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REI to Stock CamelBak Again After Parent Company Sells Gun Brands
The retailer hasn't offered Vista Outdoor's products since last March.
Hikers Set New Speed Record for Climbing Adirondacks’ High Peaks
Two personal trainers from New York City shaved 14 hours off the record time for self-supported hike to all 46 summits
How Did the Appalachian Trail Murder Suspect Slip Through the Cracks?
Before deputies arrested him for the slaying of a veteran, James “Sovereign” Jordan was well-known to law enforcement and hikers along the Appalachian Trail for his erratic and threatening behavior.
Ranger Randy Morgenson's Epitaph in the Sky
An obscure peak in the High Sierra preserves the legacy of a beloved ranger and beckons more to its granite summit.
Hike the New, Improved Timberline Trail
After a decade of detours, the loop around Mt. Hood is complete and better than ever.
Bust Stress with a Plan-Free Park Day
Even with no agenda, a spontaneous day trip serves up many rewards
3 Killer Peanut Butter Recipes for Your Next Backpacking Trip
This backpacking staple can do more than make sandwiches.
Cool, the Bears in Colorado Are Stealing Cars Now
Bruin shifts car into neutral, crashes it.
Alpine Fitness: Carry a Heavy Pack
These exercises will make your first day on the trail a breeze.
Alleged AT Killer Not Competent to Stand Trial
James L. Jordan will be transferred to a psychiatric facility.
Meet the Artist: Nikki Frumkin
Frumkin’s the kind of artist who shouts “Stop the car! I need to paint!”
How to Tie a Stopper Knot
Learn to tie this essential knot for rappelling safely
Gear of the Week: UCO Sprout Mini Lantern and Magnetic Lanyard
A nifty light source that's at home wherever you camp.
10 Perfect Father's Day Gifts for Dads Who Hike
From a comfy chair that's light enough for a daypack to a full-size camp kitchen, this gear is ready to upgrade any dad's next trip.
Basecamp Membership Sweepstakes
Enter to win below
Gear Editor’s Pick: GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Dualist Cookset
Everything you need for a backcountry feast
What We’re Testing Now: Mammut Ducan Spine 50-60
This pack’s suspension helps the load move with you.
Letter From the Editor: Youth Movement
Give kids a chance, and you might be surprised by what they can do.
The Best Gear From Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2019
We scoured the largest outdoor industry trade show in the world—here are the most innovative products.
Drink Safely in the Backcountry
Follow these guidelines so you don't have to cut your trip short.
LNT Confessional: I Exploded a Can of Tomatoes in a Campfire
Tomatoes: tasty food, lousy fireworks.
43 Ways to Have Your Best Summer Ever This Year
From swimming holes to wild berries, it’s prime time for hikers. Tick off these 43 trips and experiences to make the most of the season.
Mountain Hardwear Cuts Chemicals From New Tents
The company is taking a risk in removing toxic flame retardants from its tents. Will the rest of the industry follow?
Referral Rewards
Check out BACKPACKER Editor's author page.
18 Boozy Tips for Your Next Hike
Cook and imbibe better by learning how to shop, transport, and use your spirits, wine, and beer.
Finding Life After the Best Job in the Outdoors
For two decades, Rick Sanger worked as a backcountry ranger in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. When it ended, it took his sense of meaning with it.
The Best Gear for Summer Trail Runs
Warm weather means it's time to go farther, and get there faster. Here are our top picks for summer trail runs, from smooth singletrack to alpine ridges.
Search for Elephants (and Do Some Good) in Aberdare National Park, Kenya
They don’t call it Elephant Hill for nothing. Tackle a rugged, 11-mile day hike with some of East Africa’s most iconic fauna (if you’re lucky) and support clean water projects in the Kenyan mountains.
July Member Gear Discount
This month’s exclusive discount brought to you by Xero Shoes!
Gear of the Week: Sea to Summit View Dry Sack
The standard dry bag gets a nifty upgrade.
The 10 Best Buys From Backcountry's 4th of July Sale
Get out this summer with these BACKPACKER-approved gear steals.
The 13 Best Deals at REI's 4th of July Sale
Gear up for summer with up to 50% off on tents, packs, shoes, and more.
Coming Soon: Ranger Confidential
Check out BACKPACKER Editors & Contributors's author page.
36 Recipes to Instantly Level Up Your Camp Cooking
Leave the freeze-dried meals at home and treat yourself to a gourmet trail meal with our most popular recipes.
How to Play Backcountry Bocce
The best backpacking game is the one you don't have to carry.
6 Ways an RV Trip is the American Dream
See more of the country when you upgrade your adventure ride.
Meet the Artist: Alex Rubio
What some might consider to be a disastrous backpacking trip shaped Rubio’s art career—for the better.
Meet the Artist: Alyse Dietel
Dietel was told she’d never walk again after she broke her spine in a hiking accident. She proved the doctors wrong and forever changed her path as an artist.
Meet the Artist: Christopher Warren
As a self-described map nerd, Warren lives for looking at topography and landscapes as blank canvases for both art and exploration.
4 Questions to Ask When Choosing an RV
Capabilities vary widely. Use these questions to make the best choice for your needs.
RunOff Waterproof Bags Sweepstakes
Win a complete set of the award-winning RunOff Waterproof Bags!
Tested: The 7 Best Boots for Mountaineering
Going up? On routes that require more than just your standard hiking footwear, these boots will keep you on track.
La Sportiva Trango Tech GTX
The most affordable boot in the test is also durable.
Asolo Freney Mid GV
A plush interior makes this boot best for chilly ascents.
Salewa Raven 3
This do-anything boot excels all over the mountain.
Mammut Taiss Light Mid GTX
This boot proves good support doesn’t have to be heavy.
Garmont Ascent GTX
This boot’s traction and stiffness shine on steep climbs.
SCARPA Ribelle Tech OD
Great flexibility means no-problem approaches.
LOWA Alpine SL GTX
A reinforced upper boosts protection and cuts ounces.
Facebook Live: Gregory Optic / Octal review
Check out Eli Bernstein's author page.
Exploring Minnesota's Superior Hiking Trail
The scenic 310+ mile trail is perfect for hikes of all lengths and adventures of all sizes.
Discovering Eagle Point, Minnesota
Nestled in the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota's highest point is a uniquely beautiful day hike.
Video: One Day, 17 Countries, a World of Hikers
See how people around the world were getting outside on April 27 this year.
New Zealand’s Newest Great Walk Is Open for Registration
Sweeping ridgetop views and dense coastal rainforest put the 34-mile Paparoa Track in good standing among New Zealand’s Great Walks
What Is a Snake Ball and Where Can I See One?
Nothing quite says "warm weather" like wild snake orgies. Here's everything you never wanted to know about trailside tangles of slithering serpents.
Gear of the Week: Six Moon Designs Silver Shadow Carbon Umbrella
Shield yourself from rain and sun with this ultralight umbrella.
How to Take Your Family Camping on a Budget With Rental Gear
No gear? No problem. Rental programs make camping with kids affordable.
Find True Solitude on These 12 Perfect Hikes
Want a true wilderness experience? Head west and trek endless empty miles on the BLM's best terrain.
The Crawford Path at 200
This New Hampshire footpath— the oldest continuously maintained hiking trail in the country—is a rite of passage for anyone who cares about America’s history of preserving and exploring wild places.
Inside the BACKPACKER Gear Review Process
Basecamp Live
Is There Anywhere Truly “Remote” Left in America? Meet the Scientist Family Trying to Find Out.
Ryan, Rebecca, and Skyla Means's quest for solitude turns into a decade-long effort to visit the most remote location in every state—and learn if true quiet still exists.
Should You Buy Backpacking Insurance?
Buddy is a new startup offering by-the-day accident insurance to people who love to play outside. Will hikers bite?
How to Pack for Adventure Travel
The two great sins of packing are overdoing it and leaving important stuff behind. Follow these tips to make sure you and all the essentials get where you’re going.
10 Feel-Good Summer Hikes
Craving sunshine on your shoulders? Consider this your hit list.
Hiking and Helping in Nepal
Last spring, BACKPACKER readers went to Nepal on a unique mission: work on a school-building project, then go on a life-list trek. Turns out, hiking and helping go perfectly together.
Hike of the Month: Arapaho Pass Trail to Caribou Lake
Sample a Colorado Front Range classic on this hike across the Continental Divide.
Letter From the Editor: Welcome to BACKPACKER Basecamp!
You have a whole summer of hiking ahead of you, and we're ready to help you make the most of it.
What We're Testing Now: Mountain Hardwear Phantom Hoody
One of our favorite puffies gets a durability upgrade.
Newsletter Exclusive Deal: Patagonia Nine Trails 28L/26L
Hit the trail with this versatile daypack.
Photo of the Month: Icebergs on Nizina Lake
Our photo editor gets close to a calving glacier—maybe a little too close.
PODCAST: Alone With a Compound Fracture
When a boulder snaps his leg on a California mountain, Gregg Hein finds himself in a fight for his life.
June Gear Discount Preview
This month’s exclusive discount brought to you by Gregory!
The 10 Best Hikes in Sedona
Glory in Arizona's red rock country on these perfect Sedona hikes.
June Member Gear Discount
This month’s exclusive discount brought to you by Gregory!
Gear of the Week: Hammock Bliss Sky Bed Bug Free
Get a peaceful, mid-air sleep in this comfy hammock.
Explore Coastline, Forest, and Shipwrecks in False Cape State Park, Virginia
A 22.6-mile lollipop loop showcases the best the Virginia coast has to offer.
Meet the Artist: Nika Meyers
Meyers fell in love with thru-hiking after discovering Vermont’s Long Trail. Over 9,000 miles later, she still can’t stop.
Project Vertical: Climbing Quandary Peak
Spring looks a little different in the Colorado high country.
PODCAST: Bitten By a Rattlesnake
What if you were bitten by a venomous snake far from help? For Scott Vuncannon, an encounter with a rattler in the North Carolina backcountry was the beginning of a struggle for survival.