Backpacking Light
Backpacking Light was founded in November of 2000 with the simple mission of promoting backcountry travel in lightweight style. We are based in the Northern Rockies with offices in Bozeman, Montana and Laramie, Wyoming, with educational and guided trekking programs offered in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness of Montana (Billings area) and Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming (Denver area).
Latest
Princeton Tec Scout Headlamp Review
Princeton Tec Scout Specifications The Princeton Tec Scout weighs 1.4 oz (40 g) with its 4×2032 coin cell batteries. It is a 2-LED headlamp with the battery housing in the...
Petzl Zipka Headlamp Review
Petzl Zipka Specifications The Petzl Zipka weighs 2.07 oz (59 g) with 3xAAA batteries. It is a 3-LED headlamp with batteries in the lamp housing (front). The headband is a...
Black Diamond Moonlight Headlamp Review
Summary of Specifications The Black Diamond Moonlight weighs 4.4 oz (125 g) with 3xAAA batteries (e.g., Energizer Titanium E2). It is a 4-LED headlamp with the battery housing in the...
Black Diamond Ion Headlamp Review
Summary of Specifications The Black Diamond Ion weighs 0.97 oz (27 g) with its single 6V battery. It is a 2-LED headlamp in a housing hinged and attached to a...
Patagonia Dragonfly Pullover REVIEW (Spring 2004 Style)
A three ounce wind shirt with an important distinguishing feature: durability.
Western Mountaineering Flight Vest
Introduction The Western Mountaineering Flight Vest provides one of the highest warmth:weight ratios of any garment on the market. You can use this vest for cold rest stops, to boost...
Simplicity, Harmony, and Opportunity: Freedom Born From an Ultralight Ethic
"Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies Opportunity" – Albert Einstein’s Three Rules of Work This short quote summarizes my philosophy for...
Lightweight Backpacking with Young Children
Introduction Introducing your child to the wonders of nature is one thing–helping them enjoy themselves while preserving your own sanity on a backpacking trip is quite another. Backpacking with kids...
Blake Morstad
Blake Morstad was killed in an avalanche on January 1, 2005, while backcountry skiing in Montana’s Centennial Mountains. Please visit the Blake Morstad Memorial at BackpackingLight.com. Blake Morstad recently graduated...
Ryan Jordan
Visit Ryan's Personal Website: RyanJordan.com
Carol Crooker
Carol Crooker, Backpacking Light Editor at Large
Alan Dixon
Alan Dixon, Backpacking Light Editor at Large
Jay Ham
Jay Ham started backpacking in 1990 and went lightweight in 1995. Wanting his children to experience and share in his love of the outdoors, he became obsessed with reducing the...
Don Wilson
Don Wilson joined the Backpacking Light staff as Clothing Systems Section Editor in April 2004. While hiking the John Muir Trail in 1978 he got his initial taste of long...
Andrew Skurka
7,800 miles of walking found Skurka in Bozeman, MT as part of the Backpacking Light team.
Doug Johnson
Doug Johnson joined BackpackingLight.com in October 2003 and is both a reviewer and the Trekking Systems editor. He lives in Redmond, Washington, with his also-adventurous wife Amy. Doug is an...
Steve Nelson
Steve Nelson, Winter Systems Editor, has been backpacking and playing in the snow since he was a kid growing up in upstate New York. Now living in California, he backpacks...
Mike Martin
Longtime BPL Forum contributor Mike Martin joined the Backpacking Light staff in 2006 as Sleeping Systems Section Editor. Mike holds a Bachelors Degree in Engineering and currently teaches Engineering and...
Rick Dreher
Rick Dreher is interviewed by Bruno the Dalmatian. B. So, now that I’ve had my kibble (AGAIN with the kibble!) we can get down to business. Why backpacking? R. At...
Oware Alphamid
See how this shelter rates with others in our Comparison Review of Tarps and Other Floorless Shelters Overview As the name implies, the Oware Alphamid is based on a pyramid...
