Trailspace Blog

Hiking and Backpacking with Kids

Hiking and backpacking with kids of any age can be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone. There are many variables when hiking and backpacking safely with kids, but the following tips should start you out on the right foot.

Green(er) Casual Shoes and Bags

Many outdoor companies are using environmentally-friendly materials in their casual lines. Here are a few examples of greener shoes and bags.

Ode to a Pack

Ten years ago I bought a black Kelty daypack at the EMS store in Burlington, Vermont. I had no idea what adventures were about to ensue.

Burberry, Cashmere, and Silk: Climbing Everest in Vintage Style

Did George Mallory and Sandy Irvine summit Everest first? Outfitted with replica 1924 clothing Conrad Anker and Leo Houlding try to answer that legendary question.

Soft Shells 101

Soft shells have become extremely popular backcountry (and around-town) clothing in recent years, but this rapidly growing category of stretchy, breathable outerwear can also be confusing to navigate. Here’s a basic introduction to this newest and continually expanding category of outerwear.

Green Hiking and Backpacking Gear

A carbon-neutral sleeping pad, packs made from soda bottles, hemp and bamboo sleeping bags. Some exciting environmentally-friendly outdoor products have begun to appear.

2007 Daypacks

Spring is here and gear manufacturers are rolling out their latest and greatest inventions, including a plethora of new daypacks designed for hiking, climbing, adventure racing, and multi-sport adventures.

Kahtoola FLIGHTsystem: Step-In Snowshoes

The Kahtoola FLIGHTsystem, integrated overboots and snowshoe decks, offers winter trail runners and hikers a warm, dry, and binding-free alternative to traditional snowshoes.

Top British Mountaineering Brand RAB to Launch in U.S. Market

The British mountaineering company Rab will bring its acclaimed products to the U.S. market for the first time in the fall of 2007.

Jetboil: Hang Out and Cook

With a new frying pan, utensils, and a hanging kit, Jetboil is trying to move beyond boiling water and into the realm of true backcountry cooking.

Recycled Packs: First for Work, Next for Play

We’re focused on getting you geared up for your outdoor adventures, not your daily commute. But, let's talk about Osprey’s ReSource Series, four daypacks and two courier bags made almost entirely from recycled materials.

Osprey Launches Recycled Daypacks

A few years back Osprey set the goal of building a fully-functional pack from as many recycled materials as possible. The result is the ReSource Series.

Antarctica: December 2006 – January 2007

Bill Straka reports on the fortieth anniversary climb of Mt. Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica.

Q&A: What Makes a Tent Four-Season?

Occasionally we receive outdoor gear questions from readers. Since we figured others would find them useful too, we’ll share some of those Q&A’s...

Integrated Canister Stove Showdown

In the beginning there was the humble campfire. Today the cutting edge of backcountry cooking technology is the integrated canister stove: a compressed-fuel burner mated to a specially designed pot and high-efficiency heat exchanger. We put three systems to the test.

First Look: La Sportiva Sonic TR Review

Stable, solid, secure, strong. This is how I thought of the La Sportiva Sonic TR women’s trail runners after every run. The Sonics have excellent traction, stability, and control.

Q&A: Hooped Bivies Under $250

Occasionally we receive outdoor gear questions from readers. Since we figured others would find them useful too, we’ll share some of those Q&A’s...

Q&A: Queen-Sized Sleeping Pad

Occasionally we receive outdoor gear questions from readers. Since we figured others would find them useful too, we’ll share some of those Q&A’s...

Q&A: Lowe Alpine Mountain Attack 45

Occasionally we receive outdoor gear questions from readers. Since we figured others would find them useful too, we’ll share some of those Q&A’s...

Q&A: Who Makes the Longest Sleeping Bags?

Read your article on Trailspace about sleeping bags, which gave a mention to extra-long bags. Any idea who makes the longest?

Dreaming of a "Green" Christmas

While most of us enjoy giving or receiving a thoughtful gift (particularly one that gets us outdoors), that doesn’t have to mean being part of the excessive consumerism that surrounds the holiday season.

2007 Hydration (and on-the-move) Packs

Looking for a pack to carry just the essentials—including plenty of water or sports drink—while mountain biking, adventure racing, trail running, fastpacking, or peak bagging?

2007 Lumbar Packs Preview

For carrying smaller loads while trail running, hiking, cross-country skiing, or just ambling around town, lumbar packs, with their low centers of gravity,...

2007 Backpacks Preview

Want to hear about the plethora of packs (backpacking, fastpacking, lumbar, and more) we saw at Outdoor Retailer? We're previewing the latest in packs...

2007 Winter Packs Preview

While you can carry your winter backcountry gear in a standard backpack, a winter-specific one will give you better options.

2007 GoLite Backpacks Preview

For 2007 GoLite overhauled its entire line of backpacks, replacing 28 models with just nine packs in three series.

Syncpack: Front Pack Balances Your Load

Consider this: a well-loaded 35-pound pack pulls back eight pounds of force on your shoulders, causing you to compensate by leaning forward.

TrailFlex TF500 Harness System

Do you fly fish one day? Hike the next? Bird watch another? How would you like to have one backpack in your overcrowded gear closet that adapts to each of your diverse outdoor activities?

Katadyn Vario: Adjustable Water Filter

The Katadyn Vario water filter combines the benefits of ceramic and pleated filters, allowing you to choose whichever filtering mode is best for the water you’re treating.

SteriPEN Adventurer: Safe Water Anywhere at 4 Ounces

Want to purify questionable water from a lake, stream, or Third World tap, while only adding four ounces (110 grams) to your pack weight?

2007 Backpacking Stoves Preview

Three years ago the JetBoil Personal Cooking System changed the way we look at backpacking stoves. It was only a matter of time before JetBoil’s competitors introduced their own integrated stove systems, and two of them made their debuts this week.

Therm-a-Rest ToughSkin: Puncture-Proof Sleeping Pad

Heading to the desert or other prickly, puncture-prone locales? Then you’ll want to check out the new Therm-a-Rest ToughSkin sleeping pad.

Pot Cozies

It must be a Swedish thing: for 2007, both Primus and Optimus are introducing stove/pot systems that include insulated pot cozies.

Hennessy Hammock

While I’ve known for years that hammocks are popular with a subset of backpackers and adventure racers, I’d never had the opportunity to try one out...

2007 Tents and Shelters Preview

Check out a few of the new tents and shelters from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market that will debut in 2007.

MSR Reactor: Revolutionary Stove System

MSR is claiming the second revolution in stoves with the Reactor, which they’re calling “the fastest-boiling, most fuel-efficient windproof stove system available.”

GoLite Footwear

Earlier this year Timberland announced its acquisition of the GoLite brand name and its intention to launch a new line of trail running shoes under the...

Mountain Sprouts

I’ve been toting my two-year-old son around the show. Mostly he’s been flirting with exhibitors and encouraging me to lay down in the tents that he...

AquaStar

The AquaStar water purifier has been on the market for a couple years, but yesterday was the first chance I’ve had to see it in person.

Leave No Trace

You pack out your trash, camp in designated areas, and dig a hole when nature calls. But do you really leave no trace?

Guide to Tents

Like campers and backpackers, tents come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles. Since you’ll depend on your tent for shelter, be sure to choose a good quality one that fits your outdoor needs.

How to Choose a Sleeping Bag

Down or synthetic? What temperature rating? Mummy or rectangular? Extra-long or women-specific? With the range of sleeping bag types and options on the market there’s sure to be a bag (or bags) ideal for your personal thermostat, shape, and overnight destination.

How to Sleep Warmly

Some people just sleep warmer than others. They are the ones who climb into their bag with barely a stitch on, neglect to zip themselves completely closed...

Guide to Backpacks

Like most outdoor gear, choosing a backpack depends on what you plan on doing with it primarily. Consider how long you will be gone on trips (a day, overnight, a week?), how much gear you’ll need, or want, to bring along, and when you’ll be out.

How to Fit Boots

Ultimately the most important aspect of choosing a hiking boot — or trail runner or climbing shoe — is a good fit. Here are some tips to help you properly fit hiking and backpacking boots.

How to Care for Your Boots

Now that you've shelled out money for your new boots, you want to make sure they'll support you for countless miles on and off the trail.

Guide to Outdoor Footwear

With thousands of outdoor footwear reviews by hikers, mountaineers, climbers, and trail runners who've tested their boots and shoes in the field, Trailspace's Guide to Outdoor Footwear has you, and your feet, covered.

How to Choose Snowshoes

Snowshoes, one of the oldest forms of transportation around, are also one of the easiest to use. Deciding which snowshoes to buy may not appear simple though due to the wide variety of models available. Read our tips and you can cut through the confusion and choose the right pair for you.