Essential Backcountry Apps for Android Devices
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Essential Backcountry Apps for iOS Devices
Stay connected with your favorite Apple device in the backcountry
Rugged Tablet Accessories
Upgrade any tablet with these smart gadgets.
Backcountry Power: Bushnell POWERSYNC SolarBook 850
A five-solar-panel power pack for the long-haul hiker.
Backcountry Power: Solio Xcellerator + Hub
A highly packable solar panel
Backcountry Power: Mophie Powerstation Pro
For its pocket-friendly size, this rugged, impact- and splash-resistant battery packs a punch
Tablet Review: Apple iPad Mini
A tester favorite thanks to the easy-to-use interface, long battery life, and large selection of quality apps.
8 Fantastic Foods for Backpackers
Go beyond granola bars and make these energy-rich essentials part of your trail diet.
Readers' Choice 2014: Vaude Cheyenne 500 Sleeping Bag
A supremely comfortable bag for mild-weather backpacking trips and car camps.
Readers' Choice 2014: Vasque St. Elias GTX Boots
Boots built for Alaska.
Readers' Choice 2014: Merrell Belay Hiking Pants
Technical hiking pants that fit a woman's curvy figure.
Readers' Choice 2014: Leatherman Wave Multitool
A 17-tool powerhouse.
Readers' Choice 2014: Big Agnes King Solomon Sleeping Bag
A luxurious two-person sleeping bag.
Readers' Choice 2014: Gregory Maya 18 Backpack
This frameless little pack is a great all-arounder for bike commuting and dayhikes.
Readers' Choice 2014: Asolo Vertex GV Hiking Boots
Quintessential backpacking boots - high-cut, durable, and can handle rugged terrain.
Readers' Choice 2014: Mountainsmith Haze 50 Backpack
A durable, ultralight pack that's affordable.
Readers' Choice 2014: Eastern Mountain Sports Traverse
A dependable, year-round shelter from Eastern Mountain Sports.
Editors' Choice 2013 Gold Award: Snow Peak Titanium Double Wall 450 Mug
Drink from the sweetest camp cup on the planet.
Watch This Couple Completely Overlook a Bear on Their Front Porch
The bear plays the 'statue game' and wins.
Avalanches On The Loose
Early season avalanche fatalities and incidents expose the need for education, and a targeted Web site fills the gap.
Gear Review: Columbia BugaTrek Omni-Heat
For casual winter adventures, a warm-and-cozy boot.
Green Guide
Articles on nature and climate change as they relate to backpacking, and environmentally friendly backpacking gear.
Tasmanian Adventure: Hiking Walls of Jerusalem National Park
Join the BACKPACKER editors on a trek through Tasmania.
Inside Nepal's Deadly Blizzard
In October 2014, a severe blizzard struck Nepal's Annapurna Circuit during peak trekking season. Hundreds of hikers were stranded and dozens died in one of the world's worst hiking disasters. An eyewitness shares his tale.
B.L.M. Goes To Burning Man
The federal agency isn't nearly as square as we thought.
Adorable Polar Bear Cub Takes First Steps…
...TO BECOMING AN UNSTOPPABLE KILLING MACHINE.
Proposed Maine national park on hold
A landowner wants to donate 75,000 acres east/southeast of Mount Katahdin for a national park, but opposition remains strong.
Yellowstone National Park
In America's most celebrated park, adventure doesn't begin at the trailhead; it begins at trail's end.
Photographers suspected of baiting wolf pack near Banff
The incident has renewed criticism of so-called 'wildlife paparazzi.'
Recreating Shackleton’s Journey: A Q&A with Adventurer Tim Jarvis
The polar explorer successfully recreated Sir Ernest Shackleton's incredible Antarctic survival journey.
Check Out Montana in Warren Miller's Ticket To Ride
Warren Miller athletes charge hard and reflect on Big Sky Country, their love for this space and the immense energy allotted to the people who reside in Montana.
Daily Smackdown: Hammock vs. Bivy?
Ultralighters, do you prefer hammocks or bivy sacks? Vote now!
Adventure Upgrade: Navigate Off Trail
Open up a new door to adventure–by leaving the well-trod route behind.
10 Trails to Cure the Winter Blues
Cabin fever got you down? These trails are even better in the cold weather months.
How to Find North
Learn how to orient yourself for when it really counts.
7 Ridiculously Expensive Pieces of Gear
You'll need a whole lot of disposable income to nab any of these big ticket items.
Bear Safety: Every Tip You'll Ever Need
All the safety tips you need to be "bear aware" in one convenient location
Ultralight Backpacking: Do's and Don'ts
Want to do ultralight right? Check out these tips.
Super-Pumped Peanut Butter N' Jelly Cereal
Treat yourself to kid-style cereal in this blend that'll actually get you through a grownup day.
No-Mess Bourbon Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is the ultimate way to end your day. Bonus: This decadent treat requires almost no cleanup.
How to Treat a Hypothermia Victim
Master hypothermia treatment to get your partner out of a tight spot.
How-To Slideshow: Learn to Tape a Sprained Ankle
This low-bulk bracing is used by sports trainers and wilderness medics to stabilize weak ligaments and discourage further injury. You can apply all sorts of extras like pre-wrap liners, ankle pads, and skin adhesive, but here's the down and dirty trail version.
Winter Hiking: Navigate Through Snowscapes
The land changes come winter, and so should your route finding techniques.
Survival: Improvise a Splint and Treat Burns
Two skills to take with you to the backcountry
The Ultimate First-Aid Manual: What to Pack
Construct a solid emergency kit with these medical must-haves.
Survival: Off-Course With No Map or Compass
Uh-oh, you forgot to download free maps at Backpacker.com, and now you're lost in the woods without any navigational tools. Smart! Now follow these rules to get found.
5 Steps to Saving Lives
How the pros treat an injured hiker
Master Class: Find Yourself on a Map
The best way to avoid getting lost? Always know your location. Study up on these key techniques for identifying terrain features,translating GPS data to a map, and triangulating your position.
The Ultimate Survival Kit for Backpackers
Want to make it out alive? Consider packing this 16-item kit, assembled with help from a Yosemite rescue ranger.
Rip & Live: Lost
More than 1,000 hikers go missing every year in our national parks alone. Most are found within hours, but basic skills can help you get home without making a serious—or even fatal—mistake. Follow this advice for staying on course.
Out Alive: Broken Leg, Lost, and Alone
A disoriented hiker snaps her leg in a gruesome fall and spends the next three days trying to crawl her way to safety.
BACKPACKER MAGAZINE APPS
From the iPad to the iPhone and Android, check out these BACKPACKER mobile apps.
Gear School: Insulation
Stay toasty with the right fill for your bag and puffy jacket.
Survival: Prevent Blisters and Frostbite
Prevent these two painful toe problems.
Even More Great Books for the Trail
Readers weigh in with their picks for the best outdoor books of all time.
The Survival Issue: Weather
From hypothermia to heatstroke, the elements kill in myriad ways. Protect yourself with 34 tips on wind, rain, snow, and more.
Great Outdoor Books for the Trail
Whether read before the trek, during the adventure, or after it's over, these books remind us why we love the wild.
2,500+ Trips for Your iPhone
Send any GPS trip found on Backpacker.com and record your own trails with AllSportGPS.
Our Get Out More Tour is Looking For Our Next Brand Ambassadors!
Think you have what it takes to represent Backpacker and many of the top Brands in the outdoor industry on the road with the Get Out More Tour?
Editors' Choice Awards 2013
From a bomber ultralight tent to the best GPS watch we've seen, here are the 15 products that passed the ultimate field test.
Gear Review: Komperdell Alpinist
Check out Glenna Xie's author page.
Gear Review: Northern Lites Quicksilver
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Gear Review: Faber Sommet
Check out Glenna Xie's author page.
Gear Review: Leatherman Hail + Style PS
Check out Glenna Xie's author page.
Gear Review: Tubbs Xpedition
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Gear Review: Atlas Fitness
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Gear Review: MSR Evo Ascent
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Gear Review: Dynafit Cho Oyu
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Gear Review: Rossignol Soul 7
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Gear Review: Black Diamond Aspect
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Gear Review: DPS Wailer 99
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Mountain Hardwear UltraLamina 0
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) Radiant 20F PLUS
Think outside the bag with this minimalist blanket from Brooks-Range.
Exped DownMat XP 9 M
Stay warm with this down-lined inflatable sleeping pad from Exped.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Dream
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
NEMO Canon -40 Sleeping Bag
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Editors' Choice Snow Award 2013: The North Face Thermoball Hoodie
A synthetic puffy that rivals the weight and warmth of down.