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TrailGroove Blog

A Blog by the TrailGroove Team

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  • Aaron Zagrodnick 248
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Gear | Trips | Food | Technique | Reading

Entries in this blog

Gear

Best Hiking and Backpacking Shoes by Category

Shoes may be the most important piece of gear for hiking or backpacking. They are with us every step of the way, and we are relying on them to be steady and supportive. If we are thinking about shoes while hiking, it is usually because there is a problem. Maybe they don’t fit properly – too tight or too loose? Are they not grippy enough for rock slabs? Are my feet sore from feeling every rock on the trail? Instead, we want to count on them to provide the right level of support and com
Jen

Jen in Gear

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Gear

Best Backpacking Stoves by Season & Use Case

There’s something almost magical about the backpacking stove – after a long day of hiking to near exhaustion and perhaps through a chilly rain, there’s nothing like getting a hot meal going and eating a steaming meal to warm the soul so to speak. But poetic license aside, when we hit the trail we need a stove that’s lightweight and reliable. Due to varying performance at different ambient temperatures, the best choice will vary by season. While alcohol stoves were all the rage among u
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

2026 REI Reward / Dividend Release & Member Guide

The arrival of spring brings a lot of things for the outdoor enthusiast to get excited about, including longer days, warm temperatures, and melting snow for those of us in the north. However one additional perk that spring brings is the annual REI Member Reward (previously known as the REI Dividend) release. For REI members, this is the time of the year when REI Co-op members receive their rewards from REI purchases you made during the 2025 season. Gear-up with the help of REI Member
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

NEMO Fillo Elite Backpacking Pillow Review

After setting up the tent on a recent trip and after a long day, I heard an unwelcome sound the moment I laid my head on the pillow – the sound of air leaking from the previously trusty pillow I’d been packing along on trips for years. Luckily, this trip was quite warm for the mountains – lows in the high 40s plus having a double walled tent along meant I had a down jacket that I wasn’t wearing at night, and could roll up in a stuff sack to get me through the trip. However, for more normal
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Review: Premium & Ultralight

Now nearly a prerequisite before I head out on any backpacking trip, an ultralight backpacking pillow is an item that will add just a few ounces to your pack but might just be at the top of the list when it comes to a weight to comfort ratio. While the choices on the market are almost endless, Sea to Summit’s Aeros inflatable pillow line has become a popular choice. In this review, we’ll take a look at the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium and Aeros Ultralight backpacking pillows. Sea to Su
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

3
Gear

Solarpad Pro Ultralight Solar Panel Review

Now having tested several solar panels over the years that are marketed towards outdoor use and use on the trail – most of these stay stashed in the back of my gear closet, and are more likely to be something I might use during a power outage at home rather than actually depend on out on the trail. For hiking and backpacking purposes most of these panels are too heavy, just don’t perform well enough, or have significant drawbacks like compatibility with one device, while not being compatible wit
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

Soto WindMaster Backpacking Stove: Long Term Review

The Soto WindMaster upright canister stove was released in 2013, and has become a popular stove in the upright backpacking canister stove market. Improving upon Soto’s now antiquated Micro Regulator OD-1R stove, the WindMaster was designed to be even lighter and was designed with wind resistance and efficiency in mind. Soto’s micro regulator valve system is utilized in the WindMaster, which Soto claims improves efficiency and operation during cold weather, where many canister stoves begin to fal
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

Trail Tip: The Backpacking Dining Tarp

The image of a heavy blue tarp stretched above a picnic table at a car campground is often the first image that comes to mind when a "dining tarp" is brought up in conversation among backpackers. While many lightweight tarps are on the market, they are primarily showcased as shelters and their other uses are understated, if depicted at all. Often left out of the pack, and understandably so in many situations because of the added weight and limited function, there are certain circumstances where
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington in Gear

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Gear

Backpacking Jargon: 2L vs. 2.5L and 3 Layer Rain Gear

Waterproof / breathable clothing and footwear is often classified depending on the type of layering construction that’s utilized in combination with the actual waterproof and breathable membrane or coating. The layering process is used to protect the more fragile waterproofing layer from abrasions, snags, and from dirt and body oils which will compromise effectiveness. Along with weight and price, when choosing your backpacking rain gear its construction (in regards to layers) should
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

Lixada 10 Watt USB Ultralight Solar Panel Review

While I make every effort to make electronics as small a part of the backcountry experience as possible, I can’t say I’ve ever gone on a trip without taking along some type of electronic item. Whether the old school giant Petzl headlamp that I packed on trips in the 90s, or the smartphone and satellite communicator (along with, thankfully smaller and lighter headlamps) of today, electronics are admittedly a part of every trip in some manner for just about all of us. Even on trips where I haven’t
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

GooseFeet Gear Down Socks Review

The down socks offered by GooseFeet Gear are essentially a max warmth at a minimum weight solution for keeping your feet warm at night – or in and around your campsite with optional overboots. Each pair of the socks / booties are made to order with your choice of lightweight fabrics and colors both inside and out, choice on the amount of down fill (850 fill power water-resistant down is used), and of course the size. Zpacks also offers the socks without a fabric or color choice. Constructio
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

1
Gear

Backpacking & Hiking Jargon: Baffle (Insulating Gear)

Used in sleeping bags and insulated garments, baffles are a sewn compartmented wall utilized to control the distribution of down insulation throughout a garment or bag. Sewn through construction (the resulting compartments sometimes also referred to as baffles) achieves the same type of insulation control and is simple to construct as well as lightweight, but creates cold spots along the seams making such a construction ideal for milder weather. A good example of this type of construction can be
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

Dyneema Composite Fabric / Cuben Fiber and Backpacking

Dyneema Composite Fabric, often shortened to DCF and previously referred to as Cuben Fiber, is a fabric made from Dyneema fibers that are embedded in a polyester film to form a single material or fabric. Due to the high strength to weight ratio of the Dyneema fibers and its low stretch combined with inherent waterproofness, DCF and Cuben Fiber has proven to be a popular option for lightweight and ultralight backpacking gear over the past several years, and usage continues to grow in popularity f
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

The Multi-Purpose Foam Pad & Backpacking Sit Pads

Carrying the additional half-pound or so a three-quarter length closed cell foam pad, in addition to an inflatable pad, is antithetical to the general concept of lightweight backpacking. However, the versatility of this piece of gear and the added level of safety and comfort it provides make it something some backpackers never leave behind, with multiple use cases out on the trail – from a sit pad in camp and on breaks, to extra insulation and protection for your inflatable in longer lengths.
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington in Gear

0
Gear

ZPacks Triplex Review: Ultralight 3 Person Tent

The Zpacks Triplex Tent is a Dyneema Composite Fabric / Cuben Fiber tent that’s marketed as a 3 person shelter solution with a 90x60” floorplan and a generous 48” peak height – it’s essentially a larger version of the Zpacks Duplex, which is designed as 2 person tent with a smaller 45” wide floor. Featured in this review however, the only slightly heavier 24 ounce Zpacks Triplex requires a minimum of 8 stakes, and additional tieouts can be used at the head and foot ends for more wind stability a
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

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Gear

Zpacks Multi-Pack Review: More Capacity, More Convenience

On backpacks, I’m a huge fan of exterior storage. I’ve settled on a popular arrangement: A large interior storage compartment for items I likely won’t need while hiking during the day, a large outside pocket for items I might need when stopped, and dual side and hipbelt pockets for items I’ll definitely need while on the move like water bottles, maps, snacks, and other great to have at hand items. The Zpacks Multi-Pack builds on this idea by adding a large additional storage option with a variet
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0
Gear

Trail Tip: Hiking (and Backpacking) Shoe Fit

One of the most important considerations for successful (or at least comfortable) hiking and backpacking is your connection to the ground. While discussion regarding the best hiking shoes can and does go on and on, regardless of which shoe or boot you choose you need to make sure you get the right fit. If you follow size charts and measure your feet at home, it is likely you’ll end up with too small of a shoe size which can lead to blisters or other discomfort on the trail. Not to men
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0
Gear

Backpacking & Hiking Gear Jargon: PU (Polyurethane)

Applied as a coating to many backpacking and hiking fabrics, PU (polyurethane) is a coating that adds a waterproofing layer to fabric, but also reduces tear strength. As the coating is applied to the face of the fabric it’s prone to wear over time, and most PU coatings will offer only moderate waterproofing when new, moving towards water resistance over years of use. This grid-stop fabric has a very light PU coating on the inside (used for a backpack in this case) to add some level of
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0
Gear

Best Backpacking Trekking Poles: An Overview & Guide

Trekking poles may be the most appreciated not required backpacking gear item you can come up with. Don’t take them and your legs do all the work, but you save weight and gear complexity. Take them and your upper body gets involved in the hike, and stability is added on rougher terrain with additional points of contact. Unlike your shelter or sleeping bag, trekking poles are without a doubt, not required for the trail. However, if you do take them, your knees will likely only thank you later.
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0
Gear

Backpacking Jargon: What is a Freestanding Tent?

The default term “tent” is no longer accurate to describe the various shelter options used by backpackers. Tarp-tents, tarps, bivy sacks, hammocks, and tents generally cover the gear used to seek refuge from the elements, but each have further sub-categories that merit examining and understanding when making the best decision about what you will put in your pack. Freestanding tents add convenience, but also add weight. Freestanding & Non-Freestanding Backpacking Tents In
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington in Gear

0
Gear

Helinox Chair Zero Review

After an introduction to lightweight backpacking chairs a few years ago, my philosophy on this admittedly somewhat superfluous (but many times well worth the weight) camp comfort item has generally remained unchanged; on longer trips where I’m moving daily and pack weight is of more concern the chair stays behind and any rock or log will do. For the amount of time that you’re actually in camp – and not inside your tent – carrying the weight is simply not worth it. But mental and physical comfort
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

2
Gear

Backpacking Gear Lists and the T.R.I.P. Process

The gear list. It might be written on a piece of paper, typed into a spreadsheet, read from a book, or all in your head. But most of us probably have one somewhere. In its simplest form, a gear list can really help with those “I can’t believe I forgot that” moments when you’ve just hiked 20 miles from the trailhead and are setting up camp in dwindling evening light. In other forms, a list can help you identify things you really don’t need, help you reduce your pack weight, and help you identify
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0
Gear

Backpacking and Hiking Jargon: Micron (Water Treatment)

A unit of measurement equal to one-millionth of a meter, or a thousandth of a millimeter. You’ll almost certainly hear the term micron used in relation to backcountry water filtration methods. The standard micron size of most popular water filters is usually around .2 microns, but there are filters available with both smaller and larger pore sizes. What’s best? It depends. Most of the things you can actually see in a water source are quite large and will be caught by almost all filters, but
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0
Gear

REI Co-op Minimalist GTX Mittens Review

When you inevitably find yourself getting miles in during cold and wet weather on any hiking or backpacking trip, we all of course reach for our rain gear to stay warm and dry. One item that can be overlooked however is protection for our hands: which are especially susceptible to getting chilled quickly. Of all options I’ve found a lightweight waterproof rain mitt to be the best option in these situations, which can be worn over liner gloves for a complete 3-season layering system that will kee
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0
Gear

Backpacking & Outdoor Gear Maintenance & Repair Guide

A great season was enjoyed. And it is not quite the end of winter. Spring is almost here. The fine art of ski touring was mastered a bit more. The goal of one winter backpacking trip a month was achieved. Some foothills trail work was done on a few occasions. Your trusty leather hiking boots not only let you walk up to a trail work site, but also became coated with mud on some of the warm winter days that occur just before spring. Your down coat seems a little grungy from some deep shoulder
PaulMags

PaulMags in Gear

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