From the category archives:

Gear

Some tips on planning for a thru-hike

February 11, 2010 Gear
Geological marker on top of Mt. Katahdin

A lot of people skimp their first aid kits, but your mother and I both think that is really dangerous.

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Icebreaker Challenge Results

January 26, 2010 Gear
Mikey tests out my shirt

The month of wearing my Icebreaker Chakra top is up. I estimate that this shirt has been worn for numerous bike rides, 4 snowshoe trips, 3 hikes, 5 frisbee games, and four weight lifting sessions. It has also has also survived being completely covered in mud, and being driven over when I accidentally dropped it [...]

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Icebreaker update: penguin slides

January 7, 2010 Gear
Addy covered in mud

A quick update on my Icebreaker challenge. On New Year’s Day, I played an ultimate frisbee game and my Chakra top got a little muddy. Actually, that’s a bit of an understatement. We did penguin slides, which is where you run down a field, jump, and slide on your stomach through the mud with your [...]

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Icebreaker Challenge

December 30, 2009 Gear
Icebreaker Chakra top

As I’ve written about before, much of my backpacking gear has taken on a noticeable funk. I don’t think it’s a failing on the part of the fabric, after being worn almost every day for two months (and washed infrequently), just about anything would smell. However, I received a gift this year that may make [...]

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Gear Review: Esbit Stove

December 14, 2009 Gear
Thumbnail image for Gear Review: Esbit Stove

Now it may seem strange that with all the high tech cooking options out there, I would review my 10$ Esbit pocket stove. I’m writing this because I firmly believe that backpacking does not have to be expensive. There are all kinds of fun gadgets out there, but if you are short on cash and [...]

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Deals page

November 25, 2009 Gear

I’ve decided to add a page for a couple different merchant’s “Deal of the Day” ads. I think they’re pretty fun to monitor and hope you do, too.
It does feel a little strange to have ads on my site, but I’m crossing my fingers that I will be able to find a way to [...]

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Backpacking basics: socks, fungus, and blisters

November 16, 2009 Gear

At the risk of being told I have a fetish, I’m going to write another post about feet for my next Backpacking Basics article.
Up this time: socks, fungus, and blisters
Socks
There are a lot of different opinions on how to choose socks, and here’s mine: let your padding come from your shoes and not your [...]

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Backpacking basics: Footwear

November 12, 2009 Gear

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had several people ask me what the beginning steps are for getting into backpacking. So I’ve decided to write a series of articles on the backpacking basics to help people get started.
First up is footwear. The main things to consider are: tread, stability, and waterproof level.
Tread
For some basic terrain, [...]

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Checking out gear at REI

May 21, 2009 Gear
Cara checks out a tent in REI

My friend Cara and I went to check out REI recently. One of the most important things I can pass along to people is: Don’t be afraid to try it out in the store…

If you are interested in a tent, ask if you can set it up in the store. You need to make sure that it’s pretty easy and intuitive to setup as you may be doing that on the trail when you are cold or exhausted. Then lay down in the tent to get a feel for what it would be like to stay in it night after night. Here’s Cara hanging out in the REI’s Quarter Dome T2 tent.

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Deciphering sleeping bag lingo

May 16, 2009 Gear
Adelaide tests out a sleeping bag in the store

Shopping for gear can feel pretty intimidating. The outdoor industry has its own lingo, which can be hard to decipher. Here are explanations of a few sleeping bag terms.

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