You’ve probably seen those news stories: “Search and Rescue finds Unprepared Hikers Lost/Injured in the Woods”. But that’s never going to be you right? Yup, we all think it won’t happen to us. But it definitely could. No one expects to get lost, get stuck hiking in the dark or hurt themselves, but they do. …
Hiking gear
You’ll find countless discussions about hiking clothes online, but for some reason, not that that many about underwear. Which I find a little strange since if they aren’t comfortable, the wrong underwear can wreck your hike. So in this guide, I’ll break down how to choose the best hiking underwear for both men and women. …
A few years ago, I spent a week in Yellowstone National Park. OMG, what an incredible place! I did a bunch of research about what to see before I went, but I couldn’t find much info on what to pack for Yellowstone. Yellowstone presents some unique challenges for visitors. It is located in the Rocky …
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. …
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 …
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 …
While my addiction isn’t as strong as it used to be, I’m a bit of a gear junkie. As an outdoor writer and guidebook author, I pretty much hike for a living, so good gear is important. I also know waaay too much about gear since I spent three years working in an outdoor store …
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 …
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 …