Wind can make it feel significantly colder than the measured air temperature. This is one of the reasons that an ultralight windshirt can seem to provide a significant amount of warmth. On a recent trip to Iceland we face nearly continuous strong winds which required … “Wind: estimating speed & chill”
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Take Less, Do More is a refreshing departure from the typical books about voluntary simplicity, ultralight backpacking, or minimalism. Rather than centering on our relationship with “stuff” the book focuses on how we engage the world around us influences our life. Many books in this … “Take Less, Do More”
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When I first hear the Japanese term shinrin-yoku, which is forest bathing in English, I pictured a outdoor onsen that was in the middle of a forest, or maybe a deep soaking tub which was part of an outdoor bathroom attached to a hide-away cabin … “Forest Bathing”
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This post has been extracted from my Camino page because the most common question we have gotten from friends was about what we carried. They already knew something about the Camino itself and most wanted to understand how we managed to “go so light”. FWIW: We … “Packing for the Camino”
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I have carried the Vagabond Trail more than 1500 miles over last year for EDC, done in a day outdoor activities, and onebag travel which included walking 500 miles of the Camino Santiago Frances route from SJPP. Since January 2023 I have basically lived out of … “Vagabond Review”
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I have had a love hate relationship with ponchos. Theoretically they make great sense, but I have tried rain ponchos five times for six month or longer. After each poncho experiment I switched back to a rain jacket and a dedicated shelter. This post is … “Poncho + Insulating Liner System”
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TL;DR. If you are looking for a small, light, fast drying towel to use while backpacking or traveling, I recommend the PackTowel Ultralight. I found I can effectively dry my body with a 25″x35″ towel, but the body size lets me wrap the towel around … “A Tale of Four Towels”
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I think of trekking as travel which involves a significant amount of walking while carrying all the gear you will need. Nights are typically spent in huts, hostels, guest houses, inns, yurts. Sometime treks involve sleeping in a shelter you are carrying, but I think … “Trekking Packs”
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Jackie and I had hoped to walk in 2020 but COVID happened. Shortly after my retirement in 2022 Jackie and I simultaneously realized we could walk the Camino. We completed the 500 miles / 800km from SJPP to Santiago de Compostela along the Frances Camino … “Camino de Santiago”
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Bugforce Scale as proposed by Paul Wagner is an attempt to describe how annoying mosquitoes are from a qualitative perspective. An example of one of my level 9 experiences was descending into the basin around Dick’s Lake is Desolation Wilderness. While walking down the trail … “Bugforce Scale”
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The following is a reference I use when selecting the next hiking or backpacking destination with a bias toward Northern California. I make it in 2002 and just now moving it from my old site so it is easier to fix broken links and add … “Hiking Destinations”
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Every Saturday Jackie and I take at least a couple hours to walk in one of the parks in our area or we might be further afield at some state or national park. Within a few minutes of beginning our walk I can feel myself … “Get Outdoors”
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Minor Update: 2022 I define sports watches and wrist worn instruments which collect and display information that grants insight about health, fitness, and/or physical activities. My experience is that in most cases Garmin make the category leading watches. There are also “smart watches” which can … “Sport Watches”
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ArcTeryx Norvan SL Rain Jacket is one of the lightest, most breathable rain jacket currently available. I originally purchased the jacket in 2016. I have made some updates my original post based on longer term use. The Norvan SL works brilliantly when biking or hiking when … “ArcTeryx Norvan SL Rain Jacket Review”
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I think most people would be best served packing light, and using a carry on size “travel pack” which is a cross between a backpack and soft-side luggage. Travel packs will often have light weight internal frames to make them easier to carry, handles on … “Travel Packs”
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Updated September 2024 Flashlights and headlamps let you continue your activities once it is too dark to see. The ability to expend the hours that we can do things is invaluable. Today, virtually all flashlights and headlamps use LEDs to produce light. I strongly encourage … “Flashlights & Headlamp”
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Many activities benefits from having some sort of sharp object to cut things. Examples of this include food preparation, opening packaging, trimming material to cover a blister, preparing kindling, or hacking branches to build an emergency shelter. My Choice My every day carry (EDC) knife … “Knives and Other Sharps”
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Next to staying warm, the most important survive and comfort factor is to make sure you drink an adequate amount of safe water. This often means you need to carry water and be prepared to treat water. Not all locations have a continuous supply of … “Water Treatment & Containers”
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