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Nemo Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad Review
This Nemo Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad review takes an in-depth look at the sleeping pad's comfort, stability, insulative properties, & more!
Episode 17 | Journalist Adam Federman on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Part I
Jimmy Carter created the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in 1980, and it’s been a contentious subject ever since. A bonanza of biodiversity, the ANWR also potentially sits atop one of America’s last untapped oil reserves. In this episode, Andrew talks to Adam Federman, a journalist covering the recent push by the Trump administration to lease oil and gas rights in the refuge. Adam is a reporting fellow with Type Investigations, where he’s spent the last few years covering energy, public land, and the Trump administration’s environmental policies.
How Much Food Should I Pack? (How to save weight on backpacking food based on the energy-mile theory)
A mathematical model to calculate how much food to pack for your trip based on terrain and mileage with minimum weight carried in the pack.
Slingfin Splitwing UL Tarp Review
The SlingFin SplitWing UL Tarp is a modular 24 oz, 1-2 person shelter that bridges the gap between minimalist tarps and fully enclosed tents.
Episode 16 | Maceration and Immersion Foot Diseases
In this SKILLS SHORT, Ryan and Andrew break down the causes, symptoms, and results of immersion foot diseases.
Maceration, Immersion Foot and Backpacking
A short, detailed discussion on immersion foot and maceration, how to deal with it in the backcountry and when not to.
Patagonia Macro Puff Hoody Review
Max Neale gives a comprehensive review of Patagonia's MicroPuff Hoodie, including its warmth, insulation, cut, and hood.
Lightweight Backpacking Gear for Mountain Travel (Case Study)
In this video, I walk through my gear during a 9-day summer trek in the high mountains of the western US. This was a trip with friends and family - 3 other adults and four children ages 7-11. We moved camps every day but one, and spent 70% of our miles off-trail, with camps up to about 11,600 feet. Scroll down for gear notes and trip photos!
Field Notes: The Fryatt Valley Hike
My Fryatt Valley Hike trip report - photos, gear notes, planning and prep.
Estimating the Age (Lifespan) of Your Backcountry Water Filter
The goal of this test is to determine the effective age of your backpacking water filter based on comparing its current flowrate to its flowrate when new.
Interview with a Physio Therapist: A Biophysical Perspective on Backpacking Footwear
My interview with a physio-therapist, as well as my personal history with foot injuries, is making me think more carefully about backpacking footwear.
Episode 15 | Andrew Marshall on the Tahoe Rim Trail
Ryan interviews Andrew Marshall about his recent thru-hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail. They talk about snow, gear, training, and more.
Walking in Circles: A Tahoe Rim Trail Thru-Hike
A narrative about Andrew Marshall's thru-hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail during a big snow year.
Lightweight First Aid and Trauma Kits: Perspectives from a Mountain Rescue Medic
This article features an interview with a Canadian Mountain Rescue Medic, focusing on how to assemble lightweight first aid and trauma kits for backcountry travel.
Book Review: On Trails by Robert Moor
How do trails form? Why do trails form? Come to think of it, what is a trail? These are but a few of the (deceptively simple) questions author Robert Moor attempts to answer in his book On Trails (Simon and Schuster, 2016). Moor - a lifelong backpacker and Appalachian Trail thru-hiker in addition to being a writer - approaches his subject with lyrical language and journalistic due-process. The result is a book as quietly spiritual as it is wildly informative.
Episode 14 | Training for Backpacking
It’s no secret: the more physically prepared you are for a backpacking trip, the more you are going to enjoy yourself. But what are the most effective ways to reach optimal backpacking condition? That’s the topic of today’s BPL SKILLS SHORT: training.
Lighten your pack, and your body
I'd like to address what I do in each of these areas at some point in the future, but for now, I want to expand on why I believe a lean body weight - in addition to carrying less weight in your pack - is really important for a backpacking lifestyle.
Crossing Rivers and Water Shoes
Crossing rivers "ultralight style" - that's when you simply walk through the water wearing your hiking shoes and keep walking on the trail once you get to the other side.
What is ultralight backpacking? (how we talk about ultralight)
To me, ultralight backpacking is the idea that one should solve a problem using as little as possible, but that which is used to solve the problem should be as effective as possible. Defined as such, the actual weight of individual pieces of gear, or one's pack, matters less, and takes a back seat to the performance-to-weight ratio of a piece of gear.
How to choose backpacking footwear so you can keep hiking until you die
Most advice about minimalist footwear can be rejected outright. Often, the advice is given by hikers who haven't put in the time required to understand the complexity and depth of foot biomechanics and the long-term effects of overuse that is endured by walking for decades. Here are some guiding principles if you want to keep hiking into your sunset years, so you can delay the inevitable onset of overuse conditions like hallux rigidus.
Episode 13 | Tent-bound in a Storm
In this episode, Ryan offers some practical guidelines for managing wet gear, condensation, and camp chores if you have to be holed up in a tent during a prolonged period of inclement weather.
