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If you are camping in bear country, or in any place where food storage is a concern, you should strongly consider using a bear canister–a storage system that is built to keep bears out of your food. And in some places, particularly parks in California, Montana, Colorado, and Washington,backcountry campers are required to have and use bear canisters.

While you may get lucky by hanging your food in a sack from a tree, this is not permitted in many areas and virtually impractical in many alpine anddesert backpacking zones. Bear canisters are the preferred method for storing food and other smelly items, but there are many kinds to be aware of. Let’s look at them in more detail.

If you do anyovernight backpacking, or even long distance hiking, there’s a good chance that at some point you may need to go Number Two.

Because of heavy land use and impacts to natural resources (not to mention water sources), this is not always as simple as doing your business and covering it with a rock or a handful of pine needles.

In fact, depending on where you go, you may be required to carry an approved pooping system even if you swear on your loaded lower intestine that you will hold it in no matter what.

Here’s a quick run down on backcountry toilet systems.

The time’s come. You’ve got your lightweight backpack, a comfy sleeping bag (of quilt), a sleeping pad that doesn’t (yet) leak air, a cool tent, a nifty little stove, and a hankering to get out and use it all. Let’s go!

Public lands in the Southwest have always needed strong local support–and right now, that support matters more than ever.

Public lands across the West continue to face serious pressure. The places where we hike, ride, camp, and explore are being asked to do more with less. Visitation is up, staffing is down, and decisions about how these lands are used are happening every day–and a lot of those decisions are decidedly bad.

The reality in 2026 is that there is ongoing stress on the system, but the good news is that there are plenty of ways to take action, and they matter more than ever.Durango Outdoor Exchange supports public lands and their responsible stewardship.

It happens to all of us–we accumulate a few too many pairs of skis, a bike saddle we took off an old steed but never found another use for, pants we **might**have, um, outgrown, and shoes we loved but just never fit right.

It’s nice to accumulate old gear in closets and sheds, but it’s nicer to sell it. Much nicer.

Selling your used gear to Durango Outdoor Exchange is a great way to pass on the good vibes and build store credit that you can use for upgrading your quiver(s). Best of all, selling your used outdoor gear is a super chill and easy experience. Read on to learn how.