What’s the difference between hiking and backpacking? The latter entails at least one night spent in the outside, and probably a lot more miles and plenty more gear. Backpacking is a practice in ...

If you’ve ever found yourself unpacking half your kit in a hurry—to find your rain cover during a squall, mosquito repellent in early evening, first aid kit after a nasty fall—then you understand why ...

As hiking packs get larger they seem to become more daunting and ever more technical, and while large backpacking backpacks do incorporate more features than your small daypack, the principle remains ...

Wes Siler is your guide to leading a more exciting life in the great outdoors. As Outside’s outdoor lifestyle columnist, he writes about the intersections of science, news, politics, gear, vehicles ...

You’ve got the drive for adventure, but there’s something holding you back. It’s digging into your shoulders and literally dragging you down. That old backpack. It’s just not cutting it anymore. Time ...

I fill my luggage the same way I fill my kitchen garbage. Mindlessly. The process goes something like this: I toss a bag onto my bed, grab a heap of clothes from my dresser, throw ’em in and slam the ...

Packs come in many styles and sizes. Finding out how to fit and choose a hiking backpack that’s right for you depends first on how much you’ll be carrying and how well a pack fits. Main image: A gear ...

Whether you’ve just picked up a brand new hiking backpack and are coming to terms with its design and capabilities, or have been using the same old MacPac since 1989, one thing is for sure – it will ...

All the support and storage you need for a hike with an extremely thoughtful, compact design. It has an adjustable harness and hip belt, and is designed to reduce felt weight. Hiking gear means much ...

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