If you’ve ever hiked in the mountains, you’ve probably experienced the localized effect that a mountain range can have at elevation compared to the surrounding valleys and countryside. Now, the mountains don’t actually make the weather, but they create a physical barrier …
Read More »Frequently Asked Questions
What Hiking Gear Do You Need for Bushwhacking?
Bushwhacking is a form of off-trail hiking that usually involves hiking through forests and densely vegetated areas. It’s called bushwhacking because the bushes whack back, often tearing up your clothing and drawing blood from exposed portions of your hands, arms, legs, or …
Read More »How to Remove Tree Sap from Hammock Straps
It really sucks when you get sticky tree sap on your hammock or tarp suspension system. It’s hard to get off and it spreads other parts of your hammock setup quickly because it’s all stuffed together when you pack up, making it …
Read More »How to Repair Mesh Backpack Pockets with Tenacious Tape
I have torn holes in the side pockets of many backpacks, enough that I now ding manufacturers in product reviews that include them on backpacks because they’re not durable enough. External mesh pockets are nice to have, but the only “safe” place to …
Read More »Why don’t I have an Appetite on Backpacking Trips?
Have you ever been on a backpacking trip and not had an appetite? Even if you’re hiking 15 to 20 miles a day? It’s frustrating because you know you should be hungry, and you know need energy to hike the next day, …
Read More »Flat Tarps vs Catenary Cut Tarps
The lightest weight ultralight backpacking shelters are tarps, including flat tarps and catenary curve tarps, sometimes called “flat cut” or “cat cut” tarps for short. They both have their pros and cons as we discuss below, but if your goal is wilderness …
Read More »How Can I Activate a Satellite Communicator or Personal Locator Beacon If I’m Unconscious?
If you have a hiking or backpacking emergency and lose consciousness before you can signal for help with a satellite communicator or personal locator beacon, you’re out of luck unless you’re with a partner who can activate it on your behalf. The …
Read More »How to Report a Missing Hiker
You’ve written a hiking trip plan and left it with a responsible adult. But you’re overdue and possibly incapacitated. Who should they call to activate a search and rescue effort to come looking for you? The answer might not be as obvious …
Read More »Do You Need Insoles for Hiking Boots and Trail Runners?
Most of the insoles included in hiking boots, mids, trail shoes, and trail runners are crappy foam inserts that offer little to no support or protection for your feet. If you suffer from heel pain, arch pain, pain in the ball of …
Read More »When Should You Replace Your Hiking Trail Runners?
The problem with hiking with trail runners is that you must replace them frequently when the tread wears thin, the midsole cushioning breaks down, and the exterior mesh tears past the point of no return. Depending on the shoe and where you …
Read More »How to Avoid Thunderstorms When Hiking and Backpacking in Exposed Terrain
I am very cautious when hiking during thunderstorm season, especially above the treeline where there is no protection from lightning, hail, and high winds. I’ve just had too many close calls where thunderstorms have caught me out in the open and scared …
Read More »The Joy of Esbit
Esbit Cubes are the simplest, lightest, and most reliable way to boil water or cook food on backpacking trips. There’s no extra container weight to carry with Esbit Cubes, like a white gas stove bottle or isobutane canister, and you can even …
Read More »How Much Water Do You Need for Dry Camping?
When it comes to backpacking, many people like to dry camp at a considerable distance from a water source to enjoy a view, camp at a distance from other people, or because there’s less animal activity farther away from water. Dry camping …
Read More »Are Magnetic Compasses Obsolete for Hiking and Backpacking?
I use a Suunto magnetic compass and Casio watch altimeter whenever I step off a trail to navigate and I carry them on every hike I take. But with the improvements in GPS Phone Apps, like Gaia GPS and ViewRanger, I have …
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