Gear Review: Therm-a-Rest Ventra Down Comforter and Fitted Sheet
This quilt/sheet combo covered a range of temperatures.
Gear
Gear
Gear Review: REI Aura Sleeping Bag
Even during a damp, tentless night our tester stayed dry.
Gear Review: Lafuma Warm 'n Light 600 Sleeping Bag
This affordable bag is great for above-40s temps.
Gear Review: GoLite Venture 40 Sleeping Bag
800-fill down keeps this bag toasty, while breathable nylon shell fabric and a two-way zipper prevents stuffiness in warmer temps.
Gear Review: Backcountry.com Stoic Jacket
This "magic coat" is great for changing conditions.
Gear Review: Gerber Crucial Multitool
This midsize multitool lacks excess.
Gear Review: Gregory Palisade 80 Pack
This big-load pack carries heavy weight with ease.
Gear Review: The North Face Adversary Trail Runner
Traveling trail runners will be all over this The North Face shoe.
Gear Review: Columbia Firelane Mid Boot
This midcut hiker is great for wet conditions.
Gear Review: La Sportiva Exum Pro Boot
This boot earned our best all-around mark, and fits a wide range of foot shapes as well.
Gear Review: Scarpa Axis Boot
This fast and light boot weighs in at 1 lb. 11 oz.
Gear Review: Oboz Sawtooth Boot
If you're hiking rugged terrain, this $100 boot is for you.
Can I Get Altitude Sickness Below 10,000 Feet?
After I return, I'm somewhat tired, short of breath and sickly feeling for days after. I'm in great shape. Any ideas?
Navigation Newbie: What Equipment Do I Need?
I'm a navigation newbie. Basically, I just head to the trailhead, look at the map there, and go. Is there essential, basic navigation equipment that I should have at all times, even on a dayhike?
How Do I Treat Heat Exhaustion?
What are the best options for treating heat exhaustion in a remote area (no cell phone service) with no one else around? Is there something I can add to my first aid kit that would help?
Are Trekking Poles Necessary?
Trekking poles are not for every occasion.But, man, my poles sure saved the day (and my knees and ankles) when I descended from the rim of the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River.
Tent Terminology Revealed
Could you explain what "minimum weight," "packaged weight," and similar terms mean?
Does Sunscreen or Bug Repellent Attract Bears?
Q: Does using sunscreen or bug repellent attract bears?
Family Camping: Tips & Stats
How many miles, and how heavy a pack, can your kid handle? Plus, big tents, first aid, and newbie adults.
Family Camping: How to Pull it Off
87 tips for making your next family trip easy, fun, and comfortable
Family Camping: Good for the Whole Family
Why a life outdoors is so important for your kids–and for you.
Backpacker's Guide to Family Camping
A realistic, hassle-free handbook for taking kids outdoors
BACKPACKER.COM CLUBS
Welcome to our list of clubs, environmental groups, retail shops, and other groups who are using our map tools to plan and share trips, to save wilderness areas, or to meet other hikers.
Sleep Easy: Find Your Perfect Gear
Whether you're looking to go ultralight or stay cool on a hot summer night, here's the gear that will help you sleep comfortably.
Gear School: Water Filters
Remove most micro-nasties, draw water from barely-there puddles, and quench thirst fast with the versatile pump filter.
Canned Heat: Stove Reviews
Tiny. Featherweight. Simple. Affordable. From the windy peaks of Colorado's Rockies to the icy summits of New Hampshire's Presidentials, these canister stoves kept us fat and happy.
Weekend Planner: Go High-Tech
Go wireless, get dialed in, and navigate like a pro with these gadgets.
Gear Review: Light My Fire Spice Box
Keep your salt, pepper, and sugar in this rugged, ultralight case.
Gear Review: Sea to Summit AlphaLite Cutlery
Get these light knives, forks, and spoons without breaking the bank.
Gear Review: Sea to Summit Delta Insul-Mug
This pack-friendly mug keeps drinks hot and hands cool.
Gear Review: MSR Exo 2 System Cook Kit
This cook kit provides a light solution for two-person dinners in the backcountry.
Gear Review: GSI DukJug Bottle
This better bottle survives freezing temps, doesn't absorb food smells, and can take a beating.
Gear Review: Evernew Color Ceramic Non-Stick Deep Pots
Camp cooking and cleanup goes much faster with Evernew's ceramic-coated pots.
Gear Review: Big Agnes Gore Pass 2
This two-person palace isn't ultralight, but it is ultracomfortable.
Gear Review: Vado Pocket Video Camera
For quick-and-easy, YouTube-ready videos, this inexpensive camera won't let you down.
Gear Review: Osprey MapWrap
This map case is the best way to tote your map into the backcountry since the Ziploc bag.
Gear Review: Cloudveil BPM Jacket
This rainshell excels with weekend warriors who dabble in a bit of everything.
Gear Review: Soto Micro Regulator Stove
This stove comes tailor-made for winter campers and high-altitude mountaineers.
Gear Review: Brunton Raptor Stove
Few stoves are tougher or more stable than the Brunton Raptor.
MSR Pocketrocket Stove Review
This tiny, fast stove performs great in poor weather.
Gear Review: Optimus Crux Lite Stove
The Optimus Crux Lite is meant for backcountry foodies who need precise cooking control.
Gear Review: Primus Express Stove
If you need speed, this boil-test champ is your stove of choice.
Gear Review: Snow Peak LiteMax Stove
Extremely lightweight and versatile, this stove can handle just about anything.
Can I Develop a Giardia Immunity?
Regarding Giardia and crypto: Can one develop a tolerance or immunity to them? I remember drinking from streams as a child while fishing and hiking in the backcountry. Surely I couldn't have been lucky than many times.
Bear Canister Alternatives?
I know I'm supposed to use a bear canister all the time in bear country but they're really bulky. If I'm going on an overnight trip, do I really need one? And if I do, is there a sealable bag option that might work
High-Altitude Baby
I'm having my first child this summer, and I plan to hike and camp with her in the mountains as soon as she can hold her head up. How will I know if she's acclimatized to the altitude?
When Will I Know if I Have Poison Oak?
How long does it take to start feeling the effects of poison oak exposure?
Can I Get Giardia Through a Cut?
Can you get some of the waterborne parasites, such as Giardia, through open wounds or cuts and scrapes?
Can Glue Seal Wounds?
I have heard that the bonding agents like Super Glue or Krazy Glue can be used to seal wounds in the backcountry. Is this true, and what's the risk vs. benefit?
What's a Good Non-Itchy Baselayer?
Baselayers. I need a good one for summer and fall. I know wool is great but frankly, I itch and get pretty hot when I'm mid hike. Any suggestions?
How Do I Get Campire Smoke Out of My Gear?
How do I get the campfire stench out of my gear? I tried washing it but no-go.
There's a Snake in My Bivy!
In a bivy, what are the chances of a rattler crawling in with me and/or of me rolling over on one with my arms and torso bare? I'm not sleeping well with this!
Keep Your Dog's Energy Up on the Trail
What can I feed my dog throughout the day while we are hiking to keep his energy up?
Can Bells Attract Bears?
I've seen bells marketed as a way to notify animals that you are in the area. Could use of the bell actually attract predators that are used to hearing bells on livestock?
Field Test: Daypacks
For all-day epics, fast-and-light summit bids, and even minimalist overnights, reach for one of these versatile load haulers.
Ultralight Shells
These versatile jackets weigh less than a pound and pack smaller than a grapefruit.
Gear School: Ultralight Packs
Shop smarter, hike farther with this guide to the guts of today's lightest load haulers.
Can a water purifier purify pee?
Yes, pee is about 95% sterile water, but that other 5% is a noxious brew of waste material that your body is trying to expel.
Bee Cautious
My wife, who's allergic to bees, is reluctant to hike with me. What can I do to ease her fear of getting stung?
Gear Review: Brooks Adrenaline ASR 5 Trail Runners
This dual-purpose runner works well on everything from roads to rough trail.
Gear Review: MSR E-Bivy
thanks to a durable, polyurethane-coated nylon ground layer and more, this balanced bivy has all the right elements.
Gear Review: Alite Designs Monarch Butterfly Chair
Get off the ground with this packable camp chair.
Gear Review: Merrell Optima Tank
A stretchy top that works well on summer trails, rock climbs, and in yoga studios.
Gear Review: Western Mountaineering Hooded Flash Down Jacket
This puffy layer saves weight without excess cold spots.
Gear Review: Patagonia Houdini Ultralight Shell
Trim fitting, highly durable, and easily packable, this is one shell you'll never question packing.
Gear Review: The North Face Trajectory Hybrid Ultralight Shell
Check out Berne Broudy's author page.
Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Tempo Ultralight Shell
With a fleece lining, and Gore Windstopper fabric, chills are blocked and breathability is excellent.
Gear Review: Marmot Mica Ultralight Shell
While editors were wringing out their socks, nothing penetrated the Mica's waterproofing.
Gear Review: ARC'TERYX Alpha SL Pullover Ultralight Shell
With a puffy insulated layer and the clean anorak design, this ultralight did the trick in wet Welsh weather.
Duct Tape For Chafing?
I want to try duct tape to prevent chafing between the legs, but I'm too scared to try. Do you know if this works better than lotions or creams?
What's the Most Comfortable Sleep System?
Pain in my shoulders and hips is destroying my ability to camp. Can you recommend the best, most cushioned, and lightweight pad that might help solve this problem?
Is Ammonia a Bear Repellent?
A friend who used to read electric meters told me that all the readers carried a squirt gun loaded with ammonia to repel dogs. Would it work for bears too?
Bicycle-Friendly Backpack
I commute by bicycle to work 15 miles one way. Where can I find a backpack for clothing and hydration that is visible to vehicles?
Odorproof Bags? Really?
Do odor proof bags work? And are they any more effective than standard zip-top bags for keeping in smells?
Yosemite's North Rim: Exclusive Google Flyover Video & Photo Slideshow
Kelly Bastone hiked a long-forgotten trail through Yosemite's North Rim and documented the trek on video, in photographs, and using GPS.
Readers' Choice 2010
We want your stories! Your photos! Your best trips and tips and all-time favorite gear! For this special edition of our Readers' Choice Awards, we're using your best stuff to create our January 2010 issue.
Mount Hood Gear Checklist–Courtesy of John Harlin
BACKPACKER contributing editor John Harlin III first summited Mt. Hood at age 11 and has climbed the peak in every season. Here, he gives you his gear checklist for hitting the mountain right.
Survive a Cougar Encounter
Can you advise on how to deal with a cougar encounter?
Can I Hike in Trail Runners?
Is it really necessary to have big hiking boots with really sturdy ankle support? I've always used trail runners on multi-day trips without a problem.
Gear Guide 2009: Heavy-Duty Boots
We tested 150 boots this year, tallying enough trail miles to hike from Acadia to Denali–and back. Why? To help you find the perfect outdoor footwear.