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Suunto X9 Review

Comprehensive review of the Suunto X9 GPS watch.

Summer Desert Gear List

Summer Desert Gear List

Hot Weather Hiking – A Family Hike in the Grand Canyon
Our plan took shape in the cool of the Sonoran desert winter. My wife, Karen, and I had been enchanted by the Grand Canyon the previous year when we completed...
Backcountry Hygiene for Ultralight and Long-Distance Hikers

A short primer on the topic of backcountry hygiene to help you minimize the risk of contracting stomach-borne illnesses while in the backcountry.

Cascade Designs ThermaRest Prolite 3 Sleeping Pad Review

Cascade Designs ThermaRest Prolite 3 Sleeping Pad Review

Six Moon Designs Starlite Backpack Review

Review of the Six Moon Designs Starlite frameless backpack.

Osprey Aether 45 REVIEW

Review of the Osprey Aether 45 frameless backpack.

GoLite Jam Backpack REVIEW

The GoLite Jam Backpack is a frameless pack that carries well. A smaller cousin to the GoLite Gust, the Jam offers a few more features and better load stability for smaller load volumes.

Equinox Katahdin Review

Review of the Equinox Katahdin frameless backpack.

Frameless Pack Review Summary

Summary review of frameless backpacks for the 2004 season.

Granite Gear Virga Review

Review of the Granite Gear Virga frameless backpack.

Packrafting: An Introduction to Wilderness River Running with a Packable Inflatable Boat
Note: Clicking on images will open their enlarged versions in a separate browser window. To return to the article, simply close the browser containing the large image. Bigger isn’t always...
Desert Hiking Gear List
Seasons: Spring, Early Summer, Fall Length of Trip: 3-Day Weekend Context: The desert hiking gear list provided below is one example of how a lightweight backpacking enthusiast might select equipment...
Fast and Light with Gary Scott: Lightweight Backpacking and Climbing Strategies
Fast and Light on the Khalde Peak Publisher’s Note: I had the pleasure to sit outside the GoLite warming hut at Brighton Base Camp at the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show...
Jetboil Stove (Jetboil Personal Cooking System) REVIEW

One of the most innovative products to hit the market. This review summarizes results from more than 600 boil tests.

Moonstone Nitro Jacket REVIEW

The Moonstone Nitro Jacket is a feature-rich rain jacket for the alpinist wanting helmet headroom and a short hem.

Sierra Designs DT Tech Jacket REVIEW

Excellent ventilation and fit, but a poor DWR and zipper durability issues.

Montane eVENT Superfly Jacket REVIEW
Introduction The Montane eVENT Superfly is the most breathable shell we’ve tested. At an honest 15 oz (425 g) the Montane eVENT Superfly is also the lightest hooded jacket using...
Montane Hydra-Lite Smock REVIEW
Introduction The Montane Hydra-Lite Smock is (as far as we know) the lightest fully waterproof rain shell on the market (Smock is UK for anorak or a half-length front zipper)....
MEC Aquanator Jacket REVIEW

A solid choice for the sloppy mountains of the Pacific Northwest, but deviates unnecessarily from the basic design of general purpose backpacking rainwear.

Mont-Bell Versalite Jacket REVIEW
Introduction At 11.4 oz (320 g), the Mont-bell Versalite Jacket is lightweight and full-featured waterproof/breathable rainwear. The jacket includes some very long (18 in, 45 cm) pit zips, two pack...

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