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The past year or two I’ve become a fan of at least on occasion, heading out on a trip every now and then that involves a day or two of backpacking into the wilderness with a particular destination in mind, then staying a couple nights exploring in that area. As a backpacker who’s also a fly fisherman, a secret lake in the wilderness is often involved on these trips. In contrast to the more typical backpacking trip of packing in the miles and moving daily, these types of excursions allow you to really learn the nuances of a specific area, with plenty of time for side trips with a lighter pack to bag a peak, find a secret meadow, or to explore in between the contour lines of your map without the pressure of having to make the miles.

Many years ago I took the Alite Monarch Chair on one of those trips and it makes for a great way to relax in camp, when you have more time to do so. However, while light and comfortable, the 2 legs of the Alite don’t quite allow for a complete don’t-even-think-about-it lounging experience. The Helinox Ground Chair offers this, as you’d expect, with a weight penalty. But if you’re already packing light a little extra weight can sometimes be worth it if it’s not slowing you down. And though I’d originally thought that a chair is only valuable when you’re staying multiple nights in the same location, I’ve found they’re starting to be thrown in on all my trips – whether an out and back to stay at an alpine lake for 2 nights, or sometimes even on an extended trip pushing the mileage daily if I feel it won’t slow me down.

Although it's not the lightest chair on the market, the Helinox Ground Chair provides class-leading seating comfort as long as you like a more relaxed, lounging position.
Helinox Ground Chair Design & Specifications
The Helinox Ground Chair is supported by a DAC aluminum, shock-corded pole structure with 4 plastic feet doubling as a hub for the pole system. The entire pole structure and feet are in effect one piece, and when assembled 4 sections point upwards and fit into corresponding, color-coded, reinforced pockets on the chair’s seat. The seat is a ripstop, heavy-duty fabric with lighter mesh, breathable side panels. The chair supports up to 265 lbs. A stuff sack is included, and disassembled, the chair will pack down to a fairly compact listed size of about 11.8 x 4 x 5 (inches). Listed weight is right around the measured weight per Helinox, but be aware that many retailers have the chair listed as several ounces lighter.
Measured Weight in Ounces:
Pole System: 14.05
Fabric Seat: 7.7
Stuff Sack: .75
Total: 22.5

The fabric seat slips easily onto the pole system; silver side goes up.
In Use and on the Trail
Assembly seems complicated with so many parts, but it’s pretty easy to figure out in about a minute, and if you forget Helinox has been kind enough to even print the instructions right on the bottom of the chair itself. One thing you’ll want to be sure to do is to fully insert each pole into its housing for maximum strength. Although the cross bars at the bottom of the chair don’t rise too much, I’ve never had an issue with interference from uneven ground or rocks. The feet will however, sink into soft soil, but in general if the ground is good enough to setup camp, you should be fine…for example while the soft, volcanic soil in Craters of the Moon National Monument did pose some issues, I’ve never had any problems with the typical ground found in the mountains.

Using the chair is a comfortable experience – it’s even doubled as extra seating at home on a few occasions – and you can either choose to sit more upright with your feet closer to your body or lounge in a legs-extended manner. After a long day, it’s definitely easy on the back. In all cases the chair proved to be quite stable, and never felt tippy when used on flat ground. Use on sloped ground isn’t ideal though, and if there’s no flat ground available you’ll probably want to keep the Helinox packed away, but again in a campsite that would normally be chosen, it should work well. While the chair does sit low to the ground, getting out of it doesn’t require a lot of effort or any difficult balancing and timing. The Ground Chair is more of a lounger (which I prefer) compared to other options on the market with a more upright seating position, although something like the NEMO Moonlite Elite – you can find our full review in Issue 56 – aims to provide the best of both worlds via an adjustment system.
I’ve found the chair to dry quickly as well, giving you a dry place to sit after a rain. Packing is quick, and I’ve used both the stuff sack or have left it behind to save a little weight, wrapping the poles within the fabric of the chair. While hiking, I’ve both stowed the chair inside my pack as well as in an outside pocket.

The Helinox Ground Chair packs up quite small, and I'm typically able to find a place to stow it inside my pack, or secure it on the outside without any issues.
Conclusion
Overall the Helinox provides an easy to carry, easy to setup / breakdown, stable, and comfortable back-supporting solution for lounging in the backcountry. The only real problem I experienced with the chair was some sinking in soft ground, but that ground was so loose it wouldn’t even hold a tent stake – perhaps I should have chosen a better campsite in the first place. Whether the weight is worth it is up to you, however with my pack already light enough to not be a burden, the only time I’m concerned about weight these days is on a long trip where taking a lot of food poundage is required, or on trips where I need to carry a lot of water.
That said, if you're set on taking a backpacking chair but are looking to do so for less of a weight penalty, the Helinox Chair Zero and the REI Flexlite Air Chair are worth a look, both having a more upright seating position when compared to the Helinox Ground Chair. Note that the Chair Zero's seat will fit the Helinox Ground Chair's pole system, and can save you a few ounces via its lighter weight fabric.
Regardless of weight, for shorter trips and overnights, there’s nothing like watching the sunset from the comfort of a chair during dinner, or watching the sun rise over coffee the next morning. While I wish and feel the chair could be a little lighter, and it would be nice if the price were a little lower, the comfort of the Helinox Ground Chair is hard to beat in this weight range.
The Helinox Ground Chair retails for $130. You can find it here at CampSaver and here at Amazon. For a wide selection of packable camping and backpacking chairs, you can also check out this page at REI.
Editor's Note: This review originally appeared in TrailGroove Issue 23. You can read the original article here for additional photos, pros and cons, and our rating of the Helinox Ground Chair.

Water treatment in the backcountry reminds me of backpacking and hiking footwear just a bit – if you’re not thinking of it when you’re out on the trail, you know you got it right. On the flipside, a water filter or purifier that clogs halfway through a trip will have you baby-sitting a device possibly for hours the rest of the way; a situation to certainly be avoided. In this article we will take a quick look at the best water treatment options currently available.

Note that there are many ways to go about treating your water in the backcountry, however for the purposes of this article we’ll stick with mechanical treatment. Boiling and chemical treatment can also be used but is not as common (except for melting snow in winter), and my take is that these methods, other than on winter trips, are best utilized either as a backup or for niche ultralight type scenarios. Caveats stated, on to the article.
Best Backpacking & Hiking Water Filters
For those that are packing fast and light style and don’t have much time in camp or time for breaks on the trail, and need to only process water for themselves, Katadyn offers their BeFree 1.0 liter system ($45, less than 3 ounces) that offers hollow fiber filtration in a very lightweight, fill-and-drink-as-you-go type of approach and a 1000L rated capacity.
This would be a suggested option due to its manufacturer-approved integrity test – which I feel is mandatory on any water filter (it just happens in the backcountry – was that small drop too much...did it freeze?). This same BeFree filtration design has also been utilized in their BeFree 3L gravity system ($80, 7 ounces) and the larger capacity BeFree 6L gravity system ($120, 9 ounces).

For more traditional backpacking with time in camp and perhaps a lunch break appreciated, pump or gravity filters come into play including the latter 2 BeFree options above. For my backpacking, I particularly like the Platypus GravityWorks system ($135, 12 ounces) – you can read our GravityWorks review here. This system may be a little cumbersome with all the hoses but offers reliability, plus the ability to hang the dirty water bag and let gravity do the work. I use the 4L system, but for groups a 6L GravityWorks system is available.
Platypus also offers their QuickDraw 2L water filtration system ($80, 6 ounces) that is backflushable and integrity-testable. This is a unique setup that you can use multiple ways – connected to plastic bottles, to the included reservoir, etc. – depending on what works best for you.

Pump filters like this Hiker Pro have been a go-to for decades and are the classic choice.
Traditionally however pump filters have been the backpacker’s choice, and these filters are still relevant today. However, there are the same hoses as a gravity system to deal with and moving parts are introduced along with some associated weight. Cleaning becomes complicated, maintenance is often increased, and there is more to break. If you like to keep it old school here the Katadyn Hiker Pro ($100, 11 ounces) and the MSR MiniWorks EX ($130, 15 ounces) should be considered. However, unfortunately with no integrity test you’ll have to be especially careful in regards to freezing and drops etc.
If an inline (with your hydration reservoir) water filter is something you’d like to explore, the MSR Thru-link Water Filter ($55, 3 ounces) is great on price and weight, although you’ll need to do just a little work to integrate into your own setup. However, quick-connects are provided that makes this easier. This filter filters to .2 microns and features activated carbon to improve water taste and quality along with a manufacturer-approved integrity test.

Gravity, inline, squeeze-type, or pump….see or our full Backpacking & Hiking Water Treatment Guide for pros and cons and more. Hollow-fiber water filters have come to dominate the backpacking and hiking market and for good reason – they typically offer reliable performance, can typically be backflushed / cleaned, and are very light. For more on how to maintain these filters see our hollow fiber water filter maintenance guide.
Summary: Best Backpacking & Hiking Water Filters
Katadyn BeFree 1.0 liter
Katadyn BeFree 3L gravity system
Katadyn BeFree 6L gravity system
Platypus GravityWorks 4L
Platypus GravityWorks 6L
Platypus QuickDraw 2L
MSR Thru-link
Best Hiking & Backpacking Water Purifiers
While you can add in certain methods to your water processing process with a water filter such as an inline carbon element and / or UV treatment, there are times when a water purifier may be a better choice depending on your backpacking destination and your own comfort level.

To further treat water, UV devices and / or carbon filters can be added into your water treatment routine if needed.
I’ve used several purifiers in the past that utilize electro-adsorption technology and while these products hands down produced some of the best tasting water I can imagine, the cartridges quickly clog. If backpacking, you’ll be buying plenty of cartridges and long trips are tough. Even day hiking and processing typical backcountry water can be difficult. While these types of purifiers may be suitable for travel-type purposes or one-off hiking trips, for more frequent use, they are difficult to use when larger volumes of water need to be processed.

Electro-adsorption purifiers have produced the best tasting and cleanest treated water I've ever experienced in the backcountry. They've also been the fastest to clog.
For backcountry water purification, and when the best resulting water is desired in an all-in-one type product and something like viruses may be a concern, the MSR Guardian water purifier ($400, 17 ounces) is a go-to choice. You will pay a weight penalty here, as well as a price premium for that matter, but the Guardian is a unique water treatment device – first of all it is a purifier, not a filter – and secondly it can withstand freezing temperatures and drops from up to 6’, both of which are quite unique. Additionally, it has a self-cleaning design and can output up to 2.5L a minute. There is no carbon in this purifier.

That said, if you prefer the more laid-back, gravity-style approach, MSR now also offers a Guardian Gravity water purifier ($310, 18 ounces). While sharing the name of the Guardian pump system, this cartridge is a bit different – it’s not rated for freezing or drops, but MSR does detail an integrity test you can perform on it if you’re not sure. It also differs in that a carbon stage is included to further polish your water. Output will also be slower and in the .5L / minute range, so make sure you have a little time…but if you’re like me, kicking your feet up while gravity does the work is not a bad way to go about it.
Summary: Best Hiking and Backpacking Water Purifiers
MSR Guardian Pump Water Purifier
MSR Guardian Gravity Water Purifier
Conclusion
Every destination is different in regards to water quality, and this is one of the first things to do when it comes to planning for an upcoming trip. If your destinations are all higher mountain destinations and you are picky about where you get your water, it’s possible that one product can cover all your water treatment needs.

That said, if your adventures take you from the desert to the mountains and everything in between, it’s likely you’ll either collect another product or two over the years and / or add-in methods to further process the water you’ll drink. In the end, there are a lot of tools in the toolbox and when it comes to your backcountry drinking water, it’s best to use the right tool for the job at hand.
For more background on water treatment methods, what we need to treat for, and water treatment strategy, see our Backpacking and Hiking Water Treatment Guide. You can also find a list of available water filters and purifiers here at REI Co-op.

While the popularity of using trail-running shoes or otherwise trail-appropriate low shoes for hiking and backpacking has only risen in recent years and continues on that track – my hiking included – there are times when only a proper boot will do.

Take a look at our footwear guide (by season) for help deciding between a low shoe or a high hiking boot. And while the trail-runners vs. boots debate (as with all trail gear) will surely only continue, if you’ve decided on a boot, in this article we’ll look at some of the best breathable, waterproof, and winter boots for your next hike.
Best Summer Hiking & Backpacking Boots
For summer conditions a mesh, breathable boot will be in order. Mid-height boots are of particular relevance to these hot and dry conditions, while keeping things lighter weight than a high hiking boot, and with breathability increasing foot comfort (and less chance of blisters). Unfortunately, boots meeting these criteria are few and far between.

With a trail-running shoe heritage, the Lone Altra Peak Hiker series (non-waterproof, $160) is a top choice in this category with plenty of room for your toes, and could be an especially suitable choice if you can’t decide between a boot and a trail-runner. This boot is mid-height and lightweight with zero heel-to-toe drop, but with a sufficient stack height for moderate cushioning as the miles go by. This is a proven shoe-based design and if you’re looking for a minimal hiking / backpacking boot (but not too minimal) for summer hikes look no further.

For something a little more traditional take a look at the Merrell Moab 3 Mid hiking boots (non-waterproof version, $150) in the men’s version or the women’s version. This in a more traditional hiking boot fashion has a significant leather overlay – not the best for dry times in my experience, but the added durability that leather offers over mesh cannot be questioned. However, rather than completely encapsulating your foot in thick leather like a traditional boot, this mid-height option has a nice mix of leather and mesh for breathability on those summer hikes. Vibram soles round out the package. However be aware that these boots have a higher 11.5mm drop from heel to toe; these will be more like a traditional boot in that regard. This boot is available in standard or wide sizes.

Although a winter scene is shown here, you can see how leather has a propensity to soak up water. Dry time is long. Leather will require more maintenance. See our gear maintenance & repair guide for details on waterproofing leather boots.
Summary: Best Summer Hiking & Backpacking Boots
Altra Lone Peak Hiker
Merrell Moab 3 Mid (Ventilated)
Best Shoulder Season / Mild Winter Boots
It seems like every manufacturer wants to throw in a Gore-Tex or otherwise waterproof lining to every boot that steps off the assembly line, and while this wouldn’t be my first choice for summer hikes as we’ve previously covered, these boots are perhaps the most versatile and are the bread and butter category of hiking boots. One of my favorite mainstream manufacturers – Vasque – typically had some of the most solid offerings in this category for as long as I can remember, with good fit options. Sadly and as they’ve ceased operations just recently, we need to turn to other options these days.

In this category you’ll find the boots that are perfect for dealing with light moisture or snow and possibly chilly conditions. Additionally, they can be used in summer (albeit with sweaty feet and slower-drying boots), and pushed into winter as well especially with hiking / backpacking gaiters and if you use a vapor barrier liner system and warm socks.
I’ve found just about all boots in this category seem to run a bit narrow and tight in the toebox, other than Altra, thus I have to either size up into a new size for width, or go for a shoe that comes in wide widths or is by default wider than average. Obviously, the wider shoe in the right size is the better choice than sizing up to gain width.

Gore-Tex liner in a waterproof / breathable hiking boot.
One perennial and popular choice can be found in the Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GORE-TEX hiking boots ($190). Salomon in the past ran their metal eyelets all the way down the boot which I never found to be comfortable, but thankfully this has been updated on recent models. The X Ultra series can be found in both men’s and women’s versions and offers an all-around, middle of the road feature set. This boot has an 11mm heel-toe drop.
Merrell offers their very popular Moab series here in the Merrell Moab 3 Mid GORE-TEX ($190). While a leather boot – which I like as a natural material, but do not like due to long dry times and a propensity to soak up water – Merrell has luckily designed this one with plenty of ventilation boosting and weight saving cutouts (it has never made sense to me to make a Gore-Tex boot, and then completely encapsulate it in leather). This boot has an 11.5mm drop which as a zero-drop guy, I feel is high but this would be a choice if you like a traditional hiking boot type of feel, but are looking for something lightweight and more mobile.

If you perhaps already hike in the Altra Olympus trail running shoe in the summer, then a cushioned yet zero-drop boot would be a logical choice for wetter hikes. The Olympus 6 Hike Mid GTX adds the height, although Altra (back to leather) has covered most of the shoe with it. That said, if you are an Altra and especially an Olympus fan, the fit and ride might override this for you. We’ll keep fingers crossed on a GTX Lone Peak Mid, however Altra did just release the Timp 6 Mid GTX Boot. Stay tuned for updates.

Previous stated caveats aside, if you’re looking for a tough, traditional leather, Gore-Tex, higher backpacking type boot that comes in regular (even narrow!) or wide sizes, look no further than the Lowa Renegade EVO GTX series ($280) for a solid, classic example in this category.
And on to high stack height enthusiasts, Hoka has you covered with the HOKA Kaha 3 GTX hiking boots that have around an 8mm drop but all the way up to a 40mm stack height in the heel.
Summary: Best Shoulder Season / Mild Winter Boots
Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GORE-TEX
Merrell Moab 3 Mid GORE-TEX
Altra Olympus 6 Hike Mid GTX
Lowa Renegade EVO GTX
HOKA Kaha 3 GTX Hiking Boots
Best Deep Winter / Cold Weather Hiking & Backpacking Boots
When it comes to deep winter and extreme cold, you can only push a typical waterproof / breathable boot so far. At some point, insulation will be needed. This will vary person to person, and depends on conditions, but for me I find around 10F or colder to be about the point where I’ll reach for an insulated boot over one that’s not. This adds a bit of weight, but warmth is worth it.
In this category breathability is less critical – the outside of your boot will likely be frozen anyway. For warmer (less cold?) conditions in this category we can look to boots very similar to the section above but with a 200g insulation layer added as can be found in the Merrell Thermo Chill 2 Mid waterproof boots ($150). which gets you a boot pretty close to the bread and butter category of boots we’ve previously discussed, but with an insulation boost for cold weather.

Thick socks will only go so far; for very cold conditions a properly insulated boot will be needed.
However for more extreme conditions you will ideally want to go with more of a boot that has been designed from the ground up for winter and cold conditions. The Salomon Toundra Pro ($200), with Aerogel insulation and a -4F (stationary) comfort rating offers additional warmth and a higher cut along with an overall design more suited for deep winter conditions from the tread on up. This one can be hard to find as of late. You can try at the aforementioned link and also at REI: men's and women's.
If that’s not enough, a proper bunny boot may be in order. Take a look at Alaska Gear Company’s Bunny Boot VBX ($260-$390) – this one is insulated with waterproofed wool felt insulation and comes in several temperature ratings (rated to as cold as -79F!) depending on your exact needs. If you’ll be hiking through extreme cold and deep snow and also need your feet to be warm while stationary, a boot of this nature will be the best suited option, and frankly, the warmer the better when it gets this cold.
Summary: Best Deep Winter / Cold Weather Hiking & Backpacking Boots
Merrell Thermo Chill 2 Mid Waterproof Boots
Salomon Toundra Pro
Alaska Gear Company Bunny Boot VBX
Conclusion
The benefits that a mid or high boot can offer cannot be replicated by a low hiking shoe. However, choose carefully – extra weight on your feet weighs more than extra weight in your pack. That said, if you’re headed out on an expedition type trip with a heavy pack or hiking in deep snow there are indeed times when a boot can make all the difference.

As with all footwear, hiking or not, fit is the most important consideration here along with the features you need – nobody enjoys having to stop on a lunch break to fix hot spots or worse having to constantly battle blisters on a trip. Likely, the best hiking boot for you will be the one that simply fits the best (note that all boots detailed here are available in both men’s and women’s versions and many in various widths). After that, so long as the boot is sufficiently durable, warm enough and waterproof enough, and not overly expensive for the budget, all you have to worry about is where those boots will take you on your next trip.
For more on features to look for and selection strategy, see our article Choosing the Best Backpacking & Hiking Shoes or Boots. If you've decided to go with a shoe however, see our Best Hiking and Backpacking Shoes by Category article. For a full selection of hiking and backpacking boots, see this page at REI Co-op.

Unless I’m mistaken, after trying out a modern backpacking chair for the first time and taking it on that first trip, I’ve taken a chair on every backpacking trip since. That’s a solid 10+ years of backpacking. While the limited use of a chair and the extra, non-necessary weight carried may go against ultralight principles, the comfort in camp is worth it. And with many of my trips featuring a blend of miles plus extra activities like photography or fishing or just watching the scenery, there is some time in camp to be had.

Modern backpacking chair options, such as the REI Co-op Flexlite Air Chair shown here, can offer packability and quite a bit of comfort for around a pound.
Best Backpacking Chairs
For me and when it comes to backpacking chairs with legs, it all started with Alite Designs Monarch Chair, now known and offered as the Grand Trunk Alite Monarch Chair. You can read our full review of the Monarch Chair here. This $90, 18 ounce chair packs up small and is unique in that it has only 2 legs. If this has you skeptical at first, I can tell you right away that it’s easier to balance on this chair than one might at first think, and it makes a lounging, legs-extended position quite comfortable. That said, for sitting upright and cooking it can be a little uneasy at times, and yes, I’ve tipped completely over backwards once…or twice.

Balanced on the Alite Monarch Chair
For more stability with 4 legs you have a few options here. One can be found in the Helinox Chair Zero ($140, 17 ounces) – find our full Helinox Chair Zero Review here. This chair has the additional stability (although with any backpacking chair, you have to be careful) and is especially comfortable again in a legs-extended position which is great for the knees at the end of the hiking day. This chair has a more upright seating posture and is a bit higher off the ground than some competitors, all of which makes it easier to get in and out of. Additionally, multiple versions of this chair are available such as a large and a highback.

Helinox Chair Zero
For a bit less weight however, the Flexlite Air Chair from REI Co-op ($100, 16 ounces) is quite the contender. Read our Flexlite Air Chair review for all the details, however to summarize you’ll be going about as light as you get here and this chair has a relaxed and a bit lower seating position, but is most comfortable knees bent or legs crossed – which is perfect for preparing a meal in camp. Legs extended I find the seat fabric cuts into your legs a bit, but I do often find myself taking this chair on trips considering its light weight.

REI Co-op Flexlite Air Chair
When I want acceptable weight but it’s a more relaxed trip and comfort is a priority, the Helinox Ground Chair ($140, 23 ounces) is my preferred option (see more here: Helinox Ground Chair Review). This one is getting a bit heavy, but I find this chair to be really quite comfortable in a lounging position and it works fine knees-bent as well.

Helinox Ground Chair
The only con (other than weight) on this chair is that – appropriate to its name – it's just about right on the ground. Getting in and out can be a bit of a chore, but once you’re there this is the most comfortable chair option I’ve used in the backcountry.
Summary: Best Backpacking Chairs
Grand Trunk Alite Designs Monarch Chair
Helinox Chair Zero
REI-Co-op Flexlite Air Chair
Helinox Ground Chair
Other Backpacking Seating Options
You can save a bit of weight by going with a stool option. For my backpacking at this point I’d rather go with the heaviest of all options – a rock close to my campsite rather than a stool, so it’s chair or nothing for me or you could just go with a backpacking sit pad. However, preferences vary.
Additionally if you pack a bear canister, you can just use that, and Crazy Creek has offered chair options (this was actually my first backpacking chair some 30 years ago) that have you sitting in the chair on the ground for many years. If not and a stool works for you, we’ll keep it simple here: the REI Co-op Flexlite Air Stool (about $70, 12 ounces) is an option that will save just a bit of weight over a chair and admittedly, does offer an upgrade over a sitpad or rock.

Backpacking chairs can be convenient on everything from a day hike to extended trips, and can offer a place to sit when there isn't really one available.
Conclusion
While a chair for most of us is not a necessary item for backpacking but is indeed one that is appreciated if you’re spending any amount of downtime in camp, as a luxury it's one where I do look to keep the weight as low as possible. Thankfully, there are a few options out there these days that work for various preferences in regards to seating posture and several different options to suit preferences in regards to comfort. While I still wish every chair I’ve ever carried was just a bit lighter, the weight has always been worth it.
For a full selection of backpacking and camp chairs, take a look at this page at REI-Co-op.

While we’ve reviewed a few versions of the Lone Peak over the years, most of the changes and updates to this shoe have been somewhat minor. Sure, if you take the Lone Peak from 10 years ago and compare it to the Lone Peak 9 line differences are immediately apparent, but the changes (perhaps for the best) have been incremental and small, and at times simply cosmetic.

That is until now with the new Altra Lone Peak 9+. With my previous Lone Peaks worn down and thinking I might perhaps just be picking up another incremental update with the 9+ – in fact I wasn’t sure if I should pay the premium price over the normal 9, non-plus version – after just a first hike with the 9+ it becomes apparent that this is the biggest and best change to the Lone Peak line since the start.
Altra Lone Peak 9+ Design & Features
If you’re not familiar with the Lone Peak line it’s a moderately cushioned shoe (featuring a 25mm stack height) that is “zero drop”, meaning that the heel height is the same as the forefoot, with the goal of promoting a more natural stride. The shoe has a wide toebox with plenty of room, and even comes in a wider width if you’re after a particularly wide shoe. The shoe rounds things out with a somewhat aggressive tread and a rockplate, while keeping things lightweight and breathable.

Other than that and the “trail rudder” which is a portion of the outsole extending slightly past the heel of the shoe said to help provide additional traction on steep downhills, and along with the gaiter attachment points on the shoe (missing on some previous versions of the Lone Peak but again present on the 9+), what we’ve covered so far rounds out the extras you get with the Lone Peak on top of a pretty standard trail runner.
One complaint however has accompanied the Lone Peak in a somewhat common fashion for many years – the traction. While the tread pattern is aggressive and I’ve found it has always offered decent traction when new, after a couple hundred miles the outsole lugs wear down and you do begin to rely on the grip of the rubber itself more so than the tread pattern.

That said, it’s something I’ve been cognizant of and for me it’s always been sufficient, or acceptable – it’s not a climbing shoe after all. However opinions vary, and for others the traction of the shoe has been less than satisfactory.
For the Lone Peak 9+ Altra partners with Vibram to offer their Lone Peak tread pattern, but made with Vibram rubber. Considering that I’ve always found the traction acceptable but not exemplary I bought the 9+ version (which will cost you about $20 more than standard, resulting in a whopping $160 for a non-waterproof trail running shoe) essentially just so I could stay on top of the latest developments in the Lone Peak line.
Lone Peak 9+ Impressions and Performance
Fit
Fit of the shoe is as you might expect from the Lone Peak – very comfortable with plenty of room for the toes. If the shoe was custom-made for me I’d have the heel made just a bit tighter, but it hasn’t resulted in much nuisance on the trail. While a wide version is offered, the standard version is pretty darn wide. Toes are well protected, you can feel the ground underfoot but the rockplate does its job, stability is just fine, and cushioning is right on – enough where you can just tell it’s helping but without being too soft or raising the stack height up too high for higher angled terrain.

The laces are almost comically long – prompting a near mandatory double or triple knot for me. But no matter, once you get moving with the 9+ the grip of the new Vibram sole is immediately apparent and I’ve found it to offer surprising traction on everything from dry trails to wet slickrock.
Traction
Traction is somewhat reduced by colder temperatures, but overall the traction of the shoe is something to write home about and write about here; the best part for me has been the reduction / near elimination of “microslips” as you hike even on flat ground. It just feels like all your energy is being translated into forward movement, and in my experience descending on something like slickrock your foot just feels “stuck” until you pick it up for the next step.

I should note that this is the first Lone Peak where I’ve actually noticed the “trail rudder” extension working when working your way down steep downhills. It’s not a huge deal, but seems to add a little something.
In short it’s the same Lone Peak, just better.
The Upper
To cover the rest of the shoe the mesh is tightly woven and not the most breathable; these do run a bit hot even on days with moderate temperatures. It’s a give and take with this type of thing though as this is a nice to have on a crisper fall day, adds durability, and keeps more debris like sand out. You get Lone Peak fit here in that this is one shoe you won't necessarily be rushing to take off at the end of the day. It's comfortable.

If I had to sum up the Lone Peak 9+ in two words, those two words would have to be comfort, and traction.
Conclusion
The Lone Peak 9+ is one of those rare finds where the hype translates to the trail – the grip is the best I’ve experienced in a trail shoe that results in a feeling of confidence and connection to the ground. It feels like this level of grip even adds in a little efficiency as well; it just feels like 100% of the energy you extend to propel yourself forward is doing just that – moving you along the trail. For me I do wish the heel was a bit tighter on fit, but that will vary by user. The price may be hard to justify however, although it is 2025 I’d be more comfortable spending $160 on something like a waterproof / breathable winter boot.
However, when it comes to a breathable trail running shoe and if you’re willing to pay for what you get, the Lone Peak 9+ is hard to beat.
You can find the Altra Lone Peak 9+ in both men’s and women’s versions here at REI Co-op. You can also find the shoe at Amazon in the men's version and the women's version.
Editor's Note: This review of the Lone Peak 9+ originally appeared in Issue 59 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here with additional photos and our rating of this hiking / backpacking / trail running shoe.