Op-ed
![Why the Trails are Trending: A Deep Dive Into the Rise of Trail Sports](http://images.ctfassets.net/r7p9m4b1iqbp/7vrKlLORBnzNet4IEMs1bP/8178987ce79a3f61fd82950a8dedf19a/norda-trail-running-001-group.jpg?w=600&q=85&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
What data can and can’t tell us about the ongoing increase in interest and participation in trail running, gravel biking, and other trail activities
![Is "Cotton Kills" Outdated Advice for Outdoor Adventure?](http://images.ctfassets.net/r7p9m4b1iqbp/48HiRgTvV5V5PDqneB7Ej8/f7226545e8e7347946fd5804c6f32cfb/satisfy-children-of-the-trails.jpg?w=600&q=85&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
In a plastic-filled world, maybe it's time to challenge the idea that cotton is a poor material for hiking, camping, running, and exploring outside
![In Defense of Heavy Hiking Gear](http://images.ctfassets.net/r7p9m4b1iqbp/JUUDqcjcaDnJ7mQxyVM73/5db46d01318fc382c8c4a38292f9c2eb/Bailey-PCT-Oregon-Section-Hike-hero.jpg?w=600&q=85&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
As the ultralight trend continues to build momentum and evangelists, let us not forget the bulky, burdensome equipment that got us here
![The New American Dream Is a Rent-Free Life on the Road](http://images.ctfassets.net/r7p9m4b1iqbp/YvSyQDTpn9JMJeny0SEjE/cef0881fc17b2813c087a95aede48fe8/Features-Bree-New-American-Dream-Fieldmag-1.jpg?w=600&q=85&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
Why this writer left their corporate life to renovate a 1979 RV and what the nomadic lifestyle can mean for Black & Queer communities
![How Ice Climbing Moved From Niche to Mainstream](http://images.ctfassets.net/r7p9m4b1iqbp/68J9I0OWJURehLVie3bIJU/ba3d583f8a6d19b3f530927bc2f2f106/Travperk-Ouray-IceFest-2020-Field-Mag-7B.jpg?w=600&q=85&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
In just two decades the esoteric activity has grown from some 50,000 active participants to over 3 million in American alone
![Field Mag Editor's 5 Favorite Features of 2018](http://images.ctfassets.net/r7p9m4b1iqbp/5JCsDF6Yc86U4qMMQeeEuc/d713c03d3debe3bcffdfcf500d44b594/Top5-Features-2018-thumb.jpg?w=600&q=85&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
From heart felt personal essays on adventure and family to adrenaline inducing recounts of climbing Denali, these features struck a cord
![Why I Train for City Marathons on Mountain Trails](http://images.ctfassets.net/r7p9m4b1iqbp/7zBUwgQlTGGQUkaG8EAkI6/d69efd2658446fc88bdb6004c729b3f9/Sarah-Attar-Training-2.jpg?w=600&q=85&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
Olympic runner Sarah Attar on the profound effects of embracing nature as an athlete and artist
![Why I Ditched Digital to Embrace Film Photography](http://images.ctfassets.net/r7p9m4b1iqbp/NTJuSk4g0uaOwCGY8SwMq/228075a2bb20d88aff03466239628ed6/Natalie-Allen-12-Self-Portait-Japan.jpg?w=600&q=85&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
Professional photographer Natalie Allen lays out why she switched to analog image making, and how it changed the way she shoots
![Op-Ed: The Power of Camping as Vacation](http://images.ctfassets.net/r7p9m4b1iqbp/31M8nYYxPGgw6U06G0UYi2/64816fc648d0bd33cb760e93e06c7a46/Carter-Moore-Camping-CA-4.jpg?w=600&q=85&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
Time spent car camping around California inspires a conversation on the importance of inclusion and power of nature in escaping burnout