The best backpacking sleeping pads aren’t just lightweight and portable to keep your pack weight down. They’re comfortable, too. Between hauling gear and trekking up different terrains, you need a ...

Best backpacking gear for 2026 includes ultralight tents, reliable water filters, and comfort-focused sleep systems tested ...

Sure, it’s expensive to achieve that elusive sub-10 pound base weight. But trimming a few pounds off your kit is shockingly affordable. You can spend less than $20 at your local gas station and trim ...

Before testing backpacking quilts, I didn’t understand what the hype was about. Anytime someone mentioned one, I always thought, “Can’t I just use a sleeping bag? What’s the difference?” Turns out ...

No matter if you’re trekking on a rugged backpacking trip or simply going on a hike for an afternoon, bringing high-quality (and tasty) food with you is a must for staying energized on the trail.

Normally at this time of the year, I am hustling along some absurdly long trail, trying to get from one end of the country to another at three miles per hour. But my wife and hiking partner, Tina, ...

The big three in backpacking gear refers to your backpack, sleep system, and tent. They’re the largest and most crucial parts of your hiking kit. Outdoor Life has done extensive field testing on all ...

Bruins hoping to experience nature outside Westwood – from Big Sur to Joshua Tree and Yosemite – need look no further than the Backpacking Club at UCLA. The Backpacking Club is a group of UCLA ...

Louise Barton remembers the exact backpacking moment when her career path changed. “I’m a botanist by training. I started working for the Forest Service and we were in Yellowstone doing huge off-trail ...

For most hikers, backpacking chairs are not a necessity but a luxury. We each have our preferences and personal items that help elevate camp comfort, and a camp chair might be one of them. I’m not a ...