Frequently Asked Questions

Most ultralight backpacking tents are made with one of the following coated fabrics: siliconized nylon, siliconized polyester, and dyneema composite fabrics, also called, silnylon, silpoly, and DCF respectively. Some ultralight tents are also made with nylon or polyester that’s coated on one side with silicone and the other with polyurethane …

Siliconized nylon, more commonly called silnylon, is a waterproof fabric used to make tents by many smaller manufacturers including Six Moon Designs, Tarptent, Mountain Laurel Designs, and Hilleberg which specialize in making ultralight backpacking gear or expedition-grade tents. It’s also sold in bulk for DIY-ers by Ripstop-by-the Roll, for people …

A hammock underquilt keeps your underside warm at night, much like a sleeping pad, if you sleep on the ground instead of in the air. Most underquilt manufacturers like Hammock Gear and UGQ Outdoors give you the option to purchase full-length hammock underquilts or 3/4 length ones that only insulate …

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 and requires tent stakes to erect. While these …

Most backpackers who buy Jetboil stoves, buy the Jetboil Flash or Jetboil Zip models without realizing that they’re designed for boiling water to rehydrate freeze-dried or dehydrated backpacking meals and not simmering food slowly on a low flame, which is what people think of when it comes to “cooking” food. …

Have you ever gotten really cold while wearing a rain jacket and hiking in the rain? It can be really unpleasant and even lead to hypothermia if you let it get out of hand. The best way to stay warm when hiking in the rain, even in summer, is to …

Have you ever heard the expression, “maps lie?” It’s due to the fact that all maps, including topographic hiking maps, leave out information deemed irrelevant for their intended use. This is even true of the maps published by the US Geological Survey (USGS) which are considered the gold standard for …

Hiking time estimation is one of the most important trip planning skills for figuring out how long it will take you to hike a trail, climb a mountain, or backpack a route. One way to figure it out is to look at a guidebook or app, which will often list …

A backpacking sleep system refers to the collection of gear and clothing used for sleeping in camp. It’s called a system because the items have to work together and complement one another to perform a common function. For example, a sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and a pillow are all common …

With the exception of socks or underwear, most backpackers don’t bring multiple sets of clothing on backpacking trips in order to save weight. That means washing or rinsing clothes when they get stinky or crusty with perspiration and dirt. If you’re on a trail near a town, this means a …

One of the most useful items I carry on backpacking trips is a small pair of scissors. Scissors are great for trimming leukotape if I feel a blister coming on or for shaping a piece of tenacious tape if I rip a hole in a piece of gear. I also …

Hiking rain pants are designed to protect you from the chilling effects of rain or wind. If you plan to hike in a climate where it rains frequently and/or you’re exposed to cold wind, carrying rain pants, rain chaps, or a rain kilt is advisable. If it does rain and …

Most overnight and multi-day backpacks have either a top lid pocket or a roll-top closure. Both are perfectly fine for backpacking and which you choose has a lot to do with your personal preferences, packing style, and the type and quantity of gear you need to carry. However, an increasing …

You’ve bought a tent with a waterproof floor. Do you need to buy a tent footprint or a groundsheet for it too? It depends on how durable your tent floor is, how waterproof it is, and what the surface conditions are like where you intend to use it. In order …