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Factors that Influence the Ability to Carry Weight in a Backpack
How much weight should you really carry? This article examines backpack load through conditioning, distance, elevation gain, and terrain—not just gear weight. Drawing on decades of experience and classic backpacking wisdom, it argues that comfort, fitness, and trip context matter more than obsessively cutting ounces, and that there’s no single “perfect” pack weight.
Episode 40 | Ben Kilbourne Reads “The Anthropology of a Trail”
Who or what makes a trail? This is the question Backpacking Light author Ben Kilbourne asks himself (and us) as he reads his essay The Anthropology of a Trail.
Searching for the Light
After the year of darkness that was 2020, I needed to walk in the light of the Mojave desert.
By the Numbers: Is Synthetic Insulation Warm When Wet?
We throw some quantitative testing at an oft-repeated synthetic insulation claim to measure the thermal performance of wet insulation.
The Backpacker’s Journey
Rex Sanders examines the arcs and stages that backpackers take as years and mileage start to add up.
Enlightened Equipment Uprising Underquilt
The Enlightened Equipment Uprising Underquilt is a tapered, somewhat customizable underquilt aimed at experienced hammock users. It incorporates a number of performance features differentiating itself from the majority of available offerings, such as strategically placed insulation and a unique suspension system.
Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Nano Travel Day Pack Review
The Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Nano Travel Day Pack (MSRP: $29.95, 1 oz / 30g) is an 18 L summiting daypack that can be compressed to the size of an egg and tucked into a multiday pack for peak-bagging on longer trips.
Episode 39 | Matt Mason on Bikepacking and Public Lands, Part I
Andrew interviews backpacker turned bikepacker Matt Mason in a Bikepacking 101 conversation.
Learning Curve: Risk Assessment
It takes a close call for Maggie Slepian to dial in her risk assessment skills.
Trail Journal: Explorer Canyon
This trail journal recounts a vulnerable solo walk into a flooded Glen Canyon sidearm while sick, injured, and dehydrated. Set against heat, guilt, and solitude, the narrative follows a disoriented search for water that becomes an act of survival and quiet healing in a stark desert landscape.
We’re All Between Swims…
Using whitewater paddling as metaphor, this essay reflects on life’s inevitable crashes and recoveries. Not every capsize can be rolled away; sometimes you take the swim, battered and humbled. These moments of struggle, resilience, and grit shape who we become, reminding us that growth often comes between swims, not in calm water.
A Different Type of Shelter Skill
When winter arrives, my favorite backcountry shelters aren’t tents or tarps but USFS rental cabins and lookouts. Found across Montana and the West, these affordable cabins offer bunks, stoves, and warmth, turning winter trips into comfortable, low-stress adventures without battling snow camps or harsh conditions.
Geologic Time is Now
A conversation about a landslide opens into a reflection on geologic time, memory, and the stories landscapes hold. This essay contrasts Indigenous place knowledge with modern naming practices, suggesting that ignoring the language of land—its movements, warnings, and history—leaves us vulnerable to repeating avoidable mistakes.
Leave No Trace
With more people heading outdoors, caring for wild places matters more than ever. This article revisits the seven Leave No Trace principles, encouraging recreationists to plan ahead, minimize impact, respect wildlife, and be considerate of others. A simple refresher can help ensure increased visitation leads to healthier, cleaner, and more enjoyable outdoor spaces for everyone.
Camping Away From Everything Else
Camping in remote places offers powerful contrast and restoration. For a driven, introverted personality, quiet and stillness provide relief from noise, obligation, and overstimulation. This essay reflects on the discomfort and eventual reward of unplugging, embracing silence, and finding healing in places far from people, machines, and constant demands.
Standards Watch: Dan Durston Talks Design and Business
Dan Durston is a gear designer, wilderness guide, and biologist. In this interview with Rex Sanders, he talks about the process and philosophy of shelter design.
Unpacked: Rewards of Repetition
Greek philosophy says you can't step in the same river twice, but what about backpacking the same trail?
Red Paw Packs 28 L Flatiron Backpack Review
The Red Paw Packs Flatiron Pack 28 L (13 to 19 oz / 368 g to 538 g, MSRP from $220) is a customizable low-volume overnight / daypack with a unique zippered main compartment.
Black Diamond Blitz Spikes Review
The Black Diamond Blitz Traction Spikes (MSRP $39.95, 1.5 to 1.8 oz / 42 to 50 g) are ultralight, stainless-steel, forefoot-only traction devices for shoes and boots intended for incidental use on hard-packed snow terrain.
Take This Poem on Your Next Trip
The words you carry with you are just as important as your gear.
Gryphon Gear Aries 20 Quilt Review
The Gryphon Gear Aries 20 Quilt (25.7 oz / 729 g, MSRP from $327) is a three-season quilt with a differential cut, draft collar, an edge tensioning system, and 17.5 oz (496 g) of down fill.
"Simplify, then add lightness." - Colin Chapman
Pro-Grade Water RepellencyPolypropylene face fabrics: see the future of raingear.
