Skills

Discover secret campsites and total solitude with this expert guide to safely navigating untracked wilderness.

Help us decide the winner of the next photo contest

Is hiking and yoga the ultimate path to rejuvenation? Our man takes his bad back and troubled soul to Yosemite to find out.

Salts and other electrolytes help regulate cell function and nerve impulses, so when you sweat them out, you need to replace them. From Grand Gulch to the Grand Canyon, we tested 27 different gels, powders, and chews - and found the best ways to stay charged this summer.

Snag a last-minute permit for a popular national park trail, ease the itch from a poison ivy/oak encounter, navigate successfully in a canoe, and pack the right amount of food for your big groups backcountry trip.

Apply mountaineering basics to adapt to thing air, avoid high-altitude hazards, and make smart decisions.

Here are the ten finalists from the latest photo contest. Vote for your favorite to help us choose the winner. The winning photo will be published in Backpacker's September's issue and the winner will receive a Tamron zoom lens*.

How to choose a campsite, set up camp. and sleep comfortably.

Tips on packing and planning for your first night under the stars.

Dodge these common errors with our prevention primer.

Learn how to set up your kitchen, store food, and wash dishes in the backcountry.

Learn how to treat water in the backcountry.

How to dress comfortably and stay fueled while hiking.

Outdoor experts have refined the list of key safety and survival tools into these 10 categories. Don't leave home without them.

Use these tips to advance your cooking skills and improve your camp grub's taste and nutritional value.

Noodles are easy-prep crowd pleasers. Learn about the trail-worthiest types and cooking methods.

Improve your balance on uneven terrain, figure out if your water filter is still working, and determine the crossability of a questionable river or stream during spring and early-summer.

We tested 40 new energy bars flavors and culled these five top picks.

Master these easy repairs to save on shop costs and replacement gear.

Stay warm and fight the rain with three simple projects using this waterproof/breathable material.

Use extreme-distance hiker Andrew Skurka's plan to construct an ultralight, ultracheap cooking system.

Whether you're buying maps or park passes, there are easy ways to save a few bucks.

Save and make money with these tips from experts at the country's best secondhand gear shops.

Don't (always) shell out for specialty gear.

What to choose when buying water bottles, batteries, water treatments, and midlayers.

Four handy tips for getting the most for your money.

By shopping strategically, planning smart, and maintaining your gear, and making easy repairs you can save big. These 75 tip are here to help.

Here are our favorite pictures from this month's photo contest. Vote for your favorite to help us choose the winner. The winning photo will be published in Backpacker's August issue and the winner will receive a Tamron zoom lens*.

Cook better - use the best tools.

Make more while carrying less with this compact cook kit from MSR.

These lightweight utensils from Hyalite Equipment are functional and fashionable.

Never take more than you need with this compact cookstove from Liberty Mountain

Never be at a loss for flavor when using this bottle set from GSI Outdoors.

Feel like you have an entire kitchen in your arsenal with this versatile stove from Optimus

Keep it simple with this recipe to spice up freshly caught fish.

Take your fish seriously with this recipe for Planked Salmon.

Slurp up satisfaction with EBC soup.

Bring the ocean to the forest with Klondike Thai Peanut Shrimp.

Enjoy healthy eating with this veggie-infused stir fry.

Having trouble deciding? Enjoy these miscellaneous recipes on any occasion.

Take Appalachian Trail Jerky along for a sweet and spicy burst of energy.

Opt for this healthier, freshly seasoned Wild Turkey Jerky.

The Sierra Szechwan Chicken Salad provides a healthy option that satisfies.

Bring the written word to life with these featured Master Class backcountry dishes.

Eat fresh with this hook-to-table recipe for Poached Trout.

Travel the world from the comfort of your campfire with these globally-inspired Foil Packets.

Enjoy better sandwiches and sides with these easy on-the-trail bread recipes.

Take your trail meals up a notch with this easy Indian Fry Bread.

Fry up your own breakfast biscuits with this easy recipe.

Leave the marshmallows at home with this classy bread on a branch recipe.

Impress your friends with this cocktail party quality bruschetta.

Bring comfort food to the outdoors with these tasty onion rings.

Eating can be tasty and fun with these make-your-own sushi rolls.

Snack in style with these easy-to-make savory dates.

Make your backcountry meal into a feast with these four great appetizers.

Get a trip planner, online, and print maps in one bundle from Trimble Outdoors.

Be prepared for trips of all lengths with this first aid kit from REI.

Here's our favorite pictures from this month's photo contest. Vote for your favorite to help us choose the winner. The winning photo will be published in Backpacker's June issue and the winner will receive a Tamron zoom lens*.

We tallied your votes: These are the country's top 10* gear stores. (And tips for getting the most bang for your buck when you visit.)

Are you blowing big bucks driving to your favorite hike? Use these gas-mileage-boosting tips so you can get to more trailheads for less money.

Add 10-degrees of warmth to your sleeping bag with this simple DIY project.

You want your kiddos to enjoy the outdoors – camping, hiking, biking, etc. – as much as you do. Northwest editor Michael Lanzas has 10 tips on how to accomplish that – and have fun along the way.

Here's our top ten favorite pictures from this month's photo contest. Vote for your favorite to help us choose the winner. The winning photo will be published in Backpacker's May issue.

An expert bootfitter can help. Here's how Phil Burgess of Ski Stop in Westwood, MA, a certified fit expert, helped one editor overcome a chronic and debilitating fit problem.

Revive waterproof jackets, salvage a wet map, get better backcountry sleep, and organize your gear. By Sarah Maurer

Cocoa packs high energy and healthy antioxidants, and our testing revealed the best-tasting, most-meltproof varieties for the trail.

Use this no-cost, do-anywhere training program to enhance hiking strength and speed this spring.

Find your personality type and trips that match your adventure style.

Hold these poses post-workout to elongate muscles and flush lactic acid.

Use these controlled movements to warm up pre-hike and -workout.

Need some inspiration for killing a serious backcountry chocolate craving? Look no farther, you've clicked into a chocoholic's dream.