Backpacking Skills

There are three different types of ultralight bug shelters suitable for cowboy camping, sleeping in a lean-to, or underneath a flat tarp: Bivy Sacks Bug Bivies Net Tents While they’re all similar in certain respects, they have distinct differences, pros, and cons. …

An insulated skirt? Could that possibly be an idea that has any merit at all? A few years back, I started to ask myself this question and I thought the answer would be “no”. I’d seen a couple of women on the …

I’ve developed a case of Plantar Fasciitis in my left foot this summer, a painful repetition injury often caused by hiking or running that presents itself as chronic heel pain. The pain is caused by the inflammation of the ligament that connects your heel …

Here are 10 hiking and backpacking gear maintenance tasks to put on your to-do list this November. With the three-season hiking and backpacking season winding down, it’s worthwhile to maintain your hiking and camping gear before packing it away for next spring …

Outdoor Research Phosphor Down Mitts are warm down-insulated mittens for people who get very cold hands during winter hikes or when downhill skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling. They’re insulated with 600 fill power goose down and made with Goretex Infinium with Windstopper. While …

Hard shell jackets are a burly type of rain jacket used for winter hiking as a windproof and waterproof clothing layer. They have a richer set of temperature regulation and storage features than warm weather rain jackets to help you avoid perspiration …

Feathered Friend’s Down Booties are goose-down socks that have a removable weather-resistant shell so you can wear them in your sleeping bag or outdoors when winter camping. I like wearing mine in the cabin or on winter backpacking trips after removing my …

If you’re gearing up for winter hiking and backpacking, it’s worth asking yourself if you want a backpack that’s designed for winter use, or whether you can get by using the backpack you use the rest of the year. Personally, I prefer …

Showa 282 Temres Gloves (also called Smurf Gloves or Japanese Fishing Gloves) are low-cost, single-layer, waterproof/breathable gloves lined with synthetic insulation that make excellent winter hiking and snowshoeing gloves. Priced at $20-$26/pair (depending on size) on Amazon Prime, they’re not the most …

Insulated winter water bottle holders capable of holding 32 oz wide mouth bottles are in very short supply this year. The best-insulated carriers from Forty Below, Mountainsmith, and Outdoor Research are either sold out or back-ordered due to supply chain delays. Here’s …

Winter boots are usually insulated with 200g or 400g synthetic insulation which is very thin but warm. The insulation varies but is usually Thinsulate, Primaloft, or a comparable synthetic fill or fiber. In addition, winter boots are almost always waterproof with waterproof/breathable …

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 …

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 …

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 …