Backpacking Skills

Wolverine ShiftPlus Polar Range Boots are winter boots rated down to -40F with 400-gram Primaloft Aerogel insulation.  They’re not specifically designed for winter hiking and lack some of the features found on good winter hiking boots like a curved rockered sole designed …

If you do a lot of winter hiking in high gaiters, sooner or later, they’re going to get punctured by self-inflicted crampon strikes or get hung up on vegetation and torn. Many people repair them with duct tape when this happens, which …

Here are 10 hiking and backpacking gear maintenance tasks to put on your to-do list this December. With the winter hiking and backpacking season starting, it’s worthwhile to repair your existing hiking gear and to switch to a few winter-specific items. Winter …

The Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra is a winter traction device that has 18 half-inch stainless spikes connected to an elastomer harness compatible with all hiking boots, shoes, and trail runners. They’re essentially tire chains for your feet, designed to give you better traction for …

This is a serious issue because I see a lot of people do this improperly, opening themselves to a potentially serious injury. To remedy that, I’m going to demonstrate how you should do this safely, in a way that prevents the axe …

Reynolds Oven Bags can be used as vapor barrier socks for cold winter hiking. They prevent foot perspiration from degrading the insulation inside your boots and freezing overnight when winter camping. This is especially valuable if your insulated boots do not have …

There are times when you need to wear ski goggles and a balaclava that provides full-face protection on winter hikes, especially above treeline when there’s wind and blowing snow. While it sounds simple, it takes some practice to make sure that your …

Kahtoohla Microspikes are ideal for mixed rock, ice, and snow outings for a number of reasons. Unlike crampons, anyone can use them without any special training. Put them on and go. You don’t need to learn how to drive if you put …

If you’re going to be hiking or backpacking in mountainous terrain in winter, you should learn about the prevailing weather patterns and forecasting tools that are available for planning hikes and other backcountry tours. The weather in valleys seldom matches the weather …

Whenever you go hiking, it’s important to stay properly hydrated. This is especially important for winter hiking when even mild dehydration can cloud your judgment and reduce your energy level. In winter, water loss occurs through perspiration and respiration. While you can …

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 …

Pac boots, like the kind you get from Sorel, Kamik, Cabelas, or LL Bean, are not a good option for serious hiking in winter terrain. While Pac boots were the only inexpensive alternative to buying expensive mountaineering boots about FIVE or TEN …

Winter hikers use three different kinds of traction devices in winter: microspikes, mountaineering crampons, and snowshoes. Microspikes and mountaineering crampons are used to provide traction on ice and packed snow while snowshoes are mainly used to provide flotation on top of unconsolidated snow.  …

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 …