hiking gear
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Canadian Hiking Gear Brands to Support
With a on-going trade war with America due to tariffs, I’m starting to rethink where I buy my hiking gear. I want to find some Canadian hiking gear brands to support instead of buying from American companies. I worked in outdoor retail for over a decade, have been hiking my…
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My Favourite Hiking Gear of 2024
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…
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Stocking Stuffers for Hikers Under $25
Have you seen some of these hiking stocking stuffers guides? They’re full of $300 gadgets or things that are clearly too large to physically fit in a stocking. I’m seen them too. And they’re ridiculous. A stocking should be full of small, fun, inexpensive stuff. And chocolate. Some of my…
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20 Ways to Save Money on Hiking Gear
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…
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The 10 Essentials: Things You Should Bring on Every Hike
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…
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Best Hiking Underwear For Women and Men
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…
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The Ultimate Yellowstone Packing List for Every Summer Visitor
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…
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Why Do Rain Jackets Wet Out?
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…
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Is Merino Wool Worth It? Pros and Cons
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)…
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My Favourite Hiking Gear – 2023 Edition
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…
