How much should you carry when hiking? Some say you shouldn’t carry more than 1/3 of your body weight. I say try to keep it under ¼ of your body weight. The less weight you carry the more comfortable you’ll be on the trail. Of course, you shouldn’t leave out items that will make your [...]
Archive for the ‘Equipment’ Category
March 15th, 2010
Selecting the Best DayPack for Hiking
At first selecting a daypack for hiking doesn’t seem like a big deal. You’re only carrying a few pounds of gear and probably not hiking very far, and in fact if you go no more than a mile or two a fanny pack may be more than enough (but the bears will laugh at you). [...]
February 25th, 2010
Layering for Hiking Made Easy
The best way to stay warm and to keep your body temperature regulated on a hike is with the layering system. This may sound complex at first, but really is simple. The basics of the system are that you wear multiple layers of clothing that you can take off or add as needed. When [...]
February 16th, 2010
A Love Affair with Vasque Hiking Boots
My favorite boots of all time are my Vasque Sundowner hiking boots. I bought my first pair back in the mid 1990s and wore them on the trail in all conditions and loved the support the provided. I also wore my Sundowner boots with jeans and Khaki pants as they looked great when cleaned [...]
February 9th, 2010
GPS Basics
I was hooked on the idea of hand held GPS units from the first one I saw. Years ago I was in the Army and was pretty good with a map and compass, but still spent my share of time trying to decipher the lines on the map with the hills and creeks to find [...]
Posted in GPS 
Tags: about gps, delorme, delorme pn-40, garmin, garmin etrex, Garmin GPS 60CSx, GPS, gps 101, gps basics, what is gps 
No Comments »February 8th, 2010
Geocaching Video
Tomorrow I’m posting the basics of GPS. This video on geocaching is posted to hold you over until then and to peak your interest.
February 3rd, 2010
Choosing the Right Tent
Buying a tent is one of your most expensive outdoor equipment purchases, and just like other gear there’s a lot to choose from when selecting a tent. For hiking you’ll want the lightest test you can afford that meets your space and weather/condition needs. For camping you have a lot more flexibility as [...]
Posted in Tents Tags: buying a tent, gear reviews, hiking tents, mt. whitney, selecting a tent, tent reviews, trail camp No Comments »December 17th, 2009
Outdoor Gear for Christmas
It’s always fun to get outdoor gear for Christmas and REI is chock full of fun stuff, but don’t forget that all you really need is a good pair of shoes and a desire to get outside.
November 24th, 2007
Cell Phones in the Wild: Nuisance or Lifesaver
In the last few years there has been a lot of debate about whether or not cell phones should be used in the wild. I love my cell phone and enjoy tricking it out with ringback tones, video, mp3’s, and anything else I can find. But I don’t use it on the trail. I do, [...]
Posted in Cell Phones, GPS, Hiking Technology Tags: cell phones, cellular phones in the wild, hiking with cell phone 2 Comments »October 12th, 2007
New Hiking Boots
I just recently bought a pair of Merrell Moab Ventilator hiking boots and I can’t be happier. I have a pair of Vasque Sundowners at home that I love for hikes over twenty miles but they are too heavy for short and dry hikes. That’s why I started looking for something that weighed less and was cooler. [...]