Videos & Photos

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.

Four is not a crowd in this family-size featherweight.

Climbing guru Peter Whittaker gives Backpacker a preview of a new line of gear from Eddie Bauer.

Want a one-pack quiver? Our editors loved this versatile, lightweight pack on everything from fast-and-light weekends to overloaded weeks. Find out why in this exclusive video, shot on location in Wales.

With superior stability, breathability, and versatility, the all-purpose, midweight Kayland Zephyr hiking boot became an editor favorite after standing up to the worst weather Wales could throw at it. See it in action here.

Dive off the Grand Canyon's South Rim and explore a waterfall-rich grotto and the canyon's largest natural rock bridge on this classic, 34-mile trek captured in vivid 3-D detail.

Editor-in-Chief Jon Dorn discusses the past, present, and future of mountaineering with Everest's All-Star Team.

Are you ready for your best backcountry sleep ever? Carry less and sleep more with this light-and-luxe mattress.

Bright, light, and rechargeable--the perfect camp lantern is here. Green Editor Berne Broudy breaks down why this lamp made the EC cut. 2613919215001

Witness the world's worst weather as the BACKPACKER staff tackles wailing wind, slippery crags, and zero visibility in the high peaks of Wales' Snowdonia National Park. 2613861809001

BACKPACKER Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Dorn shows you how to get the most out the British Isles' best seaside trek, the 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coastal Path.

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.

From suspension to pockets, gear editor Kristin Hostetter details what to consider when shopping for a new pack.

Our resident gear expert looks at down vs. synthetic, mummy vs. rectangular, zipper options, and more. Our resident gear expert looks at down vs. synthetic, mummy vs. rectangular, zipper options, and more.

Get salty on a tour of the lochs and islands on the western coast of Scotland. Backpacker Deputy Editor Anthony Cerretani scores a bottle of scotch and jumps aboard a converted fishing vessel.

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED. Alaska wolves are prized for their pelts. Here, trapper and tanner Al Barrette skins a wolf and makes the case for continued hunting and trapping.

Join wildlife scientist Gordon Haber on a trip into Denali to track down the threatened Toklat pack's den, where he hopes to see wolves thriving in their natural environment.

Coke Wallace lives to hunt wolves. Follow him into the Alaskan backcountry to learn how wolf hunters find, catch, and kill their prey.

Track caribou on Lake Superior's Slate Islands with our writer and photographer.

Frigid temperatures are hard to find in the middle of the summer (when we shot this video) so after soaking three sleeping bags, we chilled out at a local liquor store.

Yeah, we know you probably won't ever get fully submerged in a raging river while in your sleeping bag, but that's not good enough for us.

In this gear test, Shannon Davis jumps in three sleeping bags and we hose them down to see how each one handles high-force rain.

Jeff Chow spent 10 months mapping every mile of the AT for BACKPACKER. Learn about his favorite spots and hard-earned tips here.

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.

Get the basics dialed. Our Editor in Chief shows you how to put together the perfect homemade survival kit. Get packing basics dialed. Our Editor in Chief shows you how to put together the perfect homemade survival kit.

Follow these steps and you're guaranteed the perfect campfire in no time.

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.

Don't panic: Severe wounds are part of the risks of backcountry travel. Learn how to treat bleeding cuts, and you just might save your hiking partner's life–or your own.

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.

Go behind the scenes as BACKPACKER staffers learn the ropes of adventure filmmaking

Everest filmmaker, and Emmy-award winner, Michael Brown shows you how to take your backcountry videos to the next level.

Take an abandoned wagon road near Boulder's Flatirons with Backpacker editors Jon Dorn and Anthony Cerretani in this trail profile.

Link high peaks, blueberry-cloaked balds, primo trout fishing, and the South's sweetest backcountry swimming holes on this challenging, 56.7-mile hike.

On this crowd-free 60-miler, you'll follow in John Muir and Ansel Adams's bootprints on a high-country trek to the best views in the Range of Light.

On this seven-day trek through the legendary Toklat Valley, we've watched wolves hunt snowshoe hares, dodged caribou running up riverbars, and stood our ground while grizzlies bluff-charged camp.

Enjoy yawning panoramas and no campsite competition along the Big Ditch's middle balcony–the Tonto Plateau–on a 5-day trek locals call "the jewels" for its perfectly placed (and lifesaving) springs.

Ramble from giant virgin cedar, hemlock, fir trees to high alpine peaks and classic Northwest rainforest on this 45-mile epic.

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

Associate editor Shannon Davis shows you how to swing in style.

Join associate editor Shannon Davis as he hikes and paddles through Channel Islands.

Associate editor Shannon Davis highlights the merits of the Integral Designs Penguin Reflexion and Rab Super Light Bivys.

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

If there were an Oscar for indie adventure films, Bruce "Buck" Nelson would be a runaway winner

Big and small, the Backpacker teams spotted a variety of wildlife along the CDT

Team 43 treks through Montana and Idaho for Backpacker's CDT Project

Join the Backpacker CDT Project along this picturesque trail

Join the Backpacker editors on their gear testing trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park. 2613919216001

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.

Backpacker Map Editor Kris Wagner shows off one of the cooler jackets at this year's show. The Merrell Gatherer has zipper access that allows you to stuff the jacket with your own insulation.

Backpacker Deputy Editor Dennis Lewon reports live from the 2008 Winter Outdoor Retailer Show on why Marmot's tried and true sleeping bags were given an Editors' Choice Gold Award.

Kristin Hostetter breaks down (and puts back together) GSI's killer cooking system at the 2008 Winter Outdoor Retailer Show.

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.

Learn to calculate this essential fitness metric.

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.

Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter breaks down the basics of sizing the right bag.

Join the Backpacker staff as they bag Longs Peak in this exclusive on-the-scene video.

Jon Dorn shows you how to clean and store your hydration unit after a long day on the trail.

Backpacker Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter breaks down two of the best camp stoves of 2007 on the trail.

Backpacker associate editor Shannon Davis puts the CamelBak hydration system through the wringer... Shannon Davis puts the CamelBak hydration system through the wringer...