Skills

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.

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

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

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

Prescription drugs you should carry on the trail.

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

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

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

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

Tips to improve your hiking stride.

Just to be safe, keep that compass handy.

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.

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

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

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

Trouble crossing the trail? Try the creek.

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

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

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

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.

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.