Backpacking Skills

What is Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF)? Dyneema Composite Fabric is a non-woven, laminate material that is used to make ultralight backpacking gear including backpacks, tents, tarps, footprints, stuff sacks, and backpack rain covers. It is made by sandwiching ultra-high-weight-molecular polyethylene Dyneema fibers with polyester to produce an exceptionally lightweight, strong, and waterproof material. Dyneema fibers …

A lot of backpackers get really stressed out when planning trips because they can’t find any information about pre-existing campsites along their route. While campgrounds, lean-tos, and signed designated campsites are usually easy to find out about, that’s often not the case with the dispersed campsites you find in the …

One of the hallmarks of good hiking and backpacking navigation is picking trails or routes that reduce the level of effort required to climb mountains or descend into valleys. The steepness or slope angle of a trail is usually the best indicator of the level of effort required to climb …

A GeoPDF Map is a PDF map that you can use for GPS Navigation on a Smartphone. You can easily make your own GeoPDF maps using a FREE online mapping tool called Caltopo.com (best used with a computer), email them to your phone, and navigate with them in a FREE …

Most US Government Land Management Agencies, including the United States Geological Survey, the National Park Service, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Land Management publish FREE maps using a format called GeoPDF. Like Adobe PDF documents, these maps can be displayed on many different computers, tablets, …

Many backpackers carry camp shoes or water shoes with them on backpacking trips for relaxing and for stream crossings to keep their boots dry. But how do you choose between the most popular camp shoes available like Crocs, Sockwas, Vivobarefoot Ultras, or flip flops? Here are the most important features to consider. light …

Ventilated backpacks have suspended mesh backs to help dry perspiration when you’re carrying a backpack. The mesh is suspended above a concave cavity so there’s a big air space behind your back to help evaporate moisture. Deuter Packs, which is the largest backpack manufacturer in the world, is credited with inventing …

A few years ago, ultralight backpacking used to require a religious conversion or at least a change in your packing “philosophy.” Those days are over. You don’t need to learn new skills or take a mentored backpacking trip if you already have some backpacking experience. Today, if you want to …