The new Biolite Headlamp 200 is light-weight, rechargeable, and as cute as it is functional. Biolite Headlamp 200 Review Biolite is a company that seeks to bring renewable energy both to outdoor enthusiasts and off-grid communities. They provide both lightweight backpacking equipment and household cooking and lighting essentials in the form of stoves, solar power,…
A couple months ago, Têra Kaia Basewear reached out to me to see if I would consider testing out one of their sports bras. I don’t usually accept too many offers to review things because I don’t like to feel like I’m advertising gear to you guys. However, I clicked around Têra Kaia’s website a…
My Trail reached out to me a couple months ago about reviewing their Women’s 850 Fill Hyperlight Hooded Down Jacket. This was the first time I had ever heard of My Trail, but after doing some research I found out that they are the reincarnation of the GoLite brand. GoLite was an old favorite amongst…
*There are affiliate links in this post, meaning if you click a link and buy something I might get compensation at no expense to you. Mountain House recently sent me their 2-Day Food Supply box to try out. While the box is marketed for emergency food situations, Mountain House is also a popular brand amongst…
Harmony House recently sent me a box of their Gourmet Soup & Chili Pack to test out. Wanting to try it immediately, I brought a few packages with me to work. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I work as a wilderness therapy guide in the Utah desert. Basically, I’m backpacking all week long with…
I work in the high desert of southern Utah all winter long, going backpacking in the wilderness for stretches of 8 days at a time. I experience freezing temperatures, rain, hail, snow, and clouds that last all day, often in the course of a single work week. I bought the Feathered Friends Women’s Plover -25…
Hikers are the worst to shop for. You never know what we already have, what we need or don’t need, or what gear is new and exciting versus out of date. We’re always trying to get our pack base weight down, so we don’t want anything extra we have to carry. Also, it’s nearly impossible…
In my quest to reach an ultralight base weight, one of the first hurdles I came to was replacing my old synthetic sleeping bag with a down bag. I knew I would easily spend over $400 on this endeavor, so this was not a decision I took lightly. I needed something that I could use…
I bought my Granite Gear Crown VC 60 last year because I wanted to lighten my base weight. This pack seemed to be a good option for easing into the world of ultra-light backpacking. I used it for four months last summer while working along the Appalachian Trail as a ridge runner, then again for…
This past spring, I ordered a Hennessy Hammock Hyperlite Asym Zip. My job as a ridge runner in Connecticut and Massachusetts has me camping on the trail more nights that not. I previously used an ENO hammock, but I wanted to upgrade to a better backpacking setup. Update: I’ve now owned this hammock for four…