Synthetic Insulation
Ryan and Andrew explore the science, technology, and applications behind synthetic insulation. We interview Max Neale about his two-year project reviewing lightweight synthetic-insulated jackets, the...
View ArticleDyneema Composite Fabrics
In this episode we dive into the design, manufacturing, and applications of Dyneema Composite Fabrics. We interview Wes Hatcher, Applications Manager for DSM Dyneema, along with cottage ultralight...
View ArticleBackpacking Food and Nutrition
In this episode we tackle the science, myths, and dogma surrounding backpacking food and nutrition. Featuring guest Brian Rigby, certified sports nutritionist and author. We tackle food and nutrition...
View ArticleRoundtable Conversation with Wilderness Adventure Guides
In response to reader feedback and in the interest of exploring new formats, Ryan and Andrew are experimenting with new types of episodes to bring you a few different variations on the podcast. This...
View ArticleNavigation
In the summer of 2018 eleven people ventured into Montana’s Absorka-Beartooth Wilderness on Backpacking Light’s guided Whitetail Trek. They faced snow, hail, high temperatures, exposed conditions above...
View ArticleBackcountry Filmmaking & Photography
This podcast is about photography and filmmaking in the backcountry. It used to be that creating professional photography and video content in the mountains required thirty or more pounds of gear. Not...
View ArticleTrekking Poles
This podcast is about trekking poles. Trekking poles are a surprisingly contentious piece of gear in the UL world. Their utility and usefulness is endlessly debated, and the science that backs up...
View ArticleSKILLS SHORT: Winter Backpacking
Today’s episode is a SKILLS SHORT where we'll discuss the philosophy and skills of lightweight winter backpacking. This episode marks the first of our BPL Podcast Shorts: 15- to 20-minute episodes that...
View ArticleThe Sun is a Compass
In this episode, we talk to the Alaskan writer, biologist, and adventurer Caroline Van Hemert. Caroline is an ornithologist who, along with her husband Pat, undertook a 4,000-mile human-powered journey...
View ArticleStoveBench
Today’s episode is a TECH SHORT. In this episode we talk about StoveBench: Backpacking Light’s new protocol for standardizing stove performance comparisons. We just published our huge Upright Canister...
View ArticleUpright Canister Stoves
This episode of the Backpacking Light Podcast is a deep dive into the world of upright canister stoves. Canister stoves are notoriously difficult to compare accurately. Variations in testing conditions...
View ArticleLightweight Chairs and Other Seats for Backpacking
Tired of sacrificing comfort for a low base weight? So is Doug Johnson, a longtime BPL author on a multi-year quest to discover a luxurious-but-ultralight backcountry experience. Doug has treated...
View ArticleSKILLS SHORT: Tent-Bound in a Storm
In this episode, Ryan offers some practical guidelines for managing wet gear, condensation, and camp chores if you have to be holed up in a tent during a prolonged period of inclement weather. Click...
View ArticleSKILLS SHORT: Training for Backpacking
It’s no secret: the more physically prepared you are for a backpacking trip, the more you are going to enjoy yourself. But what are the most effective ways to reach optimal backpacking condition?...
View ArticleTRIP SHORT: The Tahoe Rim Trail
When Backpacking Light Gear Editor and Podcast Producer Andrew Marshall set out on a fast thru-hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail, he knew he’d be contending with Sierra snow pack that was several hundred...
View ArticleSKILLS SHORT: Maceration and Immersion Foot Diseases
As backpackers, we spend a lot of time thinking about and managing our feet. One problem that crops up a lot (especially for those of us who choose to utilize ultralight footwear, hike in damp or snowy...
View ArticleThe ANWR, Public Lands, and the Trump Administration
Jimmy Carter created the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 1980, and it’s been a contentious subject virtually ever since. A bonanza of biodiversity, it also potentially sits atop one of America’s...
View ArticleSKILLS SHORT: Backpacking Clothing for Inclement Weather
In this podcast, we address three key questions: What are clothing systems and why is it important to consider clothing in the context of a system? What does it mean when we talk about inclement...
View ArticleThe Long Trail Fastest Known Time (Unsupported)
Today’s guest is Jeff Garmire (trail name Legend). In the summer of 2019 Jeff achieved the fastest known time on Vermont’s iconic Long Trail, clocking all 272 miles in five days, twenty- three hours,...
View ArticleSKILLS SHORT: Family Backpacking
Introducing children to the world of backpacking can be an amazing, uplifting experience. It can also go totally sideways. In this SKILLS SHORT Ryan and Andrew talk about best practices for family...
View Article
