Esatto, LLC Summer Lightweight
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Jacks 'R' Better LLC High Sierra Sniveller
An affordable, high-performance sleeping bag that keeps you warm and dry in the harshest of elements.
Esatto, LLC Classic Hiker
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Jacks 'R' Better LLC Old Rag Mtn
An affordable, high-performance sleeping bag that keeps you warm and dry in the harshest of elements.
Jacks 'R' Better LLC Nest
An affordable, high-performance sleeping bag that keeps you warm and dry in the harshest of elements.
Jacks 'R' Better LLC Sierra Sniveller
An affordable, high-performance sleeping bag that keeps you warm and dry in the harshest of elements.
Jacks 'R' Better LLC Hudson River
An affordable, high-performance sleeping bag that keeps you warm and dry in the harshest of elements.
Jacks 'R' Better LLC Sierra Stealth
An affordable, high-performance sleeping bag that keeps you warm and dry in the harshest of elements.
Jacks 'R' Better LLC Shenandoah
An affordable, high-performance sleeping bag that keeps you warm and dry in the harshest of elements.
Determining Your Pack Size
I am going to start backpacking again after many years and wanted to know about internal frame packs. How do you determine the correct size of the pack (I am 5' 10" in height)?
Basket or Box?
Next summer I will be transporting 4 people (2 adults, 1 toddler, and 1 infant) and 2 dogs (50 pounds each) into the great outdoors. What carries more gear? A roof basket like the Thule MOAB, or a roof box?
Vargo Triad Stove
The ultimate stove: anywhere, anytime, any gas
Vargo Triad XE Stove
The ultimate stove: anywhere, anytime, any gas
Vargo Decagon Stove
The ultimate stove: anywhere, anytime, any gas
Vargo Hexagon Wood Stove
The ultimate stove: anywhere, anytime, any gas
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011 Table of Contents
295 Reviews & Comfort Tips
Trail Designs Classic Ti-Tri Titanium Stove System
The ultimate stove: anywhere, anytime, any gas
Trail Designs Ti-Tri Inferno Stove System
The ultimate stove: anywhere, anytime, any gas
Trail Designs Ti-Tri Sidewinder Stove System
The ultimate stove: anywhere, anytime, any gas
Trail Designs Caldera Cone Stove System
The ultimate stove: anywhere, anytime, any gas
Trail Designs Caldera Keg-F Stove System
The ultimate stove: anywhere, anytime, any gas
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Black Diamond Eldorado Tent
A bomber tent with lots of legroom
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Nemo Obi 1p Elite Tent
A super light double-wall tent
Gear Review: Nemo Obi 1p Elite
Check out Casey Lyons's author page.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: The North Face Assault 2 Tent
A lightweight, easy-pitching, two-pole tent.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Mountain Equipment Co-op TGV2 Tent
No other double-wall tent we tested offers so much protection for so little money and bulk.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Big Agnes Royal Flush 3 Tent
A tent that can handle it all - temperature swings, ripping wind, humidity, and rocky campsites.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Mountain Laurel Designs Circus Tent
With a massive 96-square-foot (floorless) area and 70-inch peak height, the Circus Tent can fit up to seven.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: MSR Storm King Tent
An ultralight shelter for four.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Nemo Alti Storm 3p Tent
A tent with all the bells and whistles you'd want--large vestibules, super sturdy, and great ventilation.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Sierra Designs Sorcery 55 Backpack
A super comfortable pack that makes 40 pounds feel nonexistent.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Pieps Plecotus Backpack
The best organized big-day backcountry ski pack
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Black Diamond Agent Backpack
A lightweight ski pack that is super stable.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Osprey Mutant 38 Backpack
This pack is like a personal valet for your ice tools
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Clik Elite Obscura Camera Pack
Get the features you need for grab-and-go shooting without extra wonk and weight.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: Golite Terrono 90 Backpack
A light-and-large pack perfect for bulky winter loads.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: K2 Pilchuck Kit Backpack
This compact, 11-liter pack comes equipped with an avalanche shovel and probe.
Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011: The North Face Patrol 34 Backpack
The Patrol does it all—skiing, climbing, and hiking.
Gear Review: Snow Peak Hozuk
A soft shell lantern that's perfect for illuminating a tent.
Gear Review: Kelty Lumapivot
A bright LED lantern that's perfect for car camping.
Gear Review: Mammut X-Shot
The brightest headlamp we tested.
Gear Review: Princeton Tec Byte
A great headlamp for ultralighters.
Gear Review: Black Diamond Storm
The Storm has multiple setting options for only $50 and four ounces.
Two Kelty Tent Pricepoints
I am comparing the Kelty Gunnison 2.1, sold everywhere ($189.99) with the Kelty Zenith, sold at Target ($59.99). The basic dimensions are the same and there are a few obvious differences, but how can the price be so different?
Rip & Live: Spiders
Itsy bitsy? Sure, but spiders loom large in hiker phobias. They shouldn't: Only a few subspecies of the black widow and brown recluse can inflict enough damage to cut short a hike. Here's what you need to know about North America's most venomous spiders, from how to avoid them to treating their bites.
September 2011
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Dirtbag/Gourmet: Hot Cereals
Fuel your day with these energy-packed twists on classic breakfast bowls.
Gear Review: Mountainsmith Sunlight 20
A legit 20°F down bag that costs less than 200 bucks.
Gear Review: REI Merino Wool Hoodie
This fine-gauge merino feels like my coziest pajamas.
Gear Review: Jetboil Sol Ti Premium Cooking System
Jetboil’s Personal Cooking System (PCS) is fast, fuel-efficient, and foolproof, and this new titanium version is barely half the weight.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Stash 1 Tent
A solo tent that can handle nasty weather and is comfortable to boot.
Gear Review: Adidas Terrex Fast X FM
A low-cut hiker that fits and feels like a supportive sneaker.
Gear Review: MSR Twin Brothers
This roomy tent has 96 square feet of floor space.
Gear Review: Mountainsmith Genesee
This four-person tent costs just $199.
Gear Review: Tarptent Hogback
A four-person, double-walled tent that's supremely packable.
Gear Review: Big Agnes Soda Mountain SL4
This freestanding dome weighs less than two pounds per person, but it’s as roomy as a deluxe car-camping tent.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Zeta 4
This top performer is light, roomy, stable—and affordable.
Deepest Daks
Journey through America's most accessible wilderness in search of untouched places, and you might just find peace of mind to match the lakes and hills.
Gear Test: Bargain Three-Season Bags
Three synthetic sleepers for less than $110.
The Best Breathable, Waterproof Rain Jackets
Four companies made bold claims about cutting-edge waterproof technology in 2011. So we gathered a dozen rain jackets with the new fabrics and put them to the test in a head-to-head challenge. Verdict: We've never worn a more breathable crop of shells.
Rip & Go: Godwin Trail to Inspiration Point – Shawnee National Forest, IL
Cross deep, vine-laced forests to bluff-top views over rivers and prairie.
Gear Review: Marmot Mavericks 20
This hoodless, semi-rectangular bag was the roomiest in our test.
Gear Review: Eureka! Casper 15
This bag packs down to the size of a volleyball.
Gear Review: The North Face Aleutian 20
This mummy costs only $89 and weighs just over three pounds!
Gear Review: Columbia Peak 2 Peak/Peak Power
Made with Columbia Omni-Dry this full-featured jacket is $40 less than its nearest competitor.
Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Jovian
Made with a PTFE membrane made by General Electric this shell was great in heavy rain.
Gear Review: Westcomb Apoc
Made with Polartec NeoShell, this versatile jacket is durable and breathable.
Rip & Go: Two Gorges Loop – Gorges State Park, NC
Trace the watery divide between the Carolinas.
Saving Lives: When to Evacuate, First-Aid Essentials
Learn to decide when to walk out and when to stay put with a variety of backcountry medical ailments.
Rip & Go: Debsconeag Loop – Maine Public Reserved Lands, Nahmakanta Unit, ME
Cross the northeast's wildest moose country beneath fall's fiery canopy.
Gear Review: Mammut Felsturm Half-Zip
Made with Gore-Tex Active Shell this breathable jacket was wearable in a wide range of temperatures.
Perfect 10: Free PDF Trip Planning Guides
We've picked the top 10 miles of North America's 10 most memorable hikes. Find your way to wilderness nirvana with these map and planning guides.
Rip & Go: Stratton Loop – Lye Brook Wilderness, VT
Climb to an expansive view of green rollers that inspired two long trails.
Men's Packs vs. Women's Packs
Can a woman comfortably use a man's backpack? How much of a difference does it make?
Sharing Pack Weight
My boyfriend always gets annoyed that I load our heavier items into his pack. I think that since he weighs 30% more than me, his pack can be about 40% heavier, adding 10% for M/F differences in hematocrit, VO2 max, etc. Reasonable?
October Table of Contents
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Rip & Go: Hilgard Basin – Lee Metcalf Wilderness, MT
Climb to a wonderland of tundra, rugged peaks, and dreamy lakes.
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An affordable, high-performance sleeping bag that keeps you warm and dry in the harshest of elements.
A Piece of Quiet
Americas leading advocate of wilderness silence shows the way to Mt. Rainier National Parks quietest corner. Plus: 9 more campsites with life-list listening.
Rip & Go: Three Sisters Loop – Lava Beds National Monument, CA
Discover hidden wonders in a cave-riddled wilderness.