Gear Picks
Change Up Your Trail Food Game with These Tasty Snacks
Nowadays you have more options than ever, from nutrient-dense seeds to bars that taste like they came out of your grandma’s kitchen. Here are six of our favorites.
Featured
$6.00
from Amazon
Almond butter might be a healthier alternative to peanut butter, but it lacks the natural sweetness of its latter. Justin’s solution? Add a bit of honey powder to the mix. We love this pouch which strikes the right balance of protein, fat, and carbs. It goes well on bananas and apples or tastes great by itself.
$21.00
Sunflower seeds are a workhorse snack packed with B vitamins, healthy fats, protein, and magnesium. These single-serve packs of kernels were developed by Olympic skier Jonny Moseley and his wife, who were looking for healthy on-the-go fuel for their active family. The Classic is flavored with pink Himalayan salt and is exactly the savory note we crave on hot mountain bike rides and hikes.
$8.00
$6.00
from REI
25% off
Biltong is a South African snack that was brought to the U.S. in recent years. It’s like jerky, but more tender. Kalahari’s version is straight-forward, with no sugar or soy and packed with protein (16 grams per ounce). Our favorite flavor is garlic.
$3.00
from REI
The Tiki Bar has only eight ingredients (all of which you can actually pronounce) and tastes full-on tropical thanks to a heavy wave of mango and a light side of coconut. The lemon zest adds a kick and the almond butter-honey combo provides a welcome density to keep you full.
$15.00
We’re indifferent about the fact that each Wise Bar is infused with CBD, but we’re completely stoked about the use of lemon and ginger, which adds a snappy note to the bar’s filling foundation of dates, almonds, and oats.
$7.00
OK, canned shellfish might sound like an odd trail snack. It’s not right for every occasion, but if you’re in the backcountry for extended periods of time and get tired of bars, a tin of these mussels can be the savory bite your body craves. Bonus: they’re loaded with B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids.
All Gear
$175
$131
from Backcountry
25% off
Outside Business Journal contributor Amelia Arvesen put the Abisko Trekking Tights through the wringer: “I’ve worn them on hikes, on multi-pitch climbs, to my circuit class at the gym, and to keep me warm when hanging around town,” she wrote. “Needless to say, they’ve become my go-to pants.”
$95
$71
from Huckberry
25% off
“It’s easy to spend upward of $500 on field binoculars, but for the beginner or intermittent enthusiast, Nocs makes a solid pair at an affordable price,” our tester wrote. “[The Nocs] are the pair I reach for when I’m scoping out a new face at the birdbath.”
$23.00
$18.00
from Backcountry
22% off
“This sock did everything extremely well, but mostly it was just damn comfy,” wrote our Gear Guy. The Hiker provides a nice cushion for the heel and forefoot without being too bulky, and the fit is super snug. The merino-nylon-spandex blend is odor-resistant and never itchy.
$230.00
$161.00
30% off
This was our favorite sport climbing pack in our 2021 Summer Buyer’s Guide. “Minimalist looks hide this hauler’s true capabilities,” our testers wrote. “A guidebook sleeve, three external pockets, and a clamshell opening keep you organized.”
Sponsor Content
HOKA ONE ONE Anacapa Mid-Rise Hiking Boot (Women’s)
$170
from HOKA ONE ONE
Finally, a comfortable hiking boot that’s sustainably crafted and versatile. HOKA ONE ONE took recycled materials, its acclaimed HOKA cushion and Vibram® Megagrip outsole and brought us the next go-to day-hiker: the Anacapa. Plus, it comes in a low or mid-rise, letting you customize your shoe to your comfort.
$280
$140
from Backcountry
50% off
The Flight Futurelight is one of our favorite shells for trail runs in any type of weather. “The Futurelight membrane acts like a nano-sieve: it’s permeable to air but not water, so it’s fully weatherproof and remarkably breathable,” wrote tester Martin Fritz Huber in our 2020 Summer Buyer’s Guide.
$25
$22
from Amazon
12% off
“This torturous-looking device is my go-to tool for relieving pain and relaxing stubbornly tight muscles,” wrote tester Aleta Burchyski. “With one or two consecutive daily uses, I feel more mobile and free of discomfort for a few days.”
$70
$50
from Huckberry
29% off
Outside columnist Jakob Schiller penned an ode to these shorts and praised them for their versatility. “Buy two pairs, and I promise that they’ll be all you need from June through October for the next five years,” he wrote.
$65.00
$55.00
from Huckberry
15% off
There’s no better way to aprés than with this set of four hand-blown whiskey glasses. Each glass features a raised topographic map of the Rocky Mountains.
$128
$90
from Huckberry
30% off
Outside contributor Jason Heaton loves this Huckberry line: “Flint and Tinder, a collection made entirely in the U.S., enables lots of mixing and matching right through shoulder season." The Crossback Work shirt is built from a burly looseweave twill flannel.
$130
$98
from Backcountry
25% off
After 315 demanding miles in the Bushido II, tester Andrew Skurka praised it for its “superb traction” and “excellent durability for a 10.5-ounce shoe.” Tip: it does run a little small, so we recommend trying a half-size up.
Gear Picks is a curated selection of products we’ve tested and heartily recommend. We stand by this gear—and the brands that sell it—and many of our editors and writers use this stuff weekly. Whenever possible, we provide a link to a past review so you can make sure it’s something that suits your lifestyle—ideally at a steeply discounted price. Happy shopping—and gear-picking.