The leading causes of wetness inside your rain jacket are condensation and perspiration. Condensation occurs water vapor encounters a colder surface and changes from a gaseous form into a liquid one. When the air is humid it has a lot of water …
Read More »Frequently Asked Questions
Adjustable Torso Length Backpacks 101
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 …
Read More »How to Pitch a Tent on a Wooden Platform
Many state parks, national forests, and national parks have campsites with wooden tent platforms. If you’ve ever tried to set up a tent on one of these, you know what a challenge can be if you have a tent that’s not freestanding …
Read More »What is a Single Wall Tent?
There are two types of backpacking and camping tents: single-wall tents, which are popular because they’re lightweight, and double-wall tents which are heavier but provide more protection for their occupants. The best way to describe the pros and cons of a single-wall …
Read More »Ultralight Tents: Common Pitfalls and Complaints
While ultralight tents are easier to carry because they weigh less, you usually have to sacrifice something in terms of comfort, ease of use, or weather protection to use one. The weight reduction doesn’t come for free, even if the tent is …
Read More »Liquid Fuel – White Gas Stove Guide
If you plan on winter camping or backpacking in temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, you should consider getting a liquid fuel stove that burns petroleum distillates like white gas or kerosene instead of a canister-based stove that burns isobutane fuel. Canister gas …
Read More »What is the Difference Between a Rain Jacket and a Hard Shell?
Hard shell jackets are a burly type of rain jacket, usually made with waterproof/breathable fabric, that is used for cold weather hiking as a windproof and waterproof clothing layer. They have a richer set of temperature regulation features and pockets than warm …
Read More »What is the Fill Power of Synthetic Insulation?
How does synthetic insulation compare to down insulation in terms of warmth? You might be surprised how lackluster it is in comparison, even with recent advances in the types of synthetic insulation available. Fill power is used to measure the warmth of …
Read More »How Many Days of Food Can You Pack in a Bear Canister or Ursack?
There’s a simple rule of thumb for figuring out how many days of food you can fit into a bear canister. Find out the capacity of your bear canister in cubic inches and divide by 100. That will give you a pretty …
Read More »How Effective are DWR Restoration Treatments?
Waterproof breathable rain jackets are not permanently breathable. Instead, they’re coated with a chemical formulation called DWR, which stands for Durable Water Repellancy, that causes water to bead up on the jacket surface when it rains and roll off. The problem is …
Read More »How to Stop Your Superfeet Insoles from Squeaking
The second most annoying sound in this world is the sound of insoles squeaking when you walk. If you’re a hiker or backpacker, listening to this sound while you hike, mile after mile, will drive you mad…not to mention your partners. But …
Read More »Sleeping Pad R-Values and Temperature Ratings: How They Correspond
Backpacking and camping sleeping pads are rated using R-values which measure their ability to keep you warm when you lie down on the cold ground. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating power. It’s much more technical than that, but that’s …
Read More »Do You Need a Pack Liner for a Waterproof Backpack?
More and more ultralight backpacking packs are being made with waterproof materials like Dyneema Composite Fabrics (DCF), Ultra, Liteskin, EcoPak, and XPac. These fabrics absorb very little water and are bonded with a waterproof layer that prevents them from being soaked through …
Read More »What is Skin Out Weight in Backpacking?
Skin Out Weight is the weight of your backpacking gear, water, food, fuel, the clothing you’re wearing, your shoes, watch, sunglasses, smartphone, trekking poles if you use them, and anything else on your person or in your pack. Backpacking Base Weight, in …
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