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The Global Test: One Gear List for Two Years and Five Continents
Part 1: Backpackers are all over the map when it comes to answering the question... What should I pack?
Salomon Minim Down Sweater Review
This is one of the more impressive jackets in our ultralight down jacket roundup, but it has a few shortcomings and uncertainties.
Gossamer Gear Lightrek 4 Trekking Pole Review
What happens when you take the highly rated fixed length Lightrek 3 poles and add adjustability and optional straps? Are extra weight, flexibility, durability, and slipping concerns, or does Gossamer Gear nail it with the Lightrek 4 poles?
Lyme Disease: Challenging Old Stereotypes
Mark Bailey knows danger. A now-retired ship’s chief engineer who recounts his life experiences with bright-eyed fervency and an occasional chuckle, Bailey, 61, has circled the world four times. He spent a night in jail in Zamboanga, Phillipines, in 1981 after getting mixed up with communist rebels. He’s been tossed around the Tasman Sea in a small sailboat. In the spring of 2000, a few years after retiring, Bailey set out to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. He considers it the most dangerous thing he’s ever done.
Ultralight Three-Season Down Jackets State of the Market Report 2010 Part 3
Multi-purpose three-season down jackets balance light weight, warmth, and features. These jackets are designed to please as many people as possible, in as many activities as possible, while keeping the overall weight light enough to impress the average consumer. Our evaluation includes comparative specifications, calculated parameters, warmth testing, ratings, and identifying the standouts for different situations, needs, and preferences.
Benchmade 530 Folding Knife Review
Many walkers find a razor blade adequate, but there are plenty of situations where a bit more is needed. This knife, with a blade over three inches long yet weighing only two ounces, may suit many lightweight walkers.
Ultralight Three-Season Down Jackets State of the Market Report 2010 Part 2
Seriously lightweight down jackets – those most suitable for ultralight backpacking and other lightweight pursuits. Our evaluation includes comparative specifications, calculated parameters, warmth testing, ratings, and identifying the standouts for different situations, needs, and preferences.
Monatauk Gnat Stove Review
A big burner head, simple design, minimal use of materials, and light weight (1.7 oz) put the Monatauk Gnat at the head of the pack for ultralight canister stoves.
Ultralight Three-Season Down Jackets State of the Market Report 2010 Part 1
A state-of-the-art overview of ultralight down jackets – we analyze the components and discuss “baffling” issues like shell fabrics, down quality, fill weight, packing density, loft, and warmth.
New Balance MT876OR Review
The latest in the New Balance 87x series of light low-cut joggers - and they're even better than the previously-reviewed MT875ORs.
Rapids, Wolves, and Winter
With amazingly light loads that included skis, packrafts, dry suits, winter camping gear, and a week’s worth of food, we set out to visit the Frank Church Wilderness in winter to prove a point.
Sierra Designs Gnar Down Sweater Review
Coming out in fall 2010, the Gnar is a good balance of sizing and fit, features, and overall light weight, but it could be a little warmer.
Integral Designs Wedge eVENT Bivy REVIEW
A three-pound solo shelter made of almost-magically breathable eVENT fabric and designed for alpine climbing, it can handle wild weather, but is it comfortable to live with?
Crux Halo Top Review
Q: What’s a Halo Top? A: an ultralight down-insulated minimalist anorak that weighs just 7.9 oz (225 g), and it’s sized well for taller people.
Skiing the John Muir Trail
When the snow resembles cement and you're making one mile per hour or less at times, what would YOU do?
Brooks-Range Alpini Mountain Anorak Review
The Alpini is a lightweight furnace and lands on our recommended list, but how about a version for non-climbers?
Brunton 7DNL Compass Review
Small, light, easy to use, and about the right size for a simple baseplate model.
Experiential Learning in the Heart of Utah
A high school class laughs their way through five days in the Escalante National Recreation Area.
Primus Express Spider Stove Review
A good remote canister stove, heading in the lightweight direction.
Return to the Fight! Lightweight Rematch in the High Annapurnas
After a knee injury put me on the ropes, I got back into the ring with a long, slow hike over many miles, hoping that the Himalayan trail would not be an impossible opponent.
The 45-Year-Old Boy Scout
We asked, you answered: Lightweight Testimony Contest Runner Up!
