We Put Walmart’s Low-Cost Backpacking Gear to the Test

The 26-mile route follows Blair Creek south as it carves down a valley through oak-hickory-pine forest before merging with the emerald waters of the Current River. Here the 30-mile Current River section picks up, following the river for two miles before veering south toward Stegall Mountain. Enjoy views of the Ozark landscape as you gain 500 feet of elevation up 2.5 miles to the top of Stegall Mountain.

If you are using your phone for navigation, pack a paper copy of a map in case you lose signal or find yourself without battery. Trail maps are free to print at home or are available for purchase at the online store. Water sources such as rivers and streams may only be available seasonally. Ozark Trail maps are a great resource to help identify places where you can access water. The Ozark Trail Association marks and improves the trail and ensures campsites are well maintained. Immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of the Missouri Ozarks on the Ozark Trail.

It even has a rain cover built in, which is great when I’m riding my bicycle across town on a rainy day. Yeti has clearly set themselves apart as the biggest player in the cooler space. Since they launched, they have carved out an incredible market share delivering products across the board from coolers to dog bowls. Be aware, this is a daypack, intended for lighter loads and shorter distances. It isn’t built to be on your back 8 ozark trail backpack hours a day, and it won’t support 25 pounds. Used for its intended purpose, this is one of the best hiking/backpacking deals I’ve ever come across.

We like that this pack has a lot of pockets including a zipper that allows you to access the middle of the pack without opening the top. Includes Trekking pole attachment points, compression straps and a sleeping bag compartment. Temperatures can swing from chilly mornings to sweltering afternoons.

Once you know the broad type of sleeping bag you’re interested in, there are several other factors to consider. These include insulation type, temperature, weight, packed size, and comfort. We’ll break down these factors below to ensure you can be confident in your selection. The Teton Sports Polara 3-in-1 is a highly versatile 3-in-1 sleeping bag with a warm fleece interior and a durable outer shell. Each part of this customizable bag is uniquely separate and can be changed out, removed, or added back in.

The Ozark Trail 1-Person Backpacking Tent is on the cheaper end of the spectrum. A variety of websites have it currently priced for less than $50. The pack size and weight is good for all my day hiking to any shower. I’m not sure if it is durable enough to hold any of my camera equipment. This pack will make great for a day at the beach with an extra change of clothes, flip flops, keys, tanning oil, towel and a iPod or stuff your lightweight sleeping bag and a jacket. I carried this daypack back n forth on a trail to the shower while camping.

We think it would also be a good choice for backyard campers or for use in an RV or camper where you don’t need as much protection. The first good design feature is the placement of the door on the side, and more specifically on the long side of the tent. I’ve tried tents with the door on one end and it is cumbersome. For the end-door variants, one has to toss their sleeping bag down the tent when getting ready for bed. Other items that you may want to keep at the foot of the sleeping area are also hard to access or reach if your head is near the door. For these styles, it seems most people want their head at the door side and so they have a constraint for which way the tent is set up if the ground is not flat.

Keep these realities in mind when searching for the ozark trail chair right sleeping bag. We think the most useful temperature rating for a sleeping bag is around 30° F. At this rating, a sleeping bag should be warm enough for most spring and fall conditions while also not being too stifling in the summer months.

You’ll find numerous advocates eager to answer your questions and aid you in ozark trail canopy planning your thru-hike. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. A perk of hiking lesser-traveled trails are fewer (or non-existent) permits and parking fees. The Ozark Trail does not have permit, parking, or registration requirements for its trail sections. Bring enough water for your trip or a way to purify water to make it safe to drink.