Are you going on a long backpacking trip and want to avoid poison ivy, or already have a burning poison ivy rash and are not sure how to treat it in the middle of your trip? Or, do you already… Read More »How to Treat Poison Ivy when Backpacking
Backpacking is incredible exercise and an incredible way to connect with nature. But, backpacking isn’t exactly easy, at least not without a little bit of physical training and mental prep. The mental prep is what this article is all about… Read More »Backpacking skills: what you should know before a backpacking trip
Base weight, a term that describes the total weight of your backpacking gear, minus food and water, is an important measurement. It can tell you whether or not you’ve packed too much, and it can help you avoid injuries or… Read More »How to measure base weight for backpacking
Spend any time looking at backpacking gear, forums, or social media accounts, and you’re bound to run into that term at least a few times. But, what is ultralight backpacking, and is it worth achieving? That’s what this article aims… Read More »Is Ultralight Backpacking Worth It?
If you’ve taken a recent interest in hiking and backpacking, you may have seen the term “thru-hiking” used before. Thru-hikes are a subcategory of backpacking – long-distance backpacking trips that cover hundreds, if not thousands, of miles. Get the low-down… Read More »What is thru-hiking? What it is, and why you should try it
Yes. Just to avoid any ambiguity, the answer is yes – backpacking is very safe, and, in many ways, it’s safer than living in a big city. While there are still a bunch of different ways to get yourself injured… Read More »Is Backpacking Safe? What the Numbers Say
Your first backpacking trip will never be your most successful, but it will always be your most meaningful. That said, the more you learn before your trip begins, the better your chance of having a perfect first time is. With… Read More »First Time Backpacking? Remember These 10 Tips
A tent footprint is a ground cloth, essentially a tarp, typically the size of your tent, that is placed between your tent and the ground. Tent footprints are crucial to protect your tent and yourself from outside factors. They are… Read More »What is a Tent Footprint?
Sometimes, the “backpacking vs hiking” discussion is mostly just about definitions. Other times, it’s about the various disciplines and skills that belong to each. On rare occasions, it’s about a pretentious backpacker who looks down on hiking as somehow less… Read More »Backpacking vs hiking: what’s the difference, and why should you care?
A sleep system – the items you use for sleeping on a backpacking trip – is one of the “Big Three” pieces of backpacking gear you need, alongside your backpack and shelter. Because it’s so important, and because you need… Read More »Backpacking: How heavy should your sleep system be?