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Done in a Day
Kevin Sawchuk shares his how-to on fast day hikes, and his why-to, too.
Big Agnes Clearview Air Pad Review
Finally - a really lightweight, thick, comfy inflatable sleeping pad. Used properly, it's a cushy alternative to a thin torso length pad.
Big Agnes Cyclone SL Chair Kit Review
Camp chair aficionados rejoice - the ten ounce barrier has been convincingly broken by Big Agnes with their six ounce Cyclone SL chair kit.
Sandals for Summer Backpacking
Chris Townsend shares his sandal wearing experience.
2008 Lightweight Footwear Roundup (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
A primer on choosing footwear for fast and light backpacking, with input from the Backpacking Light staff on the footwear they use; a roundup of promising new lightweight footwear found at the summer 2008 Outdoor Retailer Show; and a description of Ion Mask, a nanotechnology waterproofing process that doesn't affect breathability and could eliminate the need for a waterproof membrane in footwear.
Big Sky International Convertible 2P Tent REVIEW
A unique feature of the Convertible it that a third pole can be added to "convert" it from a three-season tent to a "WinterLite" four-season tent. At 3.5 pounds for a complete two-person double-wall tent, the Convertible in three season mode is 2.6 ounces heavier than Big Sky's award-winning Evolution 2P, but new design elements make it more stable and versatile.
Lightweight Lights (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
Twinkle, twinkle little star...
Lightweight Rainwear 2008: Current Favorites, New Introductions, and New Technologies (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
Associate Editor Will Rietveld provides an in-depth roundup of lightweight rainwear options and highlights current staff favorites, new products in the pipeline, market trends, and a new technology that could dramatically change the waterproof-breathable apparel market.
Plush Pads (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
Exciting things are happening in sleeping pads this year at Cascade Designs (parent company of Therm-a-Rest) and Pacific Outdoor Equipment. Cascade Designs has an extensive new lineup of products that will surely interest lightweight hikers, including a revolutionary new pad technology that promises substantial performance improvements over existing designs. Meanwhile, Pacific Outdoor Equipment is moving towards more eco-friendly materials and is launching a very innovative product design program of which you can be a part.
Hot Stoves (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
Stove technology continues to advance this year, with trends of additional remote canister stoves with preheat tubes that are suitable for cold-weather operation, new alcohol and canister "cooking systems" that combine stove, windscreen, and pots into highly efficient and compact packages, plus a further move towards lighter stoves in general.
Terra Nova Finds New Land (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
The Lightweight Tentmaker Brings Their Products to America.
Micro Four-Thirds Slashes Camera Size and Weight, Retains dSLR Benefits? (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
New Micro Four-Thirds digital camera standard stirs hope for pro-grade, interchangeable-lens cameras that are lightweight, compact and can be tailored to your exact needs.
National Geographic TOPO! Explorer Mapping and Magellan Triton Series GPS (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
National Geographic Maps web-based TOPO! Explorer (NG TEX) aims to be the iTunes of electronic mapping.
Garmin Oregon Series and Delorme Earthmate PN-40 GPS (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
New offerings found at ORSM 2008
Outdoor Demo Days – Whazat?? (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
A day at the lake to try out new watercraft and accessories.
The Wait for Lightweight (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
Will the mass market ever embrace the lightweight philosophy, or has it already?
Friedrichshafen & Salt Lake City
Chris Townsend's report on the OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, and how it compares to Salt Lake City's Outdoor Retailer Show.
Introduction to Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008
Mike Martin gives us the skinny on what to expect from BackpackingLight.com's coverage in the coming days.
Podcast: Roman Dial on his Book, Packrafting!
Ron Craighead interviews Roman Dial on the release of his new book, Packrafting!
Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka SPOTLITE REVIEW
Lightweight, extremely versatile hooded down jacket that can be worn as an outer layer or midlayer.
Podcast: Light in the Wild with Monte Dolack
Ron Craighead interviews Montana artist Monte Dolack on growing up in the Big Sky State and on the Backpacking Light-commissioned fine art print, "Light in the Wild."
