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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.
MontBell UL Spiral Down Hugger Sleeping Bag Review
A lot to like and a great value for a 30 F rated down mummy bag weighing only 19 ounces.
Denali Light: The 2007 Attempt
Lightening up on Alaska’s classic mountaineering route.
Wilderness Trekking II: Long Distance Backpacking
The stated goal wasn't to make everything else a little bland, but this trip was beyond the pale. And yes, everything else IS just a little bland afterwards.
Pak-Rifle Review
My expectation for a small game rifle is to be able to shoot a very small and compact group on a target at 25 yards or less, and the Pak-Rifle makes my heart beat faster.
Olympus E-P1 Camera Review
Sure, it's lighter than its DSLR brethren, but it's also heavier and bulkier than its compact cousins. Does it offer improvements to justify carrying the additional weight and bulk?
Backpacking Light 2009 Reader Photo Contest Results
We are pleased to announce the winners of our 2009 Reader Photo Contest!
24: Nine Months ’til Summer
Episode 3: The first big snowfall of the season (in September!) had us traversing the Hyalite-Cottonwood divide for snow hiking and camping.
GoLite Footwear Competition and Fire Reviews
GoLite Footwear has developed a unique underfoot suspension system that largely accomplishes their intentions. The shoes are comfortable, but there are durability concerns for the soles.
Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 Sleeping Bag Review
A warm, refined sleeping bag, but not the lightest in its class.
Backpacking: Baby on Board
Hiking through the French Pyrenees is challenging for any young couple hoping to enjoy some relaxation and romance in between climbing passes and breaking camp. The afternoon heat - often ending in a violent thunderstorm - brings more than one overloaded backpacker to boiling point. Now enter a six-kilo, breast-fed, three-month-old baby. Great family trip or a bad idea?
Rab Microlight Jacket Review
Trim-fitting ultralight three-season down jacket with a great shell and basic feature set, but its numerous horizontal seams allow down fragments to leak out.
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Garage Grown Gear Hidden Gems
Discover under-the-radar ultralight gear from small brands.
