Over the years, ultralight backpacking has garnered an unfortunate reputation: obsessive, elitist, unsafe, prohibitively expensive. While we could debate the first three (obsessive is the only one I’d ...

Taking weight off your back is a good thing, but not at the expense of comfort, capability or preparedness. Here’s how to ultralight backpack in style. When venturing out into the wilderness on foot, ...

For backpackers, going ultralight is easier (and less expensive) than you might expect. We stepped back to give tips on reducing pack weight for weekend backpacking trips and thru-hikes alike. Every ...

Editor’s Note: This primer is the first in a series profiling the best backpacking gear and training for your summer and fall adventures. Stay tuned for more on backpacking food (it’s not all just ...

Fifteen years ago, ultralight hiking gear was truly edgy. Every cottage brand had a 12-ounce silnylon pack. Half-length pads and body mapped designs were a compromise between full-on misery and smart ...

Since the 1930s, backpacking has progressed in leaps -- from 1930s wood-and-rope Trapper John pack boards, to World War II surplus gear, to external-frame, hip-belted Keltys, to today's internal-frame ...