Author

Will Rietveld

Will Rietveld Ph.D, Senior Editor for Gear and Apparel, joined the BPL staff in April 2004. In his former career, Will was a research scientist, project manager, and R&D program administrator. Now retired, he lives in southern Colorado where he takes up a new career of backpacking year-round in the mountains and canyon country of the Southwest. During the summer months Will and his wife Janet are volunteer wilderness rangers in the Weminuche Wilderness. He has been a lightweight backpacker for 52 years and an ultralight backpacker for 13 years.

Latest

2008 Lightweight Footwear Roundup (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)

Outdoor Retailer News August 19, 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

Gear Reviews August 19, 2008

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 Rainwear 2008: Current Favorites, New Introductions, and New Technologies (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)

Outdoor Retailer News August 12, 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.