How to See More Golden Eagles
Find these hard-to-spot beauties on your next journey
All Content
Leftover Gas
What is the best way to get rid of leftover white gas, before I get on the plane to fly home?
Winter Camping
What is your advice regarding proper winter bag sizing?
Bear & Vinegar
Will vinegar repel bears or harm the environment?
Emergency Medical Coverage
Where can I get emergency medical coverage for international travel?
Freezing Point
Is there anything that can be added to water (that is safe) that will lower its freezing temperature?
Camp Shoes
Do you have any suggestions on camp shoes?
Compass Bubbles
What causes–and how do you prevent–air bubbles from showing up in liquid filled compasses?
Travel Fit: Part II
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Is Heli-Hiking Bad for the Wilderness?
A for and against look at heli-hiking
Primal Quest 2008
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Trail Food: 3 Edible Nuts
You're lost, hungry, and starting to shiver: Time to play squirrel.
Stretches for Hikers
Recover from high-mileage days with these before-and-after stretches.
Backpacker's Carbon-Neutral Project
Last fall, we showed you the many ways that climate change is altering the wild places we love. Now, a look at what BACKPACKER is doing to reduce the magazine's impact.
Fossilized Food
Over the years I've hoarded a lot of dehydrated food. Does this stuff ever go bad?
Down Fill
What does the 650-fill or 700-fill label on a down jacket mean?
Bears & Tents
Does what color your tent is effect whether bears are attracted to it or not?
Kids' Stuff
Check out Kristin Hostetter's author page.
Rain Shells
From $500 to under $150, Backpacker has found the best rain shells for blowing snow or driving rain.
Puffy Jackets
Made with down or synthetic fibers and paper-thin shells, these puffy jackets weigh less, loft higher, and pack much smaller than fleece.
Trail Tops
These eight trail tops wick sweat, look great, and fit great. Wear them for a run or a week-long trek.
Travel Fitness: Staying in Shape on the Move
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
California to Feds: Hands Off Our Forests
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Guns in Our National Parks?
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Eskimos Sue Exxon
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
A Wikipedia for Fins, Feathers, and Fur
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Durango Residents Embark on Global Warming Wager
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
How to Score $50k for Your Cause
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Map Your Ride
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Lace Like a Pro: Different Shoe-Lacing Methods for Hikers
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Warning: May Be Hazardous To Your Wallet
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Bike to WorkÂ… in One Piece
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
National Parks Have That Not-So-Fresh Feeling, Study Finds
Mercury Rising at National Parks—Along with Pesticides, DDT, and Industrial Chemicals
On Living the Life
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Is this Cross-Training?
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Welcome to The Pulse
Check out Katie Herrel's author page.
Welcome to the New Backpacker.com!
With more features, a new look, and the most informative content this side of the trail, the new Backpacker.com is amped up with the best in adventure, gear, travel, skills, and survival on the web.
Boot Shopping Guide
Check out The Backpacker Editors's author page.
Backpack Shopping Guide
Check out The Backpacker Editors's author page.
How to Thwart Mosquitoes
Mosquitoe bites can be simply annoying or dangerous depending on where you are. Learn how to fend off their attacks.
Menu Maker
Not sure how to eat right on the trail? You're in luck. We've taken the liberty of coming up with the perfect plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—for just about every situation. So break out your inner chef and get cooking. You'll be eating like royalty in no time.
Packing List: Survival Gear List
Always be prepared for adversity with these pieces of gear.
Packing List: Toilet Kit
Stay sanitary, and for your travel companion's sake, pack what's on this list.
Packing List: Kitchen Kit
When cooking in the backcountry, don't leave home without...
Sleeping Bag Shopping Guide
Check out The Backpacker Editors's author page.
Tent Shopping Guide
Check out The Backpacker Editors's author page.
Editor's Choice Green Awards April 2007
Pacific Outdoor ECO Thermo 6 Sleeping Pad, REI Global Warming Initiative, and the Timberland Green Index are tops to the green eyes of Backpacker
Editor's Choice Green Award April 2006
Patagonia implements the Common Threads Recycling Program to reuse your old Capilene long underwear tops and bottoms
How to Buy PVC-Free Gear
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is waterproof and durable, but the manufacturing process creates carcinogens
Phenomenon: The Life Cycle of Wildfires
Global warming creates conditions that invite larger and more frequent forest fires. Here's how.
Phenomenon: Snowmelt
Rising alpine temperatures and polluted snow are threatening snowpack–and the water it generates.
Minnesota's Boundary Waters Face Extermination By Climate Change
As temperatures rise, Minnesota's North Woods will likely go up in smoke.
I, Citizen Scientist
Learn how you can help combat climate change by researching everything from Alaska's Bering Glacier to tracking pumas in Argentina through citizen scientist programs
The Impact of Climate Change on Florida's Everglades, Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias
What do Florida's Everglades and Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias have in common? Both face uncertain futures as temperatures rise.
Can a Lime-Green Vegetable-Oil-Powered Beetle Save the Earth?
One writer ditches his S.U.V. for a vegetable oil-powered Volkswagon Beetle and drives into the Sierras to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and test his environmentalist platitudes
National Parks Report Card
We surveyed more than 40 scientists, conservationists, and professional adventurers, then ranked the 15 parks that are most in peril from climate change.
Stay Warm On the Trail and In Camp
On the trail and in camp, beat the cold with these tips.
How to Waterproof Everything
From your tent, to your bivy sack, to yourself, learn how to stay dry and comfortable.
How to Survive A Night Without Gear
When a day hike turns into an overnight, learn how to take care of yourself.
How to Treat Poison Ivy
Beat the itchy stuff with creams or homeopathic measures.
Survive a Snakebite
Learn the steps to take if you're bitten by a poisonous snake.
Escape From Unfriendly Natives
On the trail black bears, skunks, grizzlies, rattlesnakes, and ticks are not your friend. Learn how to side-step them.
How to Keep Bears Away
Learn your black bears from your brown bears then figure out how to keep them away from your camp.
Leave No Trace Principles
On the trail and at the campsite, there's plenty you can do to leave nature...natural.
7 Strategies for Keeping the Backcountry Pristine
Here are the seven guidelines to Leave No Trace
Packing List: Repair Kit
Don't let a busted strap or a deflating tent ruin your trip. Pack these essentials and at all times and you'll be covered.
Eating Well On the Trail
GORP is great...for a snack. Backpacker offers some pointers on keeping your energy up while on the trail.
Reader-Submitted Gorp Recipes
The trail-staple GORP gets a face lift with these reader-submitted recipes
How to Organize a Backpack
By loading your backpack properly you protect your gear and prevent back issues--plus it's easy to find the gear you need.
Calculate Trouble
Time is of the essence in the backcountry. Learn how long it will take an impending thunderstorm or avalanche to find you.
How to Read Topo Maps
Dotted, dashed, and curvy. Red, blue, and brown. All these colors and styles criss-cross a topo map. Learn what they mean.
Learn How to Stay On Course
By understanding your terrain, knowing your pace, and reading the map regularly you can stay on course wherever you are.
18 Sudden Threats: The Right and Wrong Responses
Things happen fast in the wilderness. It's important to learn the right and wrong actions beforehand so you can react accordingly.
Navigation 101: Understanding Your Compass
If you don't know what triangulation is, read this article.
How to Protect Your Map From the Elements
While you're cozy in your waterproof jacket, your map has to face the rain, or snow, or mud, alone. Learn how to protect this precious piece of paper.
How to Align Your Compass
Learn how to orient your map with a few basic compass skills
Backpacking 101: How to Get Started
Take these 21 trail tips to heart, and you're virtually guaranteed a good hike.
Pretrip Planning
A successful hike often starts with a bit of research.
Gear-Buying Tips
Before shopping for gear it's important to plan a budget, do your research, and prioritize.