Trends

"This kind of cycling actually brings you closer to the land than hiking... because you must read the landscape so closely in order to ride across it." -Drew Walker, “The Talkeetna Traverse” Adventure Cyclist (Jan/Feb 2001) Read More...

Making decisions based on incorrect information negates stellar gear and knowledge, leading to trouble. It can happen far more easily than many of us would care to admit. Read More...

News 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! Read More...

Commentary on the (lack of) gear you can love from the cottage industry. Read More...

Backpacking Light staff pick their favorite gear/cool dealio/thingy-dingy of 2011. Read More...

For those who like less on their feet, OR didn't disappoint. For those who like more on their wrist, OR didn't disappoint in that area either. And for those who venture in the outdoors as a family, there were a few nuggets worth noting. Read More...

OR delivers a fresh crop of lightweight, innovative, and useful gear. Read More...

We sorted through tons of apparel and footwear to find the lightweight standouts suitable for hiking and backpacking. Read More...

We found lots of new lightweight shelters and sleep gear this time. We present them together in this article so you can compare them more easily. Doing so brings out some realizations regarding weight, roominess, and cost. Read More...

New developments in durable and water-resistant backpack fabrics. Read More...

While the new waxless technologies are mostly in Nordic race skis and high end touring skis, we see promise for their future use in backcountry skis as well. Read More...

Stoves, shovels, poles, crampons, harnesses, and more: oh my! Read More...

From practical (bras) to indulgent (a back-country electronics charger) to "they can do new things with zippers?", the ispo show floor has it all. Read More...

Another round-up of innovations and interest, treats and treasures! Read More...

In Backpacking Light's first ever coverage of this massive trade show, we're highlighting the innovations not generally available stateside. Read More...

Since 2004, when Backpacking Light published Alan Dixon’s manifesto on Waterproof Breathable Fabric Technologies, we have been a “whisper in the wilderness” extolling the benefits of truly breathable fabrics, like eVent. Now we are seeing the beginning of a waterproof-breathable fabric revolution. Read More...

Enduring sleep deprivation and a cold, we roamed the show on the final day and found some very interesting gear – new trail crampons, very lightweight rain mitts, more collapsible trekking poles, a 9-ounce snow shovel, cool apparel and footwear, and more... Read More...

This is not our backpacking gear list (honest!); today we again report on a wide variety of new gear – a new bear canister, more collapsible trekking poles, an insulating skirt for your derriere, lightweight high output lights, an ultralight down jacket from an unlikely source, more footwear, etc, etc... Read More...

Lots of footwear today, for the trail and snow, plus an assortment of jackets, a to-die-for backcountry ski system from La Sportiva, Big Agnes introduces new lightweight trekking poles, a new Klymit skeletal sleeping pad, a 12 ounce sleeping bag from Terra Nova, a 2.3-ounce Quantum GL windshirt from Montane, and more, and more... Read More...

The show is underway and we are finding loads of new and interesting lightweight gear to report on. Enjoy! Read More...

New/upgraded snowshoes from MSR, Atlas, Tubbs, and Kahtoola; lightweight Kahtoola crampons; and a new “sidecountry” ski pack from Osprey. Read More...

Backpacking Light staff pick their favorite gear/cool dealio/place of 2010. Read More...

I love gear, but I hate paying for it. Could I get a lightweight shelter, pack, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad for under $100? And if I could... how long would it last me? Read More...

How do the classic fastpacking offerings by Ultimate Direction compare to a pack of today? Read More...

The dust has settled, sleep has been snatched, and I've processed the more intriguing themes of the Show. Read More...

Columbia Thermal Reflective, Pertex Quantum GL, Polartec Power Shield Pro, Polartec Yarn applications, and a case against wool for hiking socks. Read More...

The daily perspective: NEED. MORE. ESPRESSO. Read More...

We present our final lightweight gear finds and summarize the trends we noticed at this Outdoor Retailer. Read More...

Lightweight gear – no problem. Innovation – yes. Things we would like to see – lots of 'em. Read More...

The daily perspective: Can I just live here? Hang out and drink... beverages, talking super-tech about gear with the coolest people in the world? Read More...

Depending on how tuned-in you are to current running trends, you may have noticed that there is a new movement starting to gain traction among runners: barefoot running and minimalist footwear. Read More...

The daily perspective: I wish that everyone could truly understand just how much brilliance and passion go into the outdoor products we buy and use. Read More...

Another productive day turns up another batch of truly innovative and lightweight gear. Read More...

OR never ceases to amaze – always something new, something different, and something bizarre! The gear just keeps getting better and lighter. Read More...

The daily perspective of an industry vet on the show floor for the first time: "A fantastic all-systems overload." Read More...

While the first day of Outdoor Retailer is dedicated to water sport, we found a few products that could carry over for backpacking as well... plus some that are just plain fun, no bones about it! Read More...

SPOT and DeLorme introduce the DeLorme PN-60w with SPOT Communicator, and ACR announces the SarLink View. Both allow text messaging via satellite from remote locations, which goes beyond just chatting, enabling you to provide important information to people on the outside. Read More...

Summer OR is underway! We begin our coverage with new products from small companies who specialize in ultralight backpacking gear, including some new names. Read More...

The main reason my pack got lighter was because I realized that being prepared had little to do with the equipment I carried. Read More...

Backpacking Light staff pick their favorite gear of 2009. Read More...

Pertex Shield rainwear is more breathable than polyurethane laminates and similar in weight and price. Read More...

Brooks-Range introduces some truly lightweight gear equally suited to winter camping or summer ultralight backpacking. Read More...

Heineken beer can based Caldera system capable of cooking for two people. Read More...

Klymit launches their first products based on their noble gas inflation technology. Read More...

After five glorious days of all the sweet new stuff retailers can offer, we're home and recovering from the high. Our last blog blizzard of some standouts. Read More...

New cooking systems allow a hiker to use wood fuel when conditions are right and use alcohol or Esbit fuels as a backup. Read More...

Rab updates their line of lightweight sleeping bags. Read More...

Internal rechargeable lithium polymer battery, 60 lumen output, three main beam modes, IPX7 (1 meter, 30 minutes) waterproof rating, 3.5 ounces, strobing rear red “taillight," all for $80.00. Read More...

GoLite wants to give people a backcountry bedroom (with the emphasis on "room") in their new Eden tent line. These hoop-style tents boast fast set-up, big vestibules, and lots of space for living. Read More...

Lots of good stuff in our day 3 roundup: a 2.4-ounce day pack, a new integrated canister fuel cooking system, new 3-pound internal frame backpacks, and 11-ounce mid-height hikers, to mention a few. Read More...