Stoves, Tents and Carbon Monoxide – Deadly or not?
Supplement 6: Primus Eta PackLite System

We cover yet another Primus heat-exchanger stove system in this Review: the Primus Eta PackLite. This is basically modelled on the Eta Power system, but smaller and lighter.

Eddie Bauer First Ascent Downlight Sweater Review

This jacket really rocks - an excellent balance of light weight, basic features, warmth, wind and water resistance, and cost.

Adventures in Laminating Silicone-Impregnated Fabrics

Silnylon and spinnaker fabric have long been mainstays in making ultralight gear, but they require careful construction to avoid failures at seams or damage from abrasion. Laminating the fabric offers a solution to those problems.

Sierra Designs Nitro 30 Sleeping Bag Review

Remarkably lofty and warm for a 30 F (-1 C) rated bag – this is the first sleeping bag I have tested that’s warmer than its claimed temperature rating!

Three Sisters Backpacking

In 2008 and 2009, I got better acquainted with the lovely ladies that make up the Three Sisters in the Cascade Range.

REI Quarter Dome T2 Tent Review

There's a lot of bang for the buck in this roomy, lightweight, double-wall tent!

PHD Minim 400 Sleeping Bag Review

This zipperless down mummy-style 23 F rated sleeping bag is elegant for its simplicity, light weight, and high loft-to-weight ratio.

Petzl Tikka XP2 and Tikka Plus2 LED Headlamp Reviews

Petzl has been busy upgrading and gives us two new versions of an old stand-by.

PHD Mountain Software Ultra Down Pullover Review

The ultimate down jacket for ultralight backpacking and lightweight cold weather pursuits.

Be Prepared, Not Equipped

The main reason my pack got lighter was because I realized that being prepared had little to do with the equipment I carried.

Sierra Prime: Off Trail in California’s High Country

The greatest rewards come when you choose to get off the beaten path and build a personalized hike that mixes challenge and fun at whatever level works for you.

MontBell Ex Light Women’s Down Jacket Review

The lightest down jacket to be found, but the women’s version doesn’t have as much loft and warmth as the men’s version.

Mountain Hardwear Nitrous Jacket Review

An ultralight down jacket that performs well in active pursuits, but it’s not the best choice for ultralight backpacking.

Seven Days on the Katy

I went looking for a long-distance hike in the midwest and found the 225-mile Katy Trail. No time like the present to try out my first thru-hike!

Marmot Hydrogen Sleeping Bag Review

The Hydrogen is a well designed, high loft, roomy, warm, mummy-style down 30F-rated sleeping bag, but its shell fabric is heavy and wets out too easily.

Backyard Wilderness: The New England Trail

600 miles of trail and it's not the Long Trail or the AT! Sure, it's got some rough spots, but it's a nice taste of something different when you want to cover some mileage in the northeastern U.S.

2009 Backpacking Light Staff Picks

Backpacking Light staff pick their favorite gear of 2009.

Lowrance Endura Sierra GPS Review

Lowrance adds touchscreen functionality with its top of the line Sierra GPS. With a plethora of multimedia options, it comes across as more entertainment device than a dedicated navigational aid. How does it work for backpacking?

Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent Review

Big Agnes raises the bar for two-person double-wall tents by creating their lightest offering ever. In fact, it is the lightest tent in this category from any manufacturer. Will it Fly high, or leave us up a Creek?

Lighten Your Heaviest Gear: You!

As lightweight backpackers, we obsess over the weight of every piece of gear we carry, but many of us give little thought to the weight of the heaviest piece of gear of all: ourselves. How do we begin to treat our own weight with the same care that we treat the weight of our gear? By doing what we already do well: going light.

Denali Light: The 2009 Attempt

A light and kind-of fast expedition on one of the world’s great mountains.

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