hiking gear
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40+ Tips for Hiking in the Rain
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…
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20+ Ways to Reduce Your Backpack Weight
Backpacking is a natural extension of day hiking as you trek further into the wilderness. The major downside is having to carry all that gear. I’ve been backpacking for 20 years and have come up with lots of ways to reduce your backpack weight. I’m definitely not an ultralight hiker…
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How to Get the Smell Out of Hiking Clothes
If you’re human, you sweat when hiking. And that makes your hiking clothing smell bad. But you don’t have to throw away your stinky clothes. I’ve got a complete guide to getting the smell out of hiking clothes. The advice in this guide covers hiking clothing like base layers (long…
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My Favorite Hiking Gear – 2022 Edition
In 2022, I spent even more time than usual hiking, completing research for my upcoming backpacking guidebook for Vancouver Island. (Look for it in May 2024.) As a gear geek, I am hyper-critical of my gear and refuse to use things that don’t meet my standards. Here are my favourite…
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Overland Track Packing List: Everything You Need to Bring
Packing for the Overland Track can be a little bit confusing. I did lots of gear research before I walked the Overland Track. I managed to put together a backpack full of gear that wasn’t too heavy or bulky, but still kept me warm and dry in Tasmania’s fickle (and chilly)…
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How to Choose Snowshoes – Get the Right Ones for You
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…
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Fall Backpacking Tips: How to Stay Warm and Have Fun
Many people think backpacking season ends on Labor Day weekend. Well, they’re wrong! September and October can be great times to go backpacking, as long as you are prepared. Here are my top fall backpacking tips to make sure you have fun and stay warm. Research a Destination… and a Backup Plan (or…
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Backpacking for Beginners: Tips for Getting Started
So you want to try backpacking… exciting right? But it can also be daunting as there is lots to learn. I’ve been backpacking for almost 20 years, but I still remember what it was like to start out. I’ll walk you through it in this guide to backpacking for beginners.…
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Best Hiking Leggings of 2025
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…
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What to Wear Winter Hiking and Snowshoeing
So you want to go winter hiking or snowshoeing, but… What do you wear? How do you stay warm? And how can you transition your summer hiking wardrobe into the winter season? I definitely had all of these questions when I first started winter hiking and snowshoeing, and through years…
