Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011
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Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Camp-Tek Microburst Mini Air Pump
What you didn't know you needed: A tiny fan for inflating your sleeping pad, freeing your mind to contemplate the alpenglow.
Escape Plan: Reduce Lightning Strike Risk
Tips for lessening the risk of lightning in the backcountry.
Escape Plan: Recognize HAPE
Identify this high-altitude killer.
Escape Plan: Use Bear Spray Safely
How to use bear spray.
Escape Plan: Cross Summer Snow
How to safely traverse a small, seasonal snowfield.
Escape Plan: Get High and Avoid Quicksand
Strategies for staying alive in flash floods and quicksand.
Survival: True Reader Escapes
Seven lucky-to-be-alive subscribers share their real-life backcountry disasters. HereÂ’s how they survived, and what you can learn from their mistakes.
True Tales: Struck by Lightning
Bad decisions and running scared got this reader struck by lightning--but he survived.
True Tales: Can't Breathe at High Altitude
A scape of pulmonary edema sends this reader down the mountain, fast.
True Tales: Flipped, Soaked, and Freezing
Two readers shiver for their lives through a cold, Alaskan summer night.
True Tales: Charged by a 500-Pound Grizzly
A charging grizzly comes too close for this reader's comfort.
True Tales: Uncontrolled Slide Down an Icy Slope
A summer snow slope gives this reader the scare of his life.
True Tales: Caught in a Flash Flood
Rising water sends this reader running--and hiding--in Utah.
Maintain Ski Gear: Patch Ski Poles and Ski Boots
DonÂ’t let a split ski pole shaft or broken boots ruin your balance.
Maintain Ski Gear: Keep Climbing Skins Sticky
Good grip is the key to fast and easy climbing.
Maintain Ski Gear: Back Up Your Bindings
Be proactive about preparing your ski-systemÂ’s hub.
Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Opena iPhone Case with Beer Opener
A gift for the iPhone user who has everything
Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Leatherman Style PS
A mini-multitool for working a little MacGyver magic in the mountains
Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Oliso PRO VS97A Vacuum Sealer
A perfect splurge gift for the foodie on your list
Ski Strong: Kick Turn Like a Pro
Perfect this move for on-a-dime turns in steep, rugged terrain.
Ski Strong: Descend with Control
Stay safe with these six ski-down tips.
Ski Strong: Adjust Your Ski Poles
Use telescoping shafts for stability on any angle.
Ski Strong: Ski Any Snow Conditions
Change your technique and style to manage any snow conditions.
Ski Strong: Stay Fueled
Conquer cold with proactive hydration and calorie-packed nutrition.
Ski Strong: Going Up
Master the art of backcountry climbing and skinning.
Ski Strong: Beat Blisters
Outsmart stiff boots and constant heel lifting with these anti-friction tips.
Select a Safe Route: Avalanche Terrain Travel
Recognize these avalanche-risk signs and learn how to choose routes that avoid them.
Select a Safe Route: Study the Snowpack
Hidden layers are the key to stable—or slide-ready—slopes.
Select a Safe Route: Watch the Weather
All conditions affect avy potential. Check forecasts and assess risk.
Prep Your Gear: Outfit for Avalanche Safety
Equip yourself with safety gear and practice proper techniques.
Prep Your Gear: Pack to Backcountry Ski
Use this advice to hone your backcountry layers for any trip length or conditions.
Prep Your Gear: Fit Ski Boots Perfectly
Get more comfort going up and more power and control going down.
Tips from Pro Skiers
Four ski pros share advice for looking good--and staying safe--in the backcountry.
Maintain and Repair Your Ski Gear
A broken binding or a skin that wonÂ’t stick could mean a night spent out in a snow cave, or worse. Have your kit tuned up before you go, but make sure you know how to fix common problems in a pinch.
Ski Strong and Smart
You donÂ’t need pro-level skills to ski off-piste, but honing your kick-turn technique and avoiding rookie mistakes will ease your transition to backcountry terrain. HereÂ’s how to master the ups and downs when lifts and groomers are miles away. Plus: Prevent blisters, stay energized, and negotiate steeps.
Select a Safe Ski Route
Caused by variable weather, unstable snowpack, and steep terrain, backcountry avalanches claim an average of 25 lives a year in the United States. Your first safety step: Brush up on the basics below. Next, take a course accredited by the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education
Prep Your Backcountry Ski Gear
On any wilderness trip, smart preparation is key. But it’s even more important when you’re backcountry skiing, due to the technical gear, low temperatures, potential for severe weather, avalanche risk, and tricky routefinding. Here’s how to start smart—before you leave home.
Backcountry Skiing 101
Start earning your turns–safely–with this primer on equipment, route planning, reading conditions, and more.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Backcountry Snowboarding
The ultimate splitboard set-up
Adventure Travel 2012: Canada GPS Tracks
Forget immunizations, visas, phrase books, and 12-hour flights. For an epic international adventure, just head north. Canada's cred? The world's longest coastline, 10 major mountain chains, more lakes than any other country, and five Alaskas worth of world-class wilderness.We've scouted eight challenging trips in four provinces, all easy to reach and close enough to major American cities that you won't blow your budget just getting there. Or going back for more.
Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) Volt 2
Stay comfortable in both summer and winter conditions with this tent's floor-to-ceiling doors and fly vents.
Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) Volt 3
Stay comfortable in both summer and winter conditions with this tent's floor-to-ceiling doors and fly vents.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Hats
Cover your head...and ears...even your face, with these cold-weather coverups.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Gloves & Mittens
Keep your digits warm through any cold-weather outing.
Readers' Choice 2012: Reader Leader: Glacier Magic
More than 150 of you entered our contest to become a BACKPACKER field scout. Meet the winners here, starting with Colleen Contrisciane-Lewis, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. She earned the all-expenses-paid grand prize: an assignment to hike—and report on—her dream trip. Read about her 85-mile, weeklong transect of Glacier National Park on the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail.
Skills 101: Bushwhacking
Navigate through unruly terrain with these helpful tips
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Footwear
From snowshoeing boots to winter trail runners and electric boots - we found the best cold-weather footwear for every activity.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Backpacks
Eight packs that haul cameras, ski gear, and everything else you'll need for a cold-weather outing.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Tents
From solo tents to big basecamp, eight bomber tents for cold-weather camping.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide: Sleeping Bags & Sleeping Pads
Sleep comfortably from -20° to 15°
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Alpine Touring & Telemark
If your winter to-do list includes backcountry camping or hut trips - these are your ski setups.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Skis
Find the backcountry powder with these downhill and touring skis
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Snowshoes
The winter hiking season just got a whole lot longer with these multipurpose snowshoes.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide: Mountaineering Gear
All the top mountaineering gear, picked for you by the editors of Climbing magazine.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Ice Gear
We teamed up with sister publication Climbing to bring you the best ice climbing gear.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Cameras
Capture all your outdoor moments with these cameras and camcorders.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Eyewear
Protect your eyes from sun, snow, and debris with these goggles and sunglasses.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Kitchen Gear
Two stoves, a deluxe kitchen set, and a bunch of pots and pans.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Socks & Gaiters
From short to tall to toe socks - we have a performance sock for every foot.
Readers' Choice 2012: Reader Leader Contest Winners
More than 150 of you entered our contest to become a BACKPACKER field scout. Meet the winners.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Pants
Tough winter pants (plus one really cushy pair) for all your cold-weather activities.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Hardshells
Protect yourself from the worst of nature in these hardshell jackets.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Softshells
Eight softshell jackets from super breathable to warm and cozy.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Insulation
Stay warm with these puffys, fleece, and wool layers.
Readers' Choice 2012: Appalachian Trail, 100-Mile Wilderness, ME
Tackle the Northeast's most remote wilds for bears, moose, and berries.
Readers' Choice 2012: Grasshopper Glacier, Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness, MT
Visit a glacier with millions of extinct grasshoppers entombed in its ice.
Readers' Choice 2012: Skyline-To-The-Sea Trail, Castle Rock Sp, Ca
Hike through a towering redwood forest on this easy-access overnighter.
Readers' Choice 2012: Evolution Loop, Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP, CA
Hike cross-country to a pocket of dreamy lakeside camps on the John Muir Trail.
Readers' Choice 2012: Creekside Loop, Pisgah NF, NC
Looking for a mellow weekend with swimming options? We have you covered.
International Appalachian Trail, Quebec – Readers Choice 2012
Find caribou, moose, and bald eagles on a hut-to-hut trek in an undiscovered park.
Readers' Choice 2012: Shoal Creek Loop, Gros Ventre Wilderness, WY
Backpack to a local ranger's favorite mountain getaway.
America's Best Backcountry Ski Tours
Upgrade your winter fun at these 8 beginner-friendly, expert-ready spots.
Iceland: Tested
After a season of backcountry skiing, hiking, and climbing everywhere from the Rockies to the Andes, we took the year's best winter gear for a final shakedown in Iceland's remote Glacier Fjords. What we found: awesome ice-carved terrain and the sweetest boat-in camping and skiing on earth.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Top 3 Hiking Apps
Three hiking-focused apps - for iPhone, iPad, or Android.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Navigation – GPS Units & Apps
Never get lost again, with these four GPS units and three hiking apps.
Gear Review: Outdoor Research Touchtec Sensor Glove
Thanks to specially treated leather on the palms and fingertips, these gloves are gadget friendly...but still warm.
Gear Review: SCOTT Roam
A versatile helmet that can cover deep freeze to shoulder season.
Gear Review: Outdoor Research Mt. Baker Modular Mitt
Two-layer insulated mitts lined with both synthetic fill and fleece.
Gear Review: Shredalert Smith Rock Micro Beanie
A great lightweight lid for any cool weather outing or high-rpm activity in deep cold.