3 Ways To Save: Ultralight Dayhiking
Save weight, your feet, and money with these three pieces of ultralight gear
Gear
Gear
Head to Head: Basecamp Tents
Got a family to shelter or just want castle-like living space? Go light or go big with these two standouts.
The Fix: Deodorize Your Gear
Does your pack smell like last summer's cheddar? Here's how to clean up.
Bargain Load Haulers: Weekend Pack Review
High performance and low cost? These 6 weekend packs deliver.
Quick Fix: Apostle Islands
You don't need a boat to see this spectacular national lakeshore. Here's how to explore the best of its bluffs and beaches by foot (and paddle).
Poles on a Plane?
How can you take along trekking poles when flying a commercial airline?
Favorite Emergency Shelter?
I take long dayhikes (20-30 miles) and am looking for an emergency shelter to use in case I don't make it out before nightfall. Will a waterproof bivy sack on its own be sufficient in case of rain?
Can I Keep My Backpack in My Tent?
You can safely bring 100 packs in the tent with you, but what I think you're really asking about is food...
Wide-Footer Hiking Boots
Do you know of a boot maker who makes really wide boots that are true to size?
Can I Eat Snakes or Eels?
I hear about people eating rattlesnake all the time: Are all snakes edible? And what about eels?
Keep Your Feet Dry
On a consistently wet, rainy 3-day trip, I experienced softened skin that cracked. I never was able to get dry shoes or socks. Each day my feet would be soaked within minutes. What can I do in the future to help stop this?
Human Body Water Absorption
Does the human body absorb cold water or body-temperature water faster?
How to Recycle Your Fuel Canisters
Are the fuel canisters for backpacking stoves refillable or recyclable? Or are we just creating more waste when we purchase these stoves in the quest of lightness?
A Helmet for All Occasions?
Is there a multipurpose helmet out there I can use for skiing, climbing etc. or should I just plan on getting one for each season/sport?
Bag Capacity Confusion
I'm confused about the capacity figures that backpack manufacturers claim. With daypacks it seems that the figures advertised are always about 20 percent higher than what the pack actually holds. What gives?
Trouble Sleeping in Camp
I'm a side sleeper who can't get through a night on a sleeping pad without pain in my hips and knees that causes me to toss and turn. Any suggestions for remedying that?
Fight Off Mosquitos
What's the best spray to keep mosquitoes off of me?
Do Ferns Neutralize Poison Ivy?
My son came back from an outdoor camp and proclaimed that rubbing the liquid from the broken stalk of a fern on a sting from nettles, poison ivy, or poison oak will stop the stinging. Is it true?
Oxygen Intake Boost
I live at sea level, and am backpacking in Yosemite for 10 days. I've heard there are supplements that boost your oxygen intake, if you take them a week or so in advance. Is the hype true, and is it worth the money?
Benadryl for Snakebites?
What do you think about giving Benadryl as a sedative for a snakebite victim? Or just having it handy for panic situations?
Film Your Own Hike, Then Go Behind-the-Scenes
Want to make adventure films? Emmy Award-winning director Michael Brown shows you how. Plus, go behind the scenes as BACKPACKER staffers learn from the masters at Adventure Film School.
Cut Your Own 10.5' x 10.5' Tarp Square
Check out Lesley Suppes's author page.
Trail Dust?
I recently went hiking in the Phoenix area. I feel like I ate about a ton of dust–a fine particle, like talc. (Silly me, I didn't think to pack a mask.) Is that "trail dust" bad for my lungs?
Storing Mummy Bags
Is it true that mummy bags should not be stored in a stuff sack, but rather hung in closet between trips? Seems like a waste of space.
Hiking & High Blood Pressure
Is it safe to hike if you have high blood pressure?
Hot Food
When camping in frigid temperatures, what's the best way to keep my food warm long enough to eat it? And how can I clean my pot once the food has frozen itself to the sides?
How Can I Minimize Knee Pain?
I've tried different boots, inserts, socks, and lightening my load, but I still seem to get overuse pain in my knees very early in my hikes. What else can I do to minimize knee pain?
Why Are My Toes Numb?
My middle two and sometimes three toes go numb when I hike. I have very good boots that fit well. Any ideas?
Backpacking in Europe
I plan on backpacking Europe for about a month. What is the most suitable backpack for me to use?
Too Much Salt?
I know you need more sodium when you're sweaty and backpacking, but how much is safe?
Preventing Heat Illnesses
Now that summer is here, what are the best methods for preventing heat exhaustion and heat stroke?
I Climbed Los Angeles
One small step for our stair-obsessed man, one giant leap for fitness freaks everywhere.
Green Scene: BPA-Free Water Bottles
Lighten your planetary load, water bottle style, with these BPA-free water bottle alternatives.
Camping Hammock Reviews
These versatile sanctuaries do more than just keep you dry. ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: See our video review of the latest bivys and hammocks.
Lightweight Climbing Gear
With a light climbing rope, shoes, and harness, you'll be packed and ready to hit the rock in no time.
Field Notes: The Latest Word from Our Testers
True-blue reviews on the latest items we've taken out on trail.
Big-Trip Boots: Trail Blazers
Get maximum support, traction, and protection without wafflestomper weight or break-in. Welcome to the new breed of all-terrain, any-load boots.
Next Level: Survive an Emergency Rappel
Learn the Dülfersitz rappel and safely lower yourself off of a steep pitch with only a rope.
Big Trips Made Easy: Hayduke Trail, UT
Finding total Southwest solitude
Big Trips Made Easy: Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA
Exploring a high, wild corner of the North Cascades
Big Trips Made Easy: Allagash Wilderness Waterway, ME
Floating a liquid maze in the Northeast's lake-riddled forests
Big Trips Made Easy: High Sierra, CA
Rambling a granite redoubt
Hike It: 4 Big Trips Made Easy
Ready to dial up the adventure meter? Try out your digital skills–and go places most people can't–on these life-list journeys.
Share and Share Alike?: Top Five Photo Sharing Sites
Your adventure is ready for primetime. Here are 19 ways to reach the audience in your living room–or around the world. Web-based photo sites aren't all created equal. Here are our top 5.
Photos 101: Save and Share Your Photos, Produce a Slideshow, and Print Your Images
Learn how to save your photos, print them, get published, and produce an audio visual slideshow.
Post Your Video Online
Learn how to upload your video to YouTube and tap a social network like Facebook or MySpace to post links to your movie. Your adventure is ready for primetime. Here are 19 ways to reach the audience in your living room–or around the world.
Share Your Trip; Make and Show Off Your Map
Your adventure is ready for primetime. Here are 19 ways to reach the audience in your living room–or around the world.
Share It: All the World's a (Cyber) Stage
Your adventure is ready for primetime. Here are 19 ways to reach the audience in your living room--or around the world.
Start Smart: Shoot Low-Light Photos
Master dawn and dusk photographs with these pro tips.
The Cutting Room: Editing Programs and Storage
Here's how to turn raw data into finished files that will wow your friends and preserve trip memories better than any photo album.
The Cutting Room: Video
Here's how to turn raw data into finished files that will wow your friends and preserve trip memories better than any photo album.
The Cutting Room: Photos
Here's how to turn raw data into finished files that will wow your friends and preserve trip memories better than any photo album.
The Cutting Room: GPS
Here's how to turn raw data into finished files that will wow your friends and preserve trip memories better than any photo album.
Organize It: The Cutting Room
Here's how to turn raw data into finished files that will wow your friends and preserve trip memories better than any photo album.
Field School: Trail-Tested Tech
Take your new tools to the trail to master the skills you'll need to navigate, record, and share your best adventures. The best new digital tools for every budget and skill level.
Field School: Essential Tips
Take your new tools to the trail to master the skills you'll need to navigate, record, and share your best adventures.
Field School: Make a Movie
Take your new tools to the trail to master the skills you'll need to navigate, record, and share your best adventures.
Field School: Capture Classic Images and Record Your Hike
Take your new tools to the trail to master the skills you'll need to navigate, record, and share your best adventures.
Document It: Field School
Take your new tools to the trail to master the skills you'll need to navigate, record, and share your best adventures.
4 Trip-Planning Sites and Top Tech Tools
Every great trip boils down to this: Picking an ideal location, capturing memorable moments, and bragging about it.
New Tools, New Rules: Plan the Perfect Trip
Every great trip boils down to this: Picking an ideal location, capturing memorable moments, and bragging about it. Here's how to get started the high-tech way.
iHike: Hiking in the Digital Age
A Complete Guide to the Digital Revolution–and How to Join It
Fixing a Tent Tear
I just returned from a trip to the High Sierra and found a 1/2 inch tear in the bottom of my Big Agnes tent. The fabric is silicone treated nylon. How do I fix it?
Gear Chick: Washing Your Fleece
What is the best way to wash my fleece so that I get longer use out of it?
Great Beach-Camping Tents
I do a bit of camping on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I am looking for a 3-person tent that can withstand the howls and gusts of the winds without collapsing or flapping so loud it keeps me awake. No $3,000 tents please.
Packs for Big Guys
Are there any companies that make packs for bigger guys, and a 54" waist?
Camp Stove Performance Enhancement
In your video on <a href="http://backpacker.com/videos_2007_editors_choice_award_winners_msr_reactor_and_primus_etapower_camp_stoves/gear/gvideos/3">Camp Stoves</a>, why do you keep one of the gas canisters in a pan of water?
Water Purification Mist
On a recent backpacking trip, I mixed Aquamira water purification drops in my Nalgene before we reached a water source. I noticed a mist coming out of the empty bottle just prior to filling with water. What was that, and is it safe to drink?
Predators and Soloing
I have heard reports of bears and panthers in areas around where I want to solo hike this summer. Is it okay to go alone?
Icky Ticks
What is the approved procedure for removing a tick?
Danger at 10,000 Feet?
Anyone coming from lower altitudes to 8,000 feet or more may experience headaches, unusual fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, and lassitude. Expect, also, that you'll do some heavy breathing, even after you acclimatize. These physiological responses are discomforting, but not serious.
Filtering Out Viruses
I was thinking about getting a water filter, but I understand that it will not filter out viruses. Is this something I should worry about if I'm backpacking in the U.S.?
Altitude Memory
Do you think our bodies "remember" acclimating?
Editors' Choice 2008: REI Quarter Dome T3 Tent
Easy to pitch and easy on the wallet, this tent is rock-solid when it comes to weather protection.
Editors' Choice 2008: Big Agnes Cyclone SL Chair Kit
Rest easy: Here are 6 ounces of pure lounge-lizard comfort
Field Notes: The Latest Word from Our Testers
The green truth behind bamboo, a hyper-efficient cookpot, and a bargain three-person tent.
Canoes: All Aboard!
Some of the country's best wilderness is accessible only by boat. To help you get there, our testers picked the top canoes in six key categories.
Start Smart: Team Paddling
Improve your speed and efficiency by synchronizing your strokes.
The Specialist: Plan Away Pounds
Shed useless pack weight, not luxuries
GSI Outdoors
Solo. Stag. Unattached. Everything's more macho when you do it alone, but you still deserve a little comfort. An even-heating pot, insulated mug, a strainer lid, room for stove/fuel and a welded sink. We promise we won’t tell.