BACKPACKER Editors

An ultralight kettle, backcountry ski tech, and one very versatile pair of trail runners: This is the gear that Backpacker's editors used to ring in the spring season.

An extremely fancy jacket, a free app, and a rock-solid waterproof box make the list of our editors' favorite gear this month.

Does your back feel beaten-up after a long day toting a pack? These simple tactics from trainer and guide Jason Antin can help fight the pain.

Want to really impress your hiking partners? Drop a few of these terms around the campfire.

Down booties, gossamer-thin wind jackets, and struggle-free snowshoes: Here’s what our editors brought with them on their winter adventures.

There's no "wrong" way to hike, and this year, we're proving it.

Affordable earbuds, slimming thermals, and an eye-popping camping blanket: Here’s what our editors brought with them on their fall adventures.

A shoulder-season jacket, a bright-as-daylight headlamp, and a device to keep your devices safe: Here’s what our editors brought with them on their fall adventures.

Our editors sound off on the bears dominating our brackets.

Check out BACKPACKER Editors's author page.

Fanny packs, bear spray, and camp stoves: These are the products that helped us adventure over the past month.

Smart watches, bucket hats, and car camping showers: These are the products that helped us adventure over the past month.

Waterproof bags, lightweight tees, and spring shells: These are the products that helped us adventure over the past month.

Four mouthwatering recipes for people with a sweet tooth

Add four low-carb recipes to your trail cookbook

We're partnering with Modern Adventure to take you to the best trails anywhere, from Everest to Alaska to the French Alps.

From an ultralight, ultrapackable drybag to a calf-saving compression sleeve, this gear kept our editors happy, healthy, and out on the trail.

Dotted, dashed, and curvy. Red, blue, and brown. All these colors and styles criss-cross a topo map. Here's what they mean.

A rib-sticking trail dinner and a breathable active insulation layer highlight this month’s picks.

The most hardcore ultralighters spend years perfecting their packs—but you can slash your pack weight today with just a little effort.

Hiking isn’t just walking in the woods. It requires strength and balance. Here’s how to get ready for trekking, from easy day hikes to the longest thru-hikes in the world.

Learn what you need to stay fueled and happy for every trip with performance nutrition advice from our expert personal trainer.

A trio of cozy cold-weather tops highlights this month's batch of gear.

Keep your toes warm this winter with these ultra-insulated loungers.

Q: How much time does it take for the body to absorb water into the system after drinking it?

Whether you want gas station-fast or cafe-gourmet, there's a way to do it right.

'Marking your territory' to keep bears away from your tent may seem like a smart idea. The reality: It does more harm than good.

Are you an Outside+ or Backpacker member? We want your helping ranking 62 of the most exciting products for 2022.

Plan your next big hike with this map of America's most-loved long trails.

Member-testers get access to pre-season gear and the chance to be featured in the magazine.

Class up your camp with these backpacker's crepes.

The Best Tips to Prepare You for Your High Elevation Vacation

From a lightweight winter tent to a Backpacker-approved (and Backpacker-used) fire pit, we've got the best deals of the day right here.

A quartet of inexperienced backpackers tackle one of the world's wildest thru-hikes.

There's a lot of good gear out there—but very little of it is good enough to earn an Editors' Choice Award. From a reflective baselayer to an innovative new pair of sunglasses to environmentally-friendly stove gas, these products made the cut.

‘Highline’ tells a universal story of hiking and the redemptive power of the outdoors.

Five friends take a long walk through Utah's high country in this moving story of trauma and recovery.

From painfully obvious to just plain painful, these outdoor movies are worth a watch.

When a normal trip turned strange, one hiker found himself transfixed by the paranormal.

Insomnia can stop you from enjoying a trip to the fullest. Fight it with this advice.

If first trips have something in common, it’s that they go sideways pretty often. Here are a few important lessons readers and editors have learned along the way.

Where there’s a blade, there’s a way. Use these techniques to carve, chop, scrape, and signal your way out of trouble.

Bring a little autumn flavor right to the trail with this easy backcountry pie recipe.

A breathable tech tee and a pair of stylish shades are among this month's favorites.

When Edgar McGregor decided to clean up Eaton Canyon, he started a quest that spanned 2 years and thousands of pounds of trash.

A soaking wet bag can ruin your trip. Keep it at bay with this advice.

We already know that backpacking is better for the planet than other forms of travel. But how much better, exactly? And can we make hiking even greener?

Clear nights in the backcountry offer prime views of the heavens. Catch the best show with these stargazing tips.

One of our favorite shelters gets an eco-friendly upgrade.

Bears get all the attention, but it's actually rodents that do most of the damage to backpackers' gear on the trail. Here's how to keep them at bay.

Strapping too much gear to the outside of your pack is a rookie mistake—but that doesn't mean you should never do it.

The Appalachian Trail is the adventure of a lifetime. Make it yours with our ultimate guide to the country's most famous footpath and the prep, gear, and knowledge you'll need to go the distance.

Scramble up classic redrock and take in the canyon country views on this 4-mile out-and-back.

This 2.5-mile loop in the Wichita Mountains nabs a summit and heads through a series of boulder-built caves.

Warm weather + short trip = a perfect chance to save time and hassle by leaving your cooking gear at home.

No need to skip your coffee just because you didn't bring your stove.

This roomy, versatile bag will benefit your sleep schedule and your bank account.

Show your pride outside during the month of June for a chance to win $2,300 in prizes.

Backpack a knee-trembling route through an active geothermal zone.

Late last December, Emily Ford, 28, of Duluth, Minnesota, took her first steps on Wisconsin’s 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail with a borrowed sled dog named Diggins. “I was laid off from my job as head gardener at the Glensheen Mansion, and I took full advantage,” she says. Ten weeks later, she became the first woman and second person ever to thru-hike the IAT in winter.

There's nothing quite like kicking back at camp with a good book. These eight are light both literally and figuratively, making for perfect campfire companions.

Treat your feet or dip them into a new hobby with this month's editors' picks.

The NPS will waive all entry fees to kick off its annual celebration of all things parks.

From a new pair of boots to an, ahem, unconventional sleeping bag, these were our editors' favorite things in March.

This month, we're asking Active Pass and Backpacker Pass members to weigh in the cover of our May/June 2021 issue.

Check out BACKPACKER Editors's author page.

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.

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.