Hot Hiking How-Tos
How To: Find safe drinking water in the wilderness
No water should be considered safe unless it is treated. Please take all precautions before drinking water you find in creeks and streams. Even water that looks safe may contain harmful bacteria and viruses. Learn how to recognize water that is safe to drink.
How To: Navigation with a compass and GPS
Learn how to navigate while hiking using a compass and Global Positioning System (GPS). Part 1 of 3 - How to Navigation with a compass and GPS.
How To: Pack a daypack
This video is a describing a day pack, with suggested items a person might carry with them on a day long hiking trip.
How To: Hold trekking poles
Kristin Hostetter, Backpacker's Gear editor, shows you how to hold trekking poles to hike longer and higher with fewer aches and pains. Learn more from Backpacker's Gear School in the March 2007 Gear Guide.
How To: Preserve your hydration bladder or Camelback
Is your hydration bladder collecting mold? Here are 3 new solutions for common backcountry drinking problems--as explained by Backpacker editor-in-chief Jon Dorn. Learn more from Backpacker's Gear School in the March 2007 Gear Guide, and at www.backpacker.com/video.
How To: Fit a hiking backpack correctly
Finding out your torso length is half the battle. Backpacker's Gear editor Kristin Hostetter explains all the strategies to you need to find a good-fitting backpack--from how to simulate a fully-loaded pack, to what to look for in hip belts and shoulder straps. Learn how to find your perfect pack at Gear School - straight from the pages of the March 2007 Gear Guide.
How To: Measure your torso length for pack fitting
Knowing your torso length is crucial to finding the best-fitting backpack for your body type. Don't estimate a pack size using the clothing standbys of tall, medium, and petite: a 6-foot guy can have a shorter torso length than a 5'10" woman. Backpacker's Gear editor Kristin Hostetter explains the correct way to measure your torso length. Learn more important skills with Backpacker's Gear School videos - straight from the pages of the March 2007 Gear Guide.
How To: Fit boots for hiking
Learn how to buy a pair of hiking boots, and what you can do to prevent blisters, sore arches, even chronic foot problems in 6 easy steps. Backpacker magazine editors Jason Stevenson and Jackie Ney show you how. Learn more from Backpacker's Gear School in the March 2007 Gear Guide, and at www.backpacker.com/video.
How To: Fix common boot or foot problems on the trail
These simple tricks can prevent typical trail maladies and keep your hike going. Learn more from Backpacker's Gear School in the March 2007 Gear Guide, and at www.backpacker.com/video.
How To: Prevent blisters on the trail
Backpacker editor-in-chief Jon Dorn explains 5 field-tested techniques for eliminating the three main causes of blisters: heat, moisture, and friction. Learn more from Backpacker's Gear School in the March 2007 Gear Guide, and at www.backpacker.com/video.
How To: Cook with an outback oven on the trail
Jon Dorn goes to the kitchen to teach you how to bake perfect treats every time on the trail. Learn more from Backpacker's Gear School in the March 2007 Gear Guide, and at www.backpacker.com/video.
How To: Plan a multi day hike
In this online backpacking video series, learn from expert hiker and backpacker Kate Carcio with Zoar Outdoor. She will teach you the multi day hiking essentials, before you hit the trail.
How To: Get started with geocaching
This video introduces the concepts of GPS technology, how to get started using Garmin Legend or Venture eTrex GPS receivers, and how to navigate geocaching.com to find caches in your area. This is a good start to beginners looking to geocache.