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 ...

How we reported this story: We spoke to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s director of visitor use management about the organization’s ongoing plan to remediate damaged camping areas and evaluate ...

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 ...

Synthetic materials have a lot of advantages in the backcountry. They’re easy to waterproof, dry quickly, and are light and durable. But they also have one big drawback: They’re made out of oil. With ...

The trail passes through the 3,000-foot-high Logar Valley cinematic as a Peter Jackson sequence: Gnarled apple trees and wildflowers line long, narrow fields of bright green grass, and forests of ...

Pushing the SOS button feels like a big responsibility. We shoot a signal through the atmosphere, from wherever we’re sprawled out on the ground in the middle of nowhere. That signal triggers a ...

Even if, like us, your school days are long behind you, there’s a certain melancholy to summer’s final stretch. The days are getting shorter, and those warm-season trips are in the past. But for ...

Do chainsaws belong in the wilderness? If we’re talking about federally designated Wilderness Areas in the United States, the answer is generally “no.” Since the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964, ...

Culinary mishaps are a rite of passage for most backpackers. We’ve all tried—at least once—to cook up an elaborate group meal on a tiny aluminum skillet. An hour later, with only simultaneously burnt ...

In mid-May, Pacific Crest Trail hikers near Wrightwood, California began falling severely ill with the same set of of symptoms: stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea. By the end of the month, at least ...

In 2026, “ultralight” is mostly a buzzword. As Backpacker’s ultralight columnist, I’ve been the recipient of countless emails and press releases touting new ultralight gear, only to pull up ...

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 ...