Skills

Don't let a steep hike keep you from the best views. Put these vital mountaineering tips to use this weekend.

Improve your performance with the right drinking strategy

Two editors debate whether one stainless steel spoon beats many (much lighter) free ones.

Health tips for backpackers experiencing life-threatening or just plain annoying bee stings on the trail

31 flavors, 12 discerning testers, 4 clear energy bar winners

9 tips for Leave No Trace dining

7 tricks for averting on-the-trail allergies

A beginner's guide to after-hours hiking

4 techniques to soothe trail-weary muscles

Save your wild, off-trail adventures for a group of backpacking vets

Testers' favorite backpacking entrees

An online shopping pro shares timesaving advice.

Sunburned eyes can throw you to the sidelines for a painful 48 hours. Learn how to prevent and treat this winter threat.

Get ready for your first race with a fitness plan from a world champ

Your ultralight kitchen is now complete

How to make a difference outdoors--without swinging a Pulaski

Unraveling a high-altitude mystery: why some iPods get sick in the alpine zone.

Forget that get-up-and-go spontaneity--great planning only enhances your experience.

Train for the long haul with endurance tips from Climbing: Training for Peak Performance author Clyde Soles.

America's preeminent bear tracker backpacks Idaho's most remote wilderness looking for signs of the lost grizzlies of the Bitterroots--and winds up staring at the great bruin's future.

7 strategies for keeping the backcountry pristine

Get to the top and you'll hear a joyous echo

The toughest high point in the lower 48

Don't forget your sound judgment when summitting this high point.

Looking for a suitable trailmate? It can be challenging, but try these tips to find your perfect outdoor buddy.

Can you handle a rainy outing? Take our fun quiz to see how you'd fare under a sky of liquid sunshine.

Let our wilderness EMT teach you the best way to treat those gushing cuts and scrapes.

Pick up your hiking pace with these fitness tips

The best gorp, breakfast, entree, and dessert recipes from our cooking contest: 200 contestants, eight finalists, one culinary king

Is there a sense that's more powerful? We'll let you be the judge.

Get wet, get cold. Or stay warm with this leakproof suit.

Meet these 6 Olympic hopefuls who will help you perform like a champion outdoors.

Hike, pitch your tent, then play like a pro with these new Frisbee and hacky sack diversions

Baby carriers, backpacks, and strollers for the backcountry

4 simple stretches to relieve stiff, sore muscles.

Ideas to help make the backcountry family friendly

A hiker's guide to low-carb eating

Our 5-step guide to planning, gear, food, fitness, and essential skills

Watch out for rough weather and serpentine-like roads as you drive up to this highpoint.

The science behind nature's coolest toy

5 questions before you buy new gear.

3 surefire ways to light a reluctant fire

Does backpacking build up your bones?

Do hikers have special nutritional needs?

10 Ways Backpacking Changes Your Body

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

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

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

Is there a maximum weight you can safely haul?

Do backpackers have superfast metabolic rates?

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Three ways to salvage broken crackers and pulverized bread.

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."

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.

Applying seam sealer neatly is easy with the right applicator.

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.

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

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

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

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