2015 Editors' Choice Gold Awards: Snow Peak GigaPower
Ounce- and penny-counters will love this reliable cooker.
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2015 Editors' Choice Awards: Big Agnes mtnGLO
This new integrated lighting system is the best thing to happen to tents since aluminum poles.
2015 Editors' Choice Awards: Big Agnes mtnGLO
This new integrated lighting system is the best thing to happen to tents since aluminum poles.
2015 Editors' Choice Gold: Snow Peak GigaPower Stove
Ounce- and penny-counters will love this reliable cooker.
2015 Editors' Choice Gold Award: Snow Peak GigaPower Stove
Ounce- and penny-counters will love this reliable cooker.
2015 Editors' Choice: Big Agnes mtnGLO
These mini LED lights are the best thing to happen to tents since aluminum poles.
2015 Editors' Choice: La Sportiva Synthesis Mid GTX
Waterproof/breathable shoes get a lot more breathable.
2015 Editors' Choice Awards: La Sportiva Synthesis Mid GTX
Waterproof/breathable gets a lot more breathable.
How to Pack a Backpack Efficiently
Is your pack a mess? Read these tips on how to fit a week's worth of gear into your regular weekend bag.
2015 Editors' Choice: Sea to Summit X-Pot
Behold the world’s most packable cook pot.
2015 Editors' Choice Awards: Sea to Summit X-Pot
Behold the world’s most packable cook pot.
2015 Editors' Choice Awards: Sea to Summit X-Pot
Behold the world’s most packable cook pot.
One Dead in Aspen Backcountry Avalanche
It's Colorado's third avalanche fatality this season.
Editors' Choice 2015: The Best Backpacking Gear of the Year
We dragged hundreds of products around the globe for a year, looking for the best gear. The result: 13 Editor's Choice Award winners for your wish list.
2015 Editors' Choice Awards: NEMO Sonic
This versatile value lets you sleep comfortably from 0°F up to 40°F.
2015 Editors' Choice Awards: NEMO Sonic
This versatile value lets you sleep comfortably from 0°F up to 40°F.
Editors' Choice: NEMO Equipment Sonic
This versatile value sleeping bag lets you sleep comfortably from 0 °F up to 40°F.
2015 Editors' Choice Awards: Osprey Atmos AG / Aura AG
This pack raises the bar for big-load ventilation.
2015 Editors' Choice Awards: Osprey Atmos AG / Aura AG
This pack raises the bar for big-load ventilation.
Editors' Choice: Osprey Atmos AG/Aura AG
This pack raises the bar for big-load ventilation.
Spring Gear Guide 2015 Table of Contents
The year's best new trail-tested products in every category.
Exploring California's Palisades
Watch our dispatch from the 2015 Editors' Choice Awards gear testing trip.
6 Vegan Hiking Boots to Feel Good About
Rather have the critters in the woods than on your feet? Here are some 100% animal-free vegan hiking boot options for backpackers of every type.
Official Rules: 2015 Editors' Choice Awards Gear Sweepstakes
Win 2015's best new gear!
Fourth-Graders and Their Families to Get Free National Park Admission
Obama's new "Every Kid in a Park" program will provide free admission for kids starting with the 2015-2016 school year.
10 Things We Don't Miss About Backpacking in 1978
Today's young whippersnappers will never experience these backpacking frustrations of yesteryear.
Obama to Designate Browns Canyon as National Monument
The central Colorado destination is popular with hikers and rafters.
Craving Silence? There's a Map For That.
The National Park Service's new map shows you where to find peace and quiet.
Feds Propose Grizzly Bear Reintroduction in WA
The controversial predator may soon return to the North Cascades.
The Best Gear Companies You've (Probably) Never Heard Of
These little-known gear companies are poised to compete with the big boys.
10 Gear Fails You're Smart Enough to Avoid
We all make mistakes. Learn from these classic backpacking gear fails, and you'll make better ones.
Baltimore, MD: Sugarloaf Mountain Summit Loop
Get a quick dose of nature on a family-friendly hike that is surprisingly colorful.
Ask Kristin: Your Gear Questions, Answered
Gear editor Kristin Hostetter answers reader questions about backpacking gear.
Valentine's Day Hikes in the Inland Northwest
Ooo, la la! Couples are swooning in each other’s eyes, cheap chocolates are selling like hotcakes, and single people are writing ironic posts on Facebook. Whether it’s your first date or your 50th anniversary, these hikes will make the fire burn brighter.
Video: Trekking Jordan
Discover the secret side of this Middle Eastern paradise on a trek to Petra and journey through Wadi Rum.
#TBT: Gear Advice from 1977
Jump into the way-back machine and check out this packing advice from November 1977.
Las Vegas, NV: Fire Wave
People come from all over the world to see Fire Wave, an unusual wave shaped rock that rises out from the sandstone.
Washington, D.C.: Old Rag via Berry Hollow
Take the lesser-traveled route up one of Shenandoah National Park's most storied peaks.
Charlotte, NC: Shady Trail, Latta Plantation
Be a "birder" for a day on the easy Shady Trail in Latta Plantation.
What's In My Backcountry Skiing Pack?
Our backcountry skiing expert shares what he keeps in his pack for a day-long backcountry skiing tour—the 20 Essentials.
The 2015 Valentine's Day Gift & Getaway Guide
6 Valentine's Day gifts for your outdoorsy sweetheart, plus 4 tips for a romantic backcountry getaway.
8 Common Fitness Myths Debunked
Busting common myths about stretching, caffeine, and more.
Yellowstone to Implement New Backcountry Fees
The new fee will help defray the costs of running the park's backcountry program.
Your next sweater could be waterproof.
Voormi aims to weave, not laminate, next-gen waterproof/breathable membranes.
Alice-Toxaway Lakes Loop, Idaho
Alpine meets Caribbean on this Idaho gem.
Eagle Rock Loop, Arkansas
Test yourself in the Ouachita Mountains.
Thousand Island Lake Loop, California
Hike to the best views in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
Sky Rim Loop, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Find solitude in Yellowstone's mountainous northwest corner.
Fish and Owl Canyons Loop, Utah
Explore redrock canyons and ancient ruins.
Three Ridges Loop, Virginia
See colorful wildflowers and big views on the Appalachian Trail.
Grafton Loop, Maine
Summit nine peaks and graze on trailside blueberries in Maine.
Collegiate Peaks Loop, Colorado
Circle the Rockies on this high-alpine route.
Devils Dome Loop, Washington
Score Swiss-Alps scenery without the trans-Atlantic flight.
La Cloche Silhouette, Ontario
Take an up-and-down tour of Ontario's lake district.
March 2015: The Go List
23 places to hike now.
Charlotte, NC: Seven Oaks Preserve Trail
Let you mind go free while you wander along a pretty lake on the uncomplicated Seven Oaks Preserve Trail.
Charlotte, NC: Browns Mountain, Kings Mountain National Military Park
Climb Browns Mountain, hike a narrated battlefield trail, watch a reenacted revolutionary war encampment, see war muskets—Kings Mountain has it all!
Done In a Day: Bridge the Gap
Earth is the first and best architect. See Ma Nature’s oeuvre of natural arches on these dayhikes.
Life List: Yosemite's Secret Hut
Why visit iconic Glacier Point with the rest of the tourists when you can ski there—and have it all to yourself?
Saved By: Wild Animal Survival Techniques
So much “new” technology is modeled after things found in nature (bomber wings, solar cells, etc.). Harness natural solutions for survival, and you might do well enough to live like a bushman.
Homegrown Gear: Made in America Makes a Comeback
More and more outdoor products are made in America. Here’s why you can expect the trend to continue—plus a few choice gear picks to look for.
Hike Peru's Mountainous Alto Route
Machu Picchu + mountains = Peru's most gorgeous alpine route.
The Other Machu Picchu
Solitude lovers, rejoice: Peru's Choquequirao Trek offers all the Incan wonders of Machu Picchu with none of the crowds.
Duckworth Comet Loose Crew
A workhorse for hiking in sub-45°F temps.
Mystery Ranch Terraplane
The 85-liter Terraplane may be the last load-hauler you’ll ever buy.
Fox River PEAK Series Forester/Cypress
Made in Osage, Iowa, the midweight Forester (and women’s Cypress) pampers feet.
Danner Mountain Light II
This U.S.-built boot is like stepping into a tank lined with velvet.
Spokane, WA: Inland Northwest Snow Report
Winter 2015 in the Inland Northwest has been disappointing for many ski and snowshoe enthusiasts.
Ask an Expert: What's the Deal With Down Production?
The lowdown on where feathers in your gear actually come from.
Trail Chef: Use Spice Blends to Improve your Trail Cooking
Quick-and-easy trail food doesn’t have to be bland. Mix up some flavor-packed spice blends at home to kick your cooking to a new level of yum.
Trail Recipe: Toasted Chipotle-Cumin Quinoa Wrap
Toasting spices is a time-honored way to guarantee an even bigger flavor burst. Bonus: Hearty quinoa is a complete protein.
Trail Recipe: Yellow Coconut Curry
People are always impressed with this authentic-tasting Indian dish. Don’t tell ’em how easy it is.
Trail Recipe: Cincinnati Chili
This Buckeye favorite has rich mole flavors without being especially hot. It’s thinner than normal chili, and usually served over hot dogs or spaghetti.
Las Vegas, NV: Arizona Hot Springs
Perfect in the winter, this desert hike snakes through ancient and colorful canyons to the hidden Arizona Hot Springs.
Spokane, WA: Rose Creek Preserve Loop
Take a stroll through wide-open Palouse prairie on this loop in Rose Creek Nature Preserve south of Spokane, Washington.
Las Vegas, NV: Corn Creek
Visit Corn Creek, one of Nevada's best birding sites and a desert oasis.
Join BACKPACKER for Adventures NYC 2015!
Adventures NYC is back! Join us on June 20, 2015 for the nation’s largest outdoor celebration in the world's most renowned urban park.
March 2015 Table of Contents
Big Views, No Crowds; Made in the USA Gear
18 Signs You're Addicted to Gear
Gear junkies of the world, unite! We can stop anytime, we swear...
Three Hikers Injured on Mount Hood
The hikers were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.