I recently had an interesting talk with a reader about which speaker to bring backpacking. This chat just happened to be in a public forum, and a heated debate rapidly erupted. Long story short, this sounded like an excellent topic for an article, so let’s talk about music in the backcountry. First, it’s fair to say … More Should You Play Music in the Backcountry?
I wanted to take a moment to highlight some new reading material that I’ve recently been working my way through, and provide a quick review for each. Highlights include a true story of a journey through a melting world, some science fiction, the newest backpacking gear, and an overview of backpacking gear in general with selection … More Recommended Readings In Gear, Adventure, and Science Fiction
The Camelbak Chute is a large double walled thermos designed to keep 40 oz of goodness cold for a full 24 hours or hot for 6. This is my review. The Chute is primarily constructed from two layers of 18/8 stainless steel with a gap between them, forming a vacuumed, double walled barrier of insulation. … More Camelbak Chute Insulated Thermos Review
The holidays are quickly approaching, and the challenge of finding the perfect gift is creeping ever so near. Thankfully, I’m here to help. I’ve put together a hand crafted list of gift ideas that anyone who thrives in the outdoors is sure to love. The best part? I’ve considered every price point. Of course, I’ve … More A Backpacker’s Holiday Gift Guide (2016)
I’m always whittling away at that ever expanding bucket list. Thing is, it’s getting longer faster than it’s getting shorter. The locations to explore far outweigh the amount of time most of us actually have available to travel to them. For this reason, I’ve put together some tips to maximize the use of that time, while enhancing … More Tips For Planning Your Next Camping Road Trip.
Backpacking is a sport that as much requires knowledge as skill. That being the case, I find beginners often repeating the same mistakes as those who came before them. It’s almost a rite of passage, a ceremony of sorts. Thankfully, I’m here to help skip that phase of your career. Here are the 5 most … More The top 5 Mistakes Beginner Backpackers Make
There’s nothing worse than running out of energy on the trail. A blood sugar dump just before a long climb has never been a friend of mine. I’ve been experimenting for years looking for the perfect snack that I can eat while moving without weighing me down, and I may have finally found them… They’re … More Honey Stinger Energy Snacks
Anyone backpacker unfortunate enough to develop tendonitis in their patella tendon knows the pain of hiking with it. Descending and climbing both result in a surprisingly sharp pain that cuts through the knee and only worsens with each step. Luckily, there is equipment that can ease or even eliminate that pain. The Zamst JK-2 is an excellent option. Patellar … More Backpacking with Patellar tendonitis, Zamst JK-2 Review
I have a lot of people ask me about footprints. The most common question isn’t which to buy or what to make one out of, it’s why do I not carry one. The simple reason? They’re non-sense. Let’s think about this for a bit. Why buy a footprint in the first place? Well, the idea, … More Why you shouldn’t buy a footprint
Frankly, the instant slop that comes out of paper packets is garbage. Flat, tasteless, texture-less and drowned in sugar and preservatives, it lacks the very essence that is oatmeal. Oatmeal should be three dimensional, exciting, tasty, and filling. This is how you can make that happen, easily, in the back-country. First things first, you’re going to … More Backcountry, overnight oatmeal (Midnight Oatmeal)
