Rating: 
Summary: Pure Genius
Review: Even though this book is a bit out in left field for those of us who have been hiking all their life, it still has great lightweight principles that can be applied to backpacking. If you do not totally "convert" after reading this book, you will at least steal some way of reducing pack weight. Great insight, great innovation, and great adventure from an amazing man. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: it's the point of view that counts
Review: Everyone seems to be either complaining of Jardine's rather evangelical tone, or touting his methods. To me, both criticisms seem to have missed the point. To me, the great value of Jardine's book(s), his website, and other writings is thus:1. you can build it, sew it, or make it yourself. you don't have to buy it from the outdoor industry, if you don't want to. 2. comfort and enjoyment are possible (and sometimes alot more probable) without alot of the stuff that we think are necessities. 3. less weight doesn't mean that you have to go faster, but that you can go faster when necessary or desirable. it's not speed, but efficiency that matters. 4. and, most importantly: YOU can figure out the best way to do things, even if they don't make sense to anyone else.
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Summary: travel light with this one
Review: For me this book had a lot of tips i am using now on my trips. In the past i travelled with 13KG now i have 5-6 KG on my back . it lights the load and gives you more enjoyment while travelling(also distance etc.). Also the other issues from RayJardine (on the web) proves he is a man that hase done alot of thinking about travelling in Nature.(in a wide pespective way)(sorry for my english) My last journey was one to remember thanks to this man. So , a great book for a person who loves to ligthen up the load en Nature.
Rating:
Summary: I agree
Review: I agree with all the 5-star ratings here. Ray Jardine has used his experience, education, and logical mind to improve on (by most often simplifying) equipment, technique, and I dare say the philosophy of backpacking. I may never be an ultralight backpacker, but this book lightened my pack by 20 pounds!
...and for that it was most valuable. Many "myths" of backing are debunked in this book. He carefully looks at the advantages and disadvantages of each piece of equipment and how it relates to the goals of the journey. Just for example: tarps vs. tents. I particularly enjoyed his reasons for "stealth" camping. He deals frankly with the bear and cougar issues and personal safety. I especially liked the section on sewing your own gear.
Rating:
Summary: must study
Review: i am an experianced outdoors man and new to the world of backpacking. this book has all the info on how to pack how to organize a extended trek and invaluable concepts for any beginer or seasoned hiker. there is chapters on potential dangers of wilderness packing, ticks poisonous plants, animal danger, hygiene, and how to cope w/ each of the elemants. if you're experianced in backpacking it may change you're point of view or hiking style all together. i highly recomend this book to any one new to this style outdoor adventure. :)
Rating:
Summary: Very insightful reading, but dated and opinionated text.
Review: I bought this book with a slew of others to rekindle the backpacking/outdoor spirit and to learn what works for others. The Jardine's are two, rather amazing people (from what I read in the book) and the reader is able to reap the rewards of their trials and errors. I've only finished reading ~130 pages and I see room for improvement. Many of the photos do not have captions, which require the reader to create their own (the photos emphasize the text, but an explanation is helpful). A step-by-step photo illustration of certain processes, similar to an instruction manual, may be helpful (e.g. how to erect a tarp tent with trees/without trees). The book also states "During the night the hiker's body gives off several pounds of moisture." (p66, Beyond Backpacking). That computes to nearly a half gallon of water (water weights ~8.33 lbs per gallon). The average resting human perspiration rate is 720g/day. On page 114, Mr. Jardine speaks of butane/propane cylinders, "Still, we cannot escape the fact that the empty cartridges are an ecological disaster, considering the huge quantities of them going into landfills. Some types are recycleable, which is nice in theory but rarely practiced." I assume Mr. Jardine will provide facts to prove his statements (I've never seen huge quantities in landfills). I could continue, however, the review text has limitations (and I've not finished the book). Bear in mind that this book is geared toward the 3-season ultra-light (ultra-obsessive?) hiker ("...from the factory weighs 1 ounce...I grind the excess plastic away, reducing its weight to 0.85 ounce." P127, Beyond Backpacking. 0.15 ounces weighs ~0.0095 lbs, which weighs less than the dirt stuck to the bottom of a shoe). I believe that Mr. Jardine is a very knowledgeable person, however, he uses opinions to substantiate a large amount of his reasoning. Overall, this is a rather informative book for any hiker/backpacker and is definitely worth purchasing (and should be read with a grain of salt).
Rating:
Summary: Backpacking - A Step Forward
Review: I feel this is an excellent text obviously written from experience. It systematically and completly addresses all parts of a backpacking trip and is very useful at dispelling concerns novice campers or hikers may have. The tone of the book is very positive as well, as Jardine refrains from casting different methods in a negative light. The book also has an appealing "outside the box" thinking process with innumerable bits of tips and wisdom and that can lead to more enjoyment of anyone's wilderness experience. Personally this book has guided me to a much easier way of camping, as well as travelling in general.
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Summary: This book radically changed my approach to backpacking
Review: I have backpacked most of my life using traditional methods and traditional gear. A few years ago, I heard about a man by the name of Ray Jardine who was developing radical new ideas and methods to enable people to travel into the wilderness with very lightweight equipment. After reading his book "Beyond Backpacking" I experimented with virtually every idea in the book and found them all to be extremely useful, efficient, and safe. In short, Ray's methods allowed me to enjoy the outdoors at a level that I had never before experienced. The book is very well organized, clearly written, and presents ideas in such a way that makes one wonder "Why didn't I think of that before?" This is a must read for both experienced and beginning adventurers and is already a classic among experienced backpackers.
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Summary: I tested Ray's techniques
Review: I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 97 days in 2001, using the ideas in this book. I modified his ideas to suit my own style. Ray Jardine does an excellent job of explaining ultralight techniques, and how he gravitated toward them in the course of 5 megahikes. He urges you to field-test all your gear, whether homemade or store-bought, and he recommends training prior to a distance hike. This book, positioned for the mainstream, is a bargain for anyone willing to develop their outdoor skills. Ray's credentials, listed at the end, demonstrate his passion for adventuring and exploring. That passion has probably taken him to new areas of interest "beyond backpacking."
Rating:
Summary: the way to go
Review: I recently found this book after trying to get friends to go for lighter hiking. It has good advice for those willing to give it a try. Not everything works for everyone. However, some fo the more exteme ideas can be adjusted to fit almost any comfort level.
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