On January 7, Kai Cranmore was on a dayhike near Pacific Palisades with a group of his friends when one of them smelled smoke. Minutes later, they were fleeing as a wildfire spread through the canyon around them.
The MSR Access 2 is a light(ish) weight option for backpackers looking to make miles in full winter weather.
Hoarding gear, hiding our injuries, and packing way, way too much candy: These are the bad habits we have no intention of losing this year.
From an old-school hot toddy to a boozy take on the PSL, these perfect hot drinks from the Backpacker archives are ready to ring in the new year with you at your backcountry shindig.
From making your own shoes to making miles, these are our favorite skills stories that appeared in Backpacker in 2024.
Check out Adam Roy's author page.
From extreme ultralight tactics to the fate of a decades-old, Instagram-famous trail, these were the biggest controversies we wrote about this year.
From a spin around a local trail to a hike toward a Wonder of the World, these were our editors' favorite treks this year.
Last month, two Las Vegas hikers tackled 11,916-foot Mt. Charleston via the 16-mile South Loop Trail, one of them in a pair of Crocs. It went fine—until the snow began to fall.
Made the butt of jokes and relegated to the discount aisle post-holiday, fruitcake may be the most disrespected confection of the Christmas season. But backpackers in the know understand this treat’s true power.
From a headlamp to a pint-size Nalgene to a combo bandana/pack towel, these affordable last-minute holiday gifts are here to save the day.
Eight years after the White House slashed its size by more than 85%, the recently-restored Bears Ears National Monument may be back on the chopping block—and legal experts say the entire national monument system could be in jeopardy alongside it.
Take your holiday celebrations outside this year with this gear, from a set of solar-powered string lights to a fire pit that fits on your pack.
From shelters to packs to gadgets, these 50 pieces of gear helped us go further, see more, and have more fun last year.
Could your worst miles create your best memories? After a hike on a rocky Pennsylvania segment of the Appalachian Trail, our editor ponders.
After two near-misses in the mountains north of Vancouver, a search and rescue team is urging hikers to research routes they find online more carefully.
With a touchscreen, built-in flashlight, breadcrumb feature, and unbelievable battery life, the Garmin fenix 7X Pro Sapphire Solar Edition has the chops to handle the roughest backcountry navigation.
From an all-time favorite tent to a lightweight backpack that can handle a serious load, this editor-approved gear is on sale for at least 50%—and up to 70%—off today.
A super-light sleeping pad, a weight-saving gadget, and an editor-approved quilt are all on sale at a discount right now.
An ultra-warm winter boot, a "heavenly" deck of cards, and a running vest that's up for anything: This is the gear that kept us moving this month.
Check out Adam Roy's author page.
The featherweight Gossamer Gear LT5s are on sale right now.
From a $30 titanium pot to a $1,300, sub-6-pound raft, this is what’s on our editors’ wishlists this holiday season.
More than 80 firefighters and emergency personnel are currently working on the Butternut Fire in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
From an insulated bootie that can handle the rigors of the outdoors to a super-light, super-plush mummy bag, these are the deals we're most excited about from REI's big sale.
An outdoors podcast reports that the celebrated backpack brand will sunset its consumer line next year—but a source with knowledge of the company’s plans says that at least some products will be available longer.
Joro spiders, a much-maligned species of arachnid with a leg span that can top 3 inches, have officially been spotted in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Scientists say they’re harmless to humans—but their effect on the environment is still up in the air.
At just over 2 pounds all in, the Moment is a sturdy, feature-rich solo tent that won't break the bank or your back.
Just because the mercury's dropping doesn't mean you need to start lugging a heavy pack. We collect our best tips for backpacking light in the fourth season.
Camp chairs have gotten small enough and light enough that's it's easy to bring one backpacking. But should you?
A "very small subset" of REI members flagged for misusing the outdoor retail giant's return policy will no longer be able to bring back or exchange their purchases.
The Big Agnes's Copper Spur line's mix of livability and low weight set a high water mark for our tent testers.
Left holding the (candy) bag after not enough trick-or-treaters came to your house? Make the most of it with these creative s'mores recipes.
The Nemo Disco 15 Endless Promise is a comfortable, sustainable bestseller—and right now, it's on sale for 40% off.
Made out of the same fabric many tents use, the AirPot is designed to make going number two in the woods more comfortable—and solve hiking’s burgeoning poop problem.
The most stressful day of any aspiring PCT thru-hiker's life is just around the corner.
A pair of customized socks, a smartly-designed water bottle, and a cozy camp blanket: this is the gear that helped our editors get outside this month.
The Outdoor Research Foray II / Aspire II has long been one of our favorite shells for backpacking thanks to its generous venting and light weight. Snag it right now for up to half off.
The REI Co-op Half Dome SL 2+ is a light-enough, comfortable-enough workhorse that's good for beginners and experienced backpackers alike—and it's on sale right now.
Getting carried or helicoptered off a mountain is already stressful, but the idea of paying for the privilege is enough to set any hiker’s teeth on edge. And while most subjects of a wilderness rescue will never face a bill or a fine, there are a few exceptions.
Snag a pair of Altra Lone Peak 7s or another zero-drop, lightweight hiker at a steep discount.
An on-camera killing, infanticide, the disappearance and probable death of two fan favorites: 2024 was the year that fans of Katmai National Park and Preserve’s annual bear beauty contest got an uncomfortable dose of reality. And maybe that’s a good thing.
For decades, Dartmoor National Park was the only place in England where backpackers could dispersed camp without landowner permission. Now, a multimillionaire hedge fund manager who bought one of the park's largest estates is arguing it should be banned there, too.
From ingenious fleeces to fall beverages to a tent with a built-in woodstove, these are the products our editors and staffers are taking on the trail this season.
A fight between two of Katmai's famed brown bears turned fatal on Monday, and livestream viewers watched it in real time.
From a sun-blocking car camping tent to a new favorite squeeze filter, these are our editors' top gear picks for September.
Parks and trail towns along the southern reaches of the AT are devastated. Here's how hikers can help.
Katmai's famous Fat Bear Week contest is about to celebrate its tenth anniversary—but for the first time, its biggest star is nowhere to be found. We pay tribute to a true champion.
The Jones Ultra Re-Up Down Recycled Jacket was one of our favorite insulated pieces last year, and now it's on sale for 30% off.
We asked our readers about their favorite backpacking gear that's not on the market anymore. From ultralight tents to boots both light and burly, this is what they said.
National Park Service says that it was "proud" to support effort to change name of Clingmans Dome back to Kuwohi.
The Mountain Hardwear Meridian 2 is the cheapest and most spacious tent in our test this year—and right now, it’s on sale for 30% off.
Kirk S. Thomas Olsen went missing during a solo backpacking trip in the park late last month.
We’re still carrying a torch for these 12 off-the-market shelters, packs, snacks, and more.
Authorities are considering whether to file charges against a man whose suspected harassment of the bear led to the fatal encounter.
Long beloved by thru-hikers, Knorr Pasta and Rice Sides are a great option for any backpacker on a budget. It doesn't hurt that they taste good, either.
From a consummate day pack to a handy sleeping pad coupler, these are our editors' top gear picks for August.
A corporate retreat went bad this week after a 15-person hiking group left one of their own behind on Colorado’s 14,231-foot Mt. Shavano.
Embrace the dad-core vibes, and a 5-liter waist pack may just be the MVP of your gear closet.
Big Tech firms push their AI chatbots as shortcuts for campers trying to plan trips and brush up their skills. But, when it comes to AI, you still have to do your research.
Some of our readers love trail singalongs. Some hate them with an unmatched passion.
Don't hike with the masses. Instead, find your own peace on the trail this summer with these tips and trips.
A helmet built for late-season ski tours, a waterproof case built for early-season paddles, and a pair of hiking pants that's comfortable almost anywhere: This is the gear our editors rocked this month.
Call it the bugpocalypse: Between now and the end of June, two different broods of cicadas will appear in the midwest from the first time since 1803. Here's how hikers can get a front-row seat.
These trips include gourmet food prepared each night, charity work, local expert advice, and more. You can't get that on your own.
A great trail is eternal. See if you can pick out some of America’s best hikes in these photos from the National Park Service’s archives.
From letting ticks make a meal out of you to slogging through deadfall, these pitfalls can derail your summer adventures.
Authorities believe Lucas Macaj, 23, took a "significant fall."
The bills would have instructed the state to seek reimbursement when hikers needed rescue from a closed trail, but faced opposition from emergency personnel.
From a perfect set of running shorts to a grid fleece that can do, well, anything, this is the gear that helped us hit the trail this month.
We hiked, ran, skied, and climbed in the dark to find the best head illumination of the year.
For a handful of lucky students in Emory and Henry College's Semester-a-Trail program, the Appalachian Trail is the ultimate teacher.
Will the next generation of ultralighters be hiking with giant helium balloons clipped to their packs? The host of Failure Is an Option puts this technique to the test.
The historic Haiku Stairs are a popular—if illegal—trail, but with hundreds of rescues and hundreds more citations for trespassing, local officials say it’s time for them to go.
Embracing the pee bottle is the secret to getting through cold nights on trail comfortably. So why do so many hikers fight it?
After a bobcat attack in January this year, Saguaro National Park warned visitors to be on the lookout for infected animals.
The brands say the three offerings—which include hiking in Shenandoah and camping in the New River Gorge—will “celebrate Black joy in nature.”
With the contiguous United States' last total solar eclipse for 20 years hitting on Monday, most campsites in the path of totality are fully booked up. But procrastinators still have options.
Cinamen, an 8-year-old cat from New York, went viral for leading guests at his owner's AirBnb on Appalachian Trail hikes. It's a role he was born to play.
Spend a night in one of these incredible spots and it might just change your life.