If you are like me, when you arrive at your cpsite after a long hike, you want to switch out of your boots and put on something lighter. What shoes are out there that will work well around the cpsite? Something that will protect the toes, has enough sole so you can step on a rock with hobbling yourself, and doesn’t make for much extra weight. John New York, New York

I rolled out my tent fly after not using it for a while and it was all stuck together. With difficulty I was able to unstick it for use. But if I roll it up again, I’m sure it will get stuck and perhaps rip when I try to use it again. I've aired and sunned it out on the line for many days. No change. Help! Charles Fairfax, California

I am the project officer in charge of the design, development, and procurement of all Individual Load Bearing Equipment for the United States Marine Corps. We’re currently performing market research on backpacks with approximately 2,500 cubic inches of capacity. Durability and comfort is top priority. I would like to purchase several different styles of backpacks to study the best ideas out there. Which manufacturers and packs should I consider? John Quantico, Virginia

I've never been to Indiana and will be attending a wedding there this fall. How about a little advice on what to do during my stay? Michael S. Phoenix, AZ

Outside‘s Best Places to Work program recognizes companies that encourage employees to balance a productive work life with an active, healthy personal life. Does your company offer: »   fitness facilities or programs? »   flex-time or telecommuting options?…

I recently purchased a 1970s Ghisallo ten-speed bike. What can you tell me about this brand? Bob Lebanon, New Jersey

“When you sit down on an exercise machine, with your back against chair, you tend to shut down the rest of your body,” warns Laird Hamilton. “You want strength that you can actually control and apply.” It’s called functional strength, and it dictates the way you should lift weights. Here’s…

Gallery: British Columbia For the October 2007 feature story “The Ski Gene,” Italian-born photographer Paolo Marchesi followed author Nick Paumgarten and his father for a wild adventure in steepest, deepest British Columbia. Here, see Marchesi’s photo outtakes from…

Down Boy: Q&A with Steven Rinella Though author Steven Rinella wrote the book on weird food (The Scavenger's Guide to Haute Cuisine), traveling to Vietnam to sample cooked dog for the October 2007 feature story “Down Boy” totally freaked him out. Rinella talks…

New York City-based writer Patrick Symmes and Irish photographer Seamus Murphy scoured the Far East in search of the legendary city of Shambhala for the October 2007 feature story “The Kingdom of the Lotus.” Here, listen to a podcast interview with Symmes and see Murphy’s photo outtakes from the assignment.

I'm going camping in the Caribbean where it’s relatively dry and night temperatures are usually 75F. What sleep system would you recommend? Abel New York, New York

My wife’s toes are constantly jming into her hiking boots on day hikes. We do moderate (8 to 14 mile) day hikes, and the downhill portions obviously create the greatest toe stress. Is there a particular type of hiking shoe that would remedy this? Ron Richmond, Virginia

That was the cry from many, many readers. Read the morse code translation of the message that appeared in the October 2007 issue of Outside below.

Q&A: Hampton Sides Hampton Sides Hampton Sides A winner of the 2002 PEN USA Award and author of three books, “Ghost Soldiers,” “Americana,” and most recently, “Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West,” Hampton Sides’s work has…

The Early Days: Q&A with Larry Burke Larry Burke Larry Burke From the beginning, one man has been at the head of Outside. In1976 Outside‘s founder and editor in chief Larry Burke started the quarterly journal, Mariah, which would…

Watch Lance Armstrong, Laird Hamilton, Amanda Beard, Kelly Slater, Jake Burton, Lynn Hill, Scott Lindgren, Ed Viesturs, and Ben Harper as they gather for Outside‘s iconic 30th anniversary cover photo shoot. Soundtrack provided by Ben Harper.

Our man Eric Hansen has scoured the globe in the name of misadventure and excitement. Here, read all of Hansen's columns for Outside, listen to audio versions, peruse photos he took while on assignment, and watch a video as our guy shows you how to drink Tequila.

If you spin at little or no resistance at high speed, do you gain the same benefits as you would spinning with resistance at a lower speed? Are you burning the se ount of calories? Stephanie

I'll soon be traveling around Ethiopia for three weeks, and I need a new pack for this trip and beyond. I travel mainly to third-world places on the semi-cheap. I need a pack that’s light, can take a beating, and doesn't take up much room. And I don't want an attachable day pack on it. Any suggestions? Herb Danbury, Connecticut

I'm going to do a bicycle tour around Lake Michigan next summer, and I'm thinking about getting a GPS for the bike. Got any recommendations for me? Ken Vernon Hills, Illinois

It brought you Gisele, Ronaldo, and samba. But the real Brazil gets even better. Here's your map to the best sin and sand on the planet.

OK, so he's not the coolest guy on the river. But with another world freestyle title, a kayak-building business that's shaking up the industry, and a sweet RV to take him and his paddling offspring anywhere, Eric Jackson is high on the pile.

Overrun with linebacker types who can't hack the training, recruiters for the Navy SEALs are targeting X Gamers and endurance athletes. Because who wouldn't want Lance Armstrong on the front lines?

Eleven years after Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild caused a sensation, the family of Christopher McCandless, director Sean Penn, and his all-star cast and crew talk about their quest to bring the fatal journey of "Alexander Supertramp" to the big screen.

Before her 2005 arrest, eco-saboteur Chelsea Gerlach took part in nine Earth Liberation Front actions, including the 1998 arson that destroyed Vail Mountain’s Two Elk lodge. In an exclusive interview from behind bars, Gerlach talks about life on the run, destruction on behalf of the environment, and why she cooperated with the federal investigators who smashed the ELF.

We sent our wayward columnist to row a boat in Cinque Terre and all we got was this lousy letter

Escape from New York (and nine other big cities) with these 40 fast adventures

Inspiring ideas from Bay Area inventors

I’d like your opinion on the Scarpa Escape GTX and La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX boots. I getting ready for a trip to Gannett Peak next summer and have narrowed my choice to these two boots. Logan Madison, Alabama

I planning to trek through Nepal and India and wondering what is the best purification and/or filter system to use. I have heard a lot about the SteriPEN. How does it compare to the rest? Miri Halifax, Canada

An inventor unleashes the world's baddest bio-bike

Leonardo DiCaprio's new documentary aims to shock us into saving the planet. Will viewers show up?

Some of fall’s best books follow travelers venturing off the tourist circuit to find both danger and enlightenment. The Americans in PAUL THEROUX’s The Elephanta Suite, a collection of three haunting novellas, all pass through the same luxury hotel room in Mumbai. Yet each goes on to discover an India…

Denis Johnson takes on Vietnam

Sure, it's big, bad, and thirsty. But I love it—and you can't judge a man by his wheels alone.

Mexico's most famous masked man, champion lucha libre wrestler El Hijo del Santo, has a thing for turtles. As the 2007 spokesman for San Diego-based conservation group Costasalvaje/Wildcoast, he's caressed their shells (yes, he wore the mask—always!) and patrolled beaches for egg thieves. PATRICK SYMMES rang El Santo at a Mexico City gym, where

Can Viagra really improve high-altitude performance?

My boyfriend is stationed in Iraq and he needs an extremely durable digital watch that is water resistant (due to extreme heat and sweating) and has 24-hour time format, compass, barometer, timer, etc. What would you suggest in the $200 range? Loree Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I live in an Army town where my choice for outdoor gear is fairly limited to military surplus products. Relatively cheap ALICE packs and woodland co Gore-Tex abound here. Is military-issue gear comparable to more expensive brand-ne gear? Jeff Lawton, Oklahoma

Does going sockless in cycling shoes cause them to wear more quickly? I got this bit of information from a fellow rider on a recent century, but it sounds a bit dubious. Bob Belmont, Massachusetts

I’m getting more involved in backpacking and trying to find the right camp stove and cookware to use. For now, my trips will be no more than four days. I just need a good beginner stove, preferably one that has a simmer option, and cookware that will last. Any ideas? Bill Everett, Washington

My favorite jacket is nearing the end of its life, and I’d like to replace it with a similar do-anything version that’s comfortable in a range of temperatures. I’m looking for a highly breathable piece, and waterproofing isn’t that important. Andre San Francisco, California

I have a single wall Garuda tent, and I recently noticed that the fabric had separated into two pieces of fabric with water pooling between it. I planning on sealing it with techtron. Will this also help the fabric to rebind into one piece? John San Luis Obispo, California

Can you recommend a clipless pedal system for a recreational road biker (and faithful Gear Guy fan) who has an irrational fear of falling? And any suggestions for accompanying shoes? Paul Baltimore, Maryland

I bought a batch of white gas about three years ago. Will using this dage my stove? Also, given how flmable the fuel is, is there a safe and recommended method of disposal other than burning it in a stove? Skot Vancouver, British Columbia

I'm hiking the Teton Crest Trail soon and want to try out a solo tent in an effort to lighten my pack weight. Could you give me your opinion on a few ultra-light solo tents? Doug Saint Louis, Missouri

I looking into purchasing my first soft shell jacket. I will be using it in the fall and winter here in Minnesota and for the occasional ski trip to Montana. What are your thoughts on custom-built soft shells and are they worth it? Eric Maple Grove, Minnesota

How can I physically challenge myself in Ecuador and still see a lot?

In his September Out of Bounds column, "The Italian Job" columnist Eric Hansen tries to convince us that he did not waste our money on a trip to Italy, where, as near as we can tell, he just downed Chianti and gelato. Hansen reads his story, talks in a podcast interview, and shares his photos here.

I live above the Arctic Circle, and a friend wants to come up this winter to help out with the dogs. He wants to stay in a tent on our property. I'm leaning toward a Cabela’s Outfitter canvas wall tent or ISQ tent with two pods. What’s your opinion of these tents? Jeff bler, Alaska

Resort towns no more—move here before the masses do.

They're more than 13,000 years old, priceless, and maybe the best evidence yet of the first Americans. Traveling to remotest Alaska, STEVEN RINELLA goes digging for history before it's too late.

I have poor lung capacity and want to ride the 100-mile El Tour de Tucson. I lose major speed on even the slightest incline or hill and lose my breath. I've had asthma for 18 years. How can I develop better lung capacity ? Brynne Winfield, IL

He goes surfing between rounds. He's a class v kayaker. He once bummed heli-rides in ALASKA while living in a snow cave—for a month. And thanks to the strangest personal history on the PGA Tour (step aside John Daly), Will MacKenzie has even made it cool to watch golf.

Napoleon Dynamite was on to something. Hybrid creatures like pizzlies, blynxes, and bonanzees are beautiful and cool—and they're forcing evolutionary scientists to rethink the web of life.

Fourteen years ago, Jon Krakauer's “Death of an Innocent”chronicled the life and death of Chris McCandless in the pages of Outside. In the September 2007 feature story “I Want This Movie to Grip People in the Heart” director Sean Penn and McCandless's family and friends talk to Outside editor Christopher…

As Katie Arnold found out in the September 2007 feature story, “The Alpha Geek,” world champion kayaker Eric Jackson and the rest of his clan can white water rodeo with the best of them. See more of photographer Jake Chessum’s shots of the fam in action here.

Our critical look at the Boy Scouts ("Demerit Badge," July 2007, by Annette McGivney) sparked the flint in more than one Scout's tinderbox. Give us your opinion of the Scouts in our online poll here and download a letter from the National President of the Boy Scouts of America.

As you may have heard, they ski in Iran. As you may not have heard, the terrain is pretty sweet, there are dudes bouncing on the chairlifts, and The hills are alive with happy women in flowing robes. Can we make peace with this place Immediately?

An interview with Barack Obama about energy and the environment

I do a lot of camping on float trips, and the river canyons can be awfully hot. I’m looking for a tent that provides maximum ventilation even with a rain fly on. The Quest tent I use has good air flow, but it doesn't hold up to high winds. Is there any hope? Sue Great Falls, Montana

On a recent hiking trip, I developed a whopper of a hot spot on my heel. A friend lent me a pair of liner socks, and the rest of the journey was comfy. I’m sold! I’ve heard that the liner should be made of the se fabric as the outer socks. What’s your opinion on this? Brenda Shoreview, Minnesota

I just discovered your gearness and must say I like your logical mirth. Please enlighten me on Eagle Eyes sunglasses technology. Is its NASA-accepted light-filtering system really unmatched? Salim Loma Linda, California

He haughtily presumed he'd be able to work through the pain like a Mack truck. Then he met Dr. Angst and Nurse Tingle.

If you’ve got a pickup, you’ve got the ultimate portable camp. Compared with a tent, it provides a less conspicuous (and more secure) shelter at the put-in, by the trailhead, and near the break—or at the rest area. Some new trucks, like the 2007 Toyota Tacoma, have notches in their…

Get a lift with the best new peak-bagging gear

When the day's action is full of surprises, take it all in stride with these versatile shoes

A portable telescope

Italy’s Wilier Triestina rose to prominence by making bikes for winners of the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France in the years immediately after World War II. In recent decades, Wilier has continued to make pro-level bikes for European riders. Now the legendary brand is crossing the pond with…

The season's best stuff is neither black nor white. It's the color in between.

Go farther faster, stay out all day, and don't carry a thing (except your credit card) on these five perfect, three-day hiking and biking adventures

More than three decades after blazing the independent-travel trail, Richard Bangs and Tony Wheeler are still racking up the adventures

Bobby Martinez turned to the waves and stayed off the street

Taking down a dam used to require an act of Congress—or terror. Now it's just good business.

Keep your mouth shut and the masses won't follow

Sorry, abs: One muscle trumps all others. Keep your ticker in top shape with our complete guide to cardio health.

It took hundreds of years and the heavy-heeled stomping of thousands of trekkers. Now some 30,000 miles of trails high in the Swiss Alps are finally packed down, buffed out, and ready for their true calling: downhill mountain biking. This August, the first North American outfitter to guide armor-clad cyclists…

I’m hitting the road with a travel trailer and would like to take an inflatable kayak so I can get out on flat water along the way. What kayak would serve my purpose? Doreen Vero Beach, Florida

Partners with the outdoor industry association and the best companies group to find the ultimate work environment

I’m training for my first triathlon, and I'm an experienced swimmer and runner, but no cyclist. What type of bike (hybrid or road) would you suggest for a 23-year-old female? Also, any ideas on a specific model—preferably under $500? Susan Athens, Georgia