Frequently Asked Questions

Metatarsal pain, also called Metatarsalgia (met-uh-tahr-SAL-juh) occurs when the ball of your foot becomes inflamed as a result of jumping, running, or hiking. The feeling is similar to having a pebble in your shoe under the ball of your foot. This is …

If you hike in the mountains or above-treeline, you’ll find frequent mention of the term “diurnal heating” in mountain weather forecasts, often accompanied by thunderstorms, hail, and high wind. What is diurnal heating and why should you be cautious when it’s in …

How does knee replacement surgery affect your ability to hike? How painful is the recovery? When can you resume hiking after surgery? What advice would you give to hikers with arthritis of the knee? As a frequent hiker, I’ll share my first-hand …

Robic (also called Robic Nylon) is an improved type of nylon, called high tenacity nylon, which is more tear and abrasion-resistant than the previous forms of nylon used to make backpacks, luggage, and other outdoor gear. While its early adopters included smaller …

GPS smartphone navigation apps are convenient to use and a real boon for making outdoor navigation more accessible, but they’re best used alongside other navigation tools such as waterproof maps and a magnetic compass. If you’re just experimenting with navigation apps for …

Getting ready for a thru-hike adventure can involve more than researching and buying gear, packing up some resupply boxes, and binge-watching every YouTube video made on how to be ultralight. Sure, this may be a key part of your preparation; however, making …

Sun protection is always an important consideration when hiking or for any outdoor activity where there’s the potential to get a sunburn. Thankfully, there are many good options when it comes to covering up and taking care of your skin. How Much …

DEET and Picaridin-based insect repellent sprays and lotions (bug dope) are available from a wide range of brands and in a variety of forms factors. How effective are they are repelling mosquitos and ticks? What are the best concentrations to get? Which …

Have you ever spent a cold night shivering in your sleeping bag under a backpacking quilt because the temperature dropped lower than you expected? Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to sleep more warmly using the gear and …

The label ‘Hiker Trash’ is a term of endearment for those in the long-distance hiking community who have chosen to ditch social norms and live another way while on a trail journey. That ‘another way’ can be both wondrous and freeing, yet …

Many waterproof and more durable ultralight backpacks are made with Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF) or X-Pac, another high-tech laminate fabric similar to DCF but less expensive and easier to make backpacks with. Below, we explain the tradeoffs between these DCF and X-Pac …

  Should you carry a separate pair of sleeping clothes on backpacking trips? Is it worth the added weight? What about when it’s really hot or humid at night and you’re having trouble staying cool? I carry a separate set of clothes …

Running packs and vests are very different from most of the backpacks that day hikers and backpackers are familiar with. In this article, I’ll explain the differences between a running pack and other backpacks, and detail how the special features of a …

Hoodless ultralight sleeping bags, also called rectangular sleeping bags, share some of the same advantages as backpacking quilts and are a great alternative if you want to switch from a mummy bag to something less confining, but you’re not that enthused about …