5 Ways to Save Big on Backpacking Gear
Don't break the bank. Our editors test buying factory-direct, searching out secondhand deals, and more.
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3 Incredible Adventures on New Zealand's North Island
Let the crowds have the South Island. We found a paddling, trekking, climbing paradise on New Zealand’s North Island, where the adventure density means you can do three life-list trips in a week.
Embrace the Invisible: Climbing New Zealand's Mt. Taranaki
Rise through rainforest to come face to face with a Maori god.
Crossing Guard: Hiking New Zealand's Egmont National Park
Score the North Island’s best scenery per mile on the Pouakai Crossing.
River of Life: A Canoe Trip Down New Zealand's Whanganui
Paddle a wilderness waterway with a soul.
A GPS Smartwatch is the Adventure Enhancement You Need
With a Garmin fēnix 5X Plus, you'll feel like you can do anything.
12 Big Adventures to Plan for Next Year
From trekking in Nepal to hiking Peru, start planning one of these bucket-list trips right now.
Patagonia Pledges to Donate $10 Million From “Irresponsible” Tax Cuts to the Environment
In a rebuke to the White House, the company says it will donate its savings from last year’s tax cuts to grassroots non-profits.
No Child Left Inside
Welcome to BACKPACKER’s brand-new family channel.
The Best Adventure Travel Gear of 2019
These products will hold up to whatever the world has in store.
The North Face Motion Pants
Versatile men's pants
Helly Hansen Vanir Hybrid Pant
Versatile women's pants
Point6 37.5 Compression Socks
Foot savers
Columbia Spinner Vent Moc
Camp shoe
myCharge Portable Power Outlet
Juice box
Fjällräven Greenland Wind Jacket
Versatile shell
Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil 18L Nano Daypack
Editors' Choice update
Big Agnes Stagecoach 125L
Tough duffel
Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L
Convenient carry-on
Packrafting the Nizina River in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
Witness America's largest national park from the water on this
Watch: Glacier Calves in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska
What does it look like when a house-size chunk of ice crashes into the water just a few hundred yards away from you? Watch and see.
A Wild River Trip Through Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
A packraft, a backpack, and some of the most beautiful scenery in Alaska are the ingredients for a bucket-list-level trip.
13 Ways to Make Hiking Better This Giving Tuesday
Because no matter what gear you have, the outdoors are the best gift.
3 Hip Exercises for Healthier Hiking
Strengthen your hips to avoid pesky knee pain on the trail.
The 8 Best Gear Deals from Backcountry's Cyber Monday Sale
Jackets, packs, puffies: Let us be your guide.
Climbing Italy's Alta Via 4
On a via ferrata, a new mom finds strength in the Dolomites' vertical terrain.
Our 12 Favorite Deals at REI's Cyber Week Sale
From one of our favorite tents of all time to a headlamp guaranteed to brighten up your dark nights, we pick a dozen steals to jump on this week.
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How Heather “Anish” Anderson Finished the Triple Crown in a Single Year
In just over eight months and almost 8,000 miles on the trail, Anish became the first woman to complete America’s marquee long paths in a calendar year. Doing it took a lot of guts—and about 16 pairs of shoes.
The New Life List: 9 Adventures to Check Off
Trek Patagonia, see a grizzly, or hike the Grand Canyon in a single day: The choice is yours.
Camp Chef Makeover: Fix Your Boring Camp Cooking
Stuck in a ramen rut? Are your camp recipes ultralight but ultra boring? Does your food bag weigh more than you do? Our expert chefs solve these problems and more, with tips, recipes, and gear picks for 9 flood-flummoxed hikers.
How to Go Hiking Abroad
Backpacking abroad doesn't need to be intimidating. Plan, prep, and go on your next international adventure with confidence using our handy guide.
Travel Like a Pro: Carry on Your Camp Kit + Must-Have Medicines
TSA-approved camp kit carry-on items. Plus, meds you might need abroad.
Travel Like a Pro: Find a Guide
Save time and energy with a knowledgeable local pro.
Travel Like a Pro: Travel Comfortably
Reduce the physical stress of getting there–and enjoy the ride.
The Best Gifts for Hikers With Kids
Keeping kids happy and comfortable on the trail can be as much of an adventure as the hike itself. These gifts will make the outdoors a little more child-friendly.
Gregory Baltoro 65 / Deva 60
Carry anything, anywhere.
Lowa Renegade GTX Mid
Classic style meets modern performance.
The 5 Best Ski Boots of Winter 2018
Happy feet make for a happy skier, so get the proper boots for the job.
The 5 Best Pants of Winter 2018-19
Stay warm and dry with this season's best trousers.
How to Go Winter Camping in 8 Easy Steps
The backcountry doesn't close when its cold outside. Make the most of the snowy season with our help.
The 11 Best Insulated Jackets of Winter 2018-2019
Keep warm and cozy with an insulated layer.
The 5 Best Goggles and Sunglasses of Winter 2018
Keep your eye on the prize this winter.
6 Backcountry Dangers to Watch For on the Trail
From bear tracks to brewing winter storms, keep an eye out for these signs of hazardous things coming.
Get Ready for Winter Hiking With These 7 Workouts
Want to achieve your fourth-season dreams? Lay the groundwork with these exercises.
The 3 Best Splitboards of Winter 2018
Plus: The perfect bindings for new splitboarders
The 12 Best Jobs in the Outdoors—and How to Get Them
You spend your weekends in the wilderness. For these lucky professionals, it's a living.
Could You Survive a Wilderness Blizzard? Play Our New Game and Find Out.
Test your winter survival strategies for a chance to win a free class from AIM Adventure U.
Could You Survive?
Do you have what it takes to live through a wilderness emergency? Get the skills—and get home alive—with expert advice, skills, and real-life survival case studies from our experts.
Frostbitten and Stranded
When Eric LeMarque was rescued off California’s Mammoth Mountain in 2004, he had no way of knowing the hardship was just beginning.
Mauled by a Mountain Lion
How do you move on after a cougar tries to kill you? Following an attack in 2004, Anne Hjelle got back on the trail.
13 Backcountry Cocktails to Spice Up Your Next Trip
Sometimes you just want a little more than a flask of whiskey. Wow your hiking partners with these 13 recipes.
First, the Accident. Then, the Invisible Trauma.
After a fall on Mt. Rainier in 2012, Stacy Wren Liedle found herself dealing with a different kind of injury.
The Insider's Guide to Moab
Skip the beaten path and make the most of your visit to southwest Utah with these tips from a local.
Could You Survive in the Mountains? Play Our Game and Find Out.
Survival is no game—unless you make a video game out of it.
3 Exercises to Train for Carrying Heavy Packs
Whether you need to carry a full load of winter gear or just an extra camp chair, train your muscles to take the weight with these three exercises.
3 Perfect Chili Recipes for Cold-Weather Camping
Banish the goosebumps on cold nights with these three belly-warming one-pot recipes.
Pass/Fail: Go Bikepacking
Triple the mileage with next to nothing on your back? A longtime hiker tries two-wheel camping to figure out the catch.
See a Sacred Mountain on These 4 Hikes
Make a modern-day pilgrimage to one of these sacred sites.
Think you know Poland? Think Again
With hiking, cycling, and access to the Baltic Sea, there is something for everyone in Poland.
How to Winter Camp More Comfortably for Just a Few Extra Ounces
When the ground is cold, it’s tough to stay warm. Don’t skimp on comfort.
Struck by a Heart Attack on a Mountain
Jon Carlton, then 38, survived a massive heart attack while backcountry snowboarding on 12,400-foot Esha Peak near Mammoth Lakes, California, in April 2016.
Quiz: Could You Survive?
The wilderness has its fair share of dangers. Find out how you'd fare in a crisis.
The 5 Best Backpacks of Winter 2019-2020
Bring everything you need with these five perfect packs.
Editors' Choice: The Best Gear of Winter 2018
Our top picks for fall and winter camping and adventuring.
The Best Winter Camping Gear of 2018
Get out and stay out with these tents, bags, and pads for sleeping in the cold.
LNT Confessional: I Poured White Gas Into the Grand Canyon
What do you do when you've packed too much fuel for your camp stove? Definitely not this.
Should You Need a Permit to Hike? Wyoming Weighs Charging for Trails.
Trails are more crowded than ever—and maintenance budgets aren’t getting any bigger. Wyoming considers a new solution to a growing problem.
Screwed Up on the Trail? Admit It.
Just you, the squirrels, and your shortcomings.
Black Diamond Whippet Ski Pole
Editors' choice for a whippet ski pole from the 2018 Fall/Winter Gear Guide.
Sierra Designs Nitro 800 0°F
Editors' choice for best value winter sleeping bag from the 2018 Fall/Winter Gear Guide.
Outdoor Research Bitterblaze Gloves / Ouray Ice Gloves
Editors' choice for space-age gloves from the 2018 Fall/Winter Gear Guide.
Merrell Thermo Rogue Tall Gore-Tex
Editors' choice for insulated agility from the 2018 Fall/Winter Gear Guide.
Thule Roundtrip Snowsport Duffel 90L
Editors' choice for a sanity-saving duffel from the 2018 Fall/Winter Gear Guide.
DPS Phantom Permanent Base Glide Treatment
Editors' choice for infinite smoothness while skiing from the 2018 Fall/Winter Gear Guide.
Decathlon Trek 100
Editors' choice for a bargain puffy from the 2018 Fall/Winter Gear Guide.
Outdoor Research Crocodile
Editors' choice for toughest gaiter from the 2018 Fall/Winter Gear Guide.
Gear Aid Seam Grip WP
Editors' choice for the backcountry cure-all from the 2018 Fall/Winter Gear Guide.
Kahtoola Microspikes
Editors' choice for lightweight traction from the 2018 Fall/Winter Gear Guide.