It can be frustrating to be out for a hike in wet weather and have your jacket fail, which is called wetting out. But why do rain jackets wet out? And what can you do about it? I’ve been hiking and backpacking for two decades, mostly in the wet Pacific Northwest weather of British Columbia. …
Hiking
The best gift you can give is to make great memories together, but if you’re choosing Valentine’s gifts for hikers and campers, give something they will actually use. Chocolate and roses are nice, but outdoor gear is even better. (Or am I the only one with that mentality?) Here are my picks for the best …
If you’re shopping for hiking clothing you’ve probably heard all kinds of great things about Merino wool. But Merino isn’t perfect – to start with, it’s expensive. You might be wondering, is Merino wool worth it? I’ve been hiking and backpacking for two decades (I even wrote a hiking guidebook) and have tried a lot …
If you’re heading out for a hike in the winter, you are probably going to encounter ice and snow. But how will you stop yourself from slipping? Should you bring microspikes? Or crampons? Or snowshoes? And what’s the difference? In this post, I’ll break down microspikes vs. crampons vs. snowshoes. I’ve been winter hiking and …
I live in Squamish, BC on Canada’s wet, I mean West Coast and it rains a lot here. If I waited for it to stop raining, I probably would never get outside. Hiking in the rain can be really beautiful if you know how to stay safe, keep dry, and have fun. I’ve got tons …
If you’re buying presents, please consider choosing eco-friendly gifts for hikers. The hiker in your life will appreciate it and Mother Nature will too. You may not know this, but I used to work in the outdoor industry. I actually wrote product descriptions for a large outdoor retailer. As a result, I know a LOT …
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 …
Every few summers, I get stung by bees or wasps while hiking. Usually, it’s because I stumble across an underground nest I didn’t know was there. Stinging insects are a fact of life while hiking. But there are some ways to avoid them. After hearing reports of tons of wasp nests on my local trails …
If you’re human, you sweat when hiking. And that makes your hiking clothing smell bad. But you don’t have to throw away your stinky clothes. I’ve got a complete guide to getting the smell out of hiking clothes. The advice in this guide covers hiking clothing like base layers (long underwear) shirts, pants, fleece jackets, …
Finding women’s hiking pants can be a real challenge – it’s tough to get the right fit! In this guide, I’ve rounded up the 12 best hiking pants for women. I made sure to include picks for every body type. Different conditions and preferences call for different hiking pants. In this guide, I’m just going …