As of January 2025, MEC, also known as Mountain Equipment Company (historically Mountain Equipment Co-op), is for sale again. As a former employee and a person who keeps up with the outdoor retail industry, I have some thoughts. I want to be clear that this is just my opinion and I could be wrong on …
Gear
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 …
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 …
As a hiker, my winter sport of choice is snowshoeing since it’s so easy to do. I’m sure the hikers on your shopping list snowshoe too (or would love to try). Give the gift of outdoor adventure this year and get them some snowshoeing gear. I’ve been snowshoeing for over two decades so I know …
I definitely believe that the outdoors is for everyone, but unfortunately one of the barriers to getting outside is having to buy tons of gear. And of course, that gear doesn’t come cheap! I worked at the head office of a big outdoor retailer for six years, so I understand the seasonal sales cycle. One …
There is no place I would rather be than on a backpacking trip. I’ve been backpacking for almost 20 years and used to work for a large outdoor retailer, so I know a lot about backpacking gear. In this post, I’ve got my recommendations for the best gifts for backpackers. No matter whether the person …
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 (no surprise there), so I …
Snowshoeing is a fun and easy winter sport. All you need to get started are some snowshoes and some warm clothing. But one of the questions I get asked all the time is: What are the best boots for snowshoeing? What type of boots should you buy? Which features should snowshoeing boots have? What brands …
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 …