Granite Gear Nimbus Meridian Ki
Pack up the weekend toys for your outdoor activity of choice in Marmot's ultralight–and ultra cheap–Alpha 25 backpack.
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ARC'TERYX Silo 50
Scramble around the trail with Granite Gear's ultralight and stable Vapor Flash backpack.
Millet Elevation 30 LD
The Millet Elevation 30 has everything you want in a pack—stabilty, support, and even wrist loops.
ARC'TERYX Quiver
With removable support, the Arc'teryx Khazri 55 backpack lets you choose between stability or a lighter load.
Gregory Mountain Products Whitney 95
Got a big load to carry? Put it in this ultra-comfortable pack and forget about it.
Montbell North America Balance Light 40
A convertible travel pack that can carry big loads.
Osprey Exos 58
The ultralight Osprey Exos 58 backpack is high in stability and smart features.
Millet Ura Speed 27
This pack moves with you.
DEUTER USA Futura Zero 30
Don't judge a pack by its price: this pack's a loaded bargain.
Bergans of Norway Tuva 45
Don't judge a pack by its price: this pack's a loaded bargain.
Mammut Lithium 32
Ski mountaineers will love both climbing and cruising in this pack from our <a href="https://www.backpacker.com/april_2009_table_of_contents_gear_guide_issue/articles/12859">2009 Gear Guide</a>.
Columbia Sportswear Company Trail Grinder Overnighter
Carry up to 100 ounces of hydration power with this comfortable daypack.
Gregory Mountain Products Navarino
A 60-liter ultralight frameless rucksack perfect for long weekends
Lowe Alpine TFX Cerro Torre 75+20
A convertible travel pack that can carry big loads.
GoLite Odyssey
This all-purpose weekend pack is comfortable and light. A 100-liter pack that provides excellent load transfer and customlike comfort
Kelty Span 60-W
A 100-liter pack that provides excellent load transfer and customlike comfort
The North Face W Remedy 25
This pack moves with you.
Millet Prolight 27
This pack moves with you.
The North Face Spire 32
This stable pack has tons of padding and support.
Lafuma Sakya 25
Scramble up anything with the North Face's climber-oriented Spire 40 backpack.
Mammut Arete 60
Ski mountaineers will love both climbing and cruising in this pack from our <a href="https://www.backpacker.com/april_2009_table_of_contents_gear_guide_issue/articles/12859">2009 Gear Guide</a>.
Gregory Mountain Products Triconi 60
For large loads and great support, check out the lightweight Gregory Z65 backpack.
Deuter USA ACT Lite 50+10
With incredible load distribution, this pack's easy on the shoulders.
Mountainsmith Phoenix
Here's high-performance proof that a big pack can have a small footprint.
LL Bean Bigelow Day Pack
Here's high-performance proof that a big pack can have a small footprint.
The North Face W Crestone 60
This pack moves with you.
DEUTER USA Aircontact Zero 55+10SL
Don't judge a pack by its price: this pack's a loaded bargain.
Bergans of Norway Telemark 80
Don't judge a pack by its price: this pack's a loaded bargain.
Lowe Alpine Mountain Attack Pro 35+10
A convertible travel pack that can carry big loads.
Mountainsmith Hiker
The Tahoma wins out as a high country favorite. Here's high-performance proof that a big pack can have a small footprint.
The North Face Cam 26
The Millet Elevation 30 has everything you want in a pack—stabilty, support, and even wrist loops.
Bergans of Norway Telemark 60
Don't judge a pack by its price: this pack's a loaded bargain.
Bergans of Norway Altitude 30
Don't judge a pack by its price: this pack's a loaded bargain.
Bergans of Norway Trollhetta 75
Don't judge a pack by its price: this pack's a loaded bargain.
Eagle Creek W Truist 65L
Light weight and load-bearing: Try this clean-design, ultralight pack.
DEUTER USA Aircontact 60+10SL
Don't judge a pack by its price: this pack's a loaded bargain.
ARC'TERYX Khazri 55
With removable support, the Arc'teryx Khazri 55 backpack lets you choose between stability or a lighter load.
Equinox Ltd Ultralite Katahdin Pack
Wenger's Zernez 50L pack has mountains of features including a built-in raincover and clear map flap.
Millet Expe 65
Want a one-pack quiver? Get this versatile lightweight.
The Gear Wars Trilogy, Episode 1: A New Hope.
A personal peek at some promising new schwag I've been testing.
Life-or-Death Decisions – Caught in a Storm
When a storm comes out of nowhere, learn how to handle the unexpected.
Life-or-Death Decisions – Injury
Learn how to plan and react when and unexpected injury creeps up on you.
Life-or-Death Decisions – Lost
How did you get here? How can you get out? Staying found starts at home.
Life-or-Death Decisions
Survival depends on more than dumb luck–to live to see another day, you must correctly navigate a tricky series of choices. Here's how to do it when the consequences couldn't be higher.
Rescue Me!
On a snowy night in New Hampshire, Congressional candidate Gary Dodds crashed his car, wandered into the woods, and collapsed. Twenty-seven hours later, rescuers carried him out. And then the real drama began.
Sleep In A Body Bag
Full-body Lippi bag makes sleeping, breakdancing more fun
Exercising While Sick
When you can and cannot workout with an illness
Bears Don't Kill People…People Kill Bears
29 human-related bear deaths recorded in Yellowstone this year
Why We Like Campfires And Cocoa
Physical warmth creates warm social feelings
Field Notes: Boots, Jackets, Tents, And More
The latest word from our testers. This month, we test the Marmot Cauldro jacket, Gregory Z65 pack, Exped Andromeda, tents, Danner Formation boots, and more.
Natural Born Killers: Top Backcountry Dangers
Which is the bigger backcountry threat, grizzlies or flash floods? Find out what should scare you–and how to survive it–with BACKPACKER's Terror Index.
3 Ways To Save: Adventure Racing
Adventure racing isn't for those without high pain thresholds, but here's three ways to cut down on the inevitable hurt.
Green Scene: Eco-Friendly Wool
Learn how you can shop for ethical, eco-friendly wool to lighten your planetary load.
6 Sweet Backpacking Sleeping Bags
From ultra-warm to ultralight, here are the year's best-performing bags in every category.
Walking Bataan: The Hardest Miles
Survivors of the Bataan death march overcame one of history's most grueling walks. What kept them on their feet? and could you do the same? every year, more than 4,000 people hike through the New Mexico desert to find out.
Thru-Hike The Roadless Sierra
Check off the most remote miles in California's Range of Light.
Canyon Connections: Link Grand Canyon To Zion
Trek empty terrain all the way from the Grand Canyon to Zion.
Better Backcountry Beards
Do beards increase your wilderness trail cred? Yes.
Bears, Wolves, Oh My!
BP Map Correspondent Jeff Chow dodges big carnivores while mapping Yellowstone for you
Long-distance Love Bad For The Planet
Cross-country lovers can spoil the environment with their fat carbon footprints
Mt. Adams: Solitude On Ice
Test your self-arrest skills on Mt. Adams's 12,276-foot fractured glacier.
Washington Paddling: Operation Orca
See one of the sea's keenest hunters as you paddle San Juan Island.
Bear Patrol in Glacier
Traverse the wildest part of the lower 48's last great grizzly hideaway.
Alaskan Labyrinth: Bushwacking in Denali
Beat your own path through Denali National Park's confounding and little-traveled Wyoming Hills.
High Point Montana
Get vertical on a tricky class 4 route to the top of Granite Peak.
Hiking Hip Deep in Florida's Swamps
Get your feet (and more) wet on the Florida Trail's best section.
Rocky Mountain (Extra) High: Lightning On The Colorado Trail
Dodge high wattage on the newest stretch of the Colorado Trail.
Fabric Softener on Down?
Is it safe or advisable to use Febreeze or other "fabric refreshers" on my down sleeping bag?
Palin Not A Big Beluga Fan, Either
Vice presidential candidate calls the whale's federal endangered species listing 'premature'
Everybody Walk The Dinosaur
'Dance floor' of dino prints found in Utah/Arizona national monument
Mt. Adams Survivor On Today Show
Derek Mamoyac reclines comfortably, declines hospital centipedes
October 2008 Table of Contents
Check out Backpacker Editors's author page.
Fall Camping Tips with BACKPACKER's Gear Editor
Watch Kristin Hostetter on CBS' Early Show
Cold War: A Winter Traverse of New Hampshire's Presidential Range
Got guts? Good. Now learn what skills you'll need to bag America's Little Everest—a traverse of New Hampshire's Presidential Range—in winter.
BACKPACKER in Best American Sports Writing 2008
Tom Clynes' "Above & Beyond" featured in writing anthology
Earning Your Economic Crisis Merit Badge
Boy Scout merit badge espouses financial skills
Plague Kills Grand Canyon Biologist
Pathogen crossed from dead cougar to human
Above & Beyond
The world's tallest tree towers above a secret location deep within the lush, tangled backcountry of Redwood National Park. Determined to find this giant, our correspondent discovers something more incredible than he ever imagined.
Are You Fit to Climb?
Any serious mountaineer will appreciate this updated Bible of climbing-specific training
BACKPACKER Story Wins Travel Writing Award
Steve Friedman's "The Long Trail to Jail" wins 2008 Gold Medal for Travel News/Investigative reporting