The Latest on Hiking

If you have a trekking pole then you, like Nintendo Wii owners everywhere, have probably wondered at and then spurned the wrist straps attached to your device. Don't do it! This video will teach you how to use your trekking pole strap correctly to reduce the strain on your hand while hiking, allowing you to go on for longer more comfortably.

Trekking poles make carrying heavy load across long distances on foot, like you do when you're on a backpacking trip, much easier. This video will help you make sure you're getting the most out of your trekking poles by teaching you how to make sure that your poles are the correct height for the situation that you are in. Get the most out of your modern hiking technology!

Geocaching is one of the many fun ways that internet technology has improve our lives, allowing people to leave essentially buried treasure anywhere in the world, then post GPS coordinates on the internet to allow other travelers to find it. This video offers a tip for geocache enthusiasts traveling with their families: download the coordinates for geocaches near your vacation destination before you leave, so that while you're on your trip you can geocache to you heart's content without having...

Duct (or Duck) tape is one of the most useful products for repairing things (and we mean anything) every invented. This video explains why and how you should bring a few feet of duct tape with you when you go for a long backcountry hike. By wrapping it around your trekking pole, you can store it easily and you will have it available when something breaks.

In this video, we learn how to prepare a pack for 2 days and 1 night of hiking. Each person has different needs, so change according to your preferences. Something important is to pack something to sleep on, which would be a hammock and blanket. Also, pack a Bible if you are religious. Hand sanitizer is a must-have for any hiker to kill germs that can cause illness. Make sure you have water bottles packed as well as a GPS and compass. Two different compasses are a good idea just in case one has...

In this video David Atkinson guides us through how to pack a backpack for a camping trip. The first step would be to include the bed and breakfast gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad clothes and water)and then we need stone fuel for cooking and cook kit, food, headlamp, toilet paper, a shovel rain gear and weather appropriate clothing. When you have decided on your luggage you have to organize it properly, starting to put the heavy things (tent, stones, cook kit) in the middle on the...

This video illustrate us how to wear and distribute the load of your hiking backpack. Here are the following steps:

Fitclimb.com shows viewers how to put on a hiking backpack properly in this video. To begin, take the straps in both of your hands. Bend your knees, and keep your back straight. In this stance, pick the backpack up and set it on one of your legs, just above the knee. Put the arm that is on the same side of the body as the leg your backpack is resting on through the backpack strap. Put the backpack on your back, then put your other arm through the corresponding strap. Adjust the belt that...

Is it time for your planned hiking adventure? Hiking is great, but mountain hiking, through the brush and rocks, is even better. Going for a hike in the mountains can be exhilarating, but it also has its dangers. Make sure you pack for the occasion.

This short safety guide Colhane gives you several tips to use a machete safely without harming your self or others. These tips are not only limited to machetes but can be applied to the general use of all large knives. The first rule is always cut away from your body as shown in the video the consequences of not following this rule can be deadly. The next tip gives you the optimal angle to cut through trees and other foliage. He also gives several tips on how to create a trail and follow it in...

In this video, Chopping It Up, we see how some men camping and scouting in the remote central Brazilian jungle hack their way through the thick brush with machetes. We watch as they clear a path to the top of a mountain. It's a lot of work! We're told how they identified a route where the need for hacking would be minimized, on an old trail. The problem, however, is the sunlight on an old trail causes it to get choked up with vines and other thick growth. To clear the path with the...

See the angled edge of the blade? This is the bevel angle. Match this to the face of the whetstone. For a clever-like tool like a machete, this should be at a high angle--15 to 25 degrees.

Geocaching can be a fun hobby for outdoorsy types of all ages. But it also presents its share of dangers, especially for kids. In this short video, Prospector Pete offers up tips to keep kids safe when they are Geocaching in the wild.

Wade Bourne of MyOutdoorTV.com shows you how important it is to take care of leather hiking boots.

Hiking is easy with these tips. Get advice on backpacking, hiking, and the great outdoors in this video tutorial. Take action: pace yourself, don't take too many long breaks, maintain good posture, keep a light spring in your step, and bring plenty of food and water. John Flaherty, the instructor of this how-to video from Live Strong, has a great love for the outdoors. In 2003, John and his wife started Central Coast Outdoors in northern California. His company provides hiking, kayaking, and...

Preparing for a hike is easy with these tips. Get advice on backpacking, hiking, and the great outdoors in this video tutorial. Take action: use appropriate footwear, bring a first-aid kit, water, and food, and use walking sticks in uneven terrain. John Flaherty, the instructor in this how-to video from Live Strong, has a great love for the outdoors. In 2003, John and his wife started Central Coast Outdoors in northern California. His company provides hiking, kayaking, and biking services for...

Breaking-in hiking boots can be a pain. Get tips and advice on backpacking, hiking, and the great outdoors in this video tutorial. Take action: use more time to break in bigger boots, wear boots around the house first, and avoid long hikes. John Flaherty, the instructor in this how-to video from Live Strong, has a great love for the outdoors. In 2003, John and his wife started Central Coast Outdoors in northern California. His company provides hiking, kayaking, and biking services for those...

Picking hiking gear is easy with these tips. Get advice on backpacking, hiking, and the great outdoors in this video tutorial. Take action: purchase a quality backpack with a good hip belt, bring some sort of shelter, bring plenty of food and water, and pack clothing for appropriate weather. John Flaherty, the instructor in this how-to video from Live Strong, has a great love for the outdoors. In 2003, John and his wife started Central Coast Outdoors in northern California. His company provides...

Check out this instructional hiking video to learn 5 simple steps to maintaining a sharp, rust-free blade. Here's a backpacking tutorial video from the Backpacker's Gear School in the March 2007 Gear Guide. One of the key tips to keeping your knife sharp is to clean it after every trip. Learn other important tips to keep your blade nice and clean for your next hiking expedition.

Learn simple repair tips and the tool kit you'll need to keep your snowshoes chugging all winter long with this report from the December 2006 issue of Backpacker Magazine. Associate editor Jason Stevenson covers all the snowshoe snafus--from plastic zip ties to replace stripped rivets to extra webbing to cinch down shredded bindings--in this backpacking tutorial video. Repair your snowshoes and continue your backpacking expedition!

Outdoor expert Graham Thompson shows you how to use a compass. Watch and learn!

This video shows you what to bring for a hike.

Knowing how to read trail signs is a necessary trail skill. Russell the Weekend Adventurer shows how to read signs for hiking the Appalachian trail.

Don't pull a muscle getting a pack on your back. If you don't have a friend to help or a rock to rest it on, here's how to do it safely and easily. Learn more from Backpacker's Gear School in the March 2007 Gear Guide, and at www.backpacker.com/video.

Learn how to navigate while hiking using a compass and Global Positioning System (GPS).

This video is a describing a day pack, with suggested items a person might carry with them on a day long hiking trip.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.