Backpacking Light offers 1-on-1 consulting, training and coaching services for Unlimited Members to help backpackers grow their skills, plan trips, train, update gear systems, and lighten their pack carefully, safely, comfortably, and cost-effectively.
We offer a comprehensive monthly program, as well as hourly consults.
Monthly Coaching and Training
- Detailed video reviews of:
- gear lists with recommendations based on your requested context (environment, season, locale, etc.);
- route and trip plans;
- Personalized communications (email and/or live video calls) to help you address issues, overcome challenges, and answer questions;
- Design of fitness and training programs to help you prepare for backpacking season, and real-time coaching, analysis, and adjustment of your training regimen;
- Food planning and preparation;
- Route planning and logistics;
- Gear advice and help with equipment and supply purchasing decisions;
- Ultralight backpacking skills training.
Training and coaching services are directed by Backpacking Light owner/founder Ryan Jordan, who will interact with you directly and privately. From time to time, Ryan will be assisted by others with areas of expertise as needed.
These services are customized for your needs and offered on an extremely limited basis, so we can ensure the highest possible quality for you.
Services are billed monthly, cancel anytime.
What’s Included:
- Unlimited email consulting, 1-2 business day turnaround;
- One video review per month;
- 60 minute live video call per month;
- Annual Unlimited Membership (remains active even if you exit the consulting program before the end of one year) with free access to all Backpacking Light content, webinars, masterclasses, and online courses.
How many months will it take?- That’s up to you – you can cancel anytime. The average duration is 6 to 12 months – enough time to fully prepare for, plan, train for, and execute a major trip, with a month or two after the trip for a comprehensive debrief and analysis.
- During client onboarding, we’ll work with you to define specific goals and objectives, and help you identify your “graduation” requirements!
How much of a time commitment is required?
- That depends on what you’re trying to accomplish! We’ll help you get there, regardless of how much time you have to spend each month. Occasionally, we’ll provide some “light” homework that will not require more than a couple of hours per month. This homework really helps us progress more rapidly and keeps us on the same page as we help you achieve your objectives.
- If your program includes a fitness training component (which again, is up to you), then you can expect to spend a minimum of six hours per week on training.
- The most successful clients we’ve had are able to spend 8 or more hours a week on fitness training, 4-6 hours per month on other program objectives (doing your own research, working on homework, etc.), about two hours per month preparing for and participating in our monthly live video call. If you are able to go on at least one short (overnight) backpacking trip per month in order to test gear systems and skills, you’ll really amp up your experience in our program.
- On our end, we typically allocate about 10+ hours of consulting time per month for each client – that’s why we only take a limited number of clients into this program. We want the program quality to be very high for you.
“I hired Ryan as a consultant to help me work through the challenges of pursuing better work/life balance; primarily through living a more adventurous life. His perspective and thoughts were on point, and he provided a thoughtful balance between advising me based on his own experiences as well as encouragement and accountability for me to make the decisions I needed to make.The culmination of our work together was a multi-day guided packrafting trip in Montana with a group of fellow entrepreneurs in my professional network. Ryan not only sorted out all the trip logistics and gear outfitting but also providing critical thinking and leadership in program design and execution, so the entrepreneurs going through this program could themselves reflect on the impact they could make with their lives.” – Jeremy H., startup entrepreneur, Provo, UT
How to Enroll:
Unlimited Membership Required
- Consulting services are available only to Unlimited Members.
- Login as an Unlimited Member to view the enrollment instructions here.
- Learn more about Unlimited Membership now.
About Your Coach/Consultant
“I hired Ryan as a consultant to help me work through the challenges of pursuing better work/life balance; primarily through living a more adventurous life. His perspective and thoughts were on point, and he provided a thoughtful balance between advising me based on his own experiences as well as encouragement and accountability for me to make the decisions I needed to make.The culmination of our work together was a multi-day guided packrafting trip in Montana with a group of fellow entrepreneurs in my professional network. Ryan not only sorted out all the trip logistics and gear outfitting but also providing critical thinking and leadership in program design and execution, so the entrepreneurs going through this program could themselves reflect on the impact they could make with their lives.” – Jeremy H., startup entrepreneur, Provo, UT
Unlimited Membership Required
- Consulting services are available only to Unlimited Members.
- Login as an Unlimited Member to view the enrollment instructions here.
- Learn more about Unlimited Membership now.
Ryan Jordan founded Backpacking Light 19 years ago with the simple mission of providing high-quality education to hikers to help them make informed decisions about buying outdoor gear and to help them become experts themselves about lightweight backpacking. Ryan’s personal backpacking passion focuses on traveling long distances without resupply, inclement conditions and winter backpacking, and off-trail mountain routes. Ryan holds engineering degrees from Washington State (B.S. and M.S.) and Montana State (Ph.D.) Universities and has spent his entire career focusing on online and live outdoor guiding, education, and equipment systems design. Ryan has developed and delivered outdoor education programs to the US Department of Defense, National Outdoor Leadership School, Boy Scouts of America, American Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency, search and rescue organizations, university outdoor programs, and others for the purpose of disseminating authoritative and accurate information about wilderness travel. Ryan resides in Laramie, Wyoming with his wife Stephanie and son Chase.
About Backpacking Light
Backpacking Light is a membership-based community that promotes the exchange of information and education about lightweight backpacking gear, skills, and philosophy that is both authoritative and comprehensive. Since November 2000, Backpacking Light has been known in the outdoor industry as being a thorn in the side of backpacking gear manufacturers because it strives to educate, rather than manipulate, consumers. Backpacking Light promotes a “pack less, be more” philosophy (less is better) because backpackers who buy less gear are more intentional about what they do buy and experience the outdoors more (because they spend less money on gear and are able to spend more time on the trail). Backpacking Light has been featured in the LA Times, Outside Magazine, Outdoor Photographer, Scouting Magazine, Fast Company, Men’s Journal, Gear Junkie, Boy’s Life, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Digital Trends, the Travel Channel, and others.