From epic adventures and wild mountain views to city bike trails and blazing campfires under starry skies, for over 20 years the AMC Photo Contest has celebrated how our community experiences and protects the outdoors....
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When hiking with kids, it’s always good to have a payoff to reward their effort, whether you’re offering a mountain view or a chocolate bar from your backpack—or maybe both. One of the best attractions…
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Short answer: A lot. Long answer: It depends on a multitude of factors, including body weight, pack weight, elevation gain/loss, terrain, and more. Here’s a quick round-up of a few online estimates (and guesstimates), plus…
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Yes and no, but mostly no. A tent footprint protects the underside of the tent from abrasion and moisture, helping to extend the lifespan of the tent and keep it drier on the inside. Footprints…
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Here’s the video, which should help clarify things: I wouldn’t have bruised and blackened my toenails last week if I had taken the time to employ one of my favorite hiking boot lacing techniques: the…
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Any survival kit should have the tools to start an emergency fire. A firestarter (waterproof matches, flint, etc.) is the crucial item, but a close second is quick-to-light emergency tinder to get the fire going,…
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Gore-Tex hiking boots are supposed to be waterproof, right? Well, they are—except when they’re not. My standard hiking footwear is a pair of Vasque Sundowner Classics, which include a Gore-Tex liner. I’ve worn them in…
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How much weight will a tent add to your pack? It depends. Manufacturers list two weights for tents, trail weight and packed weight. Neither is truly accurate. Packed weight refers to how much the entire…
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Snow stakes are designed to anchor a tent in compacted snow. They aren’t absolutely necessary to pitch a winter tent—you can also create anchors by using buried objects in the snow, or “deadmen”—but they are…
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I’m always on a quest to pack maximum backcountry calories for minimum weight, especially during the winter season when calorie burn runs particularly high. I must admit that one of my favorite go-to sources for…
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