5 Hiker Gifts for Less than $20
Our hiking columnist knows firsthand that buying gifts for the hiker in your life can induce anxiety. These affordable finds from independent companies can’t miss.
Our hiking columnist knows firsthand that buying gifts for the hiker in your life can induce anxiety. These affordable finds from independent companies can’t miss.
The North Face VECTIVâ„¢ line of footwear helps you move with confidence and power further no matter the trail.
Click your way through our adventure guide to Baja California, Mexico.
We all slip, trip, and fall. So what's with all the embarrassment?
When it comes to summer test labs, Arizona’s Big Ditch takes the prize. Dr. Tom Myers, a guide and medical advisor for the Grand Canyon Association Field Institute, faces triple-digit temps every season. Follow his advice to keep cool.
For more than 100 years, our national parks have provided life-list experiences, adventures, and stop-in-your-tracks views. But not all parks—or hikes—are equal. So what’s a trekker to do? Start with these 25 trips, the new classics of the system. Consider them the merit badges of a very well-traveled backpacker.
There’s more to this Hawaiian island than its most famous trail—and with Na Pali Coast State Park closed indefinitely, there’s never been a better time to sample the best hikes Kaua’i has to offer.
Avoiding grizzlies with cubs is the easiest way to stay out of trouble. But what to do when they won't stop following you?
Avoiding grizzlies with cubs is the easiest way to stay out of trouble. But what to do when they won't stop following you?
One of our all-time favorite boots is back.
Professional adventurer Kalen Thorien explains how solo backpacking changed her life, and how it could change yours too.
Professional adventurer Kalen Thorien explains how solo backpacking changed her life, and how it could change yours too.
Christian Thomas, a.k.a. "Buddy Backpacker" thru-hiked the AT with his family at the tender age of five, then conquered the PCT. And he's not finished yet.
Christian Thomas, a.k.a. "Buddy Backpacker" thru-hiked the AT with his family at the tender age of five, then conquered the PCT. And he's not finished yet.
This pack raises the bar for big-load ventilation.
This pack raises the bar for big-load ventilation.
Watch our dispatch from the 2015 Editors' Choice Awards gear testing trip.
Don't go boot shopping just because of a worn-out heel. Repair a hiking boot fast with this at-home fix.
Don't go boot shopping just because of a worn-out heel. Repair a hiking boot fast with this at-home fix.
Would you resort to cannibalism if your life depended on it? A shocking number of our readers said "yes." Our expert shows you how to do the unthinkable.
As water crashes through a 70-foot-high slot canyon, three hikers have to make the ultimate choice to survive.
Join the BACKPACKER editors on a trek through Tasmania.
Use this technique to conserve energy and hike for hours on end.
Our tester breaks down this versatile boot from The North Face.
Watch as two BACKPACKER staffers toil through this grueling ultra hike.
Hike, run, or bike this moderate 6.2-mile out-and-back, which follows a scenic, rolling ridgeline to a boot-shaped mesa with a stunning ocean vista.
Hike 4.5 miles along Griffith Park's ridge for commanding views of the Hollywood sign and downtown.
Earmark a long weekend for this 31-miler linking tree-shaded lowlands, old mining homesteads, waterfalls, and a beautiful alpine lake.
Ascend razor-thin ridgelines and scramble up sheer rock faces on this 10.7-mile loop to Strawberry Peak, one of the most challenging summits in the San Gabriel frontcountry.
Find solitude less than an hour from 20 million Angelenos on a 14-mile out-and-back peppered with fishing spots, waterfalls and rock pools.
This 17-mile out-and-back in the Trinity Alps features pristine mountain lakes, stunning views and an easy, off-trail scramble.
A gentle 1.8 mile climb to an intimate view of the popular Maroon Bells from the lapping shores of Crater Lake.
These sturdy boots are nimble enough for short trail runs.
A profile of Brenna Fisch, who fell and broke her skull while hiking.
Running-shoe comfort with hiking-boot stability.
Two ultralight, ultracomfortable backpacks - one with a top lid and one without.
Tackle that big mountain with tips from our in-house mountain guide Tackle that big mountain with tips from our in-house mountain guide
The best carbon poles we've ever tested.
Ultralight, waterproof hikers that have all-day comfort and superb traction.
A lightweight pack with best-in-class suspension for heavy loads.
Get ready for the hike of a lifetime as our editors take you up the best trail in the Alps. Get ready for the hike of a lifetime as our editors take you up the best trail in the Alps. (Download the tracklog for this hike here!)
Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter demonstrates the basic clothing to wear on top to stay comfortable in any conditions.
Rocky Mountain Editor Steve Howe tackles a different kind of mountain in this video. Join him as he battles howling winds on the highest peak in Wales.
Follow BACKPACKER editors on a misty mountain hop through steep slopes, huge waterfalls, and fog-shrouded vistas in Wales' Brecon Beacons National Park.
Track caribou on Lake Superior's Slate Islands with our writer and photographer.
Jeff Chow spent 10 months mapping every mile of the AT for BACKPACKER. Learn about his favorite spots and hard-earned tips here.
Take an abandoned wagon road near Boulder's Flatirons with Backpacker editors Jon Dorn and Anthony Cerretani in this trail profile.
Join associate editor Shannon Davis as he hikes and paddles through Channel Islands.
If there were an Oscar for indie adventure films, Bruce "Buck" Nelson would be a runaway winner
Dennis Lewon shows you why the Mountainsmith Phoenix won this year's Green Award at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City. See why this pack from Mountainsmith went home with our Editors' Choice Award.
Editor in Chief Jon Dorn showcases this award winner at the 2008 Outdoor Retailer Show.