Hiking and Backpacking
ArchivePackage deals aren’t always winners, but this one is. To celebrate its 100th birthday, Stanley—celebrated manufacturer of insulated mugs and bottles used around the world—is giving you a present. It’s a stainless steel, vacuum-insulated travel mug that slides inside a leak-proof, BPA-free water bottle, meaning…
Gear Tester Andrew Forsthoefel has just finished his cross-country walk. It took him nearly a year. At approximately 2,000 steps per mile—he’s had plenty of chances to count—Andrew has taken more than six million steps on his way from Pennsylvania to the Pacific. Forsthoelfel sent us notes on his shelter…
On July 4, 2012, runners gathered in Seward, Alaska, for a three-mile trail race up the mountain that looms 3,000 feet over Resurrection Bay. By the end of the day, two were in the hospital with serious injuries and one had vanished. What happened?
Tips for surviving seven of the world's deadliest adventures
I see people using increasingly high-tech hiking poles. What’s the deal?
Wild Things was founded 31 years ago to provide alpine climbing apparel and hardware for the world’s most extreme expeditions. The co-founder, Chamonix-born Marie Meunier, wore Wild Things on the first ascent of the South Face of Chacraraju, Peru,…
Matt Krause's American friends refused to believe that Turkey was anything like the United States. To prove them wrong, he's walking across the entire country.
Repeat after me: It's not about speed. Photo: Katie Arnold Recently, a couple of friends and I decided to mark the last days of summer by taking our kids for a hike. It was a warm, sunny, windless afternoon, the top-five-best-days-of-the-year kind of…
Yosemite National Park confirmed on Thursday that a ninth person had contracted hantavirus, according to Reuters. The park visitor, from California, has recovered. The notice came a day after the park notified roughly 230,000 people about the outbreak by email, according to the…
Conundrum Hot Springs party people, mid-August. Photo: Will McGough By Will McGough, Wake and Wander Sitting in the nearly 100-degree water, among several naked bathers in the Conundrum Hot Springs near Aspen, Colorado, I looked around at the pine…
I’m staying at a cabin outside of Lake Placid, New York, for a short vacation. What should I do in the Adirondacks while I’m there?
It's a lot easier to imagine you're a colonial settler when you're not 25, Katie Heaney learns
The holy grail of backpacking is a suspension system that makes your pack carry as if you have nothing on at all. It's an admirable goal, and pack designers are making progress toward it. Black Diamond made solid inroads with its reACTIV…
“Wander a whole summer if you can. Time will not be taken from the sum of life. Instead of shortening, it will definitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal.” —John Muir Anyone with a healthy amount of time that is looking for a new trail to backpack might want…
The biggest challenge for backpackers is fitting all the gear you need for a multi-day trip into your pack, and keeping the weight low enough that you enjoy your hike instead of being pulled down like a pack mule. Vargo offers a solution with its…
Over recent months—well, years, actually—the debate concering hardshell fabrics and their capabilities has been…
The quiver at Oh Be Joyful Campground. Photo: Katie Arnold There are few places in the Rockies more beautiful than Crested Butte. The Colorado mining town-turned-mountain-biking-nirvana sits at the dead-end of a wide, lush valley in the exact middle of the state. Ringed…
“Missy.” Photo: Screenshot from 14ers.com Let's start with the rescue. On August 11, Amanda and Scott Washburn were hiking a Colorado 14er named Mount Bierstadt when they came across a dog on a ledge. She had…
It’s not the first inflatable tent, but it might be the most affordable and easiest to use. By replacing traditional poles with inflatable “AirPoles,” Kelty’s family camping-sized shelters set up in under a minute with a dual-action floor pump, the kind you’d use to pump up an…
Take your eyes off of the race every once in a while to enjoy some of these beautiful Colorado cities, home to incredible food, breathtaking views, and countless outdoor opportunities
Field testing gear in real-world conditions is the only way to know which pieces are exceptional and which are run of the mill. So, immediately after the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt lake City wrapped, I hopped on a plane bound for Anchorage, Alaska, with Helly Hansen,…
Fall is here, and the temps are dropping—time to pick a fresh new adventure in the American Southwest
We’ve already published a couple of reviews from Andrew Forsthoefel, our gear tester who is walking all the way from his home in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, to the West Coast. Andrew has now made it past Santa Fe—a full 2,400 miles from his starting point. He’s walked the equivalent of…
Bug spray seems messy and outdated. Do the apps for Android phones and iPhones really work? What about bug-repellent clothing?
The goal: cover 15 mountains in fewer than four days and 11 hours. If Sean O'Rourke succeeds, he'll hold the record for the fastest ascent of California's 14ers.
Want to look at maps on your tablet instead of your phone so that they're bigger and easier to comprehend? Trimble Outdoors just released its MyTopo Maps app for the Kindle Fire and other Android-powered tablets. Now you can plot your next outdoor adventure on the big…
The goal: Cover 15 mountains in six days. If Crawford succeeds, she'll hold the record for the fastest female ascent of California's 14ers
Light-is-right fanatics take heed: don’t bother cutting the handle off of your toothbrush just yet. If you’re going on a multi-day trip, look to your sleeping system to shave some serious weight. After 2,700 miles on the road, our cross-country walking tester Andrew Forsthoefel gave us the scoop on his…
Telluride Mountain School students explore the Needle Mountains. Photo: Jamie Salem By Emily Brendler Shoff The older kids get, the easier it is to take them into the backcountry. This is even true for teenagers, who, despite getting a bad rap for being addicted to all…
If you’re like me, no matter how much you plan, the Wing It factor always comes into play when you go camping with children. Somebody sprouts a new tooth; you forget the salt; nobody sleeps. That's why it's called adventure. But now there's a book that can help you tame…
Never worry about being stuck in the wilderness with nothing to eat again—as long as there is a healthy river nearby. Last year, Washington State-based Fikkes introduced the world’s first fishing pole/trekking pole. The contraption houses a fishing rod blank inside a hollow aluminum trekking pole. With just…
From sharks and cougars to avalanches and frozen waters, four survivors share their stories in their own words. Plus: expert commentary.
Whitewater on Maine's Kennebec River, single-track in Vermont—these are the Northeast's best-kept adventure secrets
Columbia says that bare skin is no longer the coolest option on hot humid days. The company’s newest creation, clothes made with Omni-Freeze ZERO, is, they claim, even cooler. ZERO has circles of a sweat-absorbing polymer that swell and turn blue like tiny ice packs when…
Brought to you by Mark Thatcher, the guy who invented Teva's, Sazzis are sandals with individual toes cut into the sole. It's kind of like Vibram's Five Finger concept: Let your toes work independently and you get more traction, stability and agility on awkward…
San Francisco views at Angel Island State Park. Photo: John Trippe/FecalFace.com If you're all about eating locally-produced food and being active in your community, consider staking claim to some nearby dirt or sand, too. Here's a quick (and coastal-centric) list of camping options.
Outside reviews the best adventure gear for man’s best friend.
Cramming a whole lotta adventure into one day doesn't have to be a sufferfest. Photo: Katie Arnold We recently took the kids to see a Brazilian jazz band perform outside at our local college on a hill above town. You can probably picture the scene: Everyone…
From paddling to biking to hiking, here are the top spots from Nova Scotia to the Northwest Territories
The stablest country in the Middle East also makes for the most action-packed getaway
There are dozens of hydration packs out there. Which ones are best for specific activities, such as mountain biking, running marathons, or a weekend hike?
Therm-a-Rest made the first self inflating mattress in 1971. Sleeping in the backcountry suddenly became way more comfortable and pleasurable for most campers. Next spring, the brand, which is part of Cascade Designs, claims it will radically improve your sleep again with a new…
If you’re like most people, your summer strategy probably looks like this: Dispatch the kids to day camp while you spend the sweetest season behind your desk. But research shows that while children may be quicker studies, adults benefit hugely from learning new things, too. Good news: Now you can…
In October 2011, Andrew Forsthoefel walked out of his back door in Pennsylvania and started walking west, taking only what he could carry on his back. His project, called “Walking to Listen,” is to see the country at a walking pace, taking in the sights, the sounds and the stories.
Google is bringing its image-mapping technology into the wilderness. On June 6, the company announced on its blog that it is sending a new Street View Trekker device into the backcountry. The 40-lb., 15-camera, backpack-like gizmo…
Calling all connoisseurs of fine foods. Just because you're camping, hiking, skiing, riding or otherwise adventuring doesn't mean you have to suffer terrible treats. Leave the Slim Jims behind on your next outing and snack on one of these tasty boutique jerkies instead. Slantshack Jerky, which scored…
Merrell just completed a new study on barefoot and minimalist running that inspired the company to redesign its barefoot runners, making them wider so that your foot has more connection with the ground. It also inspired Merrell to introduce two new minimalist collections: done-in-a-day Mixmaster shoes (below)…
Helle of Norway has made knives since 1932—beautiful knives, knives that are handcrafted works of art as well as practical tools. Each Helle knife a unique wood handle and a triple-laminated razor-sharp stainless-steel blade that won't corrode or break. But the company has never made a folding…
High on the trail in the Acadia backcountry. Photo: Kurdistan/Shutterstock By Michael Lanza Day Hiking Acadia National Park, MaineAges: All (depending on hike) Acadia seems designed for hiking with kids: Numerous trails deliver constant views many of the best hikes are…
Last fall, Gear Shed tester Andrew Forsthoefel set off on a momentous, sure-to-be-life-changing megatrip. He loaded up his backpack, laced his shoes, and walked out his back door in Chadd’s Ford, Pennslyvania, bound for the West Coast on foot. He’s not in it just to prove that he is…
Make the most of the warmer months with these weekend itineraries
We’ve all heard of prodigal athletes—the seven-year-old ripping free skier, the two-year-old boulderer, teen mountaineers, the baby who starts skiing before she can walk, and the 12-year-old skateboarder who becomes the first athlete ever to land a 1080. Some of these…
Rhode Island School of Design student Cam Brensinger came up with the idea for NEMO (New England Mountain Equipment) and his college senior project, high on the flanks of New Hampshire's Mount Washington. One weekend Cam went camping and got caught in gale force winds. Cam recalls:…
Dodging grizzlies and calving glaciers in John Hopkins Inlet, Glacier Bay National Park Yesterday I caught up with Michael Lanza, author of the season’s must-read new memoir about bringing up adventure kids in the age of climate change: Before They’re Gone: A Family’s Year-Long…
I work outdoors in some serious deer tick habitat. I saw that Outdoor Research makes the pre-treated BugOut gaiters. Do your recommend them, or do you have any other suggestions for staying tick free?
Frank Quan at China Camp Village Photo: Mary Catherine O'Connor I found Frank Quan at a picnic bench, just off the beach, as the waters of San Pablo Bay lapped gently on the shore. It was an unseasonably warm, windless April afternoon and…
Badlands bison Photo: National Park Service photo archive The Oglala Sioux Tribe may be granted management of the South Unit of Badlands National Park, which would create the country's first tribal national park. The…
Wildfire via Shutterstock Photo by Jon Beard This summer's wildfire season is already well underway, with tragic repercussions. The Lower North Fork Fire in Colorado last month claimed three lives and many homes. It prompted Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper to put a moratorium…
It turns out, quite a bit, if that company is Patagonia. This manufacturer of outdoor apparel and footwear that we've frequently written about here at Outside, in its quest to continue to make the world a better place, is introducing Wild Salmon Jerky in…
Photo: Flikr/tkd540 With their commercial use permits on hold, horse pack operators in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks aren’t taking trip reservations and are nervously awaiting a May 23 hearing at which U.S. District Court Judge Richard Seeborg will outline…
All aboard who's going aboard. Photo courtesy Linx Co-op In our May issue we rounded up 12 amazing off-the-beaten path National Park adventures. Trekking into Yellowstone National Park (oh, you've heard of it?) didn't make the cut. But that doesn't mean you should avoid the 3,472 square…
Mike Dion's first feature-length film, Ride The Divide, followed three cyclists on the inaugural Tour Divide, a 2,700-mile self-supported bikepacking race along the Continental Divide from Banff, Canada to Antelopes Wells, New Mexico, a dusty crossing on the…
Meet the men and women on the knife's edge of exploration
Shivling Peak via Shutterstock Photograper: Galyna Andrushko As mountaineers from around the world converge in Nepal and prepare for the 2012 Everest climbing season, Apa Sherpa, the porter-turned-professional-climber who has summited the mountain 21 times, is in the midst of…
Grand Canyon Photo: Grand Canyon NPS The East Rim of the Grand Canyon, where the Little Colorado River meets the Colorado River, is a remote, quiet area, especially compared to the crowded Southern Rim. But it might not remain that way. The 27,000 square-mile Navajo reservation…
If you're that guy who is always complaining that the sleeves are too short, the legs are too long, or the torso is too tight when you buy other outdoor apparel, a company called Beyond is waiting for your call. The Seattle company makes custom technical under…
Kate Kernerman on her way to a campground. Photo: Ryan Branciforte It was a brisk and sunny morning, typical for the dry winter we're having in San Francisco. As I locked my bike up to a sturdy fence and started down the escalator to the 24th…
Sticky approach shoes will get you to and from your projects, but they're not just for cragging. Approach shoes can have urban appeal—like when you want to impress your friends after a few beers by bouldering up the nearest sculpture/rock/tree. We don't necesarrily recommend this, we're just saying, we know…
Photo: Young Hoon Oh Young Hoon Oh, South Korean PhD candidate in anthropology at UC Riverside, is headed to Nepal at the end of the month to attempt his second Everest summit. But his itinerary extends well beyond the days he'll try to reach the top…
Does a “3-in-1” jacket seem like a gimmick that can't possibly deliver on all fronts? 3-in-1 jacket means that the inner insulating layer and the outer jacket shell can each be worn individually, or they can be worn together for a third dual layer option.Columbia shows that…
[all photos: Emily Shoff] Soon it'll be mud season–time to escape to drier ground. And there's no better remedy to the tail end of winter than dropping a thousand feet into the canyons of southern Utah. My husband, Andy, and I have traveled with…
I'm a photographer and cinematographer, and I'm looking for a backpack that can double as a photo bag for hiking, skiing, and mountain climbing. I've found that Lowepro bags are too small. What do you recommend?
Even if you dad chucked his old wafflestompers and canvas backpack before you were born, you can still have legit heritage gear that's as functional as it is cool looking. Here are four of our favorite old-is-new pieces: LL Bean Maine Snowshoe: To celebrate its 100th birthday, LL Bean is…
Have you ever left your snowshoes home because they were too bulky to carry, only to regret it mid hike when you were postholing to your thighs in deep snow? Stories of stranded snowmobilers mired in the woods after they ran out of gas inspired Alaskan oil field worker Rick…
A year ago, Boreas was started by Tae Kim, the Creative Director behind Alite Designs. Kim showed he wasn’t afraid to take design risks, creating the two-legged balancing Monarch Butterfly Camp Chair and the zip-crotch Sexy Hotness sleeping bag. With Boreas,…
Okay guys: It's time to stop procrastinating, and start shopping. Stuck on what to get the outdoorsy lady in your life? Here's what we recommend: Kelty Supernova 30 Three-In-One Sleeping Bag: Zipping in together makes camping more fun. The Supenova 30° is made for spring and summer outtings.
A multimedia guide to seven of North America’s best adventure destinations—featuring Duct Tape Then Beer’s new videos series
If you know someone who thinks eating backcountry ramen with a fork seems culturally inauthentic, yet does not have the patience to finesse campsite mac and cheese from a bowl to mouth with chopsticks, GSI has the ultimate utensil for them. The titanium Kung…