A young girl backpacking at Kaweah Gap in Sequoia National Park.

Why I Endanger My Kids in the Wilderness (Even Though It Scares the Sh!t Out of Me)

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By Michael Lanza A glacial wind pours through a snowy pass in the remote mountains of Norway’s Jotunheimen National Park. Virtually devoid of vegetation, the terrain offers no refuge from the relentless current of frigid air. Some of the troops are hungry, a little tired, and grumpy; mutiny doesn’t seem beyond the realm of possibility, so I don’t want to …

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Scarpa Mescalito hiking shoes.

Review: Scarpa Mescalito Hiking Shoes

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Hiking/Approach Shoes Scarpa Mescalito $169, 1 lb. 13 oz. (men’s US 9/Euro 42) Sizes: men’s US 7-14/Euro 40-48, women’s US 5-10/Euro 36-42 rei.com Sometimes a piece of gear seems better every time you use it. That’s what happened to me with these low-cut hiking shoes. From dayhikes on the slickrock and sandy trails of Zion to the packed dirt and …

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Black Diamond Trail Blitz 12 ultralight daypack.

Review: Black Diamond Trail Blitz 12 and REI Flash 18 Daypacks

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Ultralight Daypacks Black Diamond Trail Blitz 12 $50, 12L/732 c.i., 6.5 oz. One size backcountry.com REI Flash 18 $40, 18L/1,100 c.i., 9 oz. One size rei.com When considering whether to carry a light daypack or summit pack for side hikes or peakbagging on a backpacking trip, I’d normally weigh the length of the side hikes—i.e., how far I’d have to …

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Oboz Bridger Mid Waterproof boots

Review: Oboz Bridger Mid and Low Waterproof Boots and Shoes

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Hiking and Backpacking Boots Oboz Bridger Mid Waterproof $180, 2 lbs. 6 oz. (men’s size 9) Sizes: men’s 7-15, women’s 6-11 backcountry.com Hiking and Backpacking Shoes Oboz Bridger Low Waterproof $140, 2 lbs. 3 oz. (men’s size 9) Sizes: men’s 8-14, women’s 6-11 backcountry.com As someone who makes his living walking on- and off-trail a lot, I’m very selective about …

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Review: Feathered Friends Helios Hooded Jacket

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Down Jacket
Feathered Friends Helios Hooded Jacket
$519, 1 lb. 1 oz./482g (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s XS-XXL
featheredfriends.com

As I stood outside yurts on December evenings on separate trips in the backcountry of Idaho’s Boise Mountains and Boulder Mountains, enjoying an inky-black sky riddled with stars as the temperature plunged into the low teens and single digits Fahrenheit, this fat down jacket felt like an impenetrable force field keeping all of my body’s warmth inside and the frigid cold outside. My companions who tried it out agreed: The Helios Hooded Jacket is just crazy warm—especially for its weight and packability. Those qualities define it as one of the best high-quality down jackets for winter that you’ll find today, but also a puffy jacket that’s light and packable enough for cooler, three-season trips.

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