Best Sustainable Outdoor Gear Ideas of 2024
The Lava Linens travel towel is one of our Sustainable Gear Innovations of 2024. Made of flax and hemp fibers, which require less water than cotton and are biodegradable at the end of their life. Unlike many travel towels, it won’t shed microplastics into water sources.
April 22nd, 2024
It's Earth Day and for all of us who spend time outdoors, we're keenly aware of the importance of caring for our planet.
Treeline Review's mission is to help you buy right the first time so you buy less stuff. Our thinking is if you love the gear item you've got, you won't need to replace it–and it's that principle that guides every gear item we recommend.
This Earth Day, our writers, editors, and support team share their favorite sustainable outdoor gear choices.
Here's our favorite gear innovations–from revolutionary technology that pushes the outdoor industry to gear that accounts for the cradle-to-grave environmental impact of a piece of gear. Most importantly, we also share tips we personally use to reduce our environmental impact, mainly, buying less stuff and helping others do that, too.
We believe that fun outdoors means you're more likely to care for the planet in the future. We want more people to feel safe, comfortable, and at home outdoors. Here's tips to be more sustainable throughout the entire year.
Sustainable Gear Innovations of 2024
Brands that invest in gear innovation set the way for new standards for the entire outdoor industry. Like any innovation, sustainable ideas require an economy of scale. The early-adopting brands are the ones who have the vision and put in the initial resources for research and development. These innovations are notable because they show the future of where we hope every brand will be in the future.
Innovation: Made of 100% recycled material, fully recyclable at the end-of-its-life
If you’re in the market for a new sleeping bag and want the most sustainable option, check out NEMO’s Endless Promise Disco Sleeping Bags. Not only are they made from 100% recycled fabric, under the company’s Endless Promise, they’ll take the down sleeping bag back at end-of-life and fully recycle it: fabric, down, and all.
We’ve praised the Disco line numerous times over the years as a favorite for backpackers and side sleepers and NEMO just keeps making it better. We’ve definitely seen a lot of companies adding in more recycled fabrics and using mono-materials that make it easier to recycle into new fabrics in the future, but NEMO also is Allied Down’s first partner for its traceable, recyclable down program: RENU:TRACE, which means that in the future your new sleeping bag could have some of the same feathers and material in it that your last one did. Brilliant!
Nemo also uses Endless Promise technology in their popular synthetic sleeping bag, the Nemo Forte Endless Promise (men's and women's).
You can read our full review of the Nemo Forte Endless Promise, which also won best synthetic sleeping bag in our Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags guide and Best Camping Sleeping Bags guides.
Read our full review of the Nemo Disco Endless Promise, which won top prize for Best Outdoor Gear for Plus Size People
Men's
Women's
Patagonia Storm Shift PFAS-free Gore-Tex
Innovation: PFC-free waterproofing in a ski/snowboarding jacket
The Patagonia Storm Shift is one of the first ski and snowboard jackets made of completely PFC-free waterproofing material, the new GORE-TEX ePe (expanded polyethylene).
Traditionally, waterproof membranes (like most GORE-TEX membranes) and durable water-repellent (DWR) treatments are made of polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs and PFAS) in their construction. These chemicals shed from outdoor gear and end up in the environment, hence the name “forever chemicals.”
Patagonia and GORE-TEX spent years investing in research and development of a PFC-free shell, sharing their testing infrastructure and equipment to speed-up the timeline to get it live.
Current research suggests that PFCs have a similarly negative effect on human health. Scientists suspect that PFCs are also impacting the water systems and wildlife. As a result, several states are banning or putting regulations on PFCs and REI is phasing out PFCs in outdoor apparel or cookware.
The Patagonia Stormshift's shell’s recycled polyester face fabric, GORE-TEX membrane, and DWR treatment are all free of PFCs. The inner lining is partially made with recycled fabrics, and the jacket is Fair Trade Certified sewn. Patagonia will repair damaged gear (either under warranty or for a reasonable charge) to help keep you from needing new gear.
Patagonia deserves kudos for putting in the initial leg-work to develop this PFC-free GORE-Tex –especially since other brands can use it now, too.
Men's
Women's
Lava Linens Woven Wonders Towel
Innovation: making a product often made of synthetic material with biodegradable, low-water flax and hemp, eliminating microplastic shedding
The Lava Linens Woven Wonders towel is the ultimate companion for hikers and backpackers seeking a lightweight, quick-drying solution for their adventures. Crafted from a blend of flax and hemp, this towel offers a unique drying experience, absorbing up to 50% more water than microfiber, with strength surpassing cotton by 30%.
The Woven Wonders travel towel stands out with reinforced seams for durability, high absorbency, and quick drying capabilities.
Made from a blend of flax and hemp fabric, they are a more sustainable option than other travel towels due to their minimal environmental impact. Both flax and hemp plants require little water and no pesticides or herbicides to grow, reducing water consumption and harmful chemical use. Additionally, both flax and hemp plants produce durable fibers that are biodegradable at the end of the towel's life. This promotes long-term use, reduces waste, and eliminates microplastic shedding commonly found in synthetic travel towels.
I discovered Lava Linens through their Mini Everything Towel several years ago, and since then, their towels have been a staple in my gear lineup. The Woven Wonders towel is lighter weight and dries faster than their original towel and may be preferred for hikers looking for a lighter option. Still, both offer excellent functionality in the back and front country. Since I often hike, paddle, and camp with my dogs, I love that these towels do not hold onto dirt, and once they dry, I can easily shake them clean. This specific feature makes them perfect for extended hikes or overland travel.
Run and founded by a mother-daughter team, Lava Linens crafts a variety of luxurious and environmentally-conscious products made from renewable materials such as flax linen, hemp, and, more recently, Tencel.
Treeline Review editor Liz Thomas (left), writer Becca Downs (center), and writer Sam Schild (right) wearing the Paka apparel crew.
Paka The Original Crew
Innovation: Alpaca wool requires less resources than sheep, keeping all aspects of production in Peru to reduce transportation emissions
Paka’s crewneck sweater is incredibly soft, comfortable, durable, naturally odor resistant, and stylish. I’ve worn mine all winter and recently took it on a week-long trip to Maine, where I wore it nearly every day (it never got stinky!).
Each artisan hand writes their name on the inside of a Paka sweater.
Above all, what shines about The Original Crew, and Paka as a company, is its sustainability and fair wages to workers. The products are made from alpaca wool. Alpacas need less water and are more gentle on the land than sheep. Everything is milled in a community in Peru, where the workers are paid four times the living wage (and hand-sign the inside of each sweater they knit). They wash, dye, card and spin, weave, and knit everything in the same country, keeping emissions from transportation low.
Paka ships everything in minimal, easy-to-recycle packaging.
Paka ships everything in minimal, easy-to-recycle packaging. Paka is also fully transparent about the manufacturing process, and includes a QR code you can scan to reveal the traceability of the products.
You can learn more about their story here and some of their sustainability practices here. We also wrote about them in our write-up on New Outdoor Gear We Saw at the Outdoor Market Alliance Show Winter 2024 Show.
Treeline Review writer Kate Riley with her ULA OHM pack on the Appalachian Trail.
ULA Equipment Pack Repair and Tune-Up Program
Innovation: Repair program for ultralight gear normally not covered under repair programs
Two months before my planned northbound thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail, I noticed loose stitches on my beloved ULA OHM pack. The two sets of bottom daisy chain stitching had come undone on the left and right shoulder straps. I was lucky to have noticed the 2,300 miles of wear and tear damage with time to spare.
I contacted ULA about their Repair and Tune Up Program —a process that turned out to be super simple.
My email received a quick response. The pack got a good soak and dry to avoid the $30 cleaning fee (because, gross!)), and off it was sent for a tune-up. Two weeks later, the repaired pack was back in hand for a total cost of shipping to ULA and priceless peace of mind that it’s ready for the next big adventure.
With products designed, cut, and sewn in Utah, ULA promotes sustainable practices of repair instead of re-purchase. I truly appreciate that a smaller, cottage outdoor brands, like ULA, offers a gear repair program to keep the good memories rolling and gear closets small.
-Kate Riley, contributing writer
For more on how to clean and repair your gear to get more life out of older items, see our Gear Care and Cleaning section.
Patagonia Provisions Kernza® Lager
Innovation: Regenerative farming not only reduces impact of manufacturing, but improves the ecosystem
Getting a celebratory beverage with friends after a hike, bike ride, long run, climbing trip, or rafting trip may not be essential, but it's part of the trip as much as the gear we buy.
Food and drink are responsible for about a third of human-caused greenhouse emissions. And unfortunately, we can't as easily opt out of food and drink as we can opt out of buying a new jacket.
Patagonia Provisions Kernza Lager is made of an organic, no pesticide, low-to-no till grain called Kernza that is regeneratively grown in Kansas.
Regenerative agriculture draws and stores greenhouse gasses and rebuilds topsoil to prevent erosion and protect groundwater. Kernza is a perennial plant, meaning it doesn't need to be tilled every year. Tilling is a process that releases emissions. Additionally, greenhouse gasses are stored in its long taproot.
I tried Patagonia's Long Root Pale Ale made in conjunction with Hopworks Brewery in Portland, OR and thought it was great.
Now, to reduce the costs of transporting water-heavy beer in cans, Patagonia Provisions partnered with breweries around the country to produce their Kernza Lager. Each brewery uses the same regenerative grain, puts their own spin on it, and serves it on draft (no packaging needed!). It will be available in all taprooms at the end of April.
As the Nature Conservancy writes, "regenerative production practices go a step beyond sustainability–they don't just sustain the planet's health by reducing harm, they improve that level of health."
When you opt to buy stuff made through regenerative farming, it isn't just less harmful for the environment, it's actually doing something to improve the status quo.
Treeline writer Tiffany Searsdodd (left) and editor Liz Thomas (right) in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Backpacking far away from cities reminds us that all we really need can be carried on our back.
Tips to Buy Less Stuff
1. Use your old gear
We love sustainable gear, but we also love old gear, and many of us already have enough old gear. So before you buy new, consider what you already have. In the flurry of new gear frenzy, it’s easy to forget that buying less stuff is the most sustainable option.
We find the most joy in using our old, time-tested gear, like slipping into that trail-worn down quilt at the end of a long day on a new trail, or using the same trusty backpack for the umpteenth thru-hike. If you need a new piece of gear, we recommend buying as sustainably as possible. But the most sustainable way might be a short walk to that gear closet. Simply put, you don’t always need that new piece of gear. Consider all the adventures you’ve had with the well-loved stuff before you decide to replace it!
2. Share Your Old Gear (and borrow gear from friends)
Introduce a friend to your favorite sport and set them up with all the beginner gear that your skills have outgrown. Not only will you have a fun time sharing your expertise and hanging out with your friend, this act of sharing gives your gear a new life that will continue to be passed along as your friend eventually shares it with someone else.
When friends ask about backpacking I try to go through my gear closet and see what I have outgrown or what is extra that I don’t need anymore. Then I have a new buddy ready for adventures.
Sometimes, you need a new-to-you gear product. It's hard to go camping without a tent or bikepacking without a bike. If you don't own certain types of gear, going without isn't an option. Start by asking around. Do you know a friend who has one you can borrow?
Sharing and borrowing gear is a great way to connect with friends and try out new activities. Even if you do eventually buy your own gear, you'll go into your decision-making that much better informed.
3. Buy End of Season Demo Gear
You can help keep the landfills empty and keep your wallet full by purchasing previously loved gear. One of my favorite ways to do this is by shopping for the used demo skis and snowboarding gear at the end of the season. The skis are well maintained and often barely used. Ski swaps and gear swaps are another great option to offload gear you aren’t using and trade for something that you need. This works especially well if you love to try new sports and activities.
4. Rent Gear
Great rental options exist as well. REI's rental program charges you by the night. You can rent some of their most durable and reliable models so you can go out feeling confident.
Evo rents skis and mountain bikes out of their stores. You can book online and pick up at their locations close to adventure spots, like Whistler, Tahoe City, Denver, Portland, and Seattle.
5. Buy Used and Sell Used Gear
By buying and selling used gear, rather than purchasing new gear or tossing your old in the trash, you can help reduce the amount of new gear that has to be manufactured.
On Colorado’s Front Range, we’re lucky enough to have shops like Feral Mountain and Wilderness Exchange, which sell both new and used or consignment gear. Writer Chris Meehan has had friends find some real gems there, like almost brand new Petzl Laser Speed Light Ice Screws for a third the price of buying them off the shelf. Portland, OR based writer Tiffany Searsdodd found cottage ultralight gear at Foster Outdoor, including a fanny pack by Chicken Tramper.
REI's Good and Used section allows you to browse almost anything that has been sold at an REI. You can also use your membership dividend to get used gear. They also allow you to Trade-in your used gear for a gift card. Just mail it in (they provide the label) or drop it off at your local REI store.
You can read more about tips on buying used gear, what to look for when buying used, and more in our article Used Gear: A More Environmentally-Friendly Alternative to Buying New Gear.
