Most Commented
Articles most frequently commented on by BackpackingLight.com readers.
Most Commented This Week
M Backpacking and Hiking with an Umbrella
58 New Comments This WeekFrancis is an umbrella advocate, eschewing typical rainwear. Find out why he's backpacked over 12,500 miles with an umbrella... and decide if you should follow his lead.
M Storm Resistance of Ultralight Shelters: Part 1, Introduction
26 New Comments This WeekEvaluating the wind and snow loading of shelters for ultralight backpacking in inclement conditions.
M Crazy for Quilts – How Quilts Became My Sleep System of Choice, PLUS A Review of My Favorite, the Stateless Society Custom Quilt
20 New Comments This WeekTake a walk through the backpacking addicted mind of Ray as he explains his journey to custom quilts, and read a review of his favorite model, a 14-ounce beauty made by fellow BPL-er Javan Dempsey.
M Clikstand T-2 Alcohol Stove System Review
8 New Comments This WeekCan 100% titanium justify the price tag?
Jetboil Sol Ti Premium Cooking System Review
6 New Comments This WeekJetboil’s lightest and most technically advanced integrated canister fuel cooking system.
M Mountain Laurel Designs TrailStar Shelter Review
3 New Comments This WeekSimplicity and strength in an all-season shelter.
Ultralight Tip of the Week
2 New Comments This WeekRotating feature with tips and illustrations from Mike Clelland!'s new book: Ultralight Backpackin' Tips
M Lightweight Inflatable Sleeping Mats - State of the Market Report 2011 Part 2: Test Results and Mini-Reviews
2 New Comments This WeekWhy use an airmat instead of a slab of foam? Two reasons: an airmat is thicker and more comfortable, and an airmat has a higher insulation rating or R-value, to protect you from the cold underneath. But you don't want excess weight, so this survey is restricted to airmats weighing less than 400 g (14 oz) for summer use and 800 g (28 oz) for winter use. In Part 1 we looked at the sort of properties we might want in an airmat; in this Part 2 we look at actual airmats.
M Deep Freeze: A Cold, Hard Look at Winter Stoves
1 New Comments This WeekInvestigating the lightest-weight options on the market and assessing ease-of-use, reliability, fuel efficiency, and time to boil.
Transitional Hiker - An Australian Story
1 New Comments This WeekHow books about or by famous UL walkers, a sewing machine, and the most devoted UL community on the planet got me back on the trail and going light.
Most Commented This Month
M Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter / Expedition Pack Review
216 New Comments This MonthDurable lightweight packs that can carry a larger volume (and higher weight) expedition kit.
M Mountain Laurel Designs TrailStar Shelter Review
122 New Comments This MonthSimplicity and strength in an all-season shelter.
M Storm Resistance of Ultralight Shelters: Part 1, Introduction
66 New Comments This MonthEvaluating the wind and snow loading of shelters for ultralight backpacking in inclement conditions.
M Backpacking and Hiking with an Umbrella
58 New Comments This MonthFrancis is an umbrella advocate, eschewing typical rainwear. Find out why he's backpacked over 12,500 miles with an umbrella... and decide if you should follow his lead.
M Deep Freeze: A Cold, Hard Look at Winter Stoves
39 New Comments This MonthInvestigating the lightest-weight options on the market and assessing ease-of-use, reliability, fuel efficiency, and time to boil.
M Cottage Stagnation and Recent Gems
34 New Comments This MonthCommentary on the (lack of) gear you can love from the cottage industry.
M Prospects for 2012: New and Noteworthy Gear
31 New Comments This MonthNews from the cottage industry is conspicuously absent from Outdoor Retailer, where even modest booths can be more costly than a serious gear-buying habit. So, here are a few new and noteworthy pieces of gear from smaller manufacturers that were either released late in 2011 or are coming in 2012. Keep these items on your radar as you prepare for the coming season!
M Nemo Obi Elite 1P Tent Review
24 New Comments This MonthNemo becomes a serious player in the ultralight tent category. The Obi Elite 1P is a cutting edge one-person double-wall tent that matches the weight and roominess of many single-wall tents.
M Clikstand T-2 Alcohol Stove System Review
22 New Comments This MonthCan 100% titanium justify the price tag?
Most Commented All Time
Ultralight Tip of the Week
417 CommentsRotating feature with tips and illustrations from Mike Clelland!'s new book: Ultralight Backpackin' Tips
M Cottage Stagnation and Recent Gems
256 CommentsCommentary on the (lack of) gear you can love from the cottage industry.
M Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter / Expedition Pack Review
216 CommentsDurable lightweight packs that can carry a larger volume (and higher weight) expedition kit.
M Lightweight Internal Frame Packs: a State of the Market Report - Part 1C: Main Bag & Comfort
141 CommentsWe survey lightweight internal frame packs with a maximum weight of 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) and a volume generally in the range 50 L to 75 L.
M Lighten Your Heaviest Gear: You!
137 CommentsAs lightweight backpackers, we obsess over the weight of every piece of gear we carry, but many of us give little thought to the weight of the heaviest piece of gear of all: ourselves. How do we begin to treat our own weight with the same care that we treat the weight of our gear? By doing what we already do well: going light.
Podcast: Is National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Ready to Go Light?
126 CommentsSenior NOLS instructors discuss the major hurdles to NOLS going light and propose solutions.
M Lightweight Internal Frame Packs: a State of the Market Report - Part 1A: Testing Overview and List of Packs Tested
111 CommentsWe survey light-weight internal frame packs with a maximum weight of 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) and a volume generally in the range 50 L to 75 L.
M Field Testing Air Permeable Waterproof-Breathable Fabric Technologies – Part 2: Are There Detectable Differences Under Real World Backpacking Conditions?
111 CommentsManufacturers make lofty claims for the enhanced breathability of the new fabrics. I tested ten jackets under challenging and forgiving backpacking-type conditions, while recording temperature and humidity inside and outside the jackets, and reported my findings. Perhaps I didn’t experience “air and water vapor permeability so shocking you’ll swear it's magic,” but I did identify some standouts and some promising trends of interest to backpackers.
M Made in China - A State of the Market Report
101 CommentsIf almost everyone is taking manufacturing to China, what are the short- and long-term consequences for both the developed and developing worlds?
