For a quarter century, our editors and contributors have taken the most promising products hiking and camping around the world in search of the cream of the crop. On the awards' 25th anniversary, we collect their favorites.
A lightweight backpack, custom-molded boots, and the best lip balm we've ever tried: meet our favorite gear of the season.
To earn one of our annual awards, new and supposedly "best of the best" gear has to run a gauntlet unmatched in the outdoor world. No green pastures here, no warm-and-fuzzy backyard testing; we're talking about hundreds of days and nights on mountains, in the desert, and along rainforest trails.
These travel essentials are fit for the trail, the plane, and everywhere in between.
Whether you're holiday shopping or treating yourself, these 18 deals are worth checking out.
Looking to curl up with a good read? We've got you covered with these essential outdoor books from the editors of BACKPACKER.
Want to get rid of your leftovers? And your car doors? And maybe your arm? Throw caution to the wind and invite a bear to dinner.
You never leave home without one. Now put it to use to ensure you always make it back.
Brave mountain scrambles and soak in gigantic views on this 16-mile route.
For experienced paddlers, the 100-mile kayak trip across Alaska's Prince William Sound serves up expedition scenery with surprisingly easy logistics.
You don’t need a bush plane for this Chugach Mountains hike.
Serpentine Hot Springs is not easy to get to, but the remote spot offers easy living compared to most wilderness areas in northern Alaska.
Hit the river and see some of the best wildlife Alaska has to offer.
See life-list wildlife from a secluded beach Alaskan camp.
Discover an alpine paradise—and get it all to yourself—in northern Alaska.
Head to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park to explore a beginner-friendly glacier.
Want to perform like a guide? Start training like one.
You’ve been to amazing places and brought back the proof: amazing photos. Now take your images to the next level and enter our Cover Contest.
Tasty, fast, easy: What makes tacos great at home also makes them great in camp.
We don't promise that all of these are good, but we promise that they're memorable.
Shells protect against weather, but they don’t always handle internal moisture well.
It can be different materials and thicknesses, but each one does the same thing: trap body-warmed air.
Figure out what type of shirt you need by considering how hard you'll work and how your body will likely react to the climate.
Tell us about your top local trail for a chance to win a free Discovery Adventures tent.
Master map-reading, compass use and more with our Backcountry Navigation online course.
Maximize comfort, convenience, and fun by scouting out your campsite with care.
Teach your kids the wonder of the trail with these hiking games and activities you can play with children.
If first trips have something in common, it’s that they go sideways pretty often.
After thousands of hours of testing and a five-day trek through Colombia, this backpacking gear has earned a place in our pack.
Plan your next big hike with this map of America's most-loved long trails.
We’re throwing a 2,180-mile party from Georgia to Maine! Join us on August 20th for our record-setting attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail in 24 hours.
