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Latest
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.
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.
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.
Episode 39 | Matt Mason on Bikepacking and Public Lands, Part I
Andrew interviews backpacker turned bikepacker Matt Mason in a Bikepacking 101 conversation.
Episode 38 | Tenkara Fishing
In this Skills Short episode, Ryan and Andrew talk about the essential skills and gear needed to take up the sport of tenkara-style fly fishing.
Episode 37 | Endurance Training for Backpackers
Ryan and Andrew chat with Dirk Friel, co-founder of TrainingPeaks, about how to get the most out of your endurance training.
Episode 036 | Andrew Marshall Reads “Salamander Song”
Backpacking Light Managing Editor Andrew Marshall's essay Salamander Song is a love letter to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Episode 035 | Les Stroud on Raising Adventurous Children
Ryan and Andrew chat with Survivorman Les Stroud about his new book, "Wild Outside."
Episode 34 | Mental Health
In this episode of the Backpacking Light Podcast, Andrew and Ryan talk about mental health. As their jumping-off point, they use a recent paper called Levels of Nature and Stress Response.