Gear Roundup: Our Favorite Hiking Gear of January 2025

January is here and it's the perfect time to check out and grab some new gear for the new year.

This month, we're kicking off the new year with a fresh roundup of hiking gear we've been loving, testing, or have on our radar. With innovation staying strong as winter deepens, we’ve curated a list of standout items that are perfect for keeping you comfortable and ready for adventure. From the big essentials to the small-but-mighty pieces, we’re confident you’ll find something to get excited about in our favorite hiking gear of January!

How We Chose Our Favorites

Here at SouthwestHikes, we're a small but mighty team of gear-obsessed outdoor professionals. So between falling down gear rabbit holes and constantly using various outdoor and hiking gear, our brains have gear fever. The pieces you'll find on our January roundup are items we genuinely really like or find fascinating!

Let the Roundup Commence!

Best Hiking Clothes of January

Apu Parka by PAKA
The insulation used in the Apu Parka by PAKA is called PAKAFILL and it is one of the most innovative materials to ever exist in the outdoor industry. It's incredibly warm, lightweight and sustainable. Neither down, nor synthetic. We have been living our winter life in the Apu Parka and are so beyond impressed. The fit is a dream, and the insulation is mind-blowingly warm. Dare we say, far warmer than down. Read our review of the Apu Parka by PAKA here.

Custom Grid Fleece Hoodie and Joggers by Sambob
One of our favorite grid fleeces of 2025 is by Sambob, and we're stoked that this cottage company is now creating custom joggers to match their custom hoodies! We love that you can choose your own cut and colors for these cozy and practical pieces. Sambob is definitely one of our favorite fleece companies. They even made our list of the Best Fleece Hiking Hoodies of 2025!

Best Hiking Footwear of January

Tundra Snowshoes by Northern Lites Snowshoes
If you live in a snowglobe this time of year, or plan to head somewhere snowy to have some adventures, you'll want a solid pair of snowshoes. We love the Tundra style by Northern Lites Snowshoes. They're incredibly lightweight at 3 pounds a pair, and offer a great deal of flotation for deep powder. They come in two binding options and a few colors.

Down Booties by Feathered Friends
If you camp in the winter, listen up! The Down Booties by Feathered Friends are cozy, warm and perfect for bopping around camp in the winter months. The soles of these booties are durable and waterproof, and they're available in lots of sizes and colors.

Random Gear You MUST See of January

This is all the little odds and ends that don't fall into a particular gear category, unless we want to get really detailed here. Which we do not want to do! There are adventures to be had, after all. Adventures where we'll probably be bringing some of these items along!

WindMaster Stove by SOTO Outdoors
This ultralight stove is a powerhouse when it comes to boiling up water and cooking in super mighty winds. We used this little stove on a backpacking trip the other week, where winds were gusting up to 45 miles per hour and somehow little stove still got water boiling in about two minutes. Absolutely awesome.

Ultralight Good Locker by Adotec Gear
This is an excellent grizzly-proof food bag for backpacking. It's also rodent-proof, which is great for most southwest adventures. Check out our review of it here! We love the obvious things about it: animal-proof and ultralight. Perfect for pretty much any backpacking trip.

Piedra Sunglasses by Bajio
Bajio sunglasses truly kick ass for every single outdoor pursuit you can dream up. Most recently we've been sporting the Piedra frames. They have an excellent fit and style, featuring sun-blocking temples. Like all Bajio sunglasses, you can choose your frame color and lens color to best suit your needs. They're also available for RX lenses.

2 Liter Vecto Water Container by CNOC Outdoors
If you're backpacking or bikepacking in an area without water to filter from you will need to pack in lots of water! The 2 Liter Vecto Water Container by CNOC Outdoors is perfect for that job. Its size is great for manageable water carries as a full container fits into the side pockets of most backpacks. We love that these are easy to fill up, and easy to pour from.

Best Hiking Fuel of January

This month's hiking fuel picks have a southwest flare that we're crazy about!

Delicious Bars by Taos Bakes
Everyone loves a good bar, this is just facts. Taos Bakes makes some super yummy ones, with healthy ingredients and a good macro balance perfect for adventures. We recommend Pinion Coffe & Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chocolate & Butterscotch bars! They are phenomenal.

Freeze Dried Salsa by Salsa Queen
When you're out in the wilderness, things can get pretty bland where food is concerned. This is why we are obsessed with Salsa Queen. These ultralight, freeze-dried salsas can be re-hydrated into salsa goodness, or you can crunch it up dry and it's like salsa candy! They make a bunch of flavors and they're all super tasty.

Spotlight: January Shoutout!

January’s Favorite: Canvas Backpacks by Free Range Equipment
We recently picked up a Canvas Backpack by Free Range Equipment and have fallen in love with it. Not only is it beautiful, it's also very durable and great for simple adventures. The art on these backpacks is created by various artists who are inspired by the mountains, and they make some money when the backpack with their art sells. So that's pretty neat. There is a design for everyone, we promise.

These backpacks are big enough for a day hike or any kind of mountain town day. They're nice for simple adventures. Each Canvas Backpack weighs 19 ounces, and has three pockets in addition to the spacious main compartment.

Tips for Buying Hiking Gear in January

A lot of companies are still hosting significant winter sales on their gear. If you don't mind past season colors, this is a great time to swoop up discounted items! Soon spring and summer gear will be coming out, so many autumn and winter gear will be going on sale this month as well. Shop now for 9 months in the future and you'll save some cash!

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