Our Authors

Meet the expert writers and researchers behind TrailVerdict.

Kate Donovan

Editor-in-Chief

Kate has hiked 8,400 miles across the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Appalachian Trail — the Triple Crown — and along the way destroyed enou...

Hiking boots and footwear
Backpacks
Tents and shelters

Marcus Lin

Staff Writer & Gear Tester

Marcus is an ultralight backpacking obsessive whose base weight is 9.2 pounds and who has an opinion about every gram in your pack whether you asked for it or n...

Sleeping bags and pads
Camp cooking
Navigation and electronics

Nina Reeves

Contributing Materials Scientist

Nina is a textile engineer who spent four years in Patagonia's R&D lab developing next-generation waterproof breathable fabrics before deciding she'd rather tel...

Fabric and material analysis
Waterproofing technology
Insulation types