Health & Hygiene

If you’re experiencing a persistent chafing sensation in your groin that won’t go away, you may have jock itch (tinea crusis) a fungal infection  similar to athlete’s foot, common to hikers and backpackers (both male and female) that causes persistent itching, burning, cracking, and scaling of skin in the genital area. Backpackers …

I don’t carry any hand sanitizer on day hikes and backpacking trips. I used to, but it’s pretty pointless when you get right down to it. Yeah, I’d slather Purell on after I filtered stream water or went to the bathroom, or before I ate a meal. But once you leave the trailhead, …

Do you snore on backpacking or camping trips? Does it disturb the people you’re with or others who share the same campsite with you? If so, you need to take responsibility for your ‘condition’ and reduce its impact on others. Here are some camping etiquette guidelines for backpackers and campers …

It’s not a real hike unless there’s mud or blood.  I’m a pretty careful hiker, but I’ve had my share of injuries and boo boos in the backcountry. For example, I burn myself at least one a year by touching cook pots and stoves before they’ve cooled I scratch my …

The most important thing you can bring on a hike is knowledge. Scenario You and a buddy are hiking through the woods and you come across another hiker who’s lying on his back below a huge boulder and moaning. What should you do? Backcountry Medical Assistance You have a couple …

HikeGoo has proven to be highly effective in preventing blisters and calluses for hikers using a wax-based lubricant that prevents blisters and protects your feet from moisture. Rick and Carl, the founders of Foot Kinetics, developed HikeGoo after trying almost every other blister prevention product available. Scientists by training and …

I took part in a rescue effort last week on Mt Washington, trying to revive a man who collapsed on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, we believe from a heart attack. There were about a dozen of us altogether, performing CPR and assisted breathing for nearly 2 hours until Gorham EMS …

My wife and I took a five hour First Aid/CPR/AED class from the Red Cross last weekend on our 21st wedding anniversary. That might seem like a funny day to take a First Aid Class but it makes all then sense in the world. You get to do something together on the day …

< Over-Pronation Defined Simply put, over-pronation is an excessive or poorly timed pronation which is part of the regular stride. Pronation is when the foot rolls inwards and the arch compresses as part of your normal walking motion. Pronation is necessary for shock absorption to transmit forces up and down …

One of my chronic hiking health issues is IT Band Syndrome. It flares up when I carry a heavy backpack for long distances and is one of the main reasons why I try to keep my pack as lightweight as possible. The IT Band (also called the Illiotibial Tract) is …

The main reason I bring a camping towel on a backpacking trips is to wipe down the outside of a wet tent or shelter before packing it away for the day.  It’s a neat little trick to cut down on extra water weight and leaves you with a drier shelter …

  Ibuprofen (trademarked at Advil or Motrin) is so popular amongst hikers and climbers that it is often called Vitamin I. Ibuprofen is an over the counter pain reliever and anti-inflammatory that can speed recovery during training or the main event. Muscle pain caused by inflammation can occur as a …

The main symptom of Iliotibial band syndrome is pain that starts outside of your knee and radiates up the side of the thigh. I had a case of it last year when I was section hiking the Long Trail. The ligament on the outside of your knee feels like a …

The best toilet paper for backpacking is a paper towel. Regular toilet paper just doesn’t stand up to the humidity. I like using Brawny paper towels: they’re scored down the middle of each sheet, so it’s easy to tear off a half sheet. When I pack my toiletry kit for a …