The desert is a place of extreme opposites: blasting heat and freezing cold, parched soil and flash floods, a harsh landscape but one filled with delicate creatures. When planning backpacking trips, it’s important to consider seasonal temperatures, weather patterns, flora, and fauna when deciding what gear to bring and where …
Read More »Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I get wet inside my rain jacket?
The leading causes of wetness inside your rain jacket are condensation and perspiration. Condensation occurs water vapor encounters a colder surface and changes from a gaseous form into a liquid one. When the air is humid it has a lot of water vapor in it. If the external surface of …
Read More »What is a Freestanding Tent?
Freestanding tents are tents that can stand up by themselves making them easy to set up in different types of terrain from desert sands and snow-covered peaks to wooden tent platforms. Most freestanding tents are double-wall tents that have a separate inner tent and a rainfly to help prevent internal …
Read More »Winter Hiking in a Thin Baselayer
The biggest mistake that new winter hikers make is overdressing by wearing heavy or medium-weight baselayers that are hard to remove if you start to sweat. You’ll be much better off wearing a very thin crew or quarter-zip shirt and adding additional thermal or wind-blocking layers on top of it …
Read More »Water Bottle Insulation for Winter Hiking
An insulated water bottle sleeve is one of the ways you can keep your water from freezing on a winter hike. Most are designed to fit 32 oz (1 liter) bottles, including wide-mouth Nalgene bottles, which are better for winter use because they’re less likely to freeze closed than ones …
Read More »How to Shit in the Desert
Shit takes longer to decompose in the desert than it does in more humid places. Studies show that there can still be harmful bacteria present in the human fecal matter even after a year in the desert soil. Because of this, there are special considerations for shitting in the desert. …
Read More »What’s the Best Canyon Hiking Footwear?
When choosing footwear for canyon hiking, you’re going to want shoes that drain well but still prevent sand from entering. They need to provide good traction over slippery and wet rock and to protect your feet from woody vegetation or cactus if you need to bushwhack. While trail runners, sandals, …
Read More »How to Set Up a Tent on Sand
If you camp on sandy campsites, whether it’s on a beach or in the desert, you need to learn how to stake out your tent or shelter, so it doesn’t blow away when the wind picks up. This can be challenging because it’s difficult to anchor a tent in loose …
Read More »Foam Sleeping Pads vs Inflatable Pads on the Appalachian Trail
One of the biggest questions when choosing a sleeping pad for the Appalachian Trail (AT) is deciding between a closed-cell foam or inflatable sleeping pad. Before we get into the details, the biggest takeaway is that you can either use a foam or inflatable sleeping pad on the Appalachian Trail. …
Read More »Winter Bivy Sack Guide 2020
Winter bivy sacks were first developed as solo shelters for mountaineering and climbing where participants were interested in lightweight and highly compressible gear. The biggest advantage of a winter bivy sack is the ability to use it anywhere you want to stop and sleep, be it a rock ledge on …
Read More »Cowboy Camping for Beginners
Cowboy camping is a good way to make your backpacking trips more efficient while falling asleep to a view of the moon and stars. If the forecast is good, you can roll out a foam pad and a sleeping bag/quilt and camp in the open. In the morning there will …
Read More »Garmin inReach Mini vs inReach Explorer+
The Garmin inReach Mini (MSRP $350) and the inReach Explorer+ (MSRP $449) are satellite-based communicators that share a common set of capabilities in terms of emergency communication, two-way messaging, tracking, and navigation. Both units require the purchase of a satellite messaging subscription plan, which costs the same regardless of which …
Read More »How to Stay Hydrated on Winter Hikes
Have you ever wondered why you don’t get thirsty on winter hikes even though your pee turns yellow and it’s clear that you need to drink more? Blame your brain. It’s not wired to recognize the increased amount of water vapor you expel in your breath when the air is …
Read More »200g vs 400g Insulated Winter Hiking Boots: How to Choose
Thinsulate is a very thin but warm synthetic insulation, commonly used to insulate winter hiking boots and winter clothing. It’s available in different grades, commonly referred to as 100g, 200g, 300g, …1000g. Winter hiking boots are usually insulated with 200g or 400g Thinsulate insulation, although some boots are available with …
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