AKU Rock DFS Mid GTX
The best fitting footwear of 2021
All Content
NEMO Quasar 3D
The best cushion-to-weight sleeping pad of 2021
Klymit Klymaloft XL
The most comfortable sleeping pad of 2021
The 11 Best Hiking Shells of 2021
Rain, sleet, snow, wind: These are our favorite shells of the season for any weather.
Big Agnes TwisterCane BioFoam Pad
The most eco-friendly sleeping pad of 2021
The 3 Best Sleeping Pads of 2021
You deserve to relax. Snooze better than ever before with our favorite sleeping pads of the year
Zenbivy Motobed 35°F
The best sleeping bag for car camping of 2021
Kammok Arctos 20°F
The most versatile sleeping bag of 2021
Royal Robbins Venture Crew
The most comfortable sock of 2021.
Sierra Designs Night Cap 20°F
The sleeping bag with best features of 2021
Swiftwick Pursuit Four Ultralight
The most breathable sock of 2021.
Bridgedale Trail Run Lightweight T2 Merino Sport
The sock with best protection of 2021.
Feetures Elite Max Cushion No Show Tab
The best sock for trail running of 2021.
NEMO Kayu 30°F
The most durable sleeping bag of 2021
Darn Tough Scout
The best overall sock of 2021.
Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 30°F
The most best all-around sleeping bag of 2021
REI Co-op Down Time 25°F
The most comfortable sleeping bag of 2021
Win the Best Water Purifier Out There
Check out Backpacker Editors's author page.
Run With the Wolves in Wisconsin
Share your solitude with wolves and beavers in Wisconsin's Porcupine Lake Wilderness.
The 8 Best Sleeping Bags of 2021
From super-light, super-packable sacks to comfort-first frontcountry beds, these are our favorite sleeping bags of the season.
The 13 Best Hiking Backpacks of 2021
Our testers found load haulers for every trip and hiker. Pick your favorite and start making your packing list.
The 9 Best Tents of 2021 for Backpacking
Find the perfect shelter to match the perfect spot.
Deal of the Week: Deuter Guide Lite 24 / Guide Lite 22 SL
It may look minimalist, but this pack has everything you need for a day exploring the alpine.
Sierra Designs Tabernash 2
The best bargain tent of 2021.
Hilleberg Helags 3
The tent with best protection of 2021.
Marmot Torreya 4P
The tent with best features of 2021.
Eureka! Kohana
The best value tent of 2021.
Black Diamond Mega Light
The most versatile tent of 2021.
NEMO Dragonfly 3P
The best space-to-weight tent of 2021.
REI Co-op Half Dome SL 2+
The best all-around tent of 2021.
Mountain Hardwear Nimbus UL 2
The most packable tent of 2021.
Six Moon Designs Owyhee
The lightest tent of 2021.
The North Face Flight Training Pack 12
The best backpack for trail running of 2021
Matador Beast18
The most packable backpack of 2021.
Arc’teryx Aerios 30
The best backpack for organization of 2021.
Exped Verglas 30
The most weatherproof backpack of 2021
Mountain Laurel Designs Hell 27
The lightest backpack of 2021
Patagonia Altvia Pack 36
The most eco-friendly backpack of 2021
Gregory Katmai 65/Kalmia 60
The most comfortable backpack of 2021
Granite Gear Perimeter 50
The best backpack for big and tall backpackers of 2021
Deuter Futura Air Trek 60+10/Futura Air Trek 55+10 SL
The biggest backpack of 2021
Kelty Asher 55
The best bargain backpack of 2021
Lowe Alpine Cholatse 52:57 /Cholatse ND 50:55
The most durable backpack of 2021
Osprey Talon Pro 30/Tempest Pro 28
The best all-around backpack of 2021
Fight Off Early-Season Soreness With This Foot-and-Leg Self-Care Routine
Hiking muscles feeling rusty? Give them the love they deserve.
Will the PCT’s Trail Angels Open Their Doors in 2021? We Asked.
To go or not to go? That’s been the question of the pandemic for thru-hikers. We asked some of the Pacific Crest Trail’s most beloved figures about their own plans.
Stay Dry With The 7 Best Hardshells On The Market Right Now
These jackets will keep you on the trail no matter how bad the weather.
Columbia OutDry Ex Nanolite
The most breathable shell of 2021.
Norrøna Falketind
The shell with best features of 2021.
Sponsored Content
The New Science of Hiking
The North Face VECTIV™ line of footwear helps you move with confidence and power further no matter the trail.
Editors’ Choice: This is Our Favorite Backpacking Gear of 2021
A comfy camp chair, a tricked-out tent, one of the best free apps we've ever used, and more: this is the best gear of the season.
Editors’ Choice 2021: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer UL Hooded Down Jacket
Barely any weight, but plenty of warmth: The Ghost Whisperer UL is in a class by itself.
Editors’ Choice 2021: Sierra Designs Get Down 20°F
Sleep well for less with this affordable system.
Editors’ Choice 2021: MSR Guardian Gravity Purifier
Set it and forget it with this gravity-powered water purifier.
Editors’ Choice 2021: Outly
Find paradise with this guide to campsites around the U.S.A.
Editors’ Choice 2021: Sea to Summit Telos TR2
This detail-heavy, spacious, and light tent has earned its place as our home on the trail.
Editors’ Choice 2021: Osprey Aether 55 / Ariel 55
Get all the bells and whistles with this luxury pack
Editors’ Choice 2021: Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20°F
Stop tossing and turning and get the backcountry beauty sleep you deserve.
Editors’ Choice 2021: Good To-Go Chicken Pho
Fuel up better with this savory soup.
Editors’ Choice 2021: NEMO Moonlite Reclining Chair
You're at camp, sore and tired. You deserve to kick back—and this chair can help.
Chase Alpine Solitude on Yosemite’s Border
Ditch the crowds but keep the views at Boundary Lake in California's Emigrant Wilderness.
How Everest Training Can Help You Crush Your Next Hard Hike
Preparing for the Big E took every ounce of dedication I had—but the lessons I learned didn’t stop there.
The GoPro Mountain Games are Back This Summer
With more than 15 events in professional and amateur categories, athletes can enter to win over $120K in prize money. It’s good entertainment, too.
See Backpacker’s 9 Favorite Products of 2021 in Action
Our editors nerd out on our 9 Editors' Choice winning products for 2021, complete with loads of gear-testing footage from Colorado's Big Dominguez Canyon.
How Climbing Everest Prepared Me for a Pandemic
It’s the adventure of a lifetime, but what can it teach you about staying at home? Guide Charlotte Austin shares her hard-won lessons.
Roll Out for Faster Recovery
Recover better with these tips to use a foam roller and give your muscles some TLC.
Wisconsin’s Wolf Quota Was 119. Hunters Killed Almost Twice as Many.
Conservationists are ripping Wisconsin after the state blew past its target for its first wolf hunt since 2014.
Deal of the Week: The North Face ThermoBall Eco Insulated Jacket
Save your money—and the earth—with this markdown.
If You Were Here, You’d Be Backpacking Right Now
Shake off your cabin fever on one of these five early-season routes.
More Miles, Less Weight: We Found the Ultimate Minimalist Running Belt
Store everything you need for a fast-and-light run in this waist-hugging pack.
The Key to Hiking Comfort Isn’t What You Think
Go beyond the jargon to find the perfect midsole for your hiking style.
Chaco Z/Chromatic
A brightly colored alternative to the Z/1 Classic
Virtual Event: What Would You Ask the Best Hiker of All Time?
Join on us March 5, at 3:30 p.m. MT for a conversation with Heather "Anish" Anderson about endurance, thru-hiking, and her new book "Mud, Rocks, Blazes: Letting Go on the Appalachian Trail."
My Patagonia Nano-Air Hoody Survived 5 Years in the Mountains But You Can’t Tell by Looking At It
You'll never want to take this breathable puffy off.
Oak Flat is Safe—For Now
The Forest Service withdrew its environmental impact statement for the controversial project on March 1—but the sacred site's reprieve could be temporary.
Introducing Outside Business Journal
Our new sibling publication is essential clicking for anyone who wants a behind-the-scenes look at the outdoor industry.
Empty Your Pack: Uberlight Thru-Hiker
The lightest of the ultralight trim their packs lists to help them become stripped-down mile-making machines.
National Park Visitation Dropped 28% in 2020
With the Covid-19 pandemic closing parks and borders, U.S. national parks saw fewer visitors than they had since 1980.
5 National Park Campsites for an Epic Night Out
There are campsites—and then there are campsites. Settle in for one fantastic night at one of these prime spots, from mountain views to a beach getaway in the middle of Yosemite.
Have the Best Night of Your Life at These 10 National Park Campsites
The national parks are our national treasure, and these 10 campsites are the best they have to offer. Hike in, pick up your jaw, and post up in paradise.