I definitely believe that the outdoors is for everyone, but unfortunately one of the barriers to getting outside is often the shear amount of gear that’s involved. And of course, that gear doesn’t come cheap! One of my tried and true tips for getting deals on hiking and backpacking gear is to wait for sales. …
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 …
There is no place I would rather be than on a backpacking trip. I’ve been backpacking for over 15 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 …
As a hiker, my winter sport of choice is snowshoeing since it’s so easy to do. Snowshoeing has really grown in popularity in the last few years and I’m sure there are people on your holiday shopping list who love to snowshoe (or would love to try it). Give the gift of outdoor adventure this …
In the last few years snowshoeing has gotten really popular. And honestly, it’s about time. Basically, snowshoes let you keep hiking all winter long. And unlike skiing, there’s not much to learn. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. To get started snowshoeing, you need some winter hiking clothes, some snowshoeing boots and of course, …
I’ve been hiking for over two decades, and for years I mostly wore hiking pants. Even though I wore leggings for running, yoga, and everyday life, I didn’t trust them for hiking since they kept getting ripped or they fell down. Enter hiking leggings! I got a pair of hiking leggings about five years ago …
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 …
I’ve been backpacking for nearly 20 years, but I still remember my first backpacking trip. I had no idea what I needed to pack and the whole process of choosing gear seemed daunting. But it doesn’t have to be! I’ve put together a super-simple backpacking checklist for you. It lists out all the gear you’ll …
Packing for the West Coast Trail can be a little bit confusing. Your pack needs to be light, but it also needs to contain everything you need, including lots of food and waterproof gear. The first time I hiked the West Coast Trail in 2004 I was really inexperienced and used mostly borrowed gear. My …
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 …