Trail Guides, Gear Reviews, and Backpacking Tips
From the 1980s through to 2003, I exclusively used sleeping bags. From 2003 to 2011, I tried a couple of different types of quilts, but being a side sleeper who occasionally tosses and turns, I was never entirely satisfied with Read More …
Click here for more details & images from the traverse of Bolivia’s Cordillera Real range. I hiked the 150 mile (241 km) CRT in August of this year, which is “dry” season in the Bolivian Andes. It is also winter, however, Read More …
When choosing a backpack for a long-distance hike, you want something that is functional, lightweight, comfortable, durable, and preferably with a proven track record. No one wants to splash out $200 to $300, only to find their purchase coming apart Read More …
These days the internet is full of backpacking blogs and websites. When coupled with a multitude of online hiking forums, advice is never more than a click or two away. However, not all advice is created equal, and the fact Read More …
I recently returned from a two-month hiking trip to Peru and Bolivia. Due to the subfreezing conditions, I was going to encounter, before setting out I decided to leave behind my beloved Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite, and opt instead for its thicker Read More …
There is no universal blueprint as to how you should backpack. We all have our own motivations, needs, and levels of experience. That said, one thing upon which everyone can agree is that hiking is substantially easier and more enjoyable, Read More …
Some four and a half years after finishing the 12 Long Walks – of which the Calendar Triple Crown constituted the last three hikes – the PCT, CDT, and AT continue to be the trails I am asked about the Read More …
Over the past seven years, the Montbell Tachyon Anorak wind shirt has been a mainstay of my backpacking kit. Indeed, rarely does a day in the backcountry go by when I don’t wear it at some time or another. Considering that Read More …
An follow-up / expanded version of this article, The Thru Hikers Gear List Vol.2, appeared in April, 2018. It includes gear recommendations from nine more of the world’s most accomplished long distance hikers including Andrew Skurka, Justin “Trauma” Lichter, Heather Read More …
Over the past year I have used the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Square Flat Tarp in a wide range of environments. Testing grounds have included regular excursions into Mexico’s Sierra Madre, the traverse of Badlands National Park, and above treeline routes Read More …
I recently dubbed 2016 as the “year of the Big Carry.” For the traverse of Southwest Tasmania, I started with forty-two pounds (19 kg); twenty-eight (12.7 kg) of which were food. For the early September hike along the Sangre de Cristo crest, I Read More …
For someone that has been going lightly in the wilderness for a long time, jeez I’ve carried some heavy loads in 2016. For the February / March traverse of southwest Tasmania, I started with forty-two pounds (19 kg); twenty-eight (12.7 Read More …
Click here for more details & images from the traverse of Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Range. Salida to Blanca Peak. Approximately 120 miles in total. Mostly exposed, off-trail terrain. Elevation generally ranged between 10 and 14,000 ft. Throw in regular Read More …
My theoretical introduction to the world of ultralight backpacking came in the late 1990s, in the form of Ray Jardine’s, The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker’s Handbook. [1] In 2003, I received my practical baptism courtesy of a gentleman by the name Read More …
Between 2010 and 2015, I hiked more than 19,000 miles (30,577 km) carrying a Mountain Laurel Designs Burn. This included multi-week trips in Australia, New Zealand and the calendar year triple crown of 2012 (plus eight of the other 12 Read More …
The second & final stage of the Southwest Tasmania Traverse, was a six day stretch between Scotts Peak Dam and Farmhouse Creek via the rugged Arthur Range. As I have mentioned in previous posts, the Arthurs are notorious for their exposed Read More …
This gear review is six years and 20,000 plus hiking miles (32,187 km) in the making. What can I tell you; I don’t like to rush these things. 😉 Since 2010, I’ve used a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir on all of my backcountry Read More …
Irrespective of whether I’m carrying an inflatable or closed cell foam model, the one constant in my choice of sleeping pads over the years, has been that I always use mats that are no more than 3/4 length. There are Read More …
I always opt for zip neck base layers over the non-zip variety. Why? In a word – versatility. In two words – temperature management. Over the course of a hiking day, weather conditions and exertion levels may vary considerably. A Read More …
“A reflective umbrella will keep you significantly cooler than a non-reflective model when hiking in hot conditions. That’s the long-time consensus in the backpacking community. There’s only one problem………..it’s largely a myth.“ I bought my Montbell U.L. Trekking Umbrella in Read More …