When beginning your journey to preparing for a thru-hike you have so much you have to research and learn about to become well versed in the needed gear, knowledge, and more. Many times a new hiker is lured by the ultralight mentality by trying to follow YouTube and others to lower their base weight massively. … Read more
Choosing to start backpacking leads you to many more questions about preparing, the most frequent questions I had centered around understanding backpack base weight. This weight is at the center of most thru-hikers discussions and I thought I should dive in to better understand before buying a backpack to ensure it was the right size. … Read more
If you’re looking for a company to work with, and want to know if Outdoor Vitals is a good company or just scamming people, this post will help. Here we look at why it’s important to ask the hard questions before making any decision, and how they stack up in comparison to other companies. Outdoor … Read more
When looking to try and cut the weight needed for backpacking, in particular thru hiking, you want every ounce to count. There must then be a sweet spot for size to weight, so is a 40l backpack big enough for backpacking? For the ultralight backpacker the 40 liter backpack is a perfect option that allows … Read more
For many who want to get a freestanding tent trying to locate the right one can be dizzying due to the sheer volume of options available. Nemo offers tents that frequently survive 2000+ mile thru hikes and is near perfection. The Nemo Dragonfly is nearly flawless in the durability and simplicity for use on the … Read more
There are a LOT of tents available that will be inexpensive but the real cost is in the weight of the tent. When you are intending to travel miles over multiple days, weeks, or even months weight is a large factor you want to cut. How much should a backpacking tent weigh? For most backpackers … Read more
If there is one thing I have come to understand in the last few months learning about ultralight backpacking for thru-hikes it is that equipment has gotten super light! It used to be when trying to hike you would carry a 40-60 pound pack, these new options can make for smaller easier to carry backpacks … Read more
When you are looking for a high quality, durable, and light container for hiking there aren’t many options, add on a screw-top lid and you have a one of a kind pot. It is perfect to help you cold soak or to pre-soak prior to cooking which speeds up the food cooking time and saves … Read more
