A sleeping pad for couples, a perfect backpack, and a pair of foam clogs you can actually hike in: Our July just wouldn’t have been the same without this gear.
Published July 30, 2026 04:02PM
There’s a moment, right around the end of July, where it dawns on most hikers that summer isn’t going to last forever. You’ve heard of seasonal depression? Call this seasonal FOMO: It makes some of us go a little wild, tearing through our calendars to see where we can squeeze in one or two more trips before the weather starts to cool.
As Backpacker‘s editors plot out what we’re doing between now and the end of the season, we’re looking back on how we’ve spent our summers so far. This July brought family campouts along the Continental Divide, adventures in Washington’s San Juan Islands, and backyard exploration on Colorado’s Western Slope. From a pair of comfy camp shoes to a full-featured rolltop backpack, this is the gear that helped us enjoy it.
BOGS Boga Slip-Ons
A lot of backpackers still hike with a pair of camp Crocs hanging off their pack. I’ve never been one of them: While I’m not above slipping on a pair for running errands or doing yard work, they’re heavy for camp shoes, and not rugged or grippy enough to be useful for much more than that in the woods. BOGS Boga Slip-Ons may not solve that first problem—at 21 ounces, they’re about a half-pound heavier than Crocs Classic Clogs—but thanks to a couple of smart design tweaks, they’re a strong contender for the most multi-use camp shoe I’ve tried. Unlike other foam clogs, the Boga features rubber patches on the toe and heel of the outsole, giving it enough grip to handle not just chores but short, casual hikes on car and base-camping trips. On a family campout at Colorado’s Kenosha Pass, I pressed them into service for a 2-mile jaunt on the Colorado Trail, where the outsole gripped reliably enough on rocks and roots for me to feel confident. I’ve also reached for the Boga on day paddles this summer—they’re waterproof, comfortable enough to stand in for hours, and capable of navigating rocky shorelines—and I could see bringing them as my main shoes on multi-day summer SUP trips. Nice touch: A removable insole is made of softer material than the rest of the shoe, reducing foot fatigue. —Adam Roy, Editor-in-Chief
Exped Ultra 1R Duo
I unapologetically love tent time. Hours on the trail and hanging around camp are great, but I always look forward to cozying up in my sleeping bag with a book before bed. One of my favorite tent activities is doing a crossword puzzle with my partner. But with two sleeping pads, that inevitably means one of us ends up in the gap when we snuggle up. No longer: Exped’s lightest inflatable double pad lets us cuddle without sacrificing pack weight or space. At 1 lb 10 oz, it’s the lightest double sleeping pad I’ve been able to find, and it packs down to the same size as my insulated single winter pad. There are few other double pads on the market that are light enough to consider for backpacking. The Ultra 1R Duo features a 41.3-inch shoulder width (similar to two side-by-side single pads) and a taper at the foot that helps shed weight. I like that the narrower width at the feet opens up some extra floor space in our two-person tent for our dog to curl up.
I’m a restless sleeper—even in our queen bed at home my partner complains about my tossing and turning—but with a 3-inch thickness and taller baffles on the edges to keep you from rolling off the edge, we can peacefully share the Ultra 1R Duo. With a 1.8 R-value, I’ll only use it on warm-weather trips, but Exped’s seven-product lineup of double pads means I can grow my quiver for cuddling on trips year-round. —Zoe Gates. Senior Editor
Pingora Outro 40 Pack
The Pingora Outro 40 pack isn’t ultralight at 3.8 lbs, but it’s light enough, and has all the bells and whistles I look for in a great pack. It features a secure roll-top design that allows you to expand or compress the volume as needed. Its stated volume is 40 liters, but I think expanded to its true full capacity, it’s actually closer to 50 liters. One of the most interesting and useful elements of this pack is its internal design. The Outro has a nifty 50/50 divider inside to keep your on-trail gear separate from your camp gear. That divider can be unzipped and pulled out of the way if you don’t want to use it. I’ve found it to be a really useful organizational element, though. With back panel zipper access, you can also swing the pack around and grab a layer or item out without taking the pack off, or even breaking stride.
The Outro’s shoulder pockets are ample, but not oversized like running packs. Pockets on the hip belt use a stretchy material so you can fit larger items like a phone in there. Pingora even offers some sweet add-on features like a brain compartment (for extra storage and organization), a rain cover, and a chest sling day bag to go with the pack. I have really fallen in love with my Outro 40 this summer. —Will Brendza, Associate Editor
