Philip Werner

Philip Werner quit his corporate job in 2010 to become a full-time hiker, guide, and outdoor writer. Since then he's hiked over nine thousand miles, become an adept fly fisherman, XC skier, and written over 3000 backpacking and hiking articles for SectionHiker.com.

10 Best Winter Sleeping Bags of 2024

10 Best Winter Sleeping Bags

The most important attributes of a sleeping bag for winter camping and backpacking are warm insulation, compressibility, low weight, and ample interior space to store gear and water so it doesn’t freeze overnight. Cost is also a factor, although a good winter …

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Ultralight Backpacking Tent Footprints

How Much Does Your Tent Footprint Weigh?

Most tent footprints are unnecessarily heavy. But there are some easy ways to reduce the weight of your footprint using ultralight footprint alternatives. Backpackers and campers use tent footprints to protect the bottom of their tents from sharp rocks and sand that can …

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Winter Bivy Sack Guide for 2024

Winter Bivy Sack Guide

Winter bivy sacks were first developed as solo shelters for mountaineering and climbing where participants were interested in lightweight and highly compressible camping gear. Bivy Sacks are also an attractive option for backpacking hunters, backcountry skiers, and winter backpackers who want the …

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SlingFin Portal 1 Tent Review

SlingFin Portal 1 Tent Review

The SlingFin Portal 1 is a freestanding double-wall tent that’s a one-person version of their bomber Portal 2-person tent, which we first used several years ago and recommend highly. The freestanding Portal 1 tent is superbly made, and suitable for 3+ season …

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Wiggy’s Waders Review

Wiggy’s Waders Review

Wiggy’s is a cottage manufacturer that makes a variety of products ranging from cold weather sleeping bags to insulated outwear for the wilderness hunting/military market. Their claim to fame is insulation they call Lamilite, which is a popular synthetic insulation called Climashield …

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