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Latest
Podcast: Packrafting Safety Tips from the Experts Part 1
Seven packrafters with a total of over thirty-five years of experience under their bums share the safety gear they won't be without, skills that have kept them coming back for more, common - and dangerous - mistakes, and real life rescue stories.
Pitching a Tent in the Snow
Want to try tenting in the snow, but haven't done it before and not sure how? Haven't time in the evening to build a snow cave or an igloo just for one night? We walk you through the basics of what gear you need, how to choose a good site, how to create a platform, and how to pitch your tent (or a tarptent if you are brave).
Testimony: How I Fell for Lightweight Backpacking
Fate stepped in and pushed me down some steps in November 2006, breaking my fibula at the ankle, requiring surgical repair. I asked my surgeon if I could backpack the following summer, and he said "If you can get your pack down to thirty pounds, you can backpack." My lightweight journey was launched in earnest.
Vapor Barrier Liners
Backpacking Light's Andrew Skurka on Vapor Barrier Liners: What they are, how they work, and when to use them.
Spring Footwear: Lightweight Overboot & High Gaiter Systems for Keeping Feet Warm & Dry
Foremost among the challenges that spring hikers face is the presence of melting snow and the prospect of continuously wet feet. Ryan Jordan presents his two favorite footwear systems for cold or warm spring conditions.
Video: Have Fun and Avoid Drowning – A How-To for Packrafters
Highlights from the April 2008 Rescue 3 International Whitewater Rescue Technician course for packrafters held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Lightweight Testimony: Mother Nature Insisted I Go Light
Carol Crooker's essay on enlightenment shows that Mother Nature can be a pushy broad, but she gets the job done.
Not a Day on any Calendar
Backpacking Light's Wilderness Trekking School Photo Essay.
Lightweight Testimony: My Journey into Lightweight Backpacking
The true story of how Jamie survived in the woods with his paper coat.
Lightweight Testimony: Lighter, Farther, Faster
Steve Hinkle relays that carrying all the comforts of home ultimately made for a miserable trail experience, and how shedding "comforts" was actually more pleasant in the long run.
Staff Videocast: Cowboy Coffee
How do BPL Staffers stay warm, hydrated, and caffeinated in the backcountry?
Lightweight Testimony: Jim Sweeney’s Enlightenment via Lead Weights, Helium Balloons, and Yachting
"I guess I first realized my pack weight had to change when I was in intensive care recovering from a bad fishing trip."
A Passion Found, Lost, and Rediscovered
Lightweight Testimony: Tony Wong Finds, Loses, and Rediscovers a Lightweight Passion.
Gear Suited for Wet, Cold Weather Hiking
Cold & wet: really only good when it describes your dog's nose. But you can still be comfy in these conditions with the right (lightweight) gear.
Podcast: Journey on the Wild Coast – Maintaining Health and Preventing Injury
Erin and Hig discuss their minimal first aid kit and strategies for staying alive and well throughout a year of wilderness trekking.
When Things Go Wrong
Roger Caffin shares his adventure in misadventure.
Done in a Day
Kevin Sawchuk shares his how-to on fast day hikes, and his why-to, too.
Sandals for Summer Backpacking
Chris Townsend shares his sandal wearing experience.
Ditch Your Stakes: A Guide To Alternative Shelter Anchors
Mike Clelland! has gone stakeless!
Packraft Rating (PR) System
Roman Dial demystifies whitewater for the packrafter wanting to understand the natural progression of learning to packraft in the context of increasingly difficult whitewater.