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Backpacking Articles - Latest

Minimalist and Backpacking Footwear

In this guide, we’ll explore the primary categories of footwear for backpacking and hiking, including minimalist footwear, examining their unique benefits, limitations, and use cases.

Podcast 113 | Pad Pumps

In episode 113 of the Backpacking Light Podcast, we talk about current PAD PUMP trends in the ultralight cottage industry, the challenges faced by small businesses during the holiday season plus a few interesting stocking stuffers.

LightBench: A Laboratory Testing Procotol for Comparing the Performance of Flashlights and Headlamps

In this technical brief, we quantitatively evaluate the performance of lights considering brightness, battery life, and weight into an objective Lightbench Index.

Inflatable Sleeping Pads: Finding Comfort when Sleeping on the Ground (Updated)

The product category of inflatable sleeping pad is trending towards larger, warmer, and more comfortable pads - with very little weight penalty.

Keep Your Feet Happy and Healthy: A Crash Course for Backcountry Podiatry

Knowing how to properly care for your feet can make or break a hike, especially on longer trips. In this article, I examine available data on common foot and ankle injuries and discuss how to prevent them, as well as what to do when they occur in the field.

Gear Guide: Satellite Messaging Devices (“Messengers”)

This gear guide summarizes the category of satellite messaging-centric devices, i.e., devices that focus on satellite messaging as its primary, rather than secondary, function. This is in contrast to navigation-centric devices (which usually offer integrated mapping on the device), such as the Garmin inReach Explorer or Garmin GPSMap.

Staff Picks 2024

Our staff selects their favorite hiking, backpacking, and other backcountry gear that they’ve used over the past year - the next edition of our infamous Staff Picks!

Podcast 112 | The Analog Backcountry Experience

In episode 112 of the Backpacking Light podcast we're going to learn about the analog Backcountry experience and some of the gear that can help feed your need for a digital-free backcountry life.

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Our Backpacking Community - Latest Member Activity

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