Podcasts
- GEAR • Gear Reviews
- GEAR • Gear Guides
- GEAR • Gear Checklists
- GEAR • Make Your Own Gear
- GEAR • Gear Testing & Research
- SKILLS • Tips, Tricks, and Hacks
- SKILLS • Wilderness Skills
- SKILLS • Training
- SKILLS • Trip Planning
- SKILLS • Food Preparation
- PLACES • Trips
- PLACES • Routes
- CULTURE • Essays
- CULTURE • Stories
- CULTURE • Issues
- CULTURE • People
- CULTURE • News
- CULTURE • Media Reviews
- ARCHIVES (Before 30.Nov.2015)
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Latest
Episode 61 | Frameless Pack Best Practices
In this episode, Ryan and Andrew discuss how and why to use a frameless pack while backpacking.
Episode 60 | Willow Belden of Out There
Ryan chats with Willow Belden from Out There. Also in this episode: updates on some new packs and the How to Use Gaia GPS masterclass.
Episode 59 | Ben Kilbourne Reads “Good Gear Lets You Be Present”
Ben Kilbourne reads his essay on the balance between caring about gear and being present on adventures.
Episode 58 | Benny Braden on Public Lands Stewardship
Andrew and Ryan talk with public lands advocate and accomplished backpacker Benny Braden about vandalism, stewardship, and social media.
Episode 57 | Cottage Industry Interview: Food for the Sole
Andrew talks to Food for the Sole founders Julie and Henry Mosier about running a food production business, scaling, staff management, recipe iteration, and more.
Episode 56 | Portable Battery Chargers for Backpacking
In this episode, we chat with longtime Backpacking Light contributor Rex Sanders about his ongoing tests of portable battery chargers. Also, Ryan and Andrew chat about vandalism on public lands, electronic device management, new gear from Atom Packs, and the benefits of freeze-drying.
Episode 55 | Managing Perspiration in Layering Systems: Wicking, Evaporation, and Ventilation
Ryan and Andrew discuss strategies and gear for managing perspiration in layering systems, including the processes of wicking, evaporation, and ventilation.
Episode 54 | Foot Injuries, Training, and Rehabilitation for Hikers with John Zombro
Physical therapist and athletic performance coach John Zombro chats with Ryan and Andrew about foot injuries, training strategies, and rehabilitation in the context of hiking and long-distance backpacking.
Episode 53 | Ben Kilbourne Reads “Going Home”
Backpacking Light contributor Ben Kilbourne reads his meditation on the transition from wilderness to trail to parking lot.
Episode 52 | Gear We Love (2021 Edition)
Andrew, Ryan, and the Backpacking Light team chat about their favorite gear they used in 2021.
Episode 51 | Cottage Industry Interview: Livio Melo of allmansright
A conversation with Livio Melo, founder of Allmansright, an up-and-coming gear maker based in the Bronx, New York.
Episode 50 | Listener Q & A
It's our 50th episode! To celebrate, we reached out to listeners and asked them to submit their big backpacking questions - our answers of which provide the meat for this episode.
Episode 49 | Untraditional Layers
Ryan and Andrew discuss lightweight layering options for backpacking clothing that fall outside the norm of function.
Episode 48 | Waterproof Breathable Fabrics
Andrew and Ryan chat with Backpacking Light contributor Stephen Seeber about layering and waterproof-breathable fabrics.
Episode 47 | Mark Wetherington Reads “The Backpacking Tithe Project”
Mark spends ten percent of every year backpacking - he just doesn't do it all at once.
Episode 46 | Water-resistant Down
Andrew chats with the down experts at the IDFL Laboratory and Institute about water-resistant down.
Episode 45 | Backcountry Creativity
Andrew and Ryan talk about skills and strategies for painting, writing, composing, and photography while backpacking.
Episode 44 | The New Reality of Western Wildfires
Andrew and Ryan chat with Jaden Bales from the Wyoming Wildlife Federation about western wildfires.
Episode 43 | Ben Kilbourne Reads “Observing Transition Season”
What are you trying to accomplish when you backpack?
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.
