Backpacking Skills

Tarps are a great ultralight backpacking shelter option, provided they’re used in a climate where there’s no rain or occasional rain. To clarify, I’m talking about square or rectangular tarps with or without catenary cut ridgelines and sides, and not single walled …

Esbit Cubes are the simplest, lightest, and most reliable way to boil water or cook food on backpacking trips. There’s no extra container weight to carry with Esbit Cubes, like a white gas stove bottle or isobutane canister, and you can even …

? With winter just around the bend, this is a good time to start thinking about checking your winter hiking gear and sharpening your crampons. Crampons work best when they’re sharp enough to assertively bite into ice. The problem is that they …

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 …

Tenacious Tape is the bee’s knees for patching rips and burns in hard shells and insulated jackets, inflatable sleeping pads, tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks. I’ve used it many times since to repair the gear and clothing I like and want to …

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 …

If you crave a deep connection with the wilderness, there’s nothing more intimate than sleeping under a square or rectangular tarp. Pitching a tarp takes more thought than setting up a tent because you need to consider what the best setup or “shape” will …

Kahtoola’s KTS Crampons are a winter traction aid designed for use with soft-soled shoes. This is important in spring when the base of peaks have no snow, but you need to bring along traction to deal with lingering ice on high ledges …

Most winter hikers carry several pairs of gloves and switch between as their needs for breathability, dexterity, wind resistance, waterproofing, or warmth change during the day. No one pair of gloves can satisfy all of these needs, so it’s best to carry …

How long does it take to hike a Presidential Traverse? That depends on a lot of factors, but there is a way to figure it out using a navigational aid called a Time Control Plan. Time control plans (TCP) are used to estimate …

Sprained ankle injuries can take four to eight weeks to heal but it’s important to strengthen your ankle during recovery to prevent a recurrence of the injury. That means engaging in targeted physical therapy exercises that work the ankle from multiple directions …

Backpackers are split about 50/50 when it comes to using a backpack rain cover or lining the inside of their backpacks with a plastic bag or backpack liner designed for that purpose. When I started backpacking, I used a backpack rain cover …

Winter stream crossings can be dangerous if you slip off a rock or fall through an ice shelf and get your boots and clothing wet. However, you can often cross safely with a little extra planning or by bushwhacking along the bank …

I use 9 clothing items (not including hats, socks, or gloves) for three season hiking and backpacking. It’s amazing how many different scenarios they are sufficient for. Environmental Needs Most of the hiking and backpacking I do is in New Hampshire and …