Hiking Gear
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Over the past 15 years, ultralight gear has gone mainstream—and gotten a bit heavier, too
Your defunct electronics—from headlamps, digital cameras, avalanche beacons and GPS devices to fitness watches, laptops, cell phones and headphones—all contain valuable, yet hazardous resources. Here’s how to make sure they get properly recycled.
Looking for new trail running shoes, ski boots, or the latest backpack styles? You came to the right place.
These are some of our favorite gear brands led by badass women in the industry
You may never raise a single-use container to your lips again
Plan on wearing this smartly designed merino top for the next six months straight
Making your own camp stove out of a cat food or soda can used to be a rite of passage for backpackers. But with canister stoves getting lighter and cheaper—and fire bans getting more and more common—one Backpacker editor argues their time has come. (Plus: Another editor dissents.)
These short-but-sweet hikes are the perfect microadventure for busy people. Here’s how to tackle them.
We found a novel treatment that actually removes the itch
Twelve testers put 33 boots to rock, dirt, and sand. These nine vaulted to the top.
When upgrading your kit becomes a way to ignore your problems
Made by Smith, his large-lens Pursuit shades are ideal for skiing, cycling, running, and nearly every other outdoor activity you can imagine
The outdoors are for everyone. Here’s our best advice on how and where to go camping, hiking, and backpacking if you’re just getting started.
After having my butt saved numerous times by a trekking pole, I now make sure to always pack one in my backcountry kit
All-in-one affordable travel hammock includes everything you need to comfortably hang out on the go
We’ve found seven tourism operators to help you dine off the eaten path, at home and abroad
If you’re small-framed, you could be in for some serious savings
This is your chance to win a trip of a lifetime and a sweet haul of adventure-ready gear
Six pieces of equipment for running around a 14,000-foot mountain
New webbing straps made by a company called Austere offer a tight-cinching alternative when you need to tie things down
Sun hoodies are the multi-tool of the hiker’s wardrobe, but they often get gross, fast. Not Coalatree’s new Suray.
We’ve had two months to overthink the equipment choices of our favorite Hawkins high schoolers on ‘Stranger Things’. We have some suggestions to make.
I came for their looks. I stayed for their all-day comfort and all-terrain performance.
They’re 1,706 miles in and this is what they like most
Is the PürTrek pole-filter mashup a brilliant idea or a Frankensteinian mess?
The latest pieces of clothing and knowledge that’ll help you get the most from this season’s excursions in the backcountry
Keep your pup safe and stylish on the trail with these seven accessories
A lightning-fast water filter makes staying hydrated on the trail easier than ever
These accessories might not make or break your trip, but you’ll sure be glad you packed them
These hikers will help you carry your load and stay comfortable and secure, no matter the terrain
After finishing the Appalachian Trail, I experienced severe pain in my lower right leg. Little did I know, toe socks and spacers would be my saving grace.
Water weighs a lot, audiobooks weigh nothing, and more semi-philosophical tips to guide rookie trekkers to a strong finish
Wisdom gained by trying, and sometimes failing, to stay comfortable outdoors
Heading out on your first overnight? Use this handy list as your guide to packing for a three-season backpacking trip.
The average woman in the U.S. is a size 16. Here are five gear companies that are actually making clothes for her.
And it’s made in America by a new company you’ve probably never heard of
With an innovative hipbelt and pockets (almost) everywhere I need them, this backpack is a quiver killer for multiday treks
One should be a staple in your outdoor kit
The cost of your backpacking tent shouldn’t keep you awake at night. These double-wall, two-person shelters are all $300 or less, and will put your mind—and body—at ease with their dialed combinations of performance and price.
Create the ultimate wet-weather defense system with these six waterproof items
When hikers have leftover food or gear, they don’t trash it. They drop it in a box for the next person who needs it, forming a beautiful network of anonymous interdependence.
On a backpacking trip through Utah’s Buckskin Gulch with ultralight gear legend Glen Van Peski, our writer learns about the Crotch Pot, an Oscar-winning actor’s anti-snoring technique, and that there’s a whole lot of shit you don’t need when you’re on the trail 1,000 miles from home