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Latest
Mountain Laurel Designs TrailStar Shelter Review
Simplicity and strength in an all-season shelter.
Clikstand T-2 Alcohol Stove System Review
Can 100% titanium justify the price tag?
Nemo Obi Elite 1P Tent Review
Nemo becomes a serious player in the ultralight tent category. The Obi Elite 1P is a cutting edge one-person double-wall tent that matches the weight and roominess of many single-wall tents.
MSR Lightning Flash Snowshoe Review
If unlimited traction is what you want in a snowshoe, the Lightning Flash delivers; it can rightfully lay claim to the title of lightest high-traction snowshoe available.
Sony NEX-7 Digital Camera Review
Large sensor. High resolution. Small package. Interchangeable lenses. Is the DSLR finally dead for the backpacking photographer?
Rab MeCo Baselayers Review
Rab's new baselayers blend merino wool and synthetic fabrics - do they achieve the best of both worlds?
2011 Backpacking Light Staff Picks
Backpacking Light staff pick their favorite gear/cool dealio/thingy-dingy of 2011.
Altai Skis: The Hok Ski and X-Trace Universal Binding Review
For fast, easy over-snow travel, combine the traits of a snowshoe and those of a ski. A short, fat ski would keep the maneuverability, packability and hopefully light weight of a snowshoe as well as the glide and easy trail breaking of a ski. How well does this theory play out in reality?
Jacks ‘R’ Better Sierra Stealth Quilt Review
The Jacks ‘R’ Better Sierra Stealth Quilt is an ultralight summer quilt designed “with the ground sleeper in mind.” As the lightest of three wearable quilts available from JRB, the Sierra Stealth has a resealable Velcro head hole in the center that allows the quilt to be used as a serape around camp - eliminating the need for a lightweight jacket in addition to sleeping gear.
Seek Outside VersaShelter 6-Person Tipi
This single-wall, three/four-season, tipi-style shelter is the largest tipi in the VersaShelter line. A significant amount of the weight savings comes from the use of an all carbon fiber pole.
Kahtoola MTN 28 Snowshoe Review
Incorporating a stand-alone trail crampon that works along with the snowshoe itself, the Mountain 28 eliminates the need to carry a separate traction device for conditions that call for grip, not float. Intriguing in theory, how did it work in practice?
Field Testing Air Permeable Waterproof-Breathable Fabric Technologies Part 3: Discussion, Conclusions, and Performance of Individual Jackets
In this final part of the series we assemble the information gleaned from our field testing into an informative discussion with down to earth conclusions. We also present field test data for each individual jacket, comment on its utility, and identify standouts.
Nemo Pentalite Review
A versatile shelter with a unique design, the Pentalite manages to bring something new to the realm of pyramid tent design: a large floorspace and optional full bug protection without a full-height inner bug net. The size, weight savings, and flexibility of this design make it a good candidate for a group backpacking, car camping, or base camp use. So far, so good, right?
CAMP Xenon 4 Pole Review
These highly anticipated poles made quite a splash at 2011 ORWM. The Xenon 4 Trekking Poles are light, compact, easy to use and reasonably priced. How did they stand up to testing?
Field Testing Air Permeable Waterproof-Breathable Fabric Technologies – Part 2: Are There Detectable Differences Under Real World Backpacking Conditions?
Manufacturers make lofty claims for the enhanced breathability of the new fabrics. I tested ten jackets under challenging and forgiving backpacking-type conditions, while recording temperature and humidity inside and outside the jackets, and reported my findings. Perhaps I didn’t experience “air and water vapor permeability so shocking you’ll swear it's magic,” but I did identify some standouts and some promising trends of interest to backpackers.
MSR Twin Brothers Shelter Review
On paper, the palatial space and bare-essentials engineering of this tent make it appear like a dream come true for ultralight group travel. How does it actually perform in the real world?
Jetboil Zip Cooking System Review
A scaled down and inexpensive version of the original PCS, the Zip is lighter weight and a great value.
Jetboil Flash Cooking System Review
The Flash is basically a flashier PCS and will eventually replace it.
Jetboil Sol Ti Premium Cooking System Review
Jetboil’s lightest and most technically advanced integrated canister fuel cooking system.
Monatauk Gnat Titanium Stove Review
The lightest canister fuel stove in the world.
