Forum Backpacking Light

An ultralight winter stove is simple in concept—but devilishly complex in execution. This deep dive traces the evolution of a remote inverted-canister stove through eight generations of design, testing, and refinement. The result is a 75-gram V8 vortex stove shaped by careful experimentation with airflow, thermal balance, burner geometry, fuel vaporization, and field-worthy component design. The post MYOG: SUL Remote Inverted Canister Winter Stove V8 appeared first on Backpacking Light .

After a recent strenuous approach to an alpine area, headache, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness produced a Lake Louise AMS score consistent with moderate acute mountain sickness. Garmin data and a detailed reconstruction of food, fluid, workload, and sleep revealed a more complex event. This case study examines how altitude exposure interacted with carbohydrate depletion, dehydration, and accumulated fatigue - and why backcountry illness is often better understood as a convergence of physiological stressors. The post A Multifactorial Case of Acute Mountain Sickness, Carbohydrate Depletion, and Dehydration appeared first on Backpacking Light .

The Durston Wapta 30 is a ~1 lb backpack made with Aluula fabric. In this review, we evaluated packbag stability, harness comfort, and usability in the context of its frameless design. The post Durston Wapta 30 Backpack Review appeared first on Backpacking Light .

How to choose rain gear for mountain minimalism based on exposure, retreat options, wind, abrasion, and thermal margin. The post Episode 148 | Rain Jackets for Mountain Minimalism appeared first on Backpacking Light .

We use a simple and repeatable shower test method to evaluate backpack water resistance that incorporates fabrics, closures, seepage, and material water absorption. The post A Simple Shower Test for Evaluating Backpack Water Resistance appeared first on Backpacking Light .

Our new test data reveals which hydrophobic and hydrophilic base layers are most effective at liquid water transfer, moving sweat away from your skin during high exertion. The post By the Numbers: The Tug of Water – Why Some Layers Hold Sweat and Others Let it Go appeared first on Backpacking Light .

Avoid thermoregulatory debt by learning how delayed layering decisions in cold, wet, or windy conditions lead to moisture, heat, and performance debt. Timing is key. The post Episode 147 | Thermoregulatory Debt appeared first on Backpacking Light .

Falling trees pose a fatal risk to backpackers, especially when camping. Learn to identify hazard trees and choose a safe campsite by scanning the fall zone. The post Camping Under Trees: Hazard-Tree Awareness and Campsite Selection for Backpackers appeared first on Backpacking Light .

Documents show benefit changes, financial pressure, and unresolved legal questions. They also show how little members can verify from public statements alone. The post REI’s Labor Fight Is a Test of Co-op Trust appeared first on Backpacking Light .

The product category of inflatable sleeping pads is trending towards larger, warmer, and more comfortable pads - with very little weight penalty. This market report surveys available products and provides use case guidance, context tips, and feedback heuristics for optimizing comfort. The post Inflatable Sleeping Pads for Backpacking appeared first on Backpacking Light .

In this article, we make the case for spending some extra weight on rain jackets and rain pants that offer more ventilation features (and durability) than typical ultralight rainwear styles (updated May 2026). The post Why You Should Spend a Few Ounces of Pack Weight on Rainwear Ventilation Features appeared first on Backpacking Light .