For Beginners

What is an Appalachian Trail Shelter? Appalachian Trail Shelters come in many different styles and sizes. Most are built-in a lean-to style with one wall open to the elements, but here are many different shelter designs in use up and down the trail. Some have covered porches where hikers can …

The first thing I do when I pack my backpack is to line the inside with a thick trash compactor garbage bag, like the kind you can buy in a supermarket. These plastic bags are very tough, last a long time, and are an excellent defense against rain and wet …

I carry a variety of navigation tools and devices on my hikes and backpacking trips because I’ve never found once that’s perfectly reliable or easy to use in all situations. Every navigation tool and device has different strengths and weakness, as I describe below. Maps, often more than one Compass, declination adjustable …

It’s amazing how some backpacking gear myths persist, even when there’s ample evidence to the contrary. Here are my favorites.  1. Two people can fit in a 2 person tent. Most two person tents are too small to actually fit two people unless they’re 8 years old. If you want …

When buying a backpack you want to make sure that the hip belt is long enough so that it transfers most of your pack weight off your shoulders and onto your hips so that you can use the biggest muscles in your body, your legs, to carry most of the weight. …

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 Maine, up and down the East Coast on …

How would you like to save 40%-60% off hiking, backpacking, climbing, skiing, mountaineering, running, cycling, fishing and kayaking gear and apparel? There’s a good chance that you already qualify for these kinds of discounts from dozens or hundreds of manufacturers, but don’t know it. What is a Pro Deal? Outdoor …

A GPS receiver or Smartphone GPS App is a powerful hiking and backpacking navigation device, but it must be configured properly for use and has important limitations that trip up most beginner GPS users who may put undue trust in its ability to guide them in the backcountry. Here are …

When I started getting into lightweight backpacking, I spent a lot of time staring at my gear list to make sure I squeezed every ounce of weight out of it. That’s ok. It’s part of the process that every lightweight or ultralight backpacker goes through when they realize that they …

Many people like to eat freeze-dried backpacking meals on overnight trips or dehydrate their own food and make freezer-bag dinners because you just add hot water to them and they don’t require any cleanup. But I don’t mind cooking a hot dinner after a hard day of hiking, although I …

Do you love to backpack, but can't take off six months at a time for a thru-hike? There's no shame in becoming a weekend warrior and backpacking once a week or once a month for a few days.

Single. Double. Triple. Bridge. Gathered end. Spreader bar. With all the different styles and designs of hammocks available, choosing the right one can be confusing, particularly if you’re intending that hammock for a specific purpose, such as a thru-hike on the AT. I’ve tested and seen just about every type …

Whenever you get back from a hiking and backpacking trip, it’s important to hang up your tent, backpack, footprint and other gear and let it dry off so that mildew doesn’t form on it. But mildew can also grow on gear that is stored in a damp place like your …

Bivy sacks were first developed as solo shelters for mountaineering and climbing where participants were interested in light weight and highly compressible gear.