. This was the first time we saw not just one, but two fully-electric trailers. It was exciting to see brands take the technology that鈥檚 been proven in electric cars and find clever ways to bring it into overlanding, and the R&D that went into these products will likely trickle down throughout the overland market.

Lightship AE.1 Cosmos Edition ()

Our favorite build of the show was the Lightship AE.1 Cosmos Edition. The Cosmos is the premier offering from Lightship, featuring its own electric batteries that power the trailer wheels. That means that when you鈥檙e towing the Cosmos behind your electric SUV, you鈥檒l have zero (or very little) range loss and not have to worry that the trailer weight is going to bog you down and leave you stranded. The trailer also has 1,800 watts of rooftop solar panels that help its batteries stay topped off. Inside, it鈥檚 one of the roomiest camping trailers we鈥檝e ever toured, with a huge space for hosting meals, an ample bedroom, a slick kitchen, and a well-featured bathroom.

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I, like many, feverishly guard my Yeti gear. My water bottle cabinet is stacked with Ramblers and my garage has four different-sized coolers neatly stacked and waiting for my family鈥檚 next adventure. The cooler and drinkware brand鈥檚 stuff is so good that it鈥檚 found a permanent place in my rather large but ever-rotating gear collection that鈥檚 fed by my job as a gear tester.

That said, there鈥檚 one piece of Yeti gear that I was rather happy to give away to friends. After lugging the Yeti Trailhead Camp Chairs on several camping trips, I decided that I wanted them gone and gladly shuffled them off to other garages. Those chairs, I will admit, are more comfortable than any other camp chair on the market. But they鈥檙e also the heaviest and bulkiest camp chairs I鈥檝e ever tested and were a royal pain in the ass to lug around. Their bulk took up an absurd amount of space in my truck bed, and hauling two around a campsite felt like lugging sacks of stones. Bottom line: The comfort was not worth the effort.

Given that experience, I was curious鈥攁nd skeptically hopeful鈥攁bout Yeti鈥檚 new beach chair. I鈥檝e now been testing the Hondo Beach Chair for a few weeks, and, thankfully, it is exactly what I鈥檝e been hoping for and will absolutely become part of my permanent Yeti gear collection.

Yeti Hondo Beach Chair Wear-Test Review

Made from a powder-coated aluminum and slung with a breathable and UV-resistant mesh, the Hondo is rated to hold 350 pounds. Weighing 11 pounds, it鈥檚 not (their Chair One comes in at 2.25 pounds), but it is two pounds lighter than the Trailhead, which is noticeable when walking around a campsite or from your car to your kid鈥檚 soccer game. It also comes with a removable padded shoulder strap that makes carrying two or three at a time a total breeze.

The biggest difference, however, is in the bulk. Like most beach chairs, Yeti鈥檚 version folds flat and, packed down, is only about 2.5 feet on its longest side. You can stack two or three into your car and only take up a few cubic feet of space. In my truck, the chair disappeared against the side of my bed, unlike the Trailhead, which squeezes down into an awkward cylindrical shape that never fits anywhere well because of its girth.

Like all beach chairs, the Hondo sits closer to the ground on two lengthwise braces instead of four individual feet so that it鈥檚 more stable in sand. People accustomed to taller camp chairs might balk at the lower-to-the-ground design, but I鈥檝e found it to be an advantage. By sitting closer to the ground, I鈥檓 actually closer to the coals of the campfire, which is where the heat is. The chair doesn鈥檛 sit so low that it feels awkward to get out of, at least for someone like me, still relatively young and spry. In terms of seating height, the Hondo feels similar to the Helinox Chair One, so you won鈥檛 be a total outlier. When I hauled the chair to my son鈥檚 soccer game, I found that I had to scoot a little forward to not be blocked out by other spectators in taller chairs, but that was no big deal.

Beach chairs are also built to recline so you can sunbathe, and I鈥檝e found this to be an advantage for camping as well. When the stars come out at night, it鈥檚 been fun to haul the chair to a dark spot, recline it as far as it will go and stare up at the constellations. During the day, leaning the chair back has also facilitated great naps.

I have yet to take the chair to the beach, but it will obviously do its job well when placed in the sand and next to the water. There鈥檚 a sturdy cup holder, and plastic tabs on both arms are designed to integrate with other Yeti products like the SideKick Dry one-liter gear case that will hold daily items like sunscreen and car keys.

Like all Yeti products, the Hondo is pricey at $300, but as we always say about the brand, the investment is worth the initial pain. I know that I鈥檒l gladly haul this chair around to camping trips and beach outings for the next 10 years, toss it around in my truck, leave it out in the sun, and generally abuse it without ever worrying that it will break or not be the most comfy seating option during every adventure.

See our full gear guide to 2025 camp chairs.

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Back in mid-January I was sitting around the dining table at the in Colorado after a long day of backcountry skiing with Primaloft and San Juan Mountain Guides聽 and casually brought up the subject of jacket hoods. Never in my life have I created such an instant and intense conversation about outdoor gear. People all around the table immediately chimed in with loud and passionate opinions, advice, preferences, and stories.

Patrick Ormond, the head guide for the who鈥檇 been leading my group of skiers that day, was unequivocal about his stance:

鈥淭he more hoods, the better,鈥� he said. 鈥淒id you see me today? At one point I had five hoods stacked together up on the ridge. When I鈥檓 belaying ice climbers, I鈥檝e had eight hoods all stacked on top of each other.鈥�

For Ormond, who finds himself in sub-zero temps all winter long, hoods equal essential warmth.

Former ski racer Colin Suszynski said his approach to hoods was 鈥淥CD.鈥� If he鈥檚 wearing multiple layers that all have hoods he鈥檒l spend the time to pull them over his head or helmet one at a time and then take them off so that they nest together and can all be pulled up at the same time if need be. He鈥檚 so particular about how the hoods fit together that he鈥檒l often check his shadow while riding the lift to make sure nothing is askew.

The Cozy Beauty of Hoods

I鈥檓 not as particular or familiar with hoods as Suszynski or Ormond, but I too have a deep appreciation for this often overlooked gear feature. In fact, if I were to list the things that make me feel the coziest, I鈥檇 say sitting next to a wood stove, climbing under a down comforter, and pulling up my hood.

Physically, a hood adds warmth by trapping warm air that escapes from your body around your neck and head. Psychologically, a hood makes you feel protected and less susceptible to the wind, snow, and or rain.

All聽 winter, which has been particularly cold this year, I鈥檝e been choosing hooded sweatshirts and jackets over their non-hooded counterparts because I can鈥檛 fathom going outside with the extra protection. The few times I鈥檝e been out in the weather, reached back for a hood and found I wasn鈥檛 wearing one, I鈥檝e felt completely exposed and unprepared鈥攍ike I was walking around in flip flops and shorts, or with my fly down.

Design Details from the Hood Geeks

This talking and thinking about hoods prompted me to learn more about the design and development that goes into the modern hood. My first call was to Dan Abrams, who co-founded 20 years ago, and is known among friends and colleagues as a true hood geek.

Abram says his love for the hood comes from years of storm chasing, which gave him the understanding that when you put up your hood, especially when you鈥檙e skiing on a cold and snowy day, it almost feels like you鈥檙e 鈥減utting on an entire other midlayer.鈥� It adds important warmth that will help keep you on the chairlift and out of the lodge.

When Abrams and his co-founder were designing their original hoods, they realized that smaller jackets鈥攅specially those made for women鈥攃ame with much smaller hoods. This made sense on paper, but the problem is that all helmets are big, so a small hood was never going to cover one, even a small-sized one, much less a medium or large one. To make the Flylow hood functional, the duo figured out the rough dimensions of a hood that would fit the largest helmet but not be so big that it swallowed smaller helmets.

鈥淚 always tell people you need something that鈥檚 about 16 inches tall and 11.5 inches deep,鈥� Abrams says, rattling off the numbers from his memory.

Flylow also puts a lot of emphasis on how their hood adjusts and moves with the user. On their top-end jackets, you鈥檒l always find three points of adjustment: two drawcords by the cheeks and one near the crown. These adjustments ensure a snug fit, and also allow users to cinch down the hood around a ball cap or beanie if they鈥檙e touring instead of downhill skiing.

The hood design also needs to strike a delicate balance in terms of movement. If the hood is too baggy, it stays static, so a skier will turn their head and be staring at the inside of the hood. If the hood is too tight, the skier will feel like they can鈥檛 turn their head without a fight. Abrams says that with the right tailoring, however, the hood never feels restrictive but fits snug.

Flylow pays extra attention to the height of the front collar as well. The height, when zipped, should come over the user鈥檚 lips but sit below their nose. It鈥檚 important to nail that exact spot because it provides warmth for the user鈥檚 face, but doesn鈥檛 cover their nose, which tends to push hot air into a skier鈥檚 googles and cause them to fog.

鈥淭he Foggy Goggle is a great bar in Steven鈥檚 Pass, but you want to stay away from foggy goggles when you鈥檙e skiing,鈥� Abrams says.

Finally, Abrams knows that skiers want their hoods to look good when they鈥檙e not in use, so Flylow spends a lot of time making sure the hoods fall correctly onto the back of the jackets and don鈥檛 look bunched and tangled or skew to one side or the other.

鈥淚t has to sit just right,鈥� Abrams says.

Engineering the One-Hand Pull

Wanting to know more, my next call was to Patagonia, which is also full of great design stories after decades of iterations and thousands of products. Both Corey Simpson, who leads their communications team, and Maggie Elder, a senior designer for technical product, had lots to say.

Simpson said that he鈥檚 watched hundreds and hundreds of hooded product samples come through, and when a hood is designed well, no one notices or talks about it. But when a hood is off, testers and designers notice immediately.

鈥淭he minute that a hood is off even just a little, people absolutely lose it,鈥� he said, laughing.

Elder was the lead designer on Patagonia鈥檚 , one of their top-shelf ski products, and said lots of extra time was spent designing a special hood for that jacket. The hood鈥檚 unique idea came from Elder who loves backcountry skiing and knew that almost every time she crested a ridge she had to pull on her hood to fight off the wind and cold.

On most jackets you have to unzip the collar a bit in order to squeeze the hood over a ski helmet, which takes a while, lets in cold air, and requires two hands. She wanted the process to be easier, so she set out to create a hood that could be pulled up with just one hand, without unzipping the collar.

The solution was to build a little elastic into the front of the hood so that it could squeeze over a helmet but regain its tight shape once it was up. Elder didn鈥檛 want the hood to look scrunched so she designed an elastic hinge on each side of the hood that allows it to expand and contract. She then covered that hinge with a shingle of face fabric. That way, it鈥檚 hidden and the hood didn鈥檛 look like a Pacman eating your helmet.

Elder said she was happy with the design, but then Patagonia had to work extra closely with the manufacturer because it鈥檚 more complicated than you think to build a hinge into a hood and make it 鈥減assive,鈥� a term Patagonia designers use to describe a feature that works seamlessly.

鈥淲e got there with the Untracked jacket but it took a lot of work,鈥� Elder says. I tested an Untracked jacket and confirmed that they indeed got it right: pulling the hood up with just one hand, Elder鈥檚 hinges expanded under their fabric shingles and allowed the hood to easily and smoothly glide over my helmet with minimal effort.

Getting the design right has even higher stakes for Patagonia鈥檚 climbing line because hoods can literally be the line between life and death. A hood needs to provide warmth for climbers who are dangling off the side of a giant wall, but if the hood has too much insulation it could prevent them from hearing instructions from their partner and lead to a mistake.

Plus, climbers are even pickier than skiers.

鈥淪ometimes we鈥檒l get a hooded sample out to two world-class alpinists and one will think it鈥檚 the best thing ever and the other will tell us that the product should never get released to the public,鈥� Simpson says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 because one person loves the field of view on the hood but the other complains that it lets in too much snow.鈥�

The hood is so important, Simpson says, that it鈥檚 an easy way to tell if a product is more everyday focused or is designed for a bigger and more serious adventure. The serious product always has a hood.

I don鈥檛 have any problem wearing a hoodless jacket around town, but I agree with Simpson that whenever you鈥檙e in an outdoor situation with higher stakes, a hood makes a big difference. The day after our dining room conversation on that Colorado backcountry ski trip found us all standing on a windy ridge at 12,000 feet. There was no way to stay warm without a hood, and everyone automatically pulled theirs up without a second thought. I don鈥檛 know if they noticed how easily the hoods came up and fit just right, but I sure did.

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Creating high-quality video content has never been easier. Small action cameras now feature powerful sensors that capture stunning footage day or night, mind-boggling stabilization, and easy integration with quality wireless mics. But remember that your video is only as good as your adventure, so get out and get after it.

At a Glance

• Best Overall:
• Best GoPro Update:
• Best for Beginners:
• How to Choose an Action Camera
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Testers

Best Overall

Insta360 Ace Pro 2

Sensor Size: 1/1.3″
Weight: 6.3 ounces
Battery Capacity: 1800mAh

Pros and Cons
鈯� Buttery stabilization
鈯� Nice low-light footage
鈯� Great color profile
鈯� No need for 8K video

GoPro and DJI have long dominated the action camera market, but Insta360 takes over this year with the Ace Pro 2. Co-engineered with Leica, the camera shoots ultra high-resolution footage, rich 4K slow-mo, and captures high-quality audio. It also has a laundry list of amazing features, including a dedicated chip to help with low-light shooting, a back screen that flips up for great selfie footage, and industry-leading stabilization.

The total package makes it nearly impossible to shoot bad footage. No matter what we were doing鈥攕kiing, cycling, overlanding, etc.鈥攖he Ace Pro 2 produced video that we were always excited to edit and share. Shooters with more experience will find it easy to dial in custom settings, but the camera鈥檚 user interface was also easy to navigate for testers who had less experience.

Insta360鈥檚 accessory ecosystem is not as big as GoPro鈥檚, but there is still plenty to choose from, including chest and handle-bar mounts, tripods, fast-charge battery packs, and ND filter sets. The company is not pushing integration with wireless mics, but it鈥檚 easy to pair a mic from a company like DJI to improve the quality of interviews or narration.

We were hard-pressed to come up with any critiques of the Ace Pro 2. Just one comment: No one really needs 8K footage on an action cam. That kind of resolution is overkill for social media (even YouTube), which is where most action-cam footage ultimately ends up.

Best GoPro Update

Hero13 Black

Sensor Size: 1/1.9″
Weight: 5.6 ounces
Battery Capacity: 1900mAh

Pros and Cons
鈯� Better battery life than previous model
鈯� Class-leading accessories
鈯� Great color profile
鈯� No upgrade to the sensor

The new Hero13 comes with two big upgrades. First, it includes a higher capacity 1900mAh battery that lasts up to 2.5 hours (depending on settings) and is now the standard for all of GoPros flagship cameras (we can hear videographers cheering from here). And second, GoPro has expanded its already robust accessories ecosystem by adding a suite of lenses you can slap on the new camera.

Related: Is the GoPro Hero13 Black Better Than the GoPro Hero?

These include an ultra-wide lens ($100) to increase the field of view, making it 36 percent wider and 48 percent taller, and a macro lens ($130) that lets you get up close and personal with small things like tiny animals or flowers. GoPro also just released its new Anamorphic lens ($130), which allows shooters to capture pro-level cinematic-quality footage. When you affix any of these lenses, the GoPro automatically recognizes it and adjusts its settings accordingly.

We鈥檙e fans of accessory lenses because they provide different perspectives: a new way of seeing and of capturing content. These days, all action cameras offer amazing resolution and stabilization; if you want to capture unique footage, different lenses open up new avenues for creativity. We hope that other action camera companies follow GoPros lead in this department.

GoPro plopped the same sensor from the Hero12 into the Hero13, so there鈥檚 no bump in resolution or low-light video quality. GoPro has been criticized for this, butit doesn鈥檛 bother us much because the lens integration is what you鈥檙e buying with the Hero13.

The biggest downside to the Hero13 is that the new lenses have to be purchased separate from the camera and its included standard lens. As a bundle, all three lenses cost $360. But we think that鈥檚 a smart, long-term investment since these lenses will likely be used with, and outlive, the 13, 14, and other GoPros to come.

Best for Beginners

DJI Osmo Pocket 3

Sensor Size: 1″
Weight: 6.3 ounces
Battery Capacity: 1300 mAh

Pros and Cons
鈯� Easy to use
鈯� Great stabilization
鈯� Best for social
鈯� Lower quality footage

It鈥檚 not lost on us that the most expensive action cam on this list is one we recommend for beginners. It would be cheaper to get a GoPro, but we think this camera鈥檚 user-friendly design makes it a worthwhile investment for novices.

Most action cams are designed to be attached to accessories like tripods, monopods, and various grips to capture footage on the go. The Osmo Pocket 3, on the other hand, is an all-in-one unit with an easy-grip handle and built-in three-axis stabilizer, which allows you to grab the camera at a moment鈥檚 notice, hit the power switch, and start recording silky smooth 4K footage almost immediately. We also love the two-inch screen that you can flip vertically to record social footage and keep horizontal to record wide-angle footage that鈥檚 great for YouTube.

DJI makes the best wireless mics on the market and they seamlessly plug and play with the Osmo Pocket 3 so you can record interviews or film yourself with high-quality sound. If you鈥檙e vlogging, you can also set the camera down and tell it to lock onto your face so you stay in focus while walking around within the frame.

While this camera isn鈥檛 designed to be strapped to a mountain bike (the built-in handle gets in the way), we have reliably used it to capture decent action footage while skiing. It can鈥檛 compete with the likes of GoPro or Insta360 in this department, but it鈥檚 a great option for traveling and hiking.

One note: the Osmo 3 has been around for a while. While it鈥檚 still available for sale, we鈥檇 be willing to bet that DJI is working on an update.

How to Choose an Action Camera

Purchasing an action cam is just like buying a bike or a set of skis in that you need to think first and foremost about how you will use it. Invest in a GoPro if you want a huge ecosystem of accessories, go for the Insta360 if quality footage is what matters most, and we suggest the Osmo Pocket 3 if social is where most of your videos will land.

You鈥檒l need to look elsewhere if you plan to produce full-length documentaries. Action cams are best for gathering shorter videos that go on social platforms or that get spliced into longer edits. Take Cody Townsend鈥檚 鈥淭he Fifty鈥� for example: He had a full-time videographer, , who used pro cameras to capture most of the footage. Townsend was also filming with a GoPro so that we could see his first-person perspective, but the editors would only include his footage when it made sense.

Storing and Editing Video Footage

It鈥檚 easy to shoot fun footy, but without proper organization and equipment, it can be a pain in the ass to store and edit. Make sure you have a hard drive that鈥檚 big enough to store video footage (we suggest you start with something that鈥檚 at least 10 or 12 terabyes), and use a naming convention that鈥檚 easy to search so you can go back and find the footage you shot last month, or last year.

On the editing side, there are lots of apps such as that will help you splice your best clips together to create a short Instagram reel, but they can鈥檛 help you produce a thoughtful three-minute mini documentary. If you want to create something longer, you鈥檒l need to learn how to use video editing software such as Adobe Premier Pro.

Battery Life

Always invest in extra batteries. Companies say their batteries will last hours, but they never do, so it鈥檚 important to have at least two extra batteries on hand if you鈥檙e on an all-day adventure.

How We Test

• Number of Testers: 5
• Number of Products Tested: 10
• Hours of footage captured: 20+
• Number of times we jokingly said 鈥渇ooty鈥� and 鈥済nar鈥�: 100+
• Highest elevation while testing: 10,500
• Coldest temp while testing: 0掳贵

Camera geeks are the best testers because they鈥檙e geeks. While most people just want to start shooting, the geeks also want to dig into the minutia and spend hours debating the merits of one camera versus the other. Thankfully our camera geeks have gotten good at digging into the details but then backing out and putting themselves in the shoes of the regular consumer so they can make recommendations based on general use.

For this year鈥檚 test we sent cameras on a wide variety of adventures and told testers to push the limits to find out where they failed. One tester took his camera on a full-moon skin to see how well the low-light option worked. While you could make out what was happening, the footage was not pretty to look at, letting us know that while action cams have come a long way, they鈥檙e still not as good as a bigger pro-level camera.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Category manager Jakob Schiller was a gear editor at 国产吃瓜黑料 and is now a columnist. The father of four kids and two dogs, he鈥檚 a bit pinned down but still manages to run, ski, or bike every day and often brings a camera with him. Sometimes he nails the footage. Sometimes it鈥檚 total junk.

can鈥檛 sit still so he鈥檚 always thinking up an adventure like driving all the way to Alaska, raving in the Nevada desert, or riding his motorcycle up mountain roads. It鈥檚 easy to hand him a camera and tell him to push record.

More Gear Reviews

The Best Mirrorless Cameras for Novices to Pros
The Best Tents for Camping in Comfort and Style
The Best Trailers and Campers for Off-Grid 国产吃瓜黑料s

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The Outdoor Media Alliance show hosts gear journalists twice annually in a converted warehouse in Denver, where we hear about upcoming products from dozens of top-shelf brands. After two days at OMA, I curated a list of six new products that got me excited for the upcoming camping, trail running, and skiing seasons.

Helinox String Trees Game

Any time I camp with kids, my first directive on arrival is to tell them to bugger off and go explore. I don鈥檛 worry if they鈥檙e gone for hours and don鈥檛 care what they do as long no one comes back bleeding. However, at some point their games of tag in the forest wear off and they start complaining about boredom. The next time that happens I鈥檓 breaking out this game, which I know will entertain for hours.

String Trees is loosely based on shuffleboard and consists of a rope that you string horizontally between two trees, pillars on a shade structure, or the like, and a series of rings that can be slid across the rope. Both players stand at one side of the rope and take turns trying to shove one ring at a time down the rope so that it lands in one of several color-coded sections that represent various points. The farthest section of color equals the highest number of points. But because players alternate shoving rings from the same side, they can push each other鈥檚 rings past the color-coded sections into the black, which erases previous points. The person with the highest number of points wins.

La Sportiva Prodigio Pro Running Shoes

I鈥檝e skied in La Sportiva boots and spent many miles on the trail in their hikers but had never once run in their shoes because they were so darn stiff. The company designed聽 shoes for mountain runners who wanted burly soles and tons of stability, but I grew up in the Hoka generation and wanted a little more squish. Then I got my hands on the Prodigio Pro at the OMA show and became a La Sportiva running shoe convert.

Thanks to a much more forgiving midsole, these shoes ate up chunk on trails, padded my feet when I came screaming down steep sections, and delivered lots of bounce-back when I was striding out on the flats. Like all Sportiva shoes, the last is fairly narrow, and the clever, reinforced mesh upper completely swallowed my foot for a conforming and protective fit with zero movement. I loved the knit collar around my ankle that kept all debris out, and chunky lugs gripped at all times, even in loose kitty litter that sometimes leaves me on my ass.

For more details on the Prodigo Pro read from our RUN editors.

Pelican AVP-D ModPak AV Double Pouch

Sometimes I want to bring a mirrorless camera on my trip but don鈥檛 want to carry around a camera bag. I don鈥檛, however, want my camera and lenses just floating around in a regular pack with no protection. Now I can get that protection without the bulk thanks to this Pelican pouch, which is just big enough to hold a mirrorless camera and two lenses.

The protection comes from a smart internal design that keeps everything snuggly in place, combined with a rigid EVA and Cordura outer that prevents pricey gear from getting smashed. A giant zipper opens the entire front of the pouch for easy access, and molly straps on the back let you attach the pouch to your backpack, as long as it鈥檚 equipped with a molly system.

Nite Ize CamJam SlideLock Rope Tightener

At this point in history, you鈥檇 think we would have thought of every possible clever way to tie something down. But no, the nerdy and very smart engineers over at Nite Ize are still putting in long hours and finding new ways to help us secure whatever it is we need to stay in place. One of their newest inventions is the SlideLock.

Up top, the SlideLock is a carabiner, but at the bottom there鈥檚 a device that you can feed a medium-size rope through. You then keep pulling the rope until you鈥檝e adjusted it to whatever length you want, at which point聽 teeth in the device bite onto the rope to keep it from slipping back out. The uses are endless, but I plan on using mine to help me string up camping tarps (the carabiner will go through the tarp holes and the rope around a tree) or help me tie down junk in the back of my truck.

Deuter Freerider Pro 32 +10 Backcountry Pack

[Available Fall 2025]

Backcountry ski packs have always presented a goldilocks gear problem. You need several types because you don鈥檛 want a huge pack on single-day adventures, but smaller packs aren鈥檛 big enough for weekend hut trips. Deuter aims to solve that conundrum with the Freerider Pro, which holds 32 liters when packed down but grows to 42 liters if you expand the roll-top closure. Some people will say that 32 liters might be too big for one-day trips but I think it鈥檚 actually perfect because there鈥檚 enough room for extra gloves, a puffy jacket, or extra food. And while 42 liters isn鈥檛 enough for a week-long hut trip, it will store enough gear to get you through a couple days out in the woods.

As you would expect, the bag carries both snowboards and skis in multiple configurations. It comes with a dedicated avalanche gear pocket, and a hefty waist belt helps deal with the heft when it鈥檚 loaded down. You can access your gear through the top, but there鈥檚 also a zipper around the backpad that flays open the entire bag for easy access to everything inside.

Fjallraven Bergtagen Mountain Cap

[Available Fall 2025]

Every brimmed hat with ear flaps I鈥檝e ever come across was made exclusively for winter wear, with both the hat and the flaps insulated, making them way too hot for spring or summer. Thanks to some out-of-the-box thinking, however, Fjallraven has now created an all-season hat with ear flaps that I can鈥檛 wait to test. I鈥檓 calling it 鈥渁ll season鈥� because the hat itself is made from a polyester/wool/cotton blend that breathes well enough for use during high-output activities throughout the year, and the ear flap is made from a light wool/polyester blend that will cut the chill when backcountry skiing but not make me overheat if I want to use the flap for sun protection in the summer. The ear flap is also thin enough that it nearly disappears when tucked into the hat, adding to the cap鈥檚 all-season prowess.

The post Six Pieces of New Outdoor Gear I鈥檓 Most Excited About Trying appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Nowadays there鈥檚 no such thing as a bad digital camera. The iPhone you have in your pocket takes stunning images and every single mirrorless or DSLR being released by the major brands is capable of capturing images that could land on the cover of 国产吃瓜黑料.

But with great choices come hard decisions. The camera market is so crowded you鈥檒l have to do some research to find the model that includes the specific features you want鈥攂e that amazing autofocus, enormous file size, or an affordable price. We鈥檝e put together a list of the new mirrorless cameras that stood out during our testing to provide a starting point.

Updated March 2025: We’ve added a new top pick from Canon and a splurge pick from Leica. Prices and info have been updated for 2025.

At a Glance

• Best Overall:
• Best Value:
• Simplest:
• Splurge:
• Frequently Asked Questions
• How We Test Every Camera

Best Overall

Canon EOS R5 Mark II

Weight: 1.3 lbs (body only)
Size: 5.45鈥� x 3.87鈥� x 3.48″
Sensor: 45 megapixel full-frame stacked BSI CMOS sensor

Pros and Cons
鈯� Ultra-fast frame rate
鈯� Great autofocus
鈯� Compact body
鈯� Not the prettiest

It鈥檚 been a decade since Canon launched a camera as game-changing as their 2005 compact, affordable, yet fully-featured 5D DSLR, but the new R5 Mark II promises to have a similar impact in the mirrorless category. Thanks to a smart balance of size and specs, the R5 Mark II is bound to have a longer-than-normal shelf life with pro and amateur photographers alike.

The R5 Mark II鈥檚 appeal centers on three main things: a compact and easy-to-carry camera body, a 45MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS sensor that allows the camera to capture up to 30 frames per second (fps), and high-powered autofocus.

The croissant-sized camera body weighs just 20.7 ounces, making it a great choice for those who prioritize moving lightly on outdoor adventures. In the frames-per-second game, 30 is 10 more than you get with similar cameras like the Nikon Z8, and more than enough to capture a skier streaking past in a high-g turn or a cyclist ripping down a descent. And with an 眉ber-smart autofocus that uses machine learning to help shooters easily lock on and track a variety of different subjects, I was almost guaranteed to nail the shot every single time

The R5 Mark II doesn鈥檛 produce the same image quality as the Sony A7RV (the most resolution-packed mirrorless camera on the market). But the Sony files are a pain to store because they take up so much hard drive space, making them too big for 90 percent of shooters, even the pros. Canon opted for a more reasonable file size, that can still produce images that are high-quality enough to grace magazine covers and gallery walls.

One niggle is that the Canon camera body, compared to those from Nikon and Sony, is not as pretty to look at. But in the end, who cares when it produces beautiful photos?

Best Value

Sony A7CII

Weight: 15.1 oz (body only)
Size: 4.9鈥� x 2.8鈥� x 2.5鈥�
Sensor: 33-megapixel full-frame Exmor R BSI

Pros and Cons
鈯� Small
鈯� Full-frame sensor
鈯� Fair price
鈯� No auto-focus joystick
鈯� Not ergonomic with Sony鈥檚 largest zoom lenses

The Sony A7CII is our top pick because it鈥檚 small but mighty and the best option for those of us who like to adventure. At just over a pound and about as thick as three iPhones stacked together, it鈥檚 travel friendly and comes with a giant full-frame sensor that captures 33-megapixel images, advanced auto-focus, and interchangeable lenses. In short, it鈥檚 a pro-level camera that鈥檚 significantly better than any current phone camera (or any phone camera we鈥檒l likely see in the next five years).

The interchangeable lenses you can use on the A7CII add bulk and weight, but Sony makes two that are the perfect add-on. Less than three inches long and about the diameter of a paper-towel tube, they鈥檙e much smaller than most standard lenses but fast enough to capture great photos in low light, wide enough for landscapes yet not too wide for portraits, and built with high-quality glass so it produces tack-sharp images

This camera is best for those who primarily want to shoot photos; but if you want to shoot video, you get beautiful 4K footage and incredible image stabilization for handheld shooting.

The A7CII costs $2,198 and the 35 millimeter f1.8 lens adds another $748, which brings the total to just shy of $3,000 for the basic setup. That may seem high, but it鈥檚 in the ballpark for a pro-level, full-frame camera that has the chops to shoot everything from action to landscapes.

Read our full review of the Sony AC7II here

Simplest

Fujifilm X100VI

Weight: 1.15 lbs
Size: 5鈥� x 2.9鈥� x 2.2″
Sensor: 40.2-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR

Pros and Cons
鈯� Easy to transport
鈯� Simple to use
鈯� Rich photos
鈯� No interchangeable lenses
鈯� Not a full-frame sensor

The X110VI won a spot on this list for three reasons: it鈥檚 small, relatively simple, and captures gorgeous images. About the size of three iPhones stacked together, the camera weighs just 1.1 pounds so backpackers, bikepackers, hikers, skiers, or anyone who鈥檚 moving fast won鈥檛 feel weighed down. You won鈥檛 want to pack it in a running vest, but the camera is certainly small enough to fit in your daypack, or even the chest pocket of your ski shell.

Some photographers will chafe at the idea of not having interchangeable lenses, but we love the simplicity of this camera. With just one, high-quality 23mm f/2 (35mm equivalent) lens to work with, you鈥檙e forced to be a more creative photographer. If you want to zoom in, you鈥檒l need to walk closer. Need to capture a landscape? Back up or climb a hill. The 35mm focal length isn鈥檛 perfect for portraits, but it doesn鈥檛 distort the subject and can be made to work if you鈥檙e careful about your framing.

Why not just pack your iPhone 15 Pro (or newer) since it鈥檚 also portable and actually has three lenses? Because the X100VI is a camera (versus a phone with a built-in camera), Fujifilm is able to pack in a significantly bigger sensor (40.2 megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR) compared to what you get with an iPhone. That bigger sensor drinks in more light and therefore creates more detailed photos and also does better in low-light situations.

The X100V isn鈥檛 as powerful as a full-frame Sony or Canon camera, but it鈥檚 the perfect travel-sized option that captures better quality photos than an iPhone.

Splurge

Leica Q3 43

Weight: 1.5 lbs (body only)
Size: 5.12鈥� 脳 3.15鈥� 脳 3.62鈥�
Sensor: 60.3 megapixel full-frame CMOS

Pros and Cons
鈯� Sleek
鈯� Ultra-sharp glass
鈯� Indestructible
鈯� Expensive
鈯� Limited in its uses

I let out a guffaw when I first heard the price for this camera. For $7,000, you can buy two Sony A7CIIs and several high-quality Sony lenses or one Canon R5 Mark II and a suite of their top-shelf lenses. So why the hell would you throw down $7,000 for one camera and one fixed lens? Because it鈥檚 a Leica.

Despite the outrageous price tag, Leica has a strong hold on me for two main reasons.

First, the brand has an incredibly storied past. Photographers toting Leicas have shot many of the world鈥檚 most important photos like the shot of the young girl fleeing a napalm attack in Vietnam, the iconic portrait of Che Guevara that鈥檚 on T-shirts and pins worldwide, and that rainy day photo of James Dean walking through Times Square. This history gives Leica more street cred than any other camera company and makes photographers want to use one in hopes that they, too, can one day shoot a photo that counts.

Second, Leica makes a damn nice and beautifully simple camera. It starts with the ultra-sharp glass, making the photos produced by the f/2 43mm lens on the Q3 crisper than those shot by a Nikon, Canon, or Sony. A fixed 43mm lens might be a little long for people who are used to fixed 28mm or 35mm lenses, but it鈥檚 great for portraits and street photography and still wide enough to capture a crowd or a landscape.

The Q3鈥檚 lens is matched to an ultra-high-res 60-megapixel full-frame sensor that shines in low light and produces rich images that look as good on Instagram as they do on your wall. Instead of a host of buttons and dials on the top of the camera, the Q3 controls are paired down and the camera features far fewer custom options. This is intentional because the camera is not designed for shooting Premier League soccer, but instead is meant to be toted along on your trek through the Alps or into the streets of New York City.

Many photographers have film Leicas that are decades old and still work great because of their unmatched build quality. The Q3 is no different thanks to an all-metal outer that will put up with drops, scrapes, bumps, and anything else you can throw at it during your adventures.

The Q3 might be compared to other pieces of high-end outdoor equipment like a carbon-plated running shoe, an ultra-light camping tent, or a set of all-terrain tires. These pieces of gear are not for everyone, should not be used in every instance, and cost a lot more money than other options. But for people who use these specialty pieces of gear for their intended purpose, they make a real difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

What鈥檚 the Difference Between DSLR and Mirrorless Cameras?

A DSLR has a mirror inside the camera body that reflects the light coming through the lens and shoots it up to the viewfinder. When the shutter button is pressed, the mirror moves out of the way to let the light from the lens hit the digital sensor.

In a mirrorless camera there is no mirror, so the image you see through the viewfinder is electronically generated and the light goes straight from the lens to the sensor.

Which Is Better鈥擠SLR or Mirrorless?

You could spend a week combing through threads about whether DSLRs or mirrorless cameras are better, but the short answer is this: mirrorless cameras are the future and that鈥檚 where you should spend your money.

Some people like that the viewfinder on a DSLR is optical, not digital, but the digital viewfinders these days are so good that you鈥檒l never have any problems. Some people like the larger form factor of DSLRs when handling big lenses, but it鈥檚 easy to add an extra grip to a mirrorless that makes these smaller cameras just as easy to handle.

The advantages of the mirrorless camera, on the other hand, are numerous and growing. They鈥檙e smaller to start because there is no mirror, and therefore easier to transport on adventures. You can also shoot silently, since there鈥檚 no mirror moving around, which is an advantage in situations where you鈥檙e capturing wildlife or other sensitive scenes.

There used to be more lenses for DSLR cameras, but all the major companies now have a full line of high-quality mirrorless lenses, and the prices have also come down so you can easily find affordable but high-quality mirrorless cameras these days

How Much Does a Decent Camera Cost?

You should plan on spending at least $2,000 for the body. That gets you a pro-level camera that uses interchangeable lenses and comes with all the best features, like a full-frame sensor and high-quality autofocus. If you can make the jump to $3,000, you get even better resolution and all the new autofocus features that make shooting sports a breeze.

What Are Key Features to Look For?

If you鈥檙e going to invest in a mirrorless camera, get a full-frame sensor. These large sensors have incredible resolution and great low-light performance. From there you鈥檒l need to decide what kind of photographs you want to make.

Shooting sports? Go for a mirrorless camera that has a really high frame rate and all the newest autofocus technology. More focused on landscapes and portraiture? Go for a camera that shoots high-resolution or high-megapixel images.

How We Test

• Number of cameras tested: 10
• Number of testers: 5
• Number of pictures taken: 70,000 +
• Hours spent figuring out each camera: Over 50 hours total

You鈥檝e probably heard the term 鈥渃amera geek.鈥� I bring this up because our tester pool was full of digital nerds. All the testers are former or working photojournalists who鈥檝e followed camera development for the past 20 years and love to geek out on new specs and features. They spend hours debating which camera is the best overall, which is the best for sports, which is the best for portraits, and love to argue about where the technology is going next.

All this enthusiasm made our job easy because we just had to distribute the cameras and let them go crazy. For this test, the cameras traveled all over the United States and Europe and captured everything from bike races to beach vacations.

What made a camera rise to the top of our test was a blend of performance and usability. Our testers looked for cameras that performed, whether that was accurate autofocus or great low light captures, and then also gave notes on how easy it was to get the camera to do what you asked. Were the dials in a convenient place? Was it easy to hold the cameras with a larger lenses? Did the camera bog you down on longer adventures? To be honest, the final decisions were quite hard but these were our clear favorites.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Before Jakob Schiller was a columnist at 国产吃瓜黑料 he spent almost a decade working as a photojournalist at newspapers around the country. He鈥檚 old enough to have shot film, but since the rise of the digital camera, has taken well over 1,000,000 photos on various DSLRs and smartphones. He loves photography because it facilitates adventure and captures important historical moments, but he鈥檚 also a tech lover and can geek out with the best of them about things like resolution, autofocus, and shadow detail.

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