Books are a contentious item among ultralight backpackers. Sure, a little entertainment can help pass long hours in the tent during storms or help you settle into camp at night. But reading material ...

One hiker’s hack is just another hiker’s smart idea. Backpack for long enough and you’ll find yourself with your own bag of tricks—smart moves that make things easier, lighter, cheaper, or just more ...

I’m out on a quick evening hike tonight, and it’s a little bit of a bittersweet moment because tomorrow I’m writing my final installment of my ultralight column for Backpacker Magazine. I’m Nate ...

Fat Bear Week, the annual March Madness-style competition that lets viewers vote for the fattest brown bear in Katmai National Park and Preserve, starts early this year. Beginning on September 18, the ...

September 2026: The best women’s rain jacket overall is the Outdoor Research Aspire 3L Jacket for its combination of weatherproofness, breathability, smart features, affordable price, and matching ...

Breathability can make or break a budget shell, and the Marmot PreCip outperformed all others when it comes to that key measure. “Best in class,” says one tester who wore it during a three-day trek ...

Once the sole domain of thru-hikers, fast-packers, and ultrarunners, trail runners have replaced traditional boots for most casual backpackers. With out-of-box comfort, breathable, quick-drying uppers ...

At Backpacker, we throw the term “thru-hiking” around a lot. But if you’re just dipping your toe into the world and been afraid to ask, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a primer on this special ...

In her monthly column, The Survivalist, Jessie Krebs writes about staying alive in dangerous backcountry scenarios. Krebs is a former Air Force S.E.R.E (survival, evasion, resistance, and escape) ...

The customer who showed up at the sporting goods store was furious, and demanded to speak with a manager. When one arrived, he handed her a canister of bear spray and told her that she had sold him a ...

Hiking was the most popular outdoor activity across America last year and is still growing, according to a new report from an outdoor industry trade group. In the latest edition of its annual Outdoor ...

Hawaii’s highest mountain is one of the most spectacular hikes on the planet, a place where the Arctic and the tropical meet. Mauna Kea’s volcanic topography feels like a land before time, primal and ...