Ryan Jordan
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First Impressions: Black Diamond Glidelite Ski (“Snow Trekkers”) Review (Video)
I put together a 4-minute video montage with my initial thoughts about the Black Diamond Glidelite skis that includes footage from both tracked and untracked trails, with inclines up to about 15 degrees.
StoveBench: A Stove Testing Protocol for Comparing the Performance of Backpacking Stoves
StoveBench defines a protocol that is used to measure two important backpacking stove performance features (power and efficiency) in order to determine a single, quantifiable performance factor called the StoveBench Score.
2018 Year in Review
Our 18th year of publishing has brought some exciting new things to our community! Here's a review of our top highlights from the last year, and what's coming up in 2019.
#AskBPL No. 1
Today's Questions: Will you be holding a live film festival event this year? What do you think about adding a chat room at the backpackinglight.com website to allow members to interact with each other? Do you work from home, or do you go to an office every day? When are you going to offer another Lifetime Unlimited Membership sale? If I want to take my summer backpacking clothing and sleep system into winter conditions, what do you think are the most essential pieces of gear to add? Are you ever going to sell your Melanzana High Loft Hoodie?
Publisher’s Gear Guide (2019)
My personal recommendations for ultralight and lightweight backpacking gear for 2018-2019 - gear that I've used all year in 2018 that includes the good stuff that's staying in my kit for 2019!
Arc’teryx Zeta FL Jacket Review & Zeta SL Pant Review
The Arc'teryx Zeta FL Jacket is a Gore-tex Paclite Plus rain jacket that features a trim fit and hip length. It has articulated tailoring in the hood and arms, a full-length water-resistant zipper, two handwarmer pockets with water-resistant zippers, elastic hem and wrist cuffs, and an adjustable hood aperture.
Q&A on the Publisher’s Blog
I'll be starting a new Q&A series where I'll answer questions about lightweight backpacking, the outdoor industry in general, outdoor gear technology, Backpacking Light behind-the-scenes and future strategy, outdoor lifestyle, minimalism, and more!
Wilderness Adventures 2018 Whitetail Trek (Photo Essay)
As part of the Backpacking Light Wilderness Adventures program, Trek Director Kevin Fletcher and I led a guided trip across the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in Montana in September 2018. This photo essay tells the story of that trek.
Resources, Tools, and Processes for Planning Nontechnical, Off-Trail Backpacking Routes
The purpose of this article is to document the process I often use to plan and execute off-trail trips in the mountains using digital mapping and navigation tools.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter 5400 Backpack Review
Light and large: our Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter 5400 Backpack review - a lightweight pack with the chops for carrying large loads.
Garmin inReach Mini Review
The Garmin inReach Mini is the smallest, lightest, and most powerful satellite messaging device on the market.
Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Backpacking Dinners (Gear Guide)
This gear guide features several dozen options for freeze-dried and dehydrated backpacking dinners from many different brands and provides nutritional information on each one for comparison purposes.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Shell Jacket Review
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Shell Jacket is made using Dyneema Composite Fabric bonded to a polyester fiber outer face for durability, and to a monolayer eVENT membrane on the inner face for breathability.
Calendar / Updates (Unlimited Members Only)
Unlimited-members-only updates: editorial calendar, podcast, new Unlimited Members benefits, the new webinar series, and Guide's Training course in Montana.
Good To-Go Herbed Mushroom Risotto Review (Video)
This Good To-Go Herbed Mushroom Risotto review features one of the best packaged backpacking meals I've ever eaten.
2017 Backpacking Light Staff Picks
The Backpacking Light Staff Picks Gear Guide offers what we consider to be our personal recommendations for high-quality, high-performance, lightweight backpacking gear that we've actually used this year.
What we have done about your customer service complaints
Over the last 12 months, Jessica has received a "Great" rating from 92% of our customers who have filed support issues and decided to write a review.
BPL-v5 Vision (Sneak Peek) – Updated Dec 22 ’17
Initial home page mockup of BPL-v5, with some vision behind what we're planning to do with the site menu, ads, and more.
71g BlackYak Emergency Jacket Provides Waterproof Protection at Lightest Weight Possible
The BlackYak Emergency Jacket is a waterproof shell that weighs 71 g (2.5 oz), is made with DSM, and probably costs a fortune.
Publisher’s Gear Guide: My Personal Lightweight Backpacking Gear Recommendations
A summary of gear that I've used in 2017, and enthusiastically recommend for lightweight backpackers this holiday season.
