Ben grew up in Portland, Oregon, where he learned to love adventure. After spending time in Massachusetts for college, a semester abroad in Nepal, and a summer leading outdoor trips in Colorado, he now resides in Southern California. Now, with a full time office job, he feels the need to spend all his free time outdoors. Whether he spends it climbing, surfing, hiking, backpacking, or just playing Spikeball on the beach, you can bet that he's being active somewhere. Fun facts about Ben: he spent 8 years playing the tuba and grew up with pet goats!
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Ben Skach
Review Editor
Showing 1-6 of 6 by Ben Skach
Best Budget Backpacking Packs of 2022
We know not everyone wants to pay for a top-tier backpack, so we've ranked some of the best budget backpacks on the market. They're not the most expensive packs you can find, but they...
Best Buy
Teton Sports Scout 3400
Available for a fraction of the price of other packs that we reviewed, the Teton Sports Scout 3400 is a very cheap option for a budget backpacker. While it is the lowest quality bag that...
Gregory Stout 65
This is a simple pack in the best way possible. There's nothing amazing about it, but we like most of the features and its comfortable enough for regular use. If the basic design fits your...
How to Choose a Budget Backpacking Pack
Cost is often a barrier to entry for backpacking, and that starts with the pack. In this article, we will walk you through things to know and look out for when selecting a backpack, so...
Top Pick
REI Co-op Ruckpack 65
Built half for travel, half for Backpacking, the REI Co-op Ruckpack 65 serves both purposes well. Although it's a heavy pack, the feature set allows you to easily switch from plane to...
Montem Ultra Strong
The Ultra Strong poles are a versatile pole with unbeatable value. They had the second lowest price of poles in this year's review. They don't stand out in any one category but offer...Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by Testing.
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