Raffles and Polls

 Clickbait is a pejorative term describing web content that is aimed at generating online advertising revenue, especially at the expense of quality or accuracy, relying on sensationalist headlines or eye-catching thumbnail pictures to attract click-throughs. Backpackers, it appears, are susceptible to it …

If you were to look into the foodbags of most hikers, you’d be horrified or amazed, or maybe both. I know a few hikers who only eat pre-processed, pre-packaged meals for months at a time on thru-hikes, others who carefully pre-bag freezer bag …

A lot of hikers believe that you need to wear leather hiking boots when you carry a heavy backpack because they provide more support for your ankles and help prevent ankle sprains. But I’ve never found any research or scientific studies that …

Do you replace the factory insoles in hiking boots or shoes with better ones that are more supportive or comfortable? Example Comments I use Green Superfeet insoles in my Asolo TPS 520 boots because my arches need more support. If I don’t use them I …

I always carry a small fire-making kit when I go hiking. It contains a Light My Fire firesteel that can generate sparks and a small sandwich bag with vaseline smeared cotton balls as tinder that light easily and will burn for a few minutes, …

I know a lot of hikers who carry an emergency blanket or some kind of heat-reflective bivy sack with them on long day hikes just in case they need to unexpectedly spend the night out or to stay warm if they’re injured. …

My right foot is about a half size larger than my left foot. This occasionally causes me problems when sizing winter hiking boots or trail shoes, so I go to great lengths to find shoes that fit right and stockpile multiple pairs, …

If you take a compass navigation class, the instructor is likely to teach you how to translate between magnetic bearings and “true” bearings, despite the fact that the grid lines on almost every map printed today are based on true north. One of …

I’ve had the pleasure of hiking with some great trail dogs in my time, including my friend PedXing’s dog Loki. Dogs that stay with us and don’t go running off after every chipmunk or moose, dogs that don’t bark or jump on …