With a looming trade war with America due to tariffs, I’m starting to rethink where I buy my hiking gear. I want to find some Canadian hiking gear brands to support instead of buying from American companies. I worked in outdoor retail for over a decade, have been hiking my whole life, and have written …
Gear
Update May 16, 2025: MEC announced today that they are now owned by a Canada-based group of investors, led by Tim Gu, a textile manufacturing exec. They have announced that they plan to shift more manufacturing to Canada. I’m curious to see where this goes. My original post about the pending sale is below. As …
I spent seven years writing about hiking equipment for one of Canada’s largest outdoor retailers, so I’m pretty picky when it comes to my gear. I also spend a ton of time in the backcountry researching my hiking guidebooks and trail guides, so good gear is important. Each year I make a list of the …
A few winters ago I got an insulated skirt and it was a game-changer. (I’m not exaggerating!) My puffy skirt meant I could keep my butt warm on the trails – I simply put it on over my pants when I was cold and took it off when I wasn’t. In this guide, I’ll break …
Have you seen some of these hiking stocking stuffers guides? They’re full of $300 gadgets or things that are clearly too large to physically fit in a stocking. I’m seen them too. And they’re ridiculous. A stocking should be full of small, fun, inexpensive stuff. And chocolate. Some of my family is pretty outdoorsy (no …
Getting outfitted for hiking and backpacking can seem overwhelming. When I was first starting out, I felt like there was so much gear on the market and that it was SOOO expensive. Plus I felt like the list of gear you need to buy for hiking and backpacking was never ending. That was two decades …
I got my first sun hoodie a few years ago. Initially, I was skeptical, but now it’s all I want to wear for hiking and backpacking. In this post, I’ve got everything you need to know about sun hoodies for hiking. If you haven’t heard of them, sun hoodies are lightweight, breathable, hooded long-sleeved t-shirts …
You’ll find countless discussions about hiking clothes online, but for some reason, not that that many about underwear. Which I find a little strange since if they aren’t comfortable, the wrong underwear can wreck your hike. So in this guide, I’ll break down how to choose the best hiking underwear for both men and women. …
A few years ago, I spent a week in Yellowstone National Park. OMG, what an incredible place! I did a bunch of research about what to see before I went, but I couldn’t find much info on what to pack for Yellowstone. Yellowstone presents some unique challenges for visitors. It is located in the Rocky …
Most outdoor adventure books are by and about men. I’ve made it a point over the past few years to seek out women’s adventure books. I love reading memoirs from female hikers, skiers, mountaineers, and adventurers because I’m a woman, but also because they provide a different perspective on the outdoor world. I’ve always been …