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CamelBak All Clear Microbiological UV Water Purifier (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
CamelBak introduces a complete and easy to use UV water purification system, marking the adoption of this proven technology by a big company.
Generation Two: SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
New lighter and smaller SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger
New Personal Locator Devices at ORSM 2009 (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
Personal locator devices (PLDs) are a hot, rapidly evolving area for the outdoor market. An overview of where we think it's headed (and why).
Energizer Micro Headlamp is Powered by a Single AA Cell (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
A bright and lightweight LED headlamp from battery giant Energizer that offers several attractive features at $30 and 3.1 oz with a lithium battery (as weighed by BPL).
A Potpourri of Eye Candy: Day 1 (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
A grueling first day at summer 2009 OR rewarded us with loads of lightweight goodies; here's a first installment, with more to come.
ORSM09: Open Air Demo (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
Open Air Demo consists of booths and boats – and there is always something new, something interesting, and something unique.
Tarptent Moment (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
Henry Shires performs his magic once again – the new Tarptent Moment has one hoop pole, two stakes, sets up in less than a minute, and has loads of room for one person.
Coming Soon – Backpacking Light Coverage of the Summer 2009 Outdoor Retailer Show (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
What can you expect from our coverage of the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market next week?
Up in Smoke: Backcountry Fire Building Videocast
Building a fire is nothing short of an art form, and no one can teach you everything you'd need to know to perfect it in a ten-minute video. Instead of attempting to do this (perfecting your form), we've simply highlighted some of the gear and techniques used to start a fire.
Stoves, Tents and Carbon Monoxide – Deadly or not?
Supplement 5: Snow Peak GST-120 Lite Max
The Snow Peak GST-100 GigaPower stove is widely regarded as the 'Gold Standard' for upright canister stoves. It weighs about 74 grams. Snow Peak has released a new stove in this series: the GST-120, or Lite Max, weighing only 56 grams, reviewed here. Does the Lite Max live up to the reputation of its precursor, the GST-100 (which is still available)?
Nemo Nano Elite Tent Review
The Nemo Nano Elite is marketed by the manufacturer as a lightweight, fast set-up tent aimed at adventure racers and the fast-and-light crowd. Since I can't run with the former, I try to hang with the latter.
Wilderness Trekking School Summer Initiation
The summer of 2008 got Backpacking Light's Wilderness Trekking School off to a great start. We ran three trips in three wildly different locations: Northern Rockies, Pacific Northwest, and Desert Southwest. Each allowed for a unique experience and permitted us to focus on the core curriculum of the Wilderness Trekking format.
Make Your Own Gear – A Thumbscrew for the Steripen Adventurer
The Steripen Adventurer has many firm believers, but almost everyone agrees that the screw which holds the lid of the battery case shut is awful. So... replace it with something better, cooler, and made by hand!
Trouble in Paradise: Altitude Illness in SEKI
Serious illness in remote areas can end poorly. Knowing your group's fitness level, experience, and lightweight ethic are key parts to a successful self-rescue and a happy ending.
Shangri-Lite at 62 – Haute Route at 20 Pounds or Less
On the Haute Route, a 21-pound pack is over-inflated. At sixty-two well-used years, I submitted myself to random weight checks to remain sub-twenty pounds and passed most of them. Making the formula feasible are the huts and hotels which always appear just when you've had enough.
Philmont Scout Ranch: How Light Can You Go?
After taking a Wilderness Trekking course from Andrew Skurka and Don Wilson, I wanted to try the Philmont Scout Ranch in a UL style. By stepping out of my existing comfort zone, I discovered a whole new one.
New Balance MT1110GT Joggers Review
Totally synthetic, good soles, and a XCR membrane for wet weather use, plus a range of width fittings including really wide. Very good under some winter conditions, but with a curious defect which limits their use.
Tarptent Scarp 2 Tent Review
Although the Scarp 2 incorporates several weight-saving and space-making design elements to create a friendly, roomy, well ventilated, and stable tent for two campers, these benefits do not come without compromise.
Ultralight Backpacking in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca
With dozens of peaks above 6,000 meters (nearly 20,000 feet), Peru’s Cordillera Blanca range is one of the highest, most rugged sections of the Andes, and the most heavily glaciated of any mountains in the planet’s equatorial zone. It is a well-known mountain climbing destination, and hundreds of kilometers of hikeable trails have made the range increasingly popular among trekkers.
Photo Essay: Packrafting the Madison River
Stretches of the Madison River can be described as a "booze cruise," where innertube flotillas of relaxing college students and drift boats of fly-fishers fill the river. The Bear Trap canyon isn't one of those stretches, especially during spring snowmelt.
Make Your Own Gear – Down Quilt or Sleeping Bag
Making a baffled down quilt is simple compared to making a baffled down sleeping bag. Both are described in this article, with the emphasis on the quilt.
