Posted on June 25, 2024October 31, 2024Categories Backpacking   Leave a comment on Backpacking 101 for Beginners: My Tips for Your First Trip

Backpacking 101 for Beginners: My Tips for Your First Trip

Backpacking is my favorite way to get outside. Backpacking gives you the opportunity to completely unplug, immerse yourself in nature, challenge yourself physically, and forget about the worries of everyday life. If you’ve never been backpacking before, it’s likely one of these things that is inspiring you go on your first backpacking trip. My first time backpacking was in 2005, and when I started backpacking, I made a lot of common backpacking mistakes. The weren’t a ton of backpacking 101 … Continue reading “Backpacking 101 for Beginners: My Tips for Your First Trip”

Posted on June 22, 2024October 31, 2024Categories Backpacking   Leave a comment on My 3-Day Backpacking Checklist (with PDF)

My 3-Day Backpacking Checklist (with PDF)

Packing for a backpacking trip always feels a little stressful. It’s a careful balance between overpacking and underpacking. Bring too much, and your pack will be uncomfortably heavy. Bring too little, and you could end up cold, hungry and miserable. I know because I experienced both situations when I first started backpacking 20 years ago. Since then, I’ve backpacked more than a thousand miles which has given me lots of opportunities to dial in my backpacking checklist so it has … Continue reading “My 3-Day Backpacking Checklist (with PDF)”

Posted on June 19, 2024October 31, 2024Categories Backpacking   Leave a comment on 17 Beginner Backpacking Mistakes to Avoid

17 Beginner Backpacking Mistakes to Avoid

Embarking on your first backpacking trip can be an empowering, fun, and adventurous experience, however, the path to becoming a seasoned backpacker is often paved with a few avoidable missteps. I started backpacking in 2005, and my first few backpacking trips did not go smoothly. My first time was near Mt. Rainier in Washington, and when we got to the trailhead, I realized I forgot my hiking boots. Not wanting to drive all the way home, I ended up hiking … Continue reading “17 Beginner Backpacking Mistakes to Avoid”

Posted on June 17, 2024October 31, 2024Categories Backpacking   Leave a comment on Zpacks Duplex Ultralight Tent Review

Zpacks Duplex Ultralight Tent Review

If you’re in the market for an ultralight backpacking tent, there’s no doubt you’ve seen the Zpacks Duplex pop up on lists of the best tents for backpacking, often being upheld as the gold standard of ultralight shelters. And this reputation is no coincidence. The Zpacks Duplex tent has earned its place in the ultralight spotlight by consistently proving itself in the backcountry – it’s also a favorite of PCT and John Muir Trail thru-hikers who really put gear through … Continue reading “Zpacks Duplex Ultralight Tent Review”