Hiking Gear Reviews, Expert Tips, & Trail Guides

You’ve packed a can of bear spray and are heading off to your favorite wildlife-populated backcountry. But somewhere in the back…

The problem of human waste in the outdoors was highlighted last May when a glacial geologist with the National Park Service…

Few things can ruin a backpacking trip quicker than relentless swarms of buzzing mosquitoes…

Patagonia is one of the most pristine and wild regions on our planet. Just the word itself evokes images of windswept landscapes with jagged granite spires twisting to the sky, immense glaciers and some of the largest ice fields on Earth.

If we had to choose one location to illustrate the immense beauty of the Canadian Rockies, the Lake O’Hara backcountry would be the place. Eighty kilometers of well-maintained trails wind through this breathtaking alpine wilderness filled with turquoise lakes, stunning meadows, and expansive views.

Cotopaxi’s mission is creating innovative outdoor gear and making meaningful strides toward reducing global poverty.

If you’re a backpacker who likes to pack light, but you still want to enjoy the comforts of a hammock in the wilderness, then the Hummingbird Single Hammock and Tree Straps are for you.

Most camp chairs are far too heavy and bulky for backpacking. At only 7oz, Therm-a-rest Compack Chair Kit is light enough to pack deep into the backcountry and comfortable enough to make all your buddies jealous while sitting around the campfire.

The Patagonia M10 Jacket is a fantastic rain shell for any lightweight adventurer. It has quickly become my all-time favorite backpacking jacket, and I expect you’ll feel the same. 

Below is an email from a reader I received this week. Den from Berkshire, UK brings up a problem I hear about all the time, so I thought I’d share my response. Also, if you want more info on the hiking boots vs. running shoes debate, check out my article 5 Reasons To Ditch Your Hiking Boots. A big thanks to Den for the great question! 

Philip Werner put up a great rant this week about bear bagging and the importance of properly protecting your food in the wilderness. There’s been a lively discussion on his post about the best food storage techniques and how to fix the general problem that animals are getting into human food too much in the wilderness. When animals get human food, it damages their natural foraging instincts and hurts the environment. It also causes pests around established campsites and can be deadly for the animals themselves.

Backpacker magazine just popped up on my Facebook feed and asked if I was ready to try ultralight backpacking. Huh, I thought, as a matter of fact I am! When I clicked the link, it sent me to watch the short video below, which explains how to cut up a heavy backpack to reduce weight. You can imagine my disappointment when I started watching. They asked if I was ready to learn about ultralight backpacking, and when I said yes, they told me to take a pair of scissors and chop up my backpack. Bummer. If I wasn’t already an UL backpacker, I wonder if I’d ever give it a second chance.