New backpacking gear for the trail
Press trips are a time-honored tactic for brands to engage face-to-face with journalists and content creators. At Verde, we love making these trips as experiential as possible, taking place in the great outdoors while doing the activities we love.
Beginning last year, Verde has hosted a backpacking trip in the Indian Peaks Wilderness area outside of Boulder, Colo. This gives our media guests the opportunity to test the latest and greatest backpacking gear while being guided by Verde’s roster of expert staffers.
Luckily, the gear we are bringing along is available for anyone to buy. Read on to see the newest backpacking gear from our clients.
Therm-a-Rest Boost 650 Sleeping Bag
The Boost 650’s new design provides unparalleled warmth, comfort, and versatility in the backcountry – for better sleep guaranteed. After years of research and engineering, the Boost 650 addresses two of the biggest concerns backpackers have with their sleep systems – comfort and warmth. Addressing comfort, the semi-rectangular shape provides additional space for various natural sleeping positions without compromising thermal efficiency. Addressing warmth, Therm-a-Rest’s new WarmZip™ technology, a patent-pending center zipper, reduces the bag’s internal space and tucks insulation around the sleeper to warm the bag up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit – empowering users to control the temperature and their sleep experience.
Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft Mattress
Thick, light, plush, and compact, you’ve never carried more comfort deep into the backcountry. At 4.6 inches thick and 25 ounces, backpackers no longer have to choose between a light pack and uncompromising comfort. The 3D construction and ContourCore Matrix technology ensure optimal body alignment and pressure relief, while side rails enhance stability during sleep. The NeoLoft boasts a remarkable 4.7 R-value for warmth, making it suitable for a variety of climates. The stretch knit fabric is soft to the touch, and the TwinLock Valve system makes inflating and deflating a breeze. NeoLoft packs down to the size of a one-liter water bottle and starts at 25 ounces (size regular).
MSR Hubba Hubba LT
MSR’s best-selling Hubba Hubba tent series has long been a backpacking fan favorite, since its inception in 2004, twenty years ago. Most recently, MSR built on the series’ success with the launch of a bikepacking version, the Hubba Hubba Bikepack. Today, MSR announces the launch of a new model within the Hubba family, the Hubba Hubba LT. The new Hubba Hubba LT features more space for increased comfort and livability, and lots of breathable mesh for maximum airflow, condensation management, and ultimate star-gazing. The tent fly has improved vents which keep the weather out while allowing excellent airflow. Additionally, the fly, floor, and mesh are made with solution-dyed fabric, which uses pre-dyed fibers to maximize the water and energy required to color the fabric and reduce carbon emissions by at least 80% compared to the previous fabric used.
MSR Elixir
The Elixir Tent Series was first introduced 10 years ago and has long been MSR’s most value-priced backpacking tent, delivering exceptional livability, ease of use, and durability. For Spring 2025, MSR introduces updates to the series in the form of increased size, new corner hardware, and new door zippers. The straight zipper door design creates increased durability and is easier for campers to use and find in the middle of the night. All of these updates aim to ensure beginner and comfort-focused backpackers continue to look to the Elixir as their spacious and durable shelter of choice.
Platypus QuickDraw Gravity Filter
The multi-compatible QuickDraw 3L Gravity Filter System is the most versatile ultralight gravity filter on the market. Able to convert from a gravity system to a squeeze setup when you want it, it can do it all with your preferred bottles and reservoirs. At the core of the system is the iconic fast-flowing hollow fiber QuickDraw Filter. The 3L dirty reservoir’s hang handle makes for quick-and-easy hang-ups and is sized for comfortable carrying when it’s full. The handle easily detaches to make compressing and rolling the reservoir down hassle-free when you opt for squeeze filtering. The QuickDraw filter can attach to many different bottles and reservoirs with its I/O (inner/outer) threads on the dirty side and the ConnectCap™ on the clean side.
SCARPA Moraine shoes with RECCO Rescue Technology
The SCARPA Moraine is the first shoe in the lightweight hiker category to include an integrated RECCO Reflector. The shoe features a premium nubuck upper that’s supportive and durable, and the waterproof breathable lining delivers the weather protection hikers need on the trail. The integrated RECCO Reflector means that wearers can be picked up by thousands of SAR personnel around the world who use a RECCO Detector. Put simply, the RECCO Reflector bounces back the signal that is sent out by the Detector. The RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector is useful year-round since it allows rescuers to use a chopper to search larger areas, faster. North America currently has 10 Helicopter Detectors deployed in the Mountain West, Pacific Northwest and Quebec.
Backpacker’s Pantry freeze dried meals
Backpacker’s Pantry is a Boulder-based, family-owned producer of gourmet adventure meals made with healthy and sustainable ingredients. Since 1951, the company has been delivering high-quality freeze-dried meals with an emphasis on taste. To give back to the community we love, the places we adventure and the planet we must protect, Backpacker’s Pantry donates 1% of every sale, every day to nonprofits around the world through 1% For the Planet and is 100% solar powered. Today, Backpacker’s Pantry is sold in over 2,000 stores in North America.
New for 2024 are the Fiesta Beef and Vegetable Bowl, White Bean, Chicken, & Green Chile Stew, Drunken Noodles with Chicken, Pesto Pasta with Chicken, and Beef Bolognese meals.
Royal Robbins apparel
Backpackers can outfit themselves in a variety of apparel options from Royal Robbins, a brand with a deep legacy in the outdoors. The Rockcraft Wool Hoodie is a 100% merino wool hoodie that comes in classic neutral colors and can be worn on its own or easily layered under a shacket or jacket. The Amp Lite is a tee made for staying cool, protecting yourself from the sun, and keeping on the move, made from majority recycled polyester. Complete the look with the women’s Spotless Jogger or the Wilder Zip-Off Pant.
Crazy Creek AirCliner
Earlier this year, Crazy Creek unveiled its AirCliner the most comfortable and compact Crazy Creek chair to date! This is the ultimate luxury for serious backpackers – combining super comfort, ultra-compact design, and exceptional durability. The chair has a simple 2-way air flow valve and can be inflated in five breaths or less! It’s made with a 3-dimensional weld with an inner baffle design, rolls to a 2.7-inch diameter (or less) & weighs just 29 ounces. It’s constructed out of a recycled 420D/210D ripstop nylon and carbon fiber support stays and has a C-Zero water-repellent coating that helps to keep you dry. It can also double as a shoulder-to-hip sleep pad for overnight adventures.
Crazy Creek Pack Table
Crazy Creek Products, renowned for its lightweight, innovative outdoor chairs, is set to launch its latest breakthrough: the Crazy Creek Pack Table, a compact and versatile table designed for outdoor enthusiasts. Made entirely in Montana, the Pack Table represents a commitment to local craftsmanship and quality. Measuring just 6 x 6 x 2 inches when packed down, the Crazy Creek Pack Table unfolds to a spacious 12 x 12-inch table surface, providing ample room for drinks, food, and other essentials while camping or on the go. Each leg of the table is adjustable in 1-inch increments, ensuring stability on various terrains.
Gregory Backpacks
The updated Paragon and Maven (available in 2025) are best suited for adventurous backpackers who are looking for lightweight performance for any trip. The dynamic FreeFloat hip belt and Air-Cushion back panel deliver lasting comfort and integrated breathability. The intuitive organization simplifies your gear layout and allows you to fully immerse yourself in nature. And new for spring 2025, Gregory partnered with Garmin to design a shoulder strap pocket compatible with any Garmin inReach to keep you connected and safe on the trail.
Features + sizing
The elasticized FreeFloat hipbelt panels allow the pack to move independently from the frame, syncing it with your body as you move down the trail
The latest generation of Gregory’s Air-Cushion mesh backpanel consists of 90% air for carrying large loads while keeping you cool
The Paragon and Maven are designed with the ideal suite of on-the-go features including trail-access water bottle pockets, a harness pocket for snacks and quick-stow bungee on the shoulder strap for your sunglasses
Gregory also teamed up with Garmin to design a shoulder strap pocket compatible with any Garmin inReach - helping keep you connected and safe on the trail
A refined shoulder harness has updated perforation and materials for next-to-skin comfort
The new hipbelt and lumbar design provides an enhanced fit and padding to increase the packs' comfort and support
New performance fabrics utilize a 40% recycled nylon ripstop nylon for an average carbon footprint reduction of 25% per pack
The men’s Paragon is available in 50 (3.6 lbs, $239.95), 60 (3.72 lbs, $269.95) and 70 (3.8 lbs, $289.95) liters. The women’s Maven is available in 48 (3.2 lbs, $239.95), 58 (3.5 lbs, $269.95) and 68 (3.6 lbs, $289.95) liters.