The team at Backpacker has wrapped up its September gear testing, and three pieces came out as editors' favourites: a budget survival knife, alpaca wool hiking socks, and a sublingual caffeine powder. The testing happened across some serious miles — editors were paddling late-season, chasing snow in South America, and logging trails on Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail while testing kit for the 2027 Spring Gear Guide.
First up is the Flicker Feather, a $60 fixed-blade knife that's technically classed as a "survival chisel". Its VG10 steel blade has an unusual flat tip with a second perpendicular sharp edge, and the ergonomic handle makes precise cuts easy. One catch: the bevel is single-sided, so left- and right-handed buyers need different versions. What really won the reviewer over was the sheath — a hard plastic design that locks the blade in place, with a large metal clip for belts or straps, a lanyard for neck carry, a built-in sharpening plate, a ferro rod for fire-starting, and a survival whistle threaded through the pommel. At $60, it undercuts most hiking-oriented fixed blades by a wide margin.
Next, socks. Senior editor Zoe Gates says Paka's Trail Crew socks converted her from a merino wool loyalist into an alpaca wool believer. The fibre feels soft, thermoregulates and resists stink like merino, and Paka claims alpaca is three times lighter than sheep's wool while holding less water — so the socks dry faster after stream crossings or sweaty climbs. Construction details matter here: a light compression weave gives a bit of arch support, and the heel cushion extends further up the achilles than most socks, reinforcing the spot that wears out fastest against trail runner and bike shoe cuffs. Her verdict after many miles: no slipping, no bagging, and comfortable enough to wear off the trail too.
The quirkiest pick is Buzz Bomb, a caffeine powder you don't mix into anything. Instead, you pour the flavoured grains under your tongue and let them dissolve — sublingual absorption, the brand says, gets caffeine into your system within about a minute for a faster hit than an energy drink. Each 1-gram pack carries 50mg of caffeine, roughly a cup of black tea and far saner than the 300mg in some energy drinks. Flavours include Lemon Drop and Peach Mango, and the editor behind the review reports feeling a clean, measured lift — with mild philosophical reservations about pouring caffeine powder directly into his mouth before an alpine start.
Why does this matter for travellers? Small, multi-use gear is exactly what earns a spot in a carry-on or an overnight pack. A locking sheath knife with a fire steel and whistle built in covers a lot of backcountry bases; socks that dry overnight make multi-day treks far more pleasant; and a 1-gram caffeine sachet weighs practically nothing compared to cans or a pour-over kit. If you're putting together a kit for autumn hiking season — or a long-haul trip with trail time built in — these three picks are worth a look before you buy the usual suspects. Reviews like this one, drawn from real testing on trails in Wisconsin and beyond, tend to sort the marketing from the genuinely pack-worthy.
