If you’ve been out on the trails in the last few years you’ve probably noticed something: it’s crowded out there. Hiking has really grown in popularity recently. Some people point to Instagram, others say it’s just part of a trend towards different types of outdoor fitness. Either way, I think it’s a good thing that …
Hiking
When we talk about going hiking, there’s a lot of chatter about “being prepared”. But what exactly does that mean? What things should you do before a hike? Over the years I’ve developed a bit of a routine before each hike. Keeping this simple checklist in mind makes sure that I stay safe on the …
As a Leave No Trace trainer, I’m pretty passionate about teaching people the importance of keeping the wilderness wild and minimizing our impact. While I’m pretty well-versed in the theory behind leaving no trace while hiking with a dog, I don’t own a dog. So I didn’t feel qualified to write a post about how …
Living on Canada’s wet West Coast, I’m not very familiar with dry desert landscapes. I’ve done quick trips to Moab, Utah and California’s Joshua Tree National Park to go camping and hiking in the desert. But honestly, I feel a bit out of my element there (despite the beauty). Thankfully Andy Lowry of Thousand Mile …
Many women agree that women’s hiking gear and clothing kind of sucks. Most gear is designed for men and women’s gear is often an after thought. Some gear companies think they can make the same gear in pink, purple and teal and call it women’s gear. Nope! We need stuff that fits our bodies! Some …
Recently there’s been lots of buzz online about how women’s hiking clothing and gear is inadequate. It’s something I’ve written about before. This great article from Hannah Weinberger explains that historically there hasn’t been much gear designed to fit women’s bodies. In recent years the outdoor industry has tried to fix that, with varying degrees …
If you’ve been shopping for hiking or backpacking gear recently, you may have noticed some women’s specific gear. I’m not talking about clothing or shoes (obviously we need those)… I’m talking about backpacks, sleeping bags and more. Often this stuff seems to follow the same tired formula: “Shrink it and pink it”. Brands make the …
Recently I wrote a post called “You Killed A Bear” that ended up getting way more online attention than I had anticipated. My message in that post was that less experienced hikers should read up about bear safety before they head out for a hike or go backcountry camping. Lots of people asked questions about …