With the onset of Autumn, night time temperature are starting to drop into the mid-40’s F in Vermont’s north country, and it’s time to increase the R-value of my sleeping pad.

On my next section hike of The Long Trail to the Quebec border, I’ll be taking along the Big Agnes Air Core Sleeping Pad, replacing [...]

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If you look closely at my gear list, you’ll see that I carry 3 hats: a buff bandana, a mountain hardware polypro beanie, and a billed golite mesh hat. They all have a specific purpose. The Buff Bandana is soaked in permethrin and useful as a head stocking if the bugs are biting. The Mountain [...]

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If you’ve ever been backpacking, you’ve probably heard people boast that their pack weighs 50 or 60 lbs. Those days are over. With a little knowledge, it is possible for anyone to reduce their pack weight to a comfortable 25 or 30 lbs. and still bring along some luxury items. The chief benefit of bringing [...]

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One of things I have enjoyed about doing the Long Trail as a series of dayhikes, with occasional backpacks and even a snowshoe trip thrown in, is the opportunity to experiment. I recently tried an MRE for my dinner on one of the backpacking segments. The term “MRE” can stand for Meal, Ready to [...]

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