Skills

5 questions before you buy new gear.

3 surefire ways to light a reluctant fire

The One-Pan Gourmet shows how to eat like a king.

Secrets for staying on your feet from dancers, tightrope walkers, running backs, and more.

Does backpacking build up your bones?

It's lean, it's mean, and it can last forever.

Do hikers have special nutritional needs?

10 Ways Backpacking Changes Your Body

Freshen up stinky clothes with this homemade, portable washing machine.

Is there a maximum weight you can safely haul?

Do backpackers have superfast metabolic rates?

No need to bring along a big, bulky container for your water in camp when you have this great compact suggestion.

Keep water flowing with this simple technique.

Put some rocks in your socks.

Keep arms and legs warm with gear invented by cyclists.

Carrying around those little extras just got easier with this trick.

Got burgers on the brain? Learn why some experts say it's okay to indulge.

Sidelined by injury? Get back on the trail fast with this easy treatment plan.

Keeping a close eye on those binocular caps.

How to avoid slipping and sliding in your sleeping bag.

Always carry extra identification when traveling internationally.

7 ways to kick your stride into overdrive

Want to develop legs of steel and the balance of a mountain goat? Try yoga.

Three ways to salvage broken crackers and pulverized bread.

We tortured 51 trail snacks and staples to pick the longest lasting foods for backpacking.

No refrigerator, no problem, says this cooking instructor. Here's her secret to making every meal better.

The hungry hiker's foolproof plan for eating like a king in the backcountry.

Cuisine expert Emeril Lagasse shares eight tips on how to liven up your camp cooking.

How to complete your backcountry kitchen for $5 or less.

A soup-to-nuts guide that'll get you through the supermarket and on the trail faster than you can say "express lane."

Applying seam sealer neatly is easy with the right applicator.

Try this homemade, ultralight bowl for long distance treks.

Got a bum knee or ankle? Better treatments for post-hike joint pain are on the horizon.

Make your own dehydrated trail food with these simple techniques.

Feeling pooped at the end of the day? Try these relaxation and breathing techniques to put more pep in your step.

The short list of what works and what doesn't.

When water is scarce, minimize the amount your body expends.

Camping without stove or fire gains you freedom, flexibility, simplicity, and compactness, and sometimes a lighter load.

Here's a handy tip to avoid wildfires in the backcountry.

Getting a good night's sleep on the trail is easier said than done. Our experts show you how to get your 20 winks.

How light can you go? Six friends face off to determine whether carrying less gear makes you half as macho, or twice as smart.

Prescription drugs you should carry on the trail.

Forgot a sponge? No worries -- clean your camp with these everyday wilderness substitutes.

Boy Scouts are at the forefront of teaching Leave No Trace ethics.

While hiking light may seem like a new trail trend, nearly 20 years ago, many outdoor manufacturers were beating the ultralight drum.

Here's how to Leave No Trace when you dump water in camp.

If water's in short supply where you're headed, know the secrets of dry camping.

Experiencing a sore butt on the trail? Try these healing tips.

Tips to improve your hiking stride.

If you're caught in a lightning storm on the trail, head for the hills.

Got a clogged stove? Try this cleaning method before eating that camping meal cold.

Take a look at what your sole is doing to the ground.

Trouble crossing the trail? Try the creek.

Stow your trekking poles to get an advantage when bushwacking a trail.

Cooking with aluminum pots in camp won't cause Alzheimer's.

Just to be safe, keep that compass handy.

What causes pain on the trail?

They're not just for catch. Cook a meal, fix a boat, or make a fire with this handy toy.

How to treat yourself if you gulp down stove fuel in camp.

Some trailworthy soups can even help you heal.

Follow these six route-finding tips, and stay found.

Use these navigational tricks, gleaned from champion orienteers and U.S. Army's Special Forces, to stay on track.

How one perpetually disoriented hiker found her bearings, thanks to some backwoods navigation pros.

A long-lasting bread that handles the rigors of backpacking.

If you have a problem with snoring (that is, if you have a tentmate who snores), try this remedy on your next night in camp.

With a little creativity, dairy-wary hikers can find tasty and satisfying alternatives to cheese.

Antibiotic ointment, a basic element of every first-aid kit, has gotten a bad rap lately.

Our medicine man gives his food suggestions for recovering in the backcountry.

We head for the hills to escape the tensions of everyday life. So why do our heads often pound like a drum soon after hitting the trail?

Put some past in your stomach for good trail food all the next day.

Eat right and you'll hike stronger.

Use these tips to bug-proof your clothes.

How to identify and treat swimmer's ear in the wilderness.

Help keep trails clean by picking up your own and other people's trash.

Face it: you aren't Moses and the waters won't part, so here are ways to cross wild rivers safely.

Create tasty trail meals like fish chowder, lasagna, and seafood with pasta.

Feeding a diabetic hiker takes planning and professional advice, but not necessarily a special menu.

High on a Montana mountain, the mystery of a long-lost climber continues to unravel for those willing to make the arduous trek and search for clues that literally lie at your feet.

Above treeline, there's no easy way to hoist your vittles.

Distances can appear farther in the tundra.