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Episode 43 | Ben Kilbourne Reads “Observing Transition Season”
What are you trying to accomplish when you backpack?
Air permeability vs. moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR): which one impacts moisture transport more in wind and rain jackets?
This study compares the performance of four jackets made with fabrics that span a wide range of air permeability rates and moisture vapor transmission rates (MVTR). The study shows that significantly greater moisture removal can be achieved as a function of jacket MVTR than jacket air permeability.
Unpacked: The Backpacking Tithe Project
Is backpacking your hobby or your habit? Examining the subtle difference can provide profound insights into how to spend your time.
Learning Curve: Unpacking Backpacking
In a year of back-and-forth hiking plans and a busy career in backpacking media, Maggie works on understanding what backpacking means to her.
YAR.gear Mountain Drifter 38L Review
The YAR.gear Mountain Drifter 38L (~18 oz / 510 g, MSRP $200) is a light and modular fastpacking pack that can accommodate heavier loads for short distances if need be.
Standards Watch Hikes into the Sunset
Rex Sanders reflects on what he learned after eight months of digging into backpacking standards.
NEMO Dagger 3P Review
The Nemo Dagger 3P (4 pounds 5 ounces / 2 kg, MSRP $529.95) is a three-person, free-standing tent with roomy vestibules, light-diffusing overhead pockets, a stuff-sack system designed to help split the load amongst hiking partners, and pre-bent, color-coded poles (2019 update) for easy setup.
The Overlook: Observing Transition Season
Ben Kilbourne uses the writing of Aldo Leopold to examine his interaction with nature.
Episode 42 | Windscreens
In this Skills Short, Ryan Jordan gives a rundown of some common stove windscreens, talks about their pros and cons, and gives some advice on choosing and using the right one for your needs.
By The Numbers: How Bad is Thermal Degradation in Synthetic Insulation?
The latest findings on thermal degradation in synthetic insulation from Stephen Seeber may surprise you in this By The Numbers column.
Using a New Sport to Refine Your Ultralight Philosophy
Single-speed all the way, baby.
Unpacked: Reservations Required
From first-come, first-served to limited lotteries and everywhere in between, permits are increasingly becoming a fact of life for backcountry adventures
Learning Curve: I Finally Had to Plan a Backpacking Trip With No Help
I'm a big planner at home, but not so much with backpacking. On my last OCT solo section, I actually had to do all of the planning myself.
Episode 41 | Matt Mason on Bikepacking and Public Lands, Part II
In today's podcast, we are joined once again by Matt Mason for part two of our ongoing bikepacking conversation. This conversation digs a little more deeply into the nuances and logistical questions of bikepacking.
Nunatak Gear Bears Ears 50 Backpack Review
The Nunatak Gear Bears Ears 50 Backpack (MSRP: $330, ~28 ounces / 794 g) is an innovative frameless pack designed specifically to accommodate bear canisters. It features a unique water bottle storage system, optional shoulder-strap pockets, a removable foam back panel, a floating hipbelt, a large wrap-around exterior pocket, and a closed-cell foam pad attachment system.
Standards Watch: Mike Cecot-Scherer Talks Potty Trowels and More
Rex Sanders talks to Mike Cecot-Scherer about his innovative trowel design and more.
Backpacking First-Aid Philosophies
Two ibuprofen and a five-year-old Band-Aid ain't gonna cut it.
Springtime Solitude in Southern Utah
BPL author Mark Wetherington rambles through Capitol Reef National Park.
The Overlook: Good Gear Lets You Be Present
What's the perfect pack? One that stays off your mind.
Episode 40 | Ben Kilbourne Reads “The Anthropology of a Trail”
Who or what makes a trail? This is the question Backpacking Light author Ben Kilbourne asks himself (and us) as he reads his essay The Anthropology of a Trail.
Searching for the Light
After the year of darkness that was 2020, I needed to walk in the light of the Mojave desert.
