Frequently Asked Questions

Phone-based navigation apps like Gaia GPS, ViewRanger, and Backcountry Navigator are an incredible value compared to the old-school GPS-units sold by Garmin because they include a wide variety of highly detailed maps for free. Garmin still charges you extra money to get …

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 …

No. It’s a myth that sleeping naked in a sleeping bag is warmer than wearing long underwear. I’m not sure how this Internet meme started but it’s dead wrong. How Sleeping Bags Work Sleeping bags are designed to trap the heat your …

If you hike or backpack in areas that have large amounts of decaying vegetation, like the forests of North America, you’re going to come across natural water sources that have a sickly red, orange, or yellow color. The tea-like coloring is caused …

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 …

Zero-drop shoes have become popular with hikers and backpackers over the past few years, thanks in part to Altra, a brand known both for their wide toe box and zero-drop style. Before Altra, many hikers had never considered the drop of their …

There’s a simple rule of thumb for figuring out how many days of food you can fit into a bear canister. Find out the capacity of your bear canister in cubic inches and divide by 100. That will give you a pretty …

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 …

What is Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF)? Dyneema Composite Fabric is a non-woven, laminate material that is used to make ultralight backpacking gear including backpacks, tents, tarps, footprints, stuff sacks, and backpack rain covers. It is made by sandwiching ultra-high-weight-molecular polyethylene Dyneema fibers with polyester to produce an …

There’s nothing worse than chafing on a hike or backpacking trip between your thighs or butt cheeks.  Often called monkey-butt or baboon ass, it is absolute agony and gets worse with every step you take. Here are some trail-tested ways to prevent …

A magnetic compass is designed to show you which way is north. Knowing that you can figure out the other cardinal directions: east, west, and south. If you always know where north is, you can also walk in one direction and backtrack …

Bear canisters are pretty awkward to carry with a backpack. Do you put it inside your pack, outside, on top, or underneath? Are some backpacks better for carrying a canister than others? What’s the best way to carry a canister with a …