Erik The Black's Backpacking Blog

One way to reduce your pack weight is to get rid of unnecessary gear. The other way is to replace essential gear items with lightweight alternatives. Here are five gear items you can replace to reduce your pack weight…

Backpackers spend a lot of time, money and effort trimming ounces from their backpacking gear in the quest to lighten their load. But, in my opinion a lot of the time it’s wasted effort. If you want to significantly reduce your pack weight concentrate on these three items…

There are lots of options when it comes to choosing a lightweight backpacking stove: alcohol stoves, canister stoves, wood stoves, solid fuel stoves and cooking on a campfire. Here are some of the pros and cons of each.

If you are planning to hike the PCT, CDT or another trail that goes through the desert here are some tips to help you stay cool, conserve water and keep your pack light in a desert environment.

Here is the new version of my Free Backpacking Gear Planner Spreadsheet. This tool helps you quickly and easily design a backpacking gear list in just minutes.

Here’s a video I shot this summer on the Colorado Trail showing what it’s like camping under an ultralight tarp shelter in the rain.

In this video I’ll show you what kind of foods I pack and how much I eat on a long distance backpacking trip such as a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail.

Download my free custom Backpacking Itinerary Planner Spreadsheet tool. This will help you plan a long-distance hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail or any other long trail.

Trail runners, cross trainers, lightweight boots, sandals… Which are the best hiking shoes for long distance backpacking? In this article I discuss the pros and cons of hiking footwear and give my recommendations.

Choosing the right backpacking shelter is a crucial gear decision. You want something lightweight and easy to set up, that provides adequate protection from the elements without weighing you down.

In this article I share my 5,000 calorie thru-hiking trail diet and tips for choosing the right foods for your long distance backpacking adventures.