Brain-teasing Ache
Why do I get headaches nearing the end of hikes? I drink enough water, eat enough, but the last two miles of so of any hike I get a killer headache.
Gear
Gear
Acclimatization Insight
Does hiking and sleeping at altitude for the weekend one to three weeks prior to taking a hike at 14,000 help acclimating? I would be back at sea level for the work weeks in between.
Hand Sanitizer Help?
How soon after exposure to poison ivy do I need to wash my skin? If I apply an alcohol-based hand sanitizer after contact with poison ivy, will it reduce my reaction, or stop it altogether?
Giardia Enigma?
When I through-hiked the PCT a number of people I was hiking with came down with giardia. We drank from the same sources for weeks. They treated their water and I never did and I still never got sick. Why?
Gear School: Synthetic Sleeping Bags
The best new sacks are tough on cold and packed with technology.
Gear Review: Backcountry Skirts
Three skirts for conquering the backcountry with a dash of feminine style.
Gear Review: The North Face Phoenix 2 Tent
With The North Face's new Drywall tent fabric and external clips, you can pitch the Phoenix 2 in the middle of a downpour without spilling a drop on the tent floor.
Gear Review: MSR Hubba Hubba Tent plus Gear Shed
How do you improve on a tent that's already received an Editors' Choice award? Try adding a detachable vestibule, or "gear shed", that practically doubles the tent's footprint and its versatility.
Gear Review: Stoic Wraith Rain Jacket
A wisp of a rain jacket at a great price
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Zia 3 Tent
A three-person tent with 40 square feet of floor space.
Gear Review: REI TiWare Nonstick Cookset
This four-piece set has a nonstick silicone/ceramic coating.
Gear Review: Patagonia Lightweight Sun Hoody
This polyester jersey is loose and meshy while still being a great sun barrier.
Gear Review: Suunto Core Anniversary Edition Watch
This watch features an altimeter, barometer, compass, and logbook, and is dead-on accurate.
Gear Review: JanSport Forsyth 50 Pack
A backpack for organized backpackers.
Gear Review: Outdoor Research Vigor Jacket
An extremely lightweight and tough jacket that's only $70.
Gear Review: Patagonia Nine Trails Jacket
This hoodless Patagonia jacket is extremely breathable.
Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Shadowland Jacket
A windproof jacket with a warm, brushed tricot lining.
Navigation Center: Videos
Learn the basics of using GPS devices and watch amazing Google 3D flyovers in our special navigation focused video center.
Gear Review: GoLite Kenai Jacket
This waterproof, windproof jacket loves crappy weather.
Gear Review: Arc'teryx Celeris Jacket
A great jacket for trail runners at only five ounces.
Gear Review: Keen Alamosa Hiking Boot
These cushy dayhikers are perfect for hiking with light loads.
Gear Review: Merrell Chameleon 3 Ventilator Hiking Boot
This light hiker is practically abrasion resistant thanks to the thick pig suede upper.
Gear Review: Lowa Tempest Lo Hiking Boot
This light hiker can carry up to 50 pounds!
Gear Review: Five Ten Insight Hiking Boot
A Five Ten shoe that excels at scrambling and smearing.
Gear Review: Patagonia Drifter A/C Hiking Boot
Bootlike support and traction with trail-runner shock absorption and weight.
Navigation Center
Learn how to make custom maps, navigate any terrain, and the ins-and-outs of GPS devices and mobile apps in our comprehensive navigation center.
Is Giardia More Prevalent Than Ever?
Are giardia issues now greater than they were, say, in the 60s? In the 60's I often drank out of remote streams, with no ill effects.
Is Gore-Tex the Best?
Is Gore-Tex still the #1 all-time best waterproof material you can buy?
The Best Quick-Dry Pant?
What are the best quick-dry pants to use in cooler temperatures?
How to Protect Sleeping Bag from DEET?
I've heard that DEET is bad for sleeping bag fabrics. Since I use it on most camping trips, should I wash my sleeping bag after every trip?
Campfire Cooking Gadgets
Amp up your frontcountry campground cooking with these five items.
Gear Review: Klymit Inertia X-Frame
Is your sleeping pad from the Stone Age? Try upgrading to this Jetsons-worthy mattress.
Gear Review: Craghoppers Bear Grylls Line
Backpacker went wild and bush beat Craghoppers Bear Grylls line of clothing, survival style.
How To Keep Cameras Alive In The Field
The wilderness is often a wet and gritty place. Fortunately cameras are tougher than we think, but careless handling can trash them. Here's how to stack the odds in their favor.
Gear Review: The North Face Zealot 85 Backpack
Big adventure awaits with this comfortable, large-capacity waterproof pack
Gear Review: Tilley TWP1 Waterproof Hat
A fully-featured topper, the Tilley TWP1 waterproof hat has enough style to satisfy even the snobbiest hiker.
Gear Review: Fenix HL20 Headlamp
Some headlamps only provide a little light to get you by. Not so with the 105-lumen Fenix HL20–and it runs on a normal AA battery too!
Father's Day Gift Guide
What do dads really want? Hint: not more ties or car wash gift certificates. We polled our male staffers to find out what they hope to get (or give) this June 19th.
Gear Review: Costa Del Mar Zane Sunglasses
Worth the price, the Costa Del Mar Zane sunglasses have polarized lenses perfect for spotting fish despite the water's glare.
Gear Review: Mammut Teton GTX Hiking Boots
A Vibram sole adds a bit of burly sturdiness to the Mammut Teton GTX boot.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Gnar Hoody
Throw the 800-fill Sierra Designs Gnar Hoody for a cozy extra layer.
Gear Review: Helinox Featherlite Lever Button Trekking Poles
Check out Kristin Hostetter's author page.
Gear Review: REI Passage 2 Tent
There's no need to sacrifice sturdiness with the less-pricey REI Passage 2 three-season tent.
Gear Review: MSR E-wing 2011
A lightweight two-person tarp with multiple setup options.
Gear Makeover Contest – Meet the Winners!
These six readers convinced us their gear needed an update! Look for their full makeovers in our January 2012 Readers' Choice issue.
Gear Review: Vasque Jule Trail Shoe
A low-cut hiker for all your daily adventures.
Gear Review: Weekend Packs
Load and go: Our test crew logged 1,689 miles to find the perfect short-haul pack for every type of hiker.
Gear Review: Granite Gear Meridian Vapor Pack
Is this the summer you vowed lighten your load? Pick up this sequel to a previous Editors' Choice winner and start the season off right.
Summer Trail Smarts: Purify Water
Learn several techniques to purify water in the backcountry.
Gear School: Headlamps
Improve your night sight with the latest headlamp technology.
Gear Review: REI Venturi 45 Backpack
Check out the Venturi 45 for its significant space and plentiful pockets.
Gear Review: Osprey Hornet 46 Backpack
If you're going light, choose the Osprey Hornet 46, which is durable despite its minimal weight.
Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Kanza 55/Tadita 50 Backpack
Stability is good in relationships and backpacks. It's guaranteed in the Mountain Hardwear's Kanza 55/Tadita 50 with its ability to flex to fit any spine position.
Gear Review: Deuter ACT Zero 50+15/45+15 Backpack
Beefy and adaptable, the Deuter ACT Zero shrinks sizes from week-long adventurer to afternoon excursioner without compromising comfort.
Gear Review: Black Diamond Epic 45 Backpack
The dynamic suspension system of the Black Diamond Epic makes carrying loads up to 45 pounds a walk in the park.
Gear Review: REI Hobitat 4 Tent
This four-person tent offers room in all directions, sky view ventilation, and a bone dry fly.
Gear Review: Black Diamond Epic 45 Backpack
A perfect weekend pack for mountaineer and ice climbers.
Outdoor Apps for Android Users
Don't let iPhone fanatics fool you: There are tons of great outdoor apps for the other operating system.
Stuff or Fold/Roll a Tent?
My friend and I have a debate going about how to pack a tent: He says stuffing it is better, but I say folding and rolling is better. Who's right?
Adequate Tent Ventilation
Tents have warnings to "maintain adequate ventilation. Death by suffocation is possible!" My tent has lots of mesh. What's the story here?
Water Treatments Working?
How can I be sure my water treatment equipment is doing it job. Is there a way to test this?
Guns & Backpacking
I am new to backpacking and have only made a few serious trips. Everyone I hike with always carries a gun. Do you carry a firearm when in the United States? Or am I just paranoid?
Gear Review: Empire Canvas Works Wool Blanket Shirt
A retro-looking (albeit heavy) coat that stands up to wintry weather and hard work.
Gear Review: Arc'teryx Theta SL
Two waterproof/breathable fabrics paired with a stowable hood for durability and solid performance in a lightweight, compressible package.
Gear Guide 2011: Essential Apps
Load up your smartphone or iPad with these backpacker-friendly apps.
Gear Guide 2011: Weeklong Packs
For big hauls these packs deliver.
Gear Review: High Peak Everest 75+10
Its design is a mash-up of features we like in luggage and a trail-ready backpack.
Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Molimo 70
The Molimo fit everyone from beanpoles to fireplugs.
Gear Review: The North Face Zealot 70
Rain, mud, rocks, snow, crampons. Some packs need to be coddled when faced with the wet, rough, and sharp. Not the Zealot.
Gear Review: MontBell Super Expedition 90
The payload-to-weight-to-price of this pack is in a class by itself.
Gear Review: Black Diamond Mission 75
Its high-and-slim, alpine-style design easily kept 45 pounds close and stable as a tester scrambled up steep slopes and across tightrope-thin ridges.
Gear Review: GoLite Terrono 70
This load monster's suspension is so dialed, it can induce a pleasant form of trail amnesia.
Gear Guide 2011: Essentials
Welcome to accessory and apparel heaven: puffy jackets, stoves, windpants, knives, iPad apps, solar panels, GPS, hydration, first aid, socks, camp food, baselayers, and more.
Gear Guide 2011: Winter Sleeping Bags
Camp through the coldest months with these hearty sleeping bags.
Gear Guide 2011: Three-Season Sleeping Bags
This year's roundup of three-season bags features three killer deals and an Editors' Choice Award winner.
Gear Guide 2011: Summer Sleeping Bags
Six summer bags that cover summer's mood swings.
Gear Guide 2011: Sleeping Bags & Pads
Enjoy sweet dreams in nasty conditions with these sacks and pads.
Gear Guide 2011: Big Agnes Jack Rabbit SL2 Tent
A lightweight, freestanding, stable tent with adequate space.
Gear Guide 2011: Three- & Four-Person Tents
Pile in with these three- and four-person tents.
Gear Guide 2011: Tents
Stay warmer and drier thanks to efficient pole structures, geometries that enhance space and stormproofing, durable lightweight materials, and wind-tunnel-proven shapes.