For Beginners

Backpacking woods stoves are a great weight saving option for boiling water on backpacking trips because they eliminate the need to carry fuel and a fuel container, such as an isobutane canister or alcohol bottle. As long as you can find dry wood to burn, and it doesn’t take much, …

I carry a 6-ounce personal first aid kit when I go day hiking and backpacking. It contains more bandages and medications than I might need on a trip so I only have to replenish it periodically. It’s also closely “aligned” to the locale where I do most of my trips, …

Few moments in life compare emotionally to what occurs when someone holds a first grandchild. A friend who joined the ranks wrote, “He was only thirty minutes old, but I’d already taken him fishing six times!” I knew exactly how he felt because his statement brought back the flood of …

Double-wall tents are making a comeback amongst backpackers because they’ve become much lighter with gear weights that rival their single-walled competitors. This is especially true in the two-person (non-Dyneema) tent category where several 2-person, double-wall tents including the NEMO Hornet 2P and the Durston Drop X-Mid 1 which both weigh 2 …

Leukotape Sports Tape is a sticky blister prevention tape with a strong zinc oxide adhesive that won’t come off, even in very wet conditions. It’s also highly breathable, so it can be safely worn by runners and backpackers for several days at a time. It’s best used as a preventative …

It’s easy to get carried away when organizing your backpacking gear and use more stuff sacks, dry bags, or compression sacks than you need. While stuff sacks are useful for keeping small items together, it’s beneficial and more space efficient to use as few as possible. While I use stuff …

Backpacking trips and day hikes don’t always go as planned. The weather can change unexpectedly. You can injure yourself and you might come across someone who needs help. Different times of year can also necessitate carrying different types of survival tools or supplies. While you can technically view all of …

Recommended Backpack Volumes How much volume should you get in a daypack, weekend backpack, multi-day backpack, or expedition backpack? Here are some volume guidelines and advice so you can start shopping for backpacks in the appropriate size range. Daypacks Most daypacks range from 20 liters to 35 liters on the high-end. …

It’s happened to all of us. You arrive at a backcountry stream or spring ready to refill your bottles or hydration bladder and filter water only to find they’re almost dry, running at just a trickle, or very shallow. Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to …

I carry a separate set of clothes to sleep in on backpacking trips because it feels nice to put something on that’s clean after perspiring in my regular daytime hiking clothes. They also serve double duty as an extra baselayer in cold weather or if I need to change into …

Many people like to carry a hydration system (reservoir and hose) on day hikes and backpacking trips, but others prefer carrying water bottles instead. While you can chalk up the difference to personal preference, there are definite pros and cons to hiking with a hydration system in different circumstances, depending …

There are two kinds of backpacks you can buy – ones with fixed length torsos and one with adjustable length torsos. Fixed length packs tend to be a little lighter weight than packs with adjustable lengths, but they either fit you or they don’t. Adjustable length backpacks can be sized …

No. It’s a myth that sleeping naked in a sleeping bag is warmer than wearing in long underwear. I’m not sure how this Internet meme started but it’s dead wrong. How Sleeping Bags Work Sleeping bags are designed to trap the heat your body produces and prevent it from escaping. …

The biggest dirty little secret in the outdoor industry is that rain gear won’t keep you dry. It doesn’t matter if you buy a high-end $450 Arcteryx Gore-tex Parka or wear your bathrobe, they’ll both Wet Out in continuous rain and leave you soaking wet. This happened to me (for …