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The Backpacking Light Podcast

The Backpacking Light Podcast explores the technology, gear, skills, and philosophy of backcountry wilderness travel through stories, interviews, and investigative reports.

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Latest Podcast Episodes
October 12, 2026
Episode 149 | Durability

This is Part 1 (of 4) in a new series called Principles of Outdoor Gear Design and focuses on the topic of outdoor gear durability. Ryan Jordan examines durability through the relationship between product, use case, and user behavior. Backpack examples connect materials, manufacturing, and engineering to wear, damage, repair, and continued function. Learn how to interpret durability claims and evaluate the weight, cost, and maintenance tradeoffs involved in choosing gear. (This series is made possible by support from Vaer Watches as part of the Built by Vaer initiative, a partnership collaboration between Backpacking Light and Vaer to bring in-depth educational resources about product design to the Backpacking Light community.)

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June 15, 2026
Episode 148 | Rain Jackets for Mountain Minimalism

How to choose rain gear for mountain minimalism based on exposure, retreat options, wind, abrasion, and thermal margin.

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June 2, 2026
Episode 147 | Thermoregulatory Debt

Avoid thermoregulatory debt by learning how delayed layering decisions in cold, wet, or windy conditions lead to moisture, heat, and performance debt. Timing is key.

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May 1, 2026
Episode 146 | Dirtbag Rich with Blake Boles

Ryan Jordan interviews Blake Boles, author of Dirtbag Rich, about redefining wealth through time, purpose, flexibility, and outdoor freedom. They explore dirtbag culture, careers, housing, relationships, risk, and the pursuit of a life built around adventure, simplicity, and meaningful time outside before retirement.

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April 2, 2026
Episode 145 | Backpacking at Altitude

How altitude affects backpacking performance, sleep, fatigue, acclimatization, and AMS – with practical strategies for planning safer trips.

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March 3, 2026
Episode 144 | Trail Steepness vs. Difficulty

How physiology and biomechanics shape hiking effort across terrain – and why slope doesn’t predict time or energy linearly.

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February 18, 2026
Episode 143 | Managing Fatigue

This episode presents an operational framework for fatigue management in backcountry travel grounded in a non-circular load–fatigue–capacity model. Load is defined as external demand, fatigue as accumulated physiological and cognitive degradation, and remaining capacity as current ability. Risk is treated as the ratio of current load to remaining capacity. The discussion emphasizes field-relevant behavioral levers that reduce load, slow fatigue accumulation, and improve recovery.

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January 19, 2026
Episode 142 | The 72 Hour Backcountry Reset

Why 72 hours in the backcountry delivers lasting mental reset: attention, stress, sleep, and decision-making—plus 24-hour options.

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December 15, 2025
Episode 141 | Hiking at Night in a Blizzard

Critical winter layering, handwear, footwear, lighting, and navigation systems for safely hiking out through a sub-freezing blizzard at night.

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December 9, 2025
Episode 140 | Winter Storm Decisions

Use a six-question framework to decide whether to stay put or bail when winter storms, terrain, and fatigue raise backcountry risk.

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