Independent

About Thru Picks

Thru Picks ranks only the best thru-hike gear in each category. The slogan is the job: the gear that gets you there. Independent, short, and built to be trusted by hikers and by the shops that sell this gear.

What this site is

53 categories. Only the best in each. 10 kits built only from those picks. Original writing. Product photos we host for identification — not screenshots from other review sites. Last updated August 30, 2026.

We are not a lab and we are not a magazine. We read published long-trail surveys and independent tests, then we write our own copy and name three. We link out so you can read the original work. We do not borrow another outlet’s award language.

How rankings are made

Each large score is a Thru Picks composite: published long-trail surveys (40%), independent tests we actually read (30%), merchant star ratings when a shop publishes them (15%), and street price relative to the other two picks (15%). Badges such as Best Overall are assigned on this site. They are not OutdoorGearLab, Wirecutter, or REI awards.

Listed prices and shop ratings on the cards stay live. 10 kits — Women’s, Ultralight, Budget, Most Optimized, First-Time, Couple’s, Shoulder-Season, and Stoveless — use only products that already sit among the best. Full method: Sources & method.

Independence

Brands do not pay for placement. Affiliate commissions from GEAR UP links may fund the site. That does not buy a rank. If a product is #1, it is because this composite put it there — not because a merchant wrote a check. Read the Affiliate Disclosure.

For merchants and affiliate networks

This is a passion project, not a scraped storefront. 53 categories, only the best in each, 10 kits built only from those picks. Rankings are not for sale. Primary programs are Garage Grown Gear via AvantLink and REI Co-op via Impact. Dual “Also at” links appear when a second shop has a product page. Commissions do not change rank order. Full merchant list and how the relationships work: Affiliate networks and merchants.

Who

Thru Picks is an independent editorial project. We are not a lab and we are not a store. Press, merchandising, corrections, and affiliate partnership: [email protected].

Affiliate disclosure · Privacy · Terms · Contact · Methodology