Backcountry Camping
Archive
Thanks to preppers and innovations in freeze-dried delicacies, you can cook a full holiday dinner in the backcountry. Here’s how.
After trying goTenna on the streets of Brooklyn, we’re convinced the Snickers-sized device is the future of off-the-grid communication and a game changer for international travelers
Ditch pre-packed camping food with this cookbook for the backcountry
A family of backcountry maximalists learns to love going fast and light
From beer to bourbon, here’s how to cut loose (safely) while camping
We used to write. Let's bring that back.
Smell like the great outdoors, no matter where you are.
This brew lovers’ dream camping trip lets you sip high-quality suds deep in the California wilderness
Three new, surprising offerings from a heritage knife maker.
Bring your creature comforts wherever the road takes you.
Say goodbye to your grandpa’s hiking stick
We've got the Vanagon packed, but where and how should we unload it for a picture-perfect base camp?
The roomiest, sturdiest, and most stylish hanging nests of the year
Yes, it's possible to abandon the stakes, poles, and fly. Tuck into these alternatives next time you need some shut-eye outdoors.
Visitors flock to Grand Canyon National Park for awe-inspiring views. But if a quick peek over the edge isn’t enough, here are a few places to camp on the South and North Rims: On the popular South Rim, where most visitors venture, Ruby Hill sits 30 miles from…
The Southeast is brimming with spectacular places to camp, along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains, hugging the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, and many points in-between. What set the sites below apart are their location within a prize recreation area, seclusion, pristine surroundings—or some combination of the three.
Go beyond the classic hiking dessert with these new treats
Meet the preppers, a rattled, robust survivalist movement whose members just hate being called survivalists. Emily Matchar investigates the 21st century's wildest new apocalyptic scene.
What if you are backpacking or camping, and are confronted by a fast-moving wildfire? What should you do? What should you carry?
What's the best lightweight gear for a weekend backpacking trip?
I'm planning a snow-cave camping trip with some friends. What gear do I need to build the cave?
I received a zero-degree down sleeping bag over the holidays and I'm eager to do some winter camping in Colorado later this month. I've been on plenty of warm-weather trips, but this will be my first winter camp. What else do I need to stay warm?
Spontaneity means traveling light but also being prepared. The gear you bring—bikes, boats, ’biners—depends on where you’re going. The rest? Pack no more than the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Princeton Tec Byte headlamp.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Sea to Summit Traverse XTII sleeping bag.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including The North Face Gold Kazoo.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Marmot Plasma 15 sleeping bag.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Mammut Ajungilak Alpine 3-Season.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Big Agnes Mystic SL 15.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Sierra Designs Pyro 15 sleeping bag.
What type of sleeping pad is best for backpacking, the self-inflating or the tubular kind? Also what's the best, thickest pad out on the market? Rich Sycamore, IL
I am looking for a solid pack that is large enough for a bivy, a 32- to 45-degree down sleeping bag, an inflatable pad, and food for a night stay. But I also want to minimalistic. There are so many choices. Any suggestions? What should I be looking for? William Oakland, CA
The key to finding fresh adventure in the national parks? These ten strategies will get you far beyond the camera-toting hordes to where empty peaks, forgotten trails, and lonely rivers await.
I have been looking for a good minimalist water purifier. I have been looking at Katadyn Pocket water filter with Output Hose, but $ 320.00 seems dear. I just can't pull that trigger since usually I just boil water. But now I'm looking for more instant gratification nowadays—for under $120? FredSanta Monica, CA
They met in Alaska and became the ultimate adventure couple, biking and hiking and skiing their way to lifelong commitment. Then the kids and careers arrived, and the passion started leaking like oil from his bro truck. (Don't get her started on that.) Can a hardcore backpacking trip stand in for couples therapy? The author drags her husband into the Colorado wilderness to find out.
What is the most compact one-man tent that can be used for winter camping in Vermont? I'm looking for something to mainly keep the elements out. I would need to fit it into a carry-on. Also, I am looking into a sleeping bag that can handle cold winter nights in the Green Mountains that I can also fit with my carry-on bag. Alex Columbia, MO
Last year, four friends of mine and I biked the Allegheny Passage to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC. This late winter or early spring, we want to top that by heading out west and backpacking for four to five days in a national park. What is a good location that will have favorable conditions? -Andrew Pittsburgh, PA
My son wants a bivy tent. He likes to hike for couple of days at a time on his own, usually in a moderate climate but sometimes in the snow. What do I need to look for? Specific models if possible. Sue Kingwood, TX
What's the difference between synthetic insulation and down insulation in terms of staying warm? For example, how does 700 or 800 fill down compare to synthetics? PaulChicago, IL
Donny Adair dreams of getting African-American kids off the streets and into the woods. It won't be easy, but Deadeye Donny has a way of making things go.