how to

Learn this easy measurement and get the right size pack.

Learn this useful knot in a few easy steps.

Fix anything with this lightweight, DIY kit.

Upgrade your trips with these key luxuries for short trips.

Learn this useful knot in a few easy steps.

Improve comfort and stability.

Save weight by leaving these key items behind on long journeys.

Treat wounds, sprains, and more with this lightweight, DIY kit.

The 11 things you should have with you on any hike

Improve all-day comfort and prevent blisters with these key tips.

Ask yourself these key questions before buying a new shelter.

Be prepared for backcountry accidents with this lightweight, DIY kit.

Stay comfortable on the trail with the ABCDs of packing.

Ask yourself these questions before buying a new bag.

Learn to make basics tools with what you can find in the backcountry.

Use this technique to conserve energy and hike for hours on end.

Kristin Hostetter shows you how to put together a repair kit for the trail.

Associate photo editor Genny Fullerton shows you how to use a histogram on your DSLR.

Learn to pick the winter pack that's right for you with contributing editor Kelly Bastone.

Editor-in-Chief Dennis Lewon shows you how to pick the tent that's right for you.

Make sure you stay on track with this step-by-step guide to calibrating your GPS unit.

Drop Dead Ted puts all sorts of survival whistle options to the test.

DIY firestarter - perfect for camping.

Become a camp cook extraordinaire when you put together your own big group cook kit.

Our rugged tests put cameras against the elements.

Learn how to create a lightweight, functional backcountry stove for less than a few dollars.

Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter on packing the right foods for winter camping

Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter shows how to fix a leaking fuel stove

Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter shows how to melt snow when camping.

Executive Editor Dennis Lewon shows how to anchor your tent in the snow.

Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter demonstrates how to safely cook inside a tent's vestibule

Learn to cook eggs with this in-the-bag demo.

What do you do with a soggy Bic? Learn how to dry it out in a hurry on the trail.

How to responsibly store, equip, release, and dispose of bear spray.

How to improvise a flotation device using your pants.

Turn one amazing trail snack into a lifesaving firestarter.

Avoid the most common backcountry first-aid mishap--hot water burns. Use these stove safety techniques to reduce your backcountry burn risk.

How can you cut weight? Learn how to, literally, shave ounces or even pounds from your pack.

Have a puddle of putrid water--or nothing to drink besides your own pee? Drop Dead Ted shows you how to build a backcountry solar still that'll make pure water out of just about anything wet.

Backpacker's survivalist everyman, Drop Dead Ted, explains how to aim and signal for help with a reflective mirror.

Staff Photographer Ben Fullerton reviews the steps to safely catching a bolt of lightning on film.

Kristin Hostetter shows you the essential gear, and how to pack it, for a day of backcountry skiing.

Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter demonstrates the basic clothing to wear on top to stay comfortable in any conditions.

Live from Alaska's Castner Glacier, Rocky Mountain editor Steve Howe shows you the basics for putting on crampons

Use this fun and fruity backcountry recipe to make a tasty dessert that the kids (and you) will love

You heard us right: Wow your campmates with this classic gourmet dessert made right outside your tent.

You heard us right: Wow your campmates with this classic gourmet dessert made right outside your tent.

Our Trail Chef shows you how to make no-mess backcountry pancakes using–you heard us right–beer.

Our Trail Chef shows you how to make no-mess backcountry pancakes using–you heard us right–beer.

If you've caught a fish in the backcountry but forgot the pan, don't despair: Trail Chef shows you how to improvise a skillet with a rock. Also, learn Trail Chef's Spicy Southwest Marinade--perfect for any food with fins.

If you've caught a fish in the backcountry but forgot the pan, don't despair: Trail Chef shows you how to improvise a skillet with a rock. Also, learn Trail Chef's Spicy Southwest Marinade--perfect for any food with fins.

Assistant Map Editor Kim Phillips shows you how to us a GPS and digital camera to map your trail and document your hike in this video tutorial. Kim Phillips shows you how to us a GPS and digital camera to map your trail and document your hike in this video tutorial.

Because you can't get delivery on the trail

Fry bacon and eggs in a bag with Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan and this unconventional camp cooking technique.

Fry bacon and eggs in a bag with Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan and this unconventional camp cooking technique.

Editor-in-Chief Jon Dorn shows you how to get a fire going with nothing but your cellphone, a piece of steel wool, and some tinder.

Prevent the deep chill by learning how to spot and treat hypothermia in the backcountry.

Whether you're solo or with a group, the BACKPACKER editors show you how to safely cross a raging river–no bridge necessary.

Learn what to put in a bear canister–and where to hide it–to keep your meals safe.

It's OK to admit it: you've logged hundreds of miles in the backcountry without really knowing how to use your compass and topo map together. Watch our video tutorial to catch up on this essential backpacking skill.

Find your way using only a topo map and a GPS.

Our Editor in Chief schools you on his packing secrets for long-trail comfort.

In the wilderness, a broken leg can you leave you stranded–or worse. But if you know how to diagnose, treat, and build a splint with camping gear, you'll better your odds for survival.

Learn how to deal with a black bear or grizzly encounter with Shannon Davis and Ted the Bear.

From choosing a tent site to pitching your shelter in a howling wind, the BACKPACKER editors show you the basics of setting up camp.

Associate editor Jason Stevenson and marketing coordinator Amy Clore offer a lesson in healthy drinking

...by watching our many mistakes. Assistant editor Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan plays guinea pig.

Editor in Chief Jon Dorn teaches you how to fix a ripped sleeping pad in this skills video.

One of the most critical pieces to finding the ideal backpack is your torso length. Backpacker Gear editor Kristin Hostetter shows you how to get started.

Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter drops some knowledge on how to find, fit, and buy your perfect backpack.

It's not as easy as it sounds. Jon Dorn shows you how to wash your sleeping bag correctly to make it last as long as possible.