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Lessons from Moving Fast
Ben Kilbourne explores the experience of moving fast through a vast mountain landscape and what you can learn from the experience.
Backpacking is Pointless, and That’s the Point
Maybe not everything about ultralight backpacking has to be optimized.
Waymark Gear Lite 50L Backpack Review
The Waymark Gear Lite 50L backpack features a unique shoulder-strap attachment system and several fit-related features that might appeal to larger users.
Episode 59 | Ben Kilbourne Reads “Good Gear Lets You Be Present”
Ben Kilbourne reads his essay on the balance between caring about gear and being present on adventures.
The Blue Lights of the San Rafael Swell
Sometimes we backpack to get a taste of the unknowable: blue lights and pictographs in the San Rafael Swell.
YAR.gear Mountain Drifter 38L Review
The YAR.gear Mountain Drifter 38L (~18 oz / 510 g, MSRP $200) is a light and modular fastpacking pack that can accommodate heavier loads for short distances if need be.
The Overlook: Observing Transition Season
Ben Kilbourne uses the writing of Aldo Leopold to examine his interaction with nature.
Springtime Solitude in Southern Utah
BPL author Mark Wetherington rambles through Capitol Reef National Park.
The Overlook: Good Gear Lets You Be Present
What's the perfect pack? One that stays off your mind.
Episode 40 | Ben Kilbourne Reads “The Anthropology of a Trail”
Who or what makes a trail? This is the question Backpacking Light author Ben Kilbourne asks himself (and us) as he reads his essay The Anthropology of a Trail.
Take This Poem on Your Next Trip
The words you carry with you are just as important as your gear.
The Overlook: Giving Back to Bear’s Ears
Ben Kilbourne reflects on his first journey in the Bear's Ears National Monument, and wonders how to give back to such special places.
The Anthropology of a Trail
When we trek, we are taking the paintbrush or pencil that is the foot to the page that is the earth.
The Overlook: Othering in the Outdoors
BPL columnist Ben Kilbourne was on a trail run when he suddenly found himself in a mask-related confrontation. What happened next got him thinking.
Can Wilderness Include Humans?
Am I willing to temper my desire for the pristine with an awareness that the pristine is a cultural construct?
Backpackers Should be Amateur Naturalists
Ben Kilbourne explores the need for backpackers to be amateur naturalists in our effort to steward our natural environment.
Lightweight Backpacking for Couples
Introduction Most of us do not venture into the backcountry alone. Sharing the outdoors with another person heightens our outdoor experience. That person can be a good friend, parent, brother,...
