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.

Latest Podcast Episodes
October 17, 2019
Episode 18 | Clothing Systems for Inclement Weather

In this podcast, we discuss this: how does clothing system for 3/4 season, inclement conditions, differ from my summer backpacking clothing?

September 25, 2019
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.

September 15, 2019
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.

August 10, 2019
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.

July 29, 2019
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.

July 8, 2019
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.

June 29, 2019
Episode 12 | Lightweight Chairs & Seats for Backpacking

In this episode longtime BPL author Doug Johnson gives us a run-down of his favorite ultralight backcountry seating options reviewed in our new gear guide.

May 30, 2019
Episode 11 | Upright Canister Stove Reviews

This episode of the Backpacking Light Podcast features highlights from our recent round of canister stove reviews.

May 23, 2019
Episode 10 | StoveBench: A Protocol for Comparing the Performance of Backpacking Stoves

In this episode, we talk about StoveBench: Backpacking Light’s new protocol for standardizing stove performance comparisons.

March 27, 2019
Episode 9 | Author Caroline Van Hemert on 4,000 Miles Across the Arctic

In this episode, we talk to Alaskan writer, biologist, and adventurer Caroline Van Hemert. Caroline is an ornithologist who, along with her husband Pat, undertook a 4,000-mile human-powered journey from Bellingham Washington to Kotzebue, a small town high above the arctic circle.

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