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 …
Hiking
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 …
Have you seen those stocking stuffers for hikers posts online? Full of $300 gadgets or things that are clearly too large to physically fit in a stocking? Me too. They’re ridiculous. A stocking should be full of small, fun, inexpensive stuff. And chocolate. Some of my family is pretty outdoorsy (shocking right?) so I have …
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 …
Traditionally most outdoor brands made women’s hiking clothes up to size 10 or 12. In the last decade or so, sizes 14 or 16 have become more common. But unfortunately, it’s still a bit of a challenge to find women’s plus size hiking clothes. As a plus size hiker myself, it’s sometimes a struggle to …