Techniques

Francis 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. Read More...

Rotating feature with tips and illustrations from Mike Clelland!'s new book: Ultralight Backpackin' Tips Read More...

Poking poles around for added stability is fairly intuitive, but the full promise of two more legs - greater endurance, building upper body strength, and reducing injury from stress or falls - requires some technique. Try Skip's straightforward and effective approach! Read More...

An easy introduction to working with down, this vest has no frills, bells, or whistles: just warm insulation where you need it most! Read More...

Thru-hiking is not simply a longer version of a backpacking trip. Considering thru-hiking a long trail? Make sure you know what you're getting into and set yourself up for success. Read More...

What sets successful thru-hikers apart from the rest of the pack? Superfitnessawesomesauce? A trust fund? The best gear? The answer may surprise you. Read More...

While most grizzly behavior is predictable, there is always an extent to which animals are unpredictable, and thus hiking in grizzly country is inherently dangerous, even if the statistical hazard is very small. Read up on salient safety issues before your next late season backpacking or hunting trip. Read More...

Use the ubiquitous smartphone to get where you're going, with details on four apps that support maps for more places (not just the States). All you need do is supply the adventure. Read More...

The kid-sized kit: Gear should not become an end in itself. The point is to get out and enjoy the woods with kids. Ultralight gear is exciting because it enables kids to do things they could not otherwise do! Read More...

Everything boils down to a few simple rules that can encompass a surprising range of scenarios! Read More...

Tips and tricks expand upon previously published articles: check out Luke's six iterations and glean ideas for perfecting YOUR custom-made pack! Read More...

What's better than a communal, one-pot meal between hiking buddies under the stars? Learn how to make a pot stand/windscreen that's sturdy enough to hold a large pot filled with dinner and light enough to not bow your backpack. Read More...

Turning 2.5 yards of high performance fabric into a lightweight, breathable rain jacket. Read More...

Insights from the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Ski Classic. Read More...

Calculating how much food to take on a trip? My goal is to be perfectly satisfied during my time in the backcountry, but to walk out of the mountains with absolutely ZERO food. It is so gratifying to eat that last raisin on the last mile of the last day. If I can do that, the math worked out perfectly. Read More...

Practice makes perfect: using polyethylene to prototype designs means I can spend less and try more variations before sewing a final product in technical materials. Read More...

We asked, you answered! Responses to our solicitation for the best tarp pitch using the fewest poles, stakes, or guylines. Read More...

Come see the softer side of making your own cozy fleece items! Read More...

Techniques and gear for the lightweight backcountry coffee connoisseur, because under no circumstances should you let a non-coffee drinker brew your bliss. Read More...

Facilitating the transportation of fecal hitchhikers from your exhaust pipe orifice to your fuel filler neck orifice is one of the biggest backcountry threats. Stop these illegal immigrants en route, because we all know you can't close the border! Read More...

A roomy floorless tent that sleeps two easily and four in a pinch, this 22-ounce beauty will be the pride of your pack! Read More...

A gem of MYOG: with an 11-ounce weight and 3500-cubic-inch volume, this pack is simple to make and elegant to behold. Read More...

We asked, you answered: Lightweight Testimony Contest Runner Up! Read More...

We asked, you answered: Lightweight Testimony Contest Runner Up! Read More...

We asked, you answered: Lightweight Testimony Contest Runner Up! Read More...

Perform an easier-yet-secure PCT Bear Bag Hang without using the traditional stick + clove hitch. This MYOG is simple, functional, and lightweight! Read More...

We asked, you answered: Lightweight Testimony Contest Winner! Read More...

Functionality and practicality are the benefits of this windscreen that stores neatly within your cookpot. Read More...

Hiking poles + paddle blades = the Poddle, the ultimate multi-tool for hiking and packrafting or kayaking! Read More...

Silnylon and spinnaker fabric have long been mainstays in making ultralight gear, but they require careful construction to avoid failures at seams or damage from abrasion. Laminating the fabric offers a solution to those problems. Read More...

As 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. Read More...

Episode 3: The first big snowfall of the season (in September!) had us traversing the Hyalite-Cottonwood divide for snow hiking and camping. Read More...

Hiking through the French Pyrenees is challenging for any young couple hoping to enjoy some relaxation and romance in between climbing passes and breaking camp. The afternoon heat - often ending in a violent thunderstorm - brings more than one overloaded backpacker to boiling point. Now enter a six-kilo, breast-fed, three-month-old baby. Great family trip or a bad idea? Read More...

With temperatures that ranged from -5 F to 40 F, the Bob Marshall Wilderness threw some formidable weather our way and reminded us: this stuff ain't for the faint of heart! Read More...

Treat your leather nicely, THEN abuse the ever-loving daylights out of it. Read More...

How 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. Read More...

Episode 2: we focused on fast food preparation and the elimination of a whole lotta gear by hiking into a U.S. Forest Service lookout cabin. Read More...

I got less - and more - than I bargained for. Read More...

The whys and wheres of catenary curves, with downloadable spreadsheet for calculating your own MYOG curve masterpieces. Read More...

I like gear. I collect gear with an almost rabid enthusiasm, and I almost always have a place to put it. Read More...

Quit making it so hard: jeepers, just cram a few things in your pack and let's go! Read More...

Six steps to streamline your planning from dreaming up a trip to walking out the door. Read More...

You have 24 hours to quickly engage in a Wild Place with minimal disruption to your job or your family. Where will YOU go? Read More...

The venerable Coghlans orange potty trowel is a fine idea, but it weighs 51 grams and has been known to crack and break under heavy use. Can we do better with some titanium sheet? Read More...

I was perfectly content to let others do all the lightweight lifting, but at the first chance of a packrafting class (learning to play without buying the gear!), I jumped... and pulled my husband, Rob, with me. Read More...

Learn the tips and techniques to ensure that YOU, not bears, are eating your food at the end of the day. Read More...

How can lightweight backpacking translate and relate to financial management? Doesn't all that lightweight loot cost money? Read More...

The literal translation of the Japanese word 'Tenkara' is 'from Heaven.' Fitting for a lightweight fly rod characterized by elegance, grace, and simplicity. Read More...

Building a fire is nothing short of an art form, and no one can teach you everything you'd need to know to perfect it in a ten-minute video. Instead of attempting to do this (perfecting your form), we've simply highlighted some of the gear and techniques used to start a fire. Read More...

The Steripen Adventurer has many firm believers, but almost everyone agrees that the screw which holds the lid of the battery case shut is awful. So... replace it with something better, cooler, and made by hand! Read More...