The Gear Backpacker’s Editors Loved in May 2023
A pocket-size Nalgene, a perfect pair of pants, and a minuscule multitool were among our favorite pieces of gear last month.
A pocket-size Nalgene, a perfect pair of pants, and a minuscule multitool were among our favorite pieces of gear last month.
Follow these tips to help you get into the zone and unlock your true potential.
From picaridin to herbal solutions, there's a wide variety of non-DEET repellents on the market. But which work, and which are just snake oil?
This wood-heated mid could change the game for cold-weather overnights.
With high snow levels making travel on the PCT unusually difficult, many Americans have canceled or postponed their thru-hikes. Not so for the trail's global hikers, who have mostly stuck it out.
The Green Mountain State delivers when it comes to year-round outdoor recreation and adventures with a uniquely Vermont spin
Our hiking columnist went to the AT’s legendary Trail Days this year with one mission—to figure out what hikers were and weren’t putting on their feet
Dubbed "Doo Colorado Right," the state is hoping its new campaign will deter people from leaving human waste where other hikers end up stepping in it.
With the Woods Creek and San Joaquin bridges out and creeks running too high to safely ford, hikers don't have many good options.
Looking for a hike that gives you a fuzzy, floating sense of calm? These trails are pure serenity.
Enough of Type 2 Fun. These six hikes give you that just-left-the-spa peaceful feeling.
Incredibly, it's not the first time that a baby bison has been euthanized in the park after a visitor tried to "save" it.
Make sure you never get lost again by mastering the underappreciated art of navigating with a compass and map.
36 testers tried 40 jackets. These are the crème de la crème.
Six testers tried out 8 trekking poles. These ones came out on top.
16 testers hiked hundreds of miles to reveal the best hiking shoes and hiking boots. These ones came out on top.
Presenting the best gear of the year: tents, backpacks, hiking boots and shoes, sleeping bags, and more.
Our team of testers vetted 20 new rucksacks. These ones came out on top.
14 testers zipped, cinched, and buckled 18 pants and shorts. These five are the very best.
13 tents went out into the wild. Only 7 made it back out.
14 testers snoozed on ten pads. These are the very best of the year.
14 testers donned 22 Shirts. These 6 proved exceptional.
We dunked 19 filters across the country, from silty streams in California’s Agua Caliente Creek to clear lakes in Washington’s Olympic Mountains, to find the year’s best.
Twelve testers donned 36 tops to find this summer’s best new shirts, midlayers, and baselayers.
14 testers spent over two months sleeping outside. These five sleeping bags are the warmest, lightest, and coziest of the bunch.
The days of broken tines and stomach aches are over
These three deluxe mattresses cured our testers’ campground insomnia.
Twelve testers ran, trekked, and squatted in 45 products to find this summer’s best new hiking pants and shorts.
Twelve testers put 33 boots to rock, dirt, and sand. These nine vaulted to the top.
36 gear testers tried 41 shell jackets. These ones came out on top.
Six testers tried six different sleeping bags. These ones came out on top.
Don't be fooled: The Heartland has plenty of steeps to get your heart pumping.
This weekend's deaths mark the second double fatality in Buckskin Gulch this spring, and follow a string of rescues caused by wet conditions and flooding.
Got a few days off, a pair of healthy feet, and a pain threshold higher than Dean Karnazes? You can (possibly) blaze the length of America's Most Beautiful Trail
Several well-known ultralight brands are slashing prices for the Small Business Sales Week event—but it ends tomorrow, so you’ll have to hurry.
Grab some of our favorite shoes, packs, and tents for up to 40% off right now
Despite the NPS’s best efforts, Yellowstone National Park continues to be the world capital of people getting too close to wild animals.
3F UL’s equipment costs a fraction of its American cottage counterparts. Is it any good?
Road damage, projected flooding, delayed openings: here’s how the big winter will affect national parks this summer
Scanning the closet but not sure what to pick? We've got you covered from head to toe. Here's what to wear hiking in every season.
Yes: You can make pancakes on literally any stove, including a Jetboil. And you don't need a frying pan to do it, either—just a mug and this trick.
After a snow-delayed start to the season, the North Rim will finally open next week, but services will be limited.
A group of young hikers who went missing near Ojai managed to call for help with Apple's Emergency SOS, which the company introduced with the iPhone 14 last year.
If your hands and fingers swell up while hiking, don't worry. This common hiking ailment has several potential causes and easy fixes.
Creaky joints? Learn how to strengthen your knees with these supine leg lifts, best performed with 3- to 5-pound ankle weights.
Writer and outdoor adventurer Elisabeth Kwak laces up her HOKA Anacapas and embarks on a challenge that helps her redefine success and discover a new identity as an outdoor athlete
Staffed fire lookouts, once ubiquitous in the West, have all but faded into obscurity. Deep in North Cascades National Park, Jim Henterly is still at it.
Outdoor officials in New Hampshire are warning hikers to bring traction devices after one person required rescue for a leg injury over the weekend.
Montezuma Valley Market was a beloved stop for PCT hikers until a blaze—and a dreadful diagnosis—threw it into limbo.
From painfully obvious to just plain painful, these outdoor movies are worth a watch.
Ramp up your speed for hiking, trail running, and reaching the views faster with this all-in-one cardio and stabilizing workout.
Don't let a poorly-loaded backpack put a damper on your next adventure in the backcountry. Learn how to pack it the right way—with efficiency, convenience and comfort in mind.
Bask in the spray of these cascades at the end of a long day's hike.
Social media is full of ridiculous “camping hacks” that won’t help you do anything but create a bunch of extra garbage. Embrace these editor-tested tricks for staying comfy in the backcountry instead.
Once again, food-seeking bears have forced the closure of part of the AT to overnight stays.
Roughly 84% of visitors at one popular national park are in favor of its new reservation system—and it could be a sign of things to come.
A heat signature in a dense forest led to the discovery of Matthew Read, who went missing in the park over the weekend.
Lost in the Pecos Wilderness with her aid dog, Shannon Baruth faced extreme weather conditions for four nights. Together, they fought to make their way back to safety.
Two humongous male grizzly bears square off in one of the craziest, most mesmerizing battles caught on video
National Park Service officials said they’re still investigating what caused the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge to burn to the ground just weeks before its planned grand reopening.
From dense, moss-draped rainforest to misty, cliff-guarded beaches, the Oregon Coast Trail is 425 miles of pure Pacific beauty with a complicated story behind it.
In an industry dominated by a single body-type, the Virga 3 is making waves.
Marta Renee Bowen had disappeared from her campsite in Connecticut, leaving behind her gear and cell phone.
Ah, spring. For some, it's the season of thawing relief and re-emergence after a long winter. For others, it's the season you slog through—through mud, specifically. We see the beauty in both sides. Not convinced? Check out these trails.
You only have a few weeks left until summer arrives. Better make them count.
Don’t want to run out of cash midway through your dream thru-hike? You need to spend some time figuring out your finances up front.
The last time the state recorded a temperature this high in April was in 1943.
Reap all the physical and mental advantages of mindfulness without ever setting foot inside a class.
Developed and tested on the Pacific Crest Trail—the new adidas TERREX Free Hiker 2.0 is your next long-distance shoe
You can hike one trail for the rest of your life. Which would you choose?
Upgrade one of the most essential items in your survival kit.
Gear companies are constantly upgrading their products and pulling old ones off the market. But there are some advantages to being a few seasons behind.
Used correctly, frameless packs can be a great tool for ultralighters. Used incorrectly? Welcome to Shoulder Pain City, baby.
So you want to help thru-hikers? There are a lot of great ways to do it. Veteran hiker Liz "Snorkel" Thomas talks you through them.
With heavy snow making mountain travel more difficult and hazardous than usual, a growing number of hikers are taking a less traditional approach to the PCT.
Up for a walk? A really, really long walk? We've gone big on the world's biggest trails, collecting the most important skills, gear reviews, trail guides, advice, and more for thru-hikers.
Wildlife officers have been unable to locate the mountain lion so far, and are urging hikers in the area to use caution.
Swapping out your tent for a shelter that sets up with trekking poles is a quick way to cut weight. But is it the right choice for you?
Watch footage of a heroic rescue with commentary from a fast-acting bystander.
Overflowing rivers will close most of Yosemite Valley through at least Wednesday—and the park says more floods could be on the way as California's historic snowpack melts.