I met Randy and his wife Sherri two years ago at Trail Days.  They are a great couple who love the outdoors and want to share their experience with everyone.  They have a dream job with Backpacker Magazine. Travel across the country and spread the enjoyment of the outdoors to people of all age types. Novice, to advanced, they come and share their love of the outdoors.

The 2011 Get Out More Tour stops at 70 locations in 30 states

Sheri and Randy Propster travel to the 70 tour stops in a special Subaru Outback while snacking on Clif Bars during those long hours on the road. The two have a passion for the outdoor lifestyle. After meeting as college freshman, Sheri and Randy soon found they have the same passion for the outdoors. In 1999 they hiked the entire Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Looking for another challenge, their next long distance hike took them across the country from the Atlantic to the Pacific. In 2006 Sheri and Randy backpacked the American Discovery Trail, crossing 13 states in 253 days. Sheri and Randy have worked with the Department of Defense as Outdoor Recreation Specialists. In that position they organized and led kayaking, rock climbing, rafting and even hang gliding trips. They also teach team building and confidence techniques to government personal and school and community groups.

With help from the tour sponsors, Sheri and Randy will have the latest gear with them so you can get an up close look at all the new features. Sponsors range from Woolrich outdoor clothing, DeLorme maps and GPS, LEKI trekking poles, PromaLoft cold weather insulation, Spot Satellite Messenger, Vasque outdoor footwear, Celestron optical products, Deuter backpacker, Sawyer outdoor protection products and Sea To Summit outdoor and travel products. Not only will you learn new skills and check out new gear, you have the chance to win some great outdoor gear prizes.

Make sure you check out their schedule and visit them as they travel to a town near you.

Backpacker Magazine picks the Salomon Wings Sky GTX boots as it’s Editors Choice 2010.

For ankle support and weather protection when you still need to move fast, the Salomon® Wings Sky GTX® is a high top version of a trail running shoe with a full GORE-TEX® bootie.
Anti-debris mesh and water-resistant textile upper.
Sensifit™ system wraps your foot with a precise secure fit.
Protective heel cap and synthetic toe cap.
Mud guard.
Breathable mesh lining.
Full waterproof bootie construction featuring a GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort membrane which prevents heat and moisture build up during high activity and warm conditions, while blocking all external water.
Molded, dual-density EVA midsole provides cushion and support.
Anatomical EVA footbed.
OrthoLite® sockliner creates a cooler, drier, healthier, better cushioned environment under the foot. Made partially of recycled tire, OrthoLite® will not breakdown or lose effectiveness overtime, while providing heel support and added cushioning.
Salomon Cushioning System provides cushion and support.
Agile Chassis System provides a perfect balance of cushion and stability with three parts:
-AC Skeleton for control.
-AC Muscle 2 for cushioning.
-AC Tendon for energy return.

Durable, non-marking Running Contagrip® rubber outsole. Delivering optimal traction on varied surfaces, Salomon’s Contagrip® outsoles use the ideal combination of specialized rubbers for each specific use.
18.00 oz. Price is about $200.00

Admin

I created TheBackpackerTV because of my passion for the outdoors and seeing nature up close and personal. To share my experiences, and the experiences of others for everyone to enjoy. We go watch hundreds of videos each month picking the very best for you. Enjoy!

   

The 2010 Gear Guide from Backpacker Magazine is out and the new Meta 2P™ has won the prestigious Editors’ Choice award. Meta 2P™ was one of only 15 products chosen.

“In an era of dime-a-dozen digital gear reviews, consumers are looking for product evaluations that they can really trust,” said Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Dorn. “And no one does more than our test team…Led by Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter, the dozen or so core members of our crew hiked more than 15,000 miles this year, then finished our testing…with a 100-mile route through the Swiss Alps that entailed more than 60,000 feet of elevation gain, hours of waist-deep postholing, and weather conditions that challenged every piece of gear we packed. The result of the team’s hard work is a collection of smart, durable products that will deliver comfort and performance for many years to come.”

> 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg)
> 36 sq ft (3.3 sq m)
> 22 sq ft (2.0 sq m) Vestibules
> Ultralight 20D PU coated nylon ripstop

Meta 2P™ is a striking example of the efficiency and weight savings of a well designed trekking pole tent. Thanks to well-placed anchor points, setup of Meta 2P™ is quick, with none of the pole slippage and tensioning issues that plague other trekking pole tents. Multiple venting options and vestibule configurations keep the rain out and the air circulating. Despite its paltry weight, Meta 2P™ upholds the NEMO standard for comfort and usability, with four integral vents, multiple mesh pockets, and the highest quality fabrics and hardware. Meta 2P’s™ dual vestibules combine with the tent interior to total 58 sq. ft. of rain-protected comfort and gear storage; pretty amazing for less than 3lbs! Includes watertight stuff sack, stakes, and repair kit.

This tent is a bit pricey, at $350.00 dollars not sure I would buy it. You can see an additional tent review by Nemo themselves on the Nemo Morpho AR tent

Backpacker Magazine picks the Big Agnes Fly Creek Ultra Light II Tent as Editors Choice for 2010:

This tent is a bit pricey coming in at $350.00 bucks. It’s weight is 2 lbs 10 oz.

* Three season, free standing, ultralight backpacking tent
* DAC Featherlite NSL pole system with press fit connectors and lightweight hubs – featuring eco-friendly anodizing
* All DAC poles made from TH72M aluminum: the latest technology in lightweight tent poles featuring improved durability
* Fly is ultralight silicone treated nylon rip-stop with a 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating
* Floor is ultralight silicone treated nylon rip-stop with a 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating
* Tent body is ultralight breathable nylon rip-stop and polyester mesh
* Mesh body offers excellent ventilation
* Single hub/pole design makes set up easy
* DAC Twist clips attach tent body to the pole frame for quick and easy set up
* Single door and vestibule
* Three side mesh pockets included
* Reflective guyline and reflective webbing on tent corners for nighttime visibility
* All seams taped with waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane (No PVC or VOC’s) tape
* 11 Superlight aluminum J stakes – featuring eco-friendly anodizing – included
* Gear loft loops included: Fits Big Agnes TRIANGLE gear loft – sold separately
* Footprint sold separately
* Color: Cool Grey/Gold

Backpacker Magazine picked this Backpack as 2010 Editors Choice. Here’s why.

Strap into the cool, comfortable, and adjustable suspension of the Arc’teryx Altra Backpack for your next multi-day backpacking adventure. The two sizes expand and compress to the size you need for gear-heavy weekends or long-distance trails. So whatever season or reason brings you out, the Altra 65 can get you there comfortably.

* The Advanced Composition Construction Suspension system includes two 6061 aluminum stays and a padded back panel that hold the pack’s shape
* GridLock shoulder strap adjustment system lets you custom fit the pack
* Breathable foam shoulder straps and hip-belt are covered with Spacermesh and promote evaporative cooling when weighed down
* Triple-density hip-belt pivots on the Load Transfer Disc and can be removed to trim weight
* Perforated foam back panel lets cool air through as you hike
* U-shaped front-panel access loads and unloads like a duffel bag so you can get at your gear
* Top lid and collar extend to offer seven liters of additional space
* Four compression straps with padded wings let you attach sleeping pads or jackets to the outside of the pack

The pack maybe a bit heavy for me, but it looks like a very cool pack. Weighing in at [Reg] 4lb 14oz (2200g); [Tall] 5lb 1oz (2300g)

Bottom Line: When you have a lot to carry on longer trails, please your back with the Altra.

Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter from Backpacker Magazine demonstrates the basics of upper body layering for cold weather hiking and camping.

Next to the skin: Your base layer should wick sweat away from your body to keep your skin dry. Cotton should not be used – save your t-shirts for other purposes. Good long underwear pieces are appropriate made from fabrics such as Thermion, polypropylene, Thermax, Thinsulate, and silk.

Insulating layer: This layer will keep you warm and can be shed once you warm up. Wool, fleece, pile, down in a jacket, shirt or vest.

Outer layer: To protect you from the elements, a windproof and water resistant jacket. It should be worn loosely.

Pants: If the weather is frigid, long underwear bottoms or tights underneath another pair of pants will keep you warm. Cotton and denim should be avoided. Running pants or running tights made of synthetics that wick moisture will keep you more comfortable in rain and snow.

Admin

I created TheBackpackerTV because of my passion for the outdoors and seeing nature up close and personal. To share my experiences, and the experiences of others for everyone to enjoy. We go watch hundreds of videos each month picking the very best for you. Enjoy!

   

Backpacker Magazine takes a look at some Jackets that will help you keep dry. In this video Rocky Mountain editor Steve Howe helps you pick the right jacket for any weather condition or exertion level.

There’s more to the Alaska Range than Denali National Park and its heavily regulated backcountry: Discover equally impressive sections of Alaska’s namesake range east of the park’s main entrance. There you’ll find the Delta Mountains, with a million acres of lower-elevation but equally glaciated peaks. Backpacker Magazine travels into Alaska’s backcountry to witness climate change.

This 20.5-mile round-trip up the Castner Glacier takes you into the heart of it all. In addition to stunning views of soaring ridgelines and glacial icefalls, you’ll also get a firsthand look at the profound effects of climate change. The Castner Glacier is losing ice mass rapidly, literally collapsing in on itself, and much of the central glacier has become a deep trench with water flowing between icy, muddy banks.

Admin

I created TheBackpackerTV because of my passion for the outdoors and seeing nature up close and personal. To share my experiences, and the experiences of others for everyone to enjoy. We go watch hundreds of videos each month picking the very best for you. Enjoy!

   

So you’re on a backpacking trip and you have a hunger craving for an Orange and a piece of Cake. What will you do? Backpacker Magazine shows us how to utilize both food groups in this unique video.

Take an orange, hollow it out, pour in some cake batter and throw it in a campfire, that’s how campfire cakes are made. Baking a cake inside of an orange may seem like a strange idea, but actually it’s possible and in fact quite delicious.

The flavor of the orange will naturally seep into the cakes as they are baking, and give a mild taste of citrus to the dessert. Any box of cake mix will work with this recipe, even those that simply need to be mixed only with water.

In addition to the ingredients, campfire cake bakers will need aluminum foil, a knife, spoons, and a large bowl for mixing the cake batter. Prepare to bring these items along in order to make these cakes properly.

The process of this fun camping activity, allows campers to prepare and bake their own individually portion-sized cakes. The result is a tasty dessert. Give this recipe for campfire orange cakes a try and prepare to be amazed.

Read more at Suite101: Campfire Orange Cakes:

Want to go Ice Climbing? Well you better have a good pair of Crampons. Backpacker Magazine shows us how. Alaska’s Castner Glacier, Rocky Mountain editor Steve Howe shows you the basics for putting on crampons.

Crampons are a necessity when you are traveling on snow and ice and don’t want to slip. With them, you can cross glaciers, ascend snow slopes, climb frozen waterfalls and scale vertical-to-overhanging ice-smeared rock.

From REI:

Recent years have seen a significant shift in crampon design. Because most alpinists and ice climbers today wear leather or synthetic-leather boots (instead of plastic mountaineering boots), semi-rigid construction with horizontal frames are the rule. And, thanks to modern design and manufacturing technique, crampons have become lighter and better fitting….read the rest of the story

As some may already know, this September “The National Parks, America’s Best Idea” will air September 27 on PBS. It is one of the most anticiapated films about our National Park system in decades.

Nearly a decade in the making, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is a visual feast, featuring some of the most extensive, breathtaking images of the national parks system every captured on film.

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns sits down with Backpacker Magazine and talks about the people, places, and lasting importance of his latest project, The National Parks: Americas Best Idea.

Admin

I created TheBackpackerTV because of my passion for the outdoors and seeing nature up close and personal. To share my experiences, and the experiences of others for everyone to enjoy. We go watch hundreds of videos each month picking the very best for you. Enjoy!

   

Join Backpacker.com assistant editor Ted Alvarez on a tour of the lesser known Tetons.

The Jedediah Smith Wilderness is located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Designated wilderness by Congress in 1984, Jedediah Smith Wilderness is within Caribou-Targhee National Forest and borders Grand Teton National Park. Spanning along the western slopes of the Teton Range, the wilderness ensures a high level of protection to this delicate ecosystem. Jedediah Smith Wilderness is an integral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

No camping permits required unless you are camping in the Tetons. For more information on the Jedediah Smith Wilderness call (208) 354-2312 or (208) 652-7442

There are some trips just worth taking. Backpacker Magazine takes you on a classic 50-mile trek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Besides long mountain views and pristine woods, hikers get to explore barns, cemeteries, and other historical ruins from the pre-park past.

Rocky Mountain Editor Steve Howe from Backpacker Magazine gives you a tour of the Garmin Oregon 400t GPS. Backpacker Magazine Editors Choice 2009

Meet the ultimate GPS: simple enough for beginners, powerful enough for experts.

Get in touch with your wild side with Oregon 400t. This next-generation handheld features a rugged, touchscreen along with preloaded topographic maps, 3-D map view, a high-sensitivity receiver, barometric altimeter, electronic compass, microSD™ card slot, picture viewer and more. Even exchange tracks, waypoints, routes and geocaches wirelessly between similar units.
Touch and Go

Oregon 400t leads the way with a tough, 3-inch diagonal, sunlight-readable, color, touchscreen display. Its easy-to-use interface means you’ll spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time searching for information. Both durable and waterproof, Oregon 400t is built to withstand the elements. Bumps, dust, dirt, humidity and water are no match for this rugged navigator.
Explore Backcountry in 3-D

Oregon’s preloaded U.S. or European topographic maps, 3-D map view and a built-in worldwide basemap with shaded relief give you all the tools for serious climbing or hiking. Map detail includes national, state and local parks and forests, along with terrain contours, elevation information, trails, rivers, lakes and points of interest. Just in case you’re wondering how steep that hill really is, Oregon’s 3-D map view helps you visualize your surroundings — giving you a better perspective of the elevation.

Admin

I created TheBackpackerTV because of my passion for the outdoors and seeing nature up close and personal. To share my experiences, and the experiences of others for everyone to enjoy. We go watch hundreds of videos each month picking the very best for you. Enjoy!

   

If you’ve caught a fish in the backcountry but forgot the pan, don’t despair: Backpacker Magazine Trail Chef shows you how to improvise a skillet with a rock. Also, learn Trail Chef’s Spicy Southwest Marinade—perfect for any food with fins.

You can also watch, how to cook pizza in the backcountry.

Knowing how to use a map or GPS in the backcountry is one of the most important aspects of your hike you will ever know. There are hundreds of stories each year of hikers getting lost in the backcountry.

Backpacker Magazine puts together a informative video on how to use a map and GPS.

Assistant Map Editor Kim Phillips shows you how to us a GPS and digital camera to map your trail and document your hike in this video tutorial.

Cant call Dominos? Assistant Editor Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan from Backpacker Magazine shows you how to easily make a mean pizza, right in the backcountry. I am always looking for new and “inventive” ways to cook in the backcountry. I had to laugh when I saw this video because I am into Pizza Tortillias right now (on the trail) and this gives me yet another way to be creative.

For other good food, check out Trail Foods. These are healthy exciting foods that will offer a change from the same ol Freeze Dried Foods.

Joe Piraino

What can I say? I love being out in the Backcountry. I am the crazy guy that likes hiking and camping in bad weather. One of my all time favorite hikes is the Appalachian Trail. If you have an Article, Video or story you would like to share on thebackpacker.tv send me an email at joe@thebackpacker.tv

Ever get tired of Granola, or the same ol freeze dried eggs in a pouch? Backpacker Magazine shows us how to really have a home cooked breakfast in the backcountry.

This unique video is from the Backpacker Trail Chef. This looks crazy enough to actually work.

Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter from Backpacker Magazine offers a grear review on the Sierra Designs Lightning XT4 Tent. This tent won the 2009 Editors Choice Award from Backpacker Magazine

New for 2009! The freestanding Sierra Designs Lightning XT 4 is a roomy, lightweight backpacking/camping tent. Collectively, the Lightning XT 4’s innovative Tunnel Dome design, dual doors and twin vestibules help to maximize livability.

The Lightning XT 4 has 57.5 sq. ft. of interior space. A large front vestibule offers 17.5 sq ft of exterior shelter while a rear vestibule provides an additional 10 sq ft! Sewn-in interior pockets help you free up floor space.

See more at the Sierra Designs Web Site

Joe Piraino

What can I say? I love being out in the Backcountry. I am the crazy guy that likes hiking and camping in bad weather. One of my all time favorite hikes is the Appalachian Trail. If you have an Article, Video or story you would like to share on thebackpacker.tv send me an email at joe@thebackpacker.tv

In a bold return to its heritage, Eddie Bauer has joined up with a dream team of mountaineers to build a new line of outerwear and gear called First Ascent. First Ascent combines Eddie Bauer’s legacy as the original expedition outfitter with the expertise of some of today’s most renowned mountain guides and climbers, including Peter Whittaker, Ed Viesturs, and Dave Hahn.

Backpacker Magazine offers a new look at some of this gear that Eddie Bauer has for 2009. Climbing guru Peter Whittaker gives Backpacker a preview of a new line of gear from Eddie Bauer.

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