Skills & Techniques

Learn the "howto" of lightweight backpacking with these tips, tricks, gear lists, and comprehensive skill guides.

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MYOG Ultralight Fastpacking ‘Tivy’

Mar 3, 2019 by Ellen J

Step by step instructions on how to construct my MYOG tivy model and videos and pictures of it in use.

Resources, Tools, and Processes for Planning Nontechnical, Off-Trail Backpacking Routes

Nov 14, 2018 by Ryan Jordan

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.

Navigating Without a Compass, Map, or GPS

Sep 14, 2018 by Kenneth Posner

This article describes natural navigator techniques I’ve found helpful while bushwhacking – navigating without a compass, map, or GPS.

MYOG: Seam Construction and Taping of New Dimension-Polyant Fabrics

Jul 1, 2018 by Roger Caffin

This article presents the results of some cursory material construction tests using the newer Dimension-Polyant (DP) fabrics from the LS, VX, and WX families, as well as seam-taping using DP-supplied seam tapes. The context here is MYOG/DIY backpack construction.

Case Studies: Using Google Earth to Plan Wilderness Trips

Jun 3, 2018 by Luke Schmidt

This article presents some case studies of using Google Earth for wilderness trip planning, with a presentation of my process and lessons learned.