The Ozark Trail: A Guide to Hiking Missouri’s Mountains

This 14L pack is designed for maximum versatility so you can focus on the great outdoors. It features two main compartments for maximum storage and organization, as well as a shove pocket with a clean, gusseted design for carrying extra items. Also included are side profile daisy chains for carrying items externally.

With a 1-person tent, that doesn’t really make as much sense. After all, I was carrying the whole thing and so it might as well be connected. Essentially, the rain fly for the Ozark Trail was integrated into the tent directly. The Duplex is lightweight, roomy, well-ventilated, packs down small, pitches easily, and can be set up in the tightest of spaces. You won’t find a lighter functional two person tent anywhere on the market. Just like our flagship Duplex, the Offset Duo tent is lightweight, roomy, well-ventilated, packs down small, pitches easily, and can be set up in the tightest of spaces.

ozark trail backpack

For the water bottles I just use Platypus .5 liter and 1 liter flat style bottles, which you can fit in the main body of the pack on top of your other gear. The only thing I might add is a liner for wet days, like a small plastic trash bag. I can’t imagine loading this up with a lot of bulky, heavy items. Today I immediately loaded it up and went out for a few hours. For water and OJ I use Vapur anti bottles which aren’t bulky at all.

If you’re seeking a thinner cushioned sock with superior wicking and breathability, the Darn Tough Light Hiker is your best bet. All the socks we tested breathe relatively well, but of the Merino-synthetic blends, the Danish Endurance is our favorite for its thinner materials, followed by the Farm to Feet Damascus. The Danish Endurance Unisex also has a snug fit with a compression panel around the arch to keep the socks in place. The wide elastic cuffs keep the socks up on long days of hiking. This great all-around hiking sock will keep its shape over the miles.

The fit is looser, so it doesn’t wick as well as the light hiking socks, but the looser knit and larger coils along the interior of the sock grab moisture to move it effectively away from the foot. Unfortunately, as we observed on a winter camping trip, this sock loses its wicking power in colder weather. Luckily, you can fit a liner underneath the sock to help increase its ability to wick, but our scores reflect its performance when liner-free. Socks with a thinner construction or loosely packed fibers typically breathe better than those that are thicker or have a higher-density construction.

I don’t make it a habit of buying my gear from Walmart, but this was a excellent purchase. I use this pack on a daily basis to carry my office clothes while I ride my bike to work and to carry light loads while out Geocaching. I’m on the Application Trail right now for the last 30 days and am 100% happy so far.

Before you know it, they’ll be ready to shoulder a load on an overnight trek. Get started planning your trip by exploring our trail offerings or using our Trip Planner tool. My favorite way to keep kids happy on hikes is to invite their friends.

Wet weather is common to the Ozark climate, especially in late spring through summer, and fosters a breeding ground for bugs, mosquitos, and ticks. Consider bringing waterproof shoes and treating your clothes ahead of time with permethrin to repel insects. In the colder seasons insulating layers are a must, and a good rain shell for you and rain fly for your tent are necessary year-round.

Our hunt for the best hiking socks began by combing the market to find potential candidates. We then selected the top models to purchase, ozark trail canopy compare, and wear side-by-side. We considered the most important functions of a hiking sock and designed tests to compare performance.