Editors' Choice 2014: Sierra Designs Backcountry Bed
This revolutionary sack throws out the zipper, adds a blanket-like quilt, and increases the comfort exponentially.
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Editors' Choice 2014: L.L. Bean Trekker 25
This versatile pack works eqally well for big dayhikes and whirlwind travel.
Editors' Choice 2014: Kelty TN 2 Tent
Starlight means lightweight in this view-friendly tent.
How to Measure Your Torso
Learn this easy measurement and get the right size pack.
How to Tie a Bowline Knot
Learn this useful knot in a few easy steps.
How to Make a Repair Kit
Fix anything with this lightweight, DIY kit.
How to Pack for a Weekend
Upgrade your trips with these key luxuries for short trips.
How to Tie a Clove Hitch Knot
Learn this useful knot in a few easy steps.
How to Adjust a Pack
Improve comfort and stability.
How to Treat Knee Pain
Improve comfort on trail and in camp.
How to Pack for a Weeklong Trip
Save weight by leaving these key items behind on long journeys.
How to Make a First-Aid Kit
Treat wounds, sprains, and more with this lightweight, DIY kit.
How to Pack For a Dayhike
The 11 things you should have with you on any hike
How to Get Boots that Fit
Improve all-day comfort and prevent blisters with these key tips.
How to Choose the Right Tent
Ask yourself these key questions before buying a new shelter.
How to Make a Survival Kit
Be prepared for backcountry accidents with this lightweight, DIY kit.
How to Prevent Blisters
Keep your feet happy with these key tips.
Down vs. Synthetic Insulation
What fill is right for you? Here's how to choose.
How to Load a Pack
Stay comfortable on the trail with the ABCDs of packing.
10 Amazing Cave Hikes in the U.S.
Adventures abound, both above and below ground.
How to Choose the Right Sleeping Bag
Ask yourself these questions before buying a new bag.
August 2012 Table of Contents
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
10 Amazing Cave Hikes in the U.S.
Adventures abound, both above and below ground.
An Exciting First Month on the Road
The Women's Get Out More team has had a great first month
A Busy Start to the Summer Season
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Life Outside
Why this year's GOM team ditched the 9-to-5
Recipe: Backcountry Eggs Benedict
Up your game with this gourmet, one-pan breakfast.
Fall Hikes in the West
Our trail scouts' top local hikes as the seasons change.
May 2013 Table of Contents
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Gear Pro: Weekend Hike Essentials
These 7 items make a killer kit for your spring weekends..
October 2012 Table of Contents
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Gear Pro: Why Does BACKPACKER Review Such Expensive Gear?
Readers often ask why we review such pricey equipment. Here's the answer.
The 6 Most Dangerous National Parks
National parks are pretty safe, but some carry more risk than others.
Lost & Found
John Donovan disappeared in a high-elevation blizzard, leaving rescuers and friends stumped. But his backpack contained a miracle clue.
September 2012 Table of Contents
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
9 Signs You're an Old School Backpacker
Fads come and go, but you've been a backpacker through it all. Here are a few signs you're a diehard dirtbag.
June 2012 Table of Contents
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Ask a Bear: Bivys in Bear Country?
When I sleep in my beloved bivy, am I just wrapping myself up like a six-foot bear burrito?
The 17 Worst Hiking Partners in the World
Hiking with others can be a blast—as long as your partner isn't making one of these egregious gaffes, that is. Here's a taxonomy of the worst backcountry offenders.
Photographer Ethan Welty's Home Range: The North Cascades
Check out adufoe's author page.
The Beautiful North Cascades
Take a breathtaking photographic tour of of Washington's Cascade Range.
2014 Reader Photo Contest Winners
Check out adufoe's author page.
Grand Canyon Offers Subsidies to Quieter Aircraft
The incentives are designed to reduce noise pollution within the park.
Grand Canyon Weighs Backcountry Access Restrictions
A new proposal would limit the number of South Rim wilderness permits to just one per week.
Watch George Clooney, Charlie Sheen, and Laura Dern get eaten by a grizzly bear
In the unfinished, never-released film Grizzly 2: The Predator.
Banff Nearly Recovered After Flooding
Officials have spent CAD $19 million to restore damaged areas.
Avalanche Kills 12 on Mount Everest
It's the single-deadliest accident in the mountain's history.
Watch These Rangers Intentionally Trigger An Avalanche
...by throwing bombs out of a helicopter.
Avalanche Traps Alaska Town Behind 40-foot Wall of Snow; Alaskans Shrug
There's no telling when the road to Valdez will open again.
Aron Ralston arrested, charges later dropped
The '127 Hours' hiker was jailed on a domestic assault charge that was later dropped.
Arctic Reindeer Have Color-Changing Eyes
Red nose? Nah. Instead, the Arctic reindeer's eyes change from gold to blue in wintertime.
Antarctica sets new Earth cold record
A jaw-dropping -135 degrees Fahrenheit.
9-Year-Old Climbs South America's Highest Peak
Tyler Armstrong becomes the youngest person ever to summit Argentina's Mt. Aconcagua.
Sherpas Leave Mount Everest; Climbing Season in Doubt
The walkout comes in response to last week's deadly avalanche.
Hiker Dies Near Start of PCT
The 19-year-old man collapsed Thursday just miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.
Arizona Opens 15,000 New Acres of Backcountry
Petrified Forest National Park just got bigger.
Nature’s Biggest Jerks
Who are the biggest jerks in the woods? Pine beetles, that's who.
Husky Says 'No' To Kennel Time—Literally
We've all been there.
Eagle Steals Video Camera, Makes Sweet Movie
Not bad for a first attempt!
You’ll Never Guess What Animals Do On Trails While You’re Not Hiking
A hidden camera reveals a wildlife superhighway.
Is a Wolf Stalking the Halls of Sochi? [Update: No]
Or maybe it's just a big malamute...?
How Wolves Altered Yellowstone’s Geography
The species physically changes the landscape via predation.
Watch a Stunning Joshua Tree NP Timelapse
Sit back and enjoy.
Watch These Couples Get Married and Engaged in National Parks
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.
Fewer People Applying for National Parks Jobs in 2014
One contractor still has close to 4,000 positions still available.
Kings Canyon National Park: Bullfrog Lake Overlook via Kearsarge Pass
Trek along a series of High Sierra lakes nestled in sculpted granite basins below towering alpine peaks on this 11.6-mile out-and-back.
Hike the Pacific Crest Trail in Six Minutes
This thru-hiker's video zooms through some of the highlights.
Thru-Hiker Documents His Pacific Crest Trail Hike With 159 Days of Selfies
An incredible journey and an incredible beard too.
Gear Pro: Quick Zipper Fix
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Reader Photos: Waterfalls
The prettiest cascades in the country
Apostle Island Ice Caves
Stunning images from the ice caves off the coast of Wisconsin's Apostle Islands.
Gone Girl: Aubrey Sacco's Disappearance Hiking in Nepal
Like many hikers, Aubrey Sacco walked into the Himalayas with joyful excitement. But she encountered a dark side of Nepal all trekkers should know about.
Gone Girl: Photographs from the Search for Aubrey Sacco
Author Tracy Ross shares her personal photos and reflections from her trip to Nepal with Aubrey Sacco's family after the trekker's disappearance.
Avalanche Traps Alaska Town Behind 40-foot Wall of Snow; Alaskans Shrug
There's no telling when the road to Valdez will re-open.
The Greatest Bear Video of All Time
Yeah, we said it. Watch how bruins go about their daily lives and, what happens when you disrupt their routine. Bottom line: Don't mess with the bear.
Readers' Choice 2014: MSR Base 2 Pots
A gourmet nesting set of pots.
Google Maps Now Includes Antarctica
You can get a Street View of the South Pole.
Hiker Bags Wales's Highest Peak…Naked
Local SAR personnel are not happy.