Culture

Book Review: On Trails by Robert Moor

How do trails form? Why do trails form? Come to think of it, what is a trail? These are but a few of the (deceptively simple) questions author Robert Moor attempts to answer in his book On Trails (Simon and Schuster, 2016). Moor - a lifelong backpacker and Appalachian Trail thru-hiker in addition to being a writer - approaches his subject with lyrical language and journalistic due-process. The result is a book as quietly spiritual as it is wildly informative.

What is ultralight backpacking? (how we talk about ultralight)

To me, ultralight backpacking is the idea that one should solve a problem using as little as possible, but that which is used to solve the problem should be as effective as possible. Defined as such, the actual weight of individual pieces of gear, or one's pack, matters less, and takes a back seat to the performance-to-weight ratio of a piece of gear.

Book Review – Ultralight Recipes for Outdoor Explorers

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?

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!

High Sierra Trail (Film) Review

The High Sierra Trail Film by Chris Smead explores the history and wonder of the John Muir Trail's little brother in this festival circuit documentary.

National Monument Reduction: What Are We Really Losing?

Late last year, United States President Donald Trump took action for national monument reduction in Utah, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. This article explores the issues.

Wandering in a Thirsty Country – Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument

When Donald Trump took office he appointed as his Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, a former member of Congress with a 4% lifetime score from the League of Conservation voters. Like Trump’s other cabinet members, much ink has been spilled concerning Zinke’s qualifications, the “fox guarding the henhouse” nature of his appointment, the various scandals that have surfaced during his time at Interior. Perhaps less well known to the general public is that Secretary Zinke, under orders from President Trump, recommended major changes to ten of the nation’s National Monuments. The most famous and contentious of these Monuments are Bears Ears and Grand Staircase - Escalante. But Organ Mountain - Desert Peaks, tucked away in a quiet corner of New Mexico, made the list as well.

A “Speshul” Hiker: Junaid Dawud and the Colorado 14ers Thru-Hike

Junaid “Speshul 41” Dawud may have cut his teeth on the Pacific Crest Trail - twice - but he earned one of the top ten FKTs of 2013 for completing his "14ers" thru-hike. This route links all 58 of the 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado.

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.

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.

Now

I'm inspired by Derek's Now concept, and I think it may provide some value to you. Here's what we're doing now.

Website Page Load Time Updates

Along the Lewis and Clark Trail with Buck Nelson

Adventurer and author Buck Nelson reflects on his incredible adventure on the famed Lewis and Clark Trail - a grand western adventure!

Update: New Server Performance & Migration Schedule

This post from the Publisher’s Blog (available to Unlimited Members only) shares insight into the speed improvements that our new server framework is expected to deliver, as well as a tentative date set for the migration.

Will Backpackinglight.com Publish a Podcast?

This post from the Publisher’s Blog (available to Unlimited Members only) shares results from our Members Podcast Interest Survey, and gives you the inside scoop asking the question: "Is Backpacking Light going to publish a podcast?!"

Design Notes: Towards the Limits of Ultralight

This post from the Publisher’s Blog (available to Unlimited Members only) offers some comments on the nature of ultralight design and the opportunities that await designers and manufacturers of ultralight gear.