Archives (*)

Deep Freeze: A Cold, Hard Look at Winter Stoves

Investigating the lightest-weight options on the market and assessing ease-of-use, reliability, fuel efficiency, and time to boil.

Prospects for 2012: New and Noteworthy Gear

News from the cottage industry is conspicuously absent from Outdoor Retailer, where even modest booths can be more costly than a serious gear-buying habit. So, here are a few new and noteworthy pieces of gear from smaller manufacturers that were either released late in 2011 or are coming in 2012. Keep these items on your radar as you prepare for the coming season!

Introducing Chris Wallace as Backpacking Light’s New Gear Editor

O Canada!

The conclusion to Balls and Sunshine's 2011 PCT hike. Is the best yet to come?

Lightweight Alternative Rainwear: State of the Market Report – Part 2: Overview of Individual Products

Further discussion on the four individual categories, a review of the products tested within the context of each category, and a brief conclusion of ways in which various alternative rainwear products can be combined, both with each other and with WPB garments, to suit various hiking environments and conditions.

Lightweight Alternative Rainwear: State of the Market Report – Part 1: Introducing and Defining Alternative Rainwear

An unruly, heterogenous group, Dave divided it into four categories: simple poncho-tarp, complex poncho-tarp, alternative upper-body wear, and alternative legwear.

Sunshine in the Sierra

Everything about the Sierra portion of the PCT was harder this year. Balls and Sunshine faced record-setting snow, low food, dangerous water crossings, injuries, and a markedly slower pace.

Lightweight Integrated Canister Fuel Stoves State of the Market Report 2011: Part 3 – Wrap Up and Reviews of Individual Stoves

This part assembles the information from our testing and evaluations of integrated canister fuel stoves and provides a review of each stove.

State of the Market Report: Family/Group Backpacking Tents

Tired of solo trips? Ditch the tiny tarp for one of these multi-person shelters and share the weight with your friends and family. You may even save a few ounces!

Lightweight Integrated Canister Fuel Cooking Systems State of the Market Report 2011: Part 2 – Trends, Stove Ratings, and Selections

Integrated canister fuel cooking systems have advanced substantially in every way – they’re lighter, faster, more efficient, and have more cooking capacity and versatility. In this part we highlight this evolution, explore how these stoves can be very weight-efficient, and identify the top performing stoves for different situations and needs.

Continental Divide Trail Project Report: Hopewell Lake, NM, August 2011

An open letter from a grandfather to his two grandsons, about his CDTA volunteer time.

Lightweight Integrated Canister Fuel Cooking Systems State of the Market Report 2011: Part 1 – Overview and Performance Evaluation

The Jetboil Personal Cooking System was a major innovation back in 2004. We reviewed it in-depth and reported on its strengths and drawbacks. It’s wonderfully fuel-efficient and wind-resistant, but heavy, a bit slow, and low in cooking capacity. Fast forward to 2011; now we have eight backpackable integrated canister fuel stoves. They are fast, fuel-efficient, wind-resistant, some are cold-resistant, they have a much higher cooking capacity, and some are truly lightweight and can be pared down to as little as 7.5 ounces (213 g). Got your attention?

Mistaken for Strangers

Trip report from the New Mexican high desert: three fellow BPLers (strangers but for the forums) and a father-in-law unite to experience the thoughtful introspection and cheerful relationship inherent in a group backcountry trek.

With a Capital C: My 2011 Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic

Race report, gear and food, and, for the really ambitious, pointers for entering a wilderness race.

Lightweight Mid-Height Trail Shoes State of the Market Report 2011

Do they have any advantages over simple trail runners? And who makes lightweight W-I-D-E shoes for hikers with duck feet?

Lightweight Mid-Height Trail Shoes: Montrail

Mini-reviews of the Montrail Sabino Trail Mid GTX, Mountain Masochist Mid GTX and AT Plus Shoes

Lightweight Mid-Height Trail Shoes: Treksta

Mini-Review of the Treksta Evolution Mid GTX

Lightweight Mid-Height Trail Shoes: GoLite

Mini-Reviews of the GoLite Timber Lite, Surge Lite, and Carbo Lite Shoes

Lightweight Mid-Height Trail Shoes: Salomon

Mini-Review of the Salomon 3D Fastpacker Mid GTX and Salomon XA Pro 3D GTX Ultra Shoes

A Marriage Proposal on Walden Pond

Can a backpacker more comfy on the trail find love with a lady for whom three stars is roughing it? An excerpt from Ron's recently published memoir, Pathfinder: Blazing a New Wilderness Trail in Modern America.