Cutting Backpacking Food Weight on a Long-Distance Hike
Although it rarely receives it, your backpacking food weight deserves at least as much consideration as the weight of your gear.
How to Choose the Best Backpacking Tent
When backpacking, all your gear is important, but one could argue that your backpacking tent is the most critical. We won’t claim that outright because we know each piece plays a significant role in allowing you to confidently explore the backcountry. Finding that unique combination of gear that is perfectly tuned to our specific adventures is what it’s all about. That said, in the unpredictable—and often unforgiving—backcountry, the value of a good shelter can’t be overstated. Whether you are looking to upgrade your current backpacking tent or picking up your first, it’s a big decision. There’s a lot of factors, features and technology that go into each tent. Below we break down the critical aspects of backpacking shelters and contextualize them to help you make an informed decision. We also…
Stoves 101: How to Get the Most Out of Your Fuel Canisters
Tricks for keeping your stove burning stronger and longer on each can of fuel.
Backpacking: Our Ultimate Prep-for-the-Season Guide
You might be ready for the season, but is your gear? Here’s how to make sure.
Backpacking Cookware 101: Titanium vs. Aluminum vs. Stainless Steel
Each material has its key benefits. The next step is deciding which is right for you.
Backpacking Cookware: Making It All Fit in Your Pack
Learn how to nest your pots, stove and other cooking gear to save as much space as possible.
MSR Reactor vs. WindBurner: What’s the Difference?
We boil down the key distinctions between the MSR Reactor and the WindBurner, to help you choose which backpacking stove is best for you.
Choosing Mountains: Mountaineering with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Diagnosis: Traumatic Brain Injury Exhausted before it even started, my first expedition was one of survival. Constant changes in direction, diagnosis, and dialects across seven hospitals in three countries. 70% vision loss, cognitive chaos, murky memory and an abolished appetite—I was both lost for words and a lust for life following 26 stormy months in a constant climb for my life. Every step felt like an unsteady crevasse crossing, my medical team leading me from the edge of death’s doorstep into an avalanche of unknowns. Adrift amidst the losses, the only sign I could see illuminated was the mountains. They are home, comfort and constant. Mountains allow me to make sense of the confusion that surfaces amongst crowds and questions, stares and cities. Natural colossi—blockades to some, obstacles to others, opportunities…
Canister Stoves vs. Liquid Fuel Backpacking Stoves – Which is Right for You?
The question of canister stoves vs. liquid fuel stoves, each with their own pros and cons, mostly comes down to the trips you’re planning and your personal preference. Canister stoves have significant advantages in some situations and new, more efficient designs have made the performance differences less distinct than they once were. Liquid fuel stoves remain the leaders on long trips, winter conditions and travel where canisters may not be available. Let’s take a closer look at canister stoves vs. liquid fuel backpacking stoves to help you determine which is right for you. Stove Weight—Winner: Canister Stoves Canister stoves are the clear winner in this category—they’re almost always lighter and more compact than their liquid fuel counterparts. Comparing just the weight of the stoves themselves, the numbers are easy to…