Get the Inside Edge on the Outdoors

TrailSense is where the real people from Enwild share helpful insights on the awesome gear we carry. Wondering what type of sleeping bag you need for your next adventure? Looking to shave some weight from your pack? Whether you hike, run or roam, we’re here to help you with friendly advice, in-depth gear reviews and how-to guides.

What Size Backpack Do You Need?

When choosing a backpack, whether it’s for day hikes, extended trips or somewhere in between, it can be difficult to know what size you need. To make matters more confusing, different backpack manufacturers use differing methods…

How to Choose a Sleeping Bag

There are a number of important factors to consider when choosing a sleeping bag. Let’s break them down. Insulation Type The insulating material inside the sleeping bag is often called fill. The fill is a very…

2023 Awesome Gear Guide

Our 2023 Awesome Gear Guide highlights a collection of awesome gear we’ve chosen to applaud for breaking new ground, providing reliable functionality, or for simply offering exceptional value.

How to Maintain External Locking Trekking Poles

Despite the abundance of backpacking-specific terms and jargon, a backpack is a fairly utilitarian piece of gear—it’s designed to carry everything you need for a day, night, or even weeks in the woods. If you’re getting tripped up by complicated product descriptions and ever-evolving features, realize almost all backpacks share the same foundational parts. With this in mind, here’s the basic anatomy of a backpack.

How to Properly Dry Leather Hiking Boots

One of the simplest steps backpackers and hikers can take to increase the longevity of their leather hiking boots is to perform regular maintenance such as cleaning and conditioning, along with ensuring that wet boots get…

How to Fit a Hiking Boot

Whether you’re planning to head out for a quick hike or preparing for a big backpacking trip, a pair of properly fitting hiking boots is key. While it’s easy to get excited about certain brands, particular features, and specific materials when shoe shopping, in the end, nothing will affect how you feel about your boots more than their fit. With this in mind, here’s a quick guide on how to fit a hiking boot.

Basic Anatomy of a Backpack

How to Pack a Backpack

Backpacks come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and configurations—after all, the needs of a weekend warrior heading out for a quick overnight are different from a thru-hiker hitting the trail for a few months. Despite…

What is a DWR and How Does it Work

What is DWR and how does it work? DWR stands for Durable Water Repellent, a treatment applied to outdoor outerwear which helps resist water.

Types of Backpacking Stoves

Learn about different types of backpacking stoves! See pros & cons of liquid fuel, canister, solid fuel and alternative fuel stoves.

Choosing Between MSR Canister and Liquid Fuel Stoves

From the classic liquid-fueled MSR Whisperlite to the superlight canister-powered PocketRocket Deluxe to quick-boiling integrated stove systems that run on canisters, there is seemingly an MSR stove for every type of activity and user. While it’s…

What Causes Condensation in Tents

Waking up and discovering that the inside walls of your tent are wet is a nuisance that torments everyone from backpackers at remote sites in the mountains to families spending a night away from home at…

How to Adjust Your Trekking Poles for a Proper Fit

We explain how to adjust your trekking poles for a proper fit, plus fitting wrist straps and basic use.

How to Stuff a Jacket into a Self-Stowing Pocket

From lofty down and synthetic puffy coats (men’s/women’s) to lightweight wind shells (men’s/women’s), many of today’s jackets are designed to pack into their own pocket—providing compact storage for stashing in your pack and, in some cases,…

Gear Check: Prep your Camping Gear for Summer

In springtime, the cold winds and snow of winter recede into memory as the days lengthen, drawing us out to camp and hike, run and roam. Maybe you hibernated all winter or perhaps it’s been a…

How to Choose Gloves and Mittens

We’ve all felt it: When it gets cold, your body directs more blood to core areas of your body. While that warms your heart, this response leaves your hands cold. Knowing how to choose gloves and…

How to Choose Men’s Backpacking Boots

The connection between man and the trail, backpacking boots play a vital role in the kit of those who prefer to measure their time in the backcountry in days instead of hours. Unlike boots built for…

How to Choose a Backcountry Water Filter

Proper hydration is essential for an enjoyable trip. Carrying water is manageable for short trips but as any wildland firefighter will tell you, water is not a lightweight liquid (1 gallon = 8 pounds). If you…

How to Choose a Backpacking Pack

Backpacking packs generally have larger capacities and more robust suspensions in comparison to daypacks. These bigger packs are designed to carry the larger amounts of gear (40+ liters) required for overnights or multiple-day adventures. They also…

How to Choose a Backpacking Tent

Joining other essentials such as a backpack and sleeping bag, a tent is usually one of the basic items of a backpacker’s kit. Like with a camping tent, comfort is a factor but because a backpacking…

What is Trail Mix?

What is trail mix? Trail mix, or GORP, is the ultimate trail snack, popularized by endless variations. While ‘GORP’ is fairly specific – Good Old Raisins and Peanuts – the term ‘trail mix’ simply means a…

How to Choose a Pack for your Dog

Dogs packs have a simple goal: to allow your pet to share the load when you’re together on the trail. Dog packs come in many sizes and configurations, allowing you to find the perfect fit for…

National Park Service Founder’s Day

On August 25th, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed into law Pub.L. 64–235, H.R. 15522, 39 Stat. 535, An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes. Less formally known as the Organic Act…

More than a Name

It’s a change more than two years in the making: The outdoor gear retailer known as Backcountry Edge has become Enwild. Our customers and fans have supported us since 2004, when Tim King shipped his first…

Boot Lacing Techniques for a Better Fit

Given how much we hike, run and roam, many of us dream about the perfect-fitting hiking boot or running shoe. One of the problems in achieving that goal is that our feet have unique shapes and…

Benefits of a Sleeping Bag Liner

If you have a sleeping bag, you can benefit from a sleeping bag liner. Liners are simple in their design – so simple, in fact, that some people underrate their importance. The benefits of a sleeping…

What is Down?

Outdoor adventurers have a long history of using down insulation – in men’s and women’s jackets, sleeping bags, gloves and hats. Thanks to the little bits that occasionally wiggle out of these warm garments, most people…

How to Choose a Family Camping Tent

Family camping tents are the more spacious relatives of the familiar backpacking tent. People often expect greater comfort in a campground than on the trail and this means that factors like weight and packability are less…

What’s a Backpacking Quilt?

When you hear ‘quilt’, you may think of those comfy, sometimes elaborately-sewn blankets produced by your great grandmother or favorite aunt. Those beloved bedspreads are much different than the increasingly popular high-tech quilts made for backpackers.…