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
Episode 134 | Sleep Quality in the Backcountry
Disrupted backcountry sleep affects recovery, judgment, and safety. Learn how altitude, stress, and gear impact rest, and discover strategies for better sleep.
Episode 133 | Human Waste Management
In episode 133 of the Backpacking Light podcast, we challenge traditional cathole practices, advocating for pack-out systems in alpine, desert, and high-use areas based on science and LNT ethics.
Episode 132 | Satellite Messenger Weather Forecasts
In Episode 132 of the Backpacking Light Podcast we talk about satellite messenger weather forecasts.
Episode 131 – Ultralight First Aid Kit Strategies
Learn to design ultralight first aid kits for backcountry travel, matching modular kits (Overnight, Weekend, Expedition) to trip demands. Avoid errors, maintain your kit, and understand the medical rationale for each.
Episode 130 | Bivy Sack Camping
Discover Ryan’s discreet bivy sack camping methodology for alpine environments, encompassing essential gear, requisite skills, and a critical analysis of tent practicality. Embrace the experience of open-air slumber.
Episode 129 | Field Notes – The Limits of Wilderness Minimalism
Ryan Jordan examines wilderness minimalism under stress, using physiology, psychology, and Stoic philosophy to analyze five high-risk scenarios.
Episode 128 | The Metabolic Cost of Carrying a Backpack
What does it really cost your body to carry a backpack in the backcountry? In this episode, we explore the science behind the metabolic demands of load carriage – how pack weight, load distribution, terrain, and walking speed impact energy expenditure. (included: interview with pack designer Dan Durston.)
Episode 127 | Field Notes – Shelter Fabrics
In episode 127 of the BPL Podcast, Ryan Jordan explores shelter fabrics: strength-to-weight, waterproofing, coatings, pitch stability, storm resilience, strength-to-weight ratios and waterproofing to coating quality, pitch stability, and storm resilience.
Episode 126 | Field Notes – Ultralight Chairs: Performance or Luxury?
Recovery isn’t passive. It’s a skill – and how you sit at camp might matter more than you think.
Episode 125 | How to Plan a Long Thru-Hike
Learn how to thru-hike successfully with expert advice from Nikki’s Appalachian Trail journey. Discover essential strategies for planning, training, gear, nutrition, and mental wellness to make your long-distance hike enjoyable and achievable.
