Rock Spikes are Kahtoola Microspikes, Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras, and any other lightweight (chain-based) winter traction aids with dull spikes that have been worn down from heavy use. Rather than throw them away, hikers and peakbaggers use them during the early winter …
Read More »Backpacking Skills
Can You Use a 3-Season Tent in Winter?
Many three-season tents can be used for winter camping or backpacking if you set them up below treeline, they have strong aluminum or carbon fiber tent poles, and you bring sufficient sleeping insulation and warm clothing to remain comfortable in cold weather. …
Read More »TSL Snowshoes Symbioz Elite Snowshoes Review
TSL’s Symbioz Elite Snowshoes are designed for use in mountainous terrain with aggressive crampons and a heel lift for climbing steep and icy slopes. They have a large horizontal front crampon, good for digging into slopes, with 8 stainless-steel cleats (rotated 90 …
Read More »How to Melt Snow…Without Burning a Hole in Your Cooking Pot
Winter backpacking requires the development of many new skills, particularly in the area of hydration and stove use. Chief amongst these is melting snow for drinking water since most of the streams you encounter will be frozen over and you can’t ingest …
Read More »Winter Hiking in Trail Runners
If you use trail runners for hiking and backpacking in three-season weather, it is possible to keep using them in winter instead of insulated winter hiking boots or mountaineering boots. There are some advantages to doing this. Trail runners are substantially lighter …
Read More »Hyperlite Mountain Gear Packing Pods Review
Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s small and large packing pods are the ultralight equivalent of the luggage packing cubes that people use to pack travel bags. They’re U-shaped to fit snugly into Hyperlite’s backpacks and can be used in place of a white plastic compactor …
Read More »KEEN Targhee High Lace Winter Hiking Boots Review
KEEN’s Targhee High Lace Winter Hiking Boots are full-height (not mids) waterproof/breathable insulated boots rated to -25F/-32C. They are amazingly comfortable for a winter boot, with soft leather uppers that require virtually no break-in period to wear. Specs at a Glance Temperature …
Read More »Backpacking Gear Repair Hacks
If you want to save money and prolong the life of your backpacking gear, it pays to maintain it and repair it by yourself. Here are the commercial products I use to fix my gear as well as the replacement parts I …
Read More »Tubbs Flex VRT Snowshoe Review
The Tubbs Flex VRT is a plastic decked snowshoe with an aggressive crampon setup that’s ideal for snowshoeing in steep and mountainous terrain. It has an easy-to-use Boa binding system that clamps down around your boots and won’t slip in use, along …
Read More »The North Face Chilkat 400 II Winter Hiking Boots Review
The North Face Chilkat 400 II is an insulated waterproof/breathable winter hiking boot rated to -40F/-40C. Available for both men and women, these boots come up to mid-calf for maximum heat retention and feature metal lacing hardware for durability, a gaiter ring …
Read More »How Breathable are Waterproof/Breathable Winter Hiking Boots?
I’ve been a serious winter hiker for close to 15 years and I’ve never owned a pair of single-layer, insulated waterproof/breathable winter hiking boots that didn’t leave my socks damp or wet from foot perspiration. I’ve used 400g and 200g insulated winter …
Read More »Winter Hiking Blister Prevention and Footcare
I go the extra mile to avoid blisters when winter day hiking and backpacking because I don’t want to sit on the bench for 2-3 weeks while they heal. Everyone has a different system for winter blister prevention because everyone has different …
Read More »Norrona Falketind Flex1 Softshell Pants Review
Norrona’s Falketind Flex1 Softshell Pants are technical mountaineering pants that are ideal for winter hiking and climbing. They’re stretchy, wind-resistant, and highly breathable to keep your legs cool and dry during high exertion activities. Feature-wise, they have four zippered pockets, two long …
Read More »Camp XLC 490 Aluminum Crampons Review
CAMP XLC 490 Crampons are lightweight aluminum crampons with a universal binding that are compatible with most mountaineering and hiking boots. They’re designed for low-angle hiking on ice and packed snow, often called glacier travel. While aluminum crampons aren’t as durable as …
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