GUEST POST: The Pee Rag by Stacia Bennett
A pee rag enables a female hiker to get the job done and focus on being her badass self.
Post PCT Gear Review, or: how I learned what stays and what gets chucked
There is an expression among even the most advanced runners that getting your shoes on is the hardest part of the workout. – Kathrine Switzer Updated gear list now available. You can access it on google docs and take it with you! Walking the Pacific Crest Trail was one of the best things I have […]
Blistex ‘Lip Vibrance’ review
Blistex Lip Vibrance has been my go to lip protection since I discovered it seven years ago walking the John Muir Trail Why do I LOVE Lip Vibrance so much? First it’s the restorative emollients – shea butter, grapeseed oil and vitamin E. It feels smooth, and rich. Then there’s the sun protection at SPF […]
Post thru-hike gear wrapup: Hammock Gear quilt
Here’s something I get asked a lot – How the heck do you wash your down quilt or sleeping bag? For starters, you should probably not wash down until things get really out of hand. So let’s use our imaginations to take us to that moment of out-of-handedness when a good washing is all one […]
post thru-hike gear wrapup: Therm-a-rest NeoAir Xlite
Quick, what is the most important activity on a thru-hike? If you answered, “Hike,” give that reader a Kewpie doll. But, indulge me just for a sec, and let’s rephrase the question just a little. To hike, you need to be strong and focused, and to get there, you need to be well fed and […]
post thru-hike gear wrapup: Icebreaker T
Except for extra pairs of socks, undies and camp clothes that double as layers on cold days, there’s really no such thing as a “change of clothes” when thru-hiking. So when it comes to deciding what to wear, you better choose wisely. I purchased a Smartwool long sleeved shirt to take on the Te Araroa. […]
post thru-hike gear wrapup: Columbia OutDry ex-reign rain jacket and pants
If you’re going to be outdoors for any significant amount of time, you are going to eventually get wet and if you plan to walk the Te Araroa, you will get very wet. I always carry sturdy rain gear on my thru-hikes. I know it’s a cardinal sin in the ultralite community, but on the […]
post thru-hike gear wrapup: La Sportiva Akyra mountain running shoe
You might recall that it was one year ago, while hiking the Coast-to-Coast and aliloop-of-the-lakes in England, that I became a true believer in using trail runners for backpacking. It turns out this is not just a fling. We’re talking full-on love affair made to last for the long haul and that’s because for the […]
post thru-hike gear wrapup: Kavu Fishermans Chillba
It’s not that I have anything against baseball caps. I often wear them hiking, biking, kayaking, running, skiing, climbing – you get the idea. But for a long-distance thru-hike, I really need to cover more territory. I am a pony-tailed hiker most of the time, and there’s a lot of exposed skin. A wide-brimmed sun […]
post thru-hike gear wrapup: Granite Gear Crown2 60
When I purchased the iPhone that would become my camera, typewriter, microphone, editing studio and means of communication with the outside world, I needed to ensure it was big enough to handle all those tasks, but small enough to fit easily in the hip-belt pocket of my backpack. “Olive Oyl” – my Granite Gear Crown2 […]
