Trend Reports

Recent developments in canister stoves have the potential to upset a lot of the industry, as the leadership seems to have passed out of the hands of Western brands and into Asia. Stoves that were trumpeted as the state of the art by well-known Western brands now look a little old, tired, heavy and, well, clunky. We look at a few of the leading edge stoves from 2012 to see where things are going. Read More...

"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...

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...

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...

When Jason Goldman* (not his real name) completed a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail in less than 100 days, not too many people paid attention: it had been hiked faster by others. But this was Jason's third thru-hike of the PCT. His previous two were completed in 183 and 174 days, respectively... Read More...

Waterproof clothing without coatings or membranes: how they do it and how it works. Read More...

Perspectives from Tom Murphy, Rainbow Weinstock, and Rick Dreher on how professional photography fits with lightweight principles. Read More...

Attractive and durable packaging is one thing; green packaging is quite another. The best companies have both. Learn about green packaging and see the best and worst of what the Outdoor Industry has to offer. Read More...

Single wall tents made of the more-breathable-than-Gore-Tex eVENT fabric caused a lot of excitement upon their introduction a few years ago. At last, a nearly condensation free single wall tent was possible. Then suddenly, eVENT tents were no longer available. Now a new wave of fabrics touted as “highly breathable” are appearing in single wall tents. What happened? Are these new fabrics as good as eVENT? Read More...

The Roots of Raingear Read More...