Vapor barrier layers—whether purpose-made or improvised from plastic bags—sound like a recipe for sweaty dogs. But in cold weather, they can be a lifesaver.

From wild animals to dangerous terrain, the outdoors has its fair share of hazards. Test your survival knowledge against a Backpacker editor and see how you fare.

An astonishing 43 percent of Backpacker's readers say they would eat a human being if it were the only way to survive in a wilderness situation. Get a few tips on how to do it right in this classic Backpacker video.

With less than 30,000 cases a year in the U.S., rhabdomyolysis is not a common ailment—but for some boundary-pushing hikers, it can be life-threatening.

Accidental beacon activations take a toll on rescue teams—but they are avoidable.

Hydration is one of the first principles of backcountry survival. Here's how to do it safely.

When darkness falls, these wayfinding skills could save your life.

Use nature to get your bearings with these navigation skills.

Help keep the littlest hikers in your group safe by teaching them these basic wilderness survival skills.

Thru-hikers who cross long, dry stretches have always had to get creative to avoid dehydration, and a warming climate isn’t helping. Learn the rules and etiquette of caching water.

Traps set to catch wild animals can accidentally kill hikers' dogs instead. Learn how to save your canine companion from three common types you may encounter on the trail.

No one wants to sip from an algae and cow-manure-fouled puddle. But sometimes, you don’t have a choice.

Knowing how to keep warm could help save your life if things go wrong on a winter hike.

Lighting a fire is one of those skills that just takes practice—but knowing a few tricks makes it a lot easier.

You're out of water and far from a reliable source. Stay alive with survival instructor Jessie Krebs's backcountry-tested advice.

Don't let your own ambitions put you in danger: Knowing when to take a risk and when to run away is an essential skill for every hiker.

We're taught from a young age to fight our fears. But in the outdoors, sometimes the smart thing to do is to respect them instead.

Need a backcountry overnight dwelling in a crisis? Survival skills instructor Jessie Krebs has you covered.

Night is falling, and you’re far from the trailhead without a tent. Time to build your own all-natural Airbnb.

Long-lasting Covid symptoms can affect your hiking performance at high elevations. Here's how to prepare.

Floods, falls, ornery wildlife: Find out if you have what it takes to survive a desert dayhike gone wrong.

Humans have been starting fires without matches longer than with them. Can our modern man measure up?

Stay safe and move efficiently on loose, steep terrain with these tips.

A survey of more than 700 John Muir Trail thru-hikers gave researchers insight into what makes a hiker more likely to get injured or ill while backpacking.

Running into danger to save others is a noble urge. But curb it: A hurt rescuer is worse than no rescuer at all.

And what to do when you see an injured hiker on the trail.

For decades, hikers have debated the benefits of filters. Here's where we land.

Where there’s a blade, there’s a way. Use these techniques to carve, chop, scrape, and signal your way out of trouble.

Tempted to go full Bear Grylls? We set the record straight on the pros and cons (mostly cons) of drinking your own urine.

Sudden diet changes can leave backpackers in an uncomfortable situation.

That shiny sheet of plastic you have wadded up at the bottom of your daypack can help you stay alive. Will it help you stay comfortable? That’s a different story.

Think before you throw.

Four professional avalanche forecasters share their tips and gear picks for staying safe on a backcountry ski tour.

The solitude of a winter night beckons. But will our writer’s attempts to stay warm be a roaring success or a sputtering failure?

Ryan Osmun, 35, took a wrong step while hiking in Zion National Park in February and spent 10 hours stuck in the mud.

From bear tracks to brewing winter storms, keep an eye out for these signs of hazardous things coming.

Test your winter survival strategies for a chance to win a free class from AIM Adventure U.

Do you have what it takes to live through a wilderness emergency? Get the skills—and get home alive—with expert advice, skills, and real-life survival case studies from our experts.

Survival is no game—unless you make a video game out of it.

The wilderness has its fair share of dangers. Find out how you'd fare in a crisis.

A hydrated hiker is a happy hiker. Feel good and crush miles with these tips for identifying and avoiding dehydration.

Embrace spring’s bounty on the country’s best fungi forages.

Forget about the wildlife; human beings can be the most dangerous—and the most unpredictable—creatures you’ll meet on the trail. Here’s how to handle them.

The wilderness can be deadly if you don't know what you're doing. Take our test to rate your survival—and learn a few skills that might save your hide.

Learn to battle your way out of a raging river—and find a safe spot to crawl to shore—with these tips.

Sure you can patch up minor injuries, but will your knowledge be enough if your partner’s life is at stake?

When survival trumps beauty sleep, sacrifice your closed-cell foam mat for a higher purpose.

There’s a perfect fire for every situation. Learn to pick the right one.

Save your eyes, your electronics, and your life—as if you needed more reasons to start every trip with a breakfast burrito.

When the mercury gets high, hikers need to get smart. Survive extreme heat with these tips.

Darkness catch you off trail and far from camp? Have no fear. Follow these tips from Army Mountain Warfare instructor Sergeant Steve Jennings to stay on track without the sun’s help.

You never leave home without one. Now put it to use to ensure you always make it back.

Everything looks good when you're starving. Learn to tell what's really on the menu.

In the right hands, this little square of cloth is so much more.

Think your rainwear is only useful in bad weather? Not so. Use this expert advice to convert your shell into anything from a water carrier to a sling.

Traditional or modern, snowshoes can do a lot more than help you float on powder.

Compass broken? GPS dead? These tips, from backpacker and astronomy Ph.D. candidate Melodie Kao, will ensure that you never get lost in the dark again.

They're in your cabinets, in your drawers, and in your trunk. Master these six items to improve your chances of survival.

When a stunt on Mt. Sneffels went wrong, Cameron Zick found himself paralyzed in the wilderness.

Vision is important. But with a little ingenuity, your specs could save your life in other ways.

It’s not easy making fire like a caveman. Give yourself a chance with these tips.

Is hiking without a headlamp a midsummer night’s dream—or a nightmare?

Lost? Alone? Phone low on juice? There’s no app for that.

Found a glass bottle? Putting a message in there and casting it into the sea is a major Hail Mary. Try these six techniques instead.

Even a survival expert carries his cell phone (next to the blood clotting agent, that is).

Is self-nursing a viable survival strategy? Our survival expert weighs in on this and other reader questions.

Going commando? Not so fast. You never know how your skivvies can come to the rescue.

Alone and snakebitten? There are better strategies than panic.

Lost in the woods? You’re in luck. These six techniques will keep you so comfy, you may not want to be found.

So much “new” technology is modeled after things found in nature (bomber wings, solar cells, etc.). Harness natural solutions for survival, and you might do well enough to live like a bushman.

Watch our experts demonstrate good fire-making technique.

Could you survive without food in the wilderness? Our hungry hiker went searching for sustenance in one of the nation’s harshest environments to find out.

Teepee, Log Cabin, and Lean-to are three options for setting up a strong fire base.

From the dawn of history to dusk last night, fire is mankind’s oldest and most useful tool. Learn how to harness its strength to cook, survive, and connect to a primal force as old and powerful as time itself.

How to choose and build the optimal fire pit; how to light a fire in windy conditions.

Jack London’s "To Build a Fire" scared me into adolescence.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

From fun to deadly serious this list just might save your life (or at least make camping even more fun)

No matter where you are, there's natural material for the taking.