Wide-Footer Hiking Boots
Do you know of a boot maker who makes really wide boots that are true to size?
All Content
Can I Eat Snakes or Eels?
I hear about people eating rattlesnake all the time: Are all snakes edible? And what about eels?
Keep Your Feet Dry
On a consistently wet, rainy 3-day trip, I experienced softened skin that cracked. I never was able to get dry shoes or socks. Each day my feet would be soaked within minutes. What can I do in the future to help stop this?
Human Body Water Absorption
Does the human body absorb cold water or body-temperature water faster?
The Everyman's Taper
Both elite athletes and weekend hikers benefit from a taper
AT Underpass is Coming to PA
Will keep hikers from becoming roadkill
AT Ultrarunner Hits A Speedbump
Vows to continue despite stress tendonitis, trenchfoot
News Flash – Flood Season Has Arrived
Havasu Canyon gets a power flush, stranding nearly 200 campers
Return of the Survivor: Q&A with Steve Friedman
In this exclusive Q&A, Steve Friedman talks about trying out the techniques of TV's survival show hosts Bear Grylls and Les Stroud in the (real) wild.
Fame! Headlines! Endless riches!
Okay, maybe not riches. But our first Retailer of the Year contest will put your favorite outdoor store on the map.
Survival Skills: How to Prevent Hypothermia
Prevent the deep chill by learning how to spot and treat hypothermia in the backcountry.
Survival Skills: How to Safely Cross a River
Whether you're solo or with a group, the BACKPACKER editors show you how to safely cross a raging river–no bridge necessary.
How to Use a Bear Canister
Learn what to put in a bear canister–and where to hide it–to keep your meals safe.
How to Align Your Compass with Your Map
It's OK to admit it: you've logged hundreds of miles in the backcountry without really knowing how to use your compass and topo map together. Watch our video tutorial to catch up on this essential backpacking skill.
Survival Skills: Get Un-Lost with GPS
Find your way using only a topo map and a GPS.
The Ultimate "Survive This!" Archive
If you can imagine it, we've seen it-and offered expert analysis. From avalanches to volcanoes, this archive contains step-by-step plans for escaping a slew of mishaps that can befall weary travelers.
Pack Like a Pro: Pt. II Week Trip
Our Editor in Chief schools you on his packing secrets for long-trail comfort.
Pack Like a Pro: Pt. I Dayhike
Get the basics dialed. Our Editor in Chief shows you how to put together the perfect homemade survival kit. Get packing basics dialed. Our Editor in Chief shows you how to put together the perfect homemade survival kit.
Survival Skills: Start a Fire with One Match
Follow these steps and you're guaranteed the perfect campfire in no time.
Metallica 1, Hikers 0
James Hetfield blocks hiker access in Northern California
Survival Skills: Treating Broken Bones
In the wilderness, a broken leg can you leave you stranded–or worse. But if you know how to diagnose, treat, and build a splint with camping gear, you'll better your odds for survival.
Survival Skills: Treating Bloody Wounds
Don't panic: Severe wounds are part of the risks of backcountry travel. Learn how to treat bleeding cuts, and you just might save your hiking partner's life–or your own.
How to Survive a Bear Attack
Learn how to deal with a black bear or grizzly encounter with Shannon Davis and Ted the Bear.
How to Pitch a Tent
From choosing a tent site to pitching your shelter in a howling wind, the BACKPACKER editors show you the basics of setting up camp.
Outdoor Retailer: Green Scene Wrap-Up
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Dad & Son Attempt 55 14ers in Two Weeks
So Close, Yet So Far
Best Motivation Ever
A winning proposal helps an ultramarathoner finish Leadville
Weekly Mayhem Round-Up
Late summer chaos, with falls and lost hikers coast to coast
Running Adds 16 Years to Active Life
Study shows that regular jogs push back old-age disabilities
Run Your Car On Poop
Scientists engineer diesel-excreting e.coli bacteria
Science: Hiking (Can Be) Better Than Sex
Only one way to find out...
Dead Man's Best Friend
German shepherd guards master's body for six weeks
Win A Spot On U.S. Polar Race Team
Polar bears, -60 temps, and other fabulous prizes await
Smart Nutrition for the Trail
Or, how a bike race reminded me that you need to always eat for the future
Trend Reports from Outdoor Retailer
It's a wrap!
Arches Will Fall
Popular feature in Arches National Park succumbs to erosion
Water, Fire, and Food
A few nice finds on day three of Outdoor Retailer
Wool Keeps Coming Back
Two intriguing new entries in the layering game
Hot Stove News
A four season canister stove?
Cool Stuff, The Sequel
An afternoon update of equipment I'm lusting after.
Treasure Hunting
Finding diamonds in the rough at Outdoor Retailer
Gems Among the Weirdness
The so-far coolest stuff I've seen at OR
George Clinton Drops Some Funk on Outdoor Retailer
JanSport's annual Shake and Bake concert is one of best ever
The Real Survival Reality Show
The hell with avalanches and snake eating; Survive Outdoor Retailer!
Odd Gear from Outdoor Retailer
Hemp shorts, pee funnels, and liver-flavored biscotti
Summer Outdoor Retailer 2008: Heaven For Gearheads
The BACKPACKER team heads out in force to cover the biggest industry show in the nation.
Hundreds of brand-spankin'-new species discovered in the Smokies
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Mountain Lion Attacks Family Dog
Snatches Pet from the Foot of Owners' Bed
How to Recycle Your Fuel Canisters
Are the fuel canisters for backpacking stoves refillable or recyclable? Or are we just creating more waste when we purchase these stoves in the quest of lightness?
A Helmet for All Occasions?
Is there a multipurpose helmet out there I can use for skiing, climbing etc. or should I just plan on getting one for each season/sport?
Bag Capacity Confusion
I'm confused about the capacity figures that backpack manufacturers claim. With daypacks it seems that the figures advertised are always about 20 percent higher than what the pack actually holds. What gives?
Trouble Sleeping in Camp
I'm a side sleeper who can't get through a night on a sleeping pad without pain in my hips and knees that causes me to toss and turn. Any suggestions for remedying that?
Fight Off Mosquitos
What's the best spray to keep mosquitoes off of me?
Do Ferns Neutralize Poison Ivy?
My son came back from an outdoor camp and proclaimed that rubbing the liquid from the broken stalk of a fern on a sting from nettles, poison ivy, or poison oak will stop the stinging. Is it true?
Oxygen Intake Boost
I live at sea level, and am backpacking in Yosemite for 10 days. I've heard there are supplements that boost your oxygen intake, if you take them a week or so in advance. Is the hype true, and is it worth the money?
Benadryl for Snakebites?
What do you think about giving Benadryl as a sedative for a snakebite victim? Or just having it handy for panic situations?
Living the Life, Act 3
Every year I'm pleasantly reminded that good training plans work
Not Quite So Thin Air
Eleven climbers die in avalanche high on K2, but details are scarcer than opinions
Pre-School Mountaineering
Are you tougher than a Five-Year-Old?
Friday coon blogging
If you want to stay alive, get out of the house.
Townies Live Better
More evidence that suburbia blows
Did Steve Fossett Fake His Death?
Questions still surround missing billionaire adventurer
Three Earth Liberation Front/Earth First Activists Charged
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Japanese Oxygen Backpack…Rules
They think of everything, don't they?
Houston Sucks at Recycling
"You can't make us," says defiant citizenry
Cavers Find Ancient Bear Bones
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Nominate Your Favorite Outdoor Gear Store!
The winner will receive our 2011 Retailer of the Year award.
Cross-country Runner Outruns Grizzly Barely
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
U.S. Leads World in Wind Energy
Thar she blows!
September 2008 Reader Photos
California, Argentina, Mexico–our readers sought the endless summer this month.
What's Your Real Age?
A summer pick-me-up for all
Bears Trap, Kill Scientists in Kamchatka, Russia
Note to self: Don't ever work in Kamchatka
Illegal BASE Jump Off Longs Peak in RMNP
"I can see my house from here!"
Film Your Own Hike, Then Go Behind-the-Scenes
Want to make adventure films? Emmy Award-winning director Michael Brown shows you how. Plus, go behind the scenes as BACKPACKER staffers learn from the masters at Adventure Film School.
Adventure Film School Outtakes
Go behind the scenes as BACKPACKER staffers learn the ropes of adventure filmmaking
Film Your Own Adventure
Everest filmmaker, and Emmy-award winner, Michael Brown shows you how to take your backcountry videos to the next level.
How to be a hottie, and other news
To avoid getting slapped down by hot weather, you need to acclimatize
Protecting Forests With Crocodiles
India Takes the "Pitfall" Wildlife Management Approach
Heatstick Heats Camp Water w/o Flame
Military tool also offers "no visible thermal profile"
Personality and the Accident Victim
Two radically different incidents illustrate that its about us more than the wilderness