I recently made the long-time-coming decision to purchase a van to convert. The first step of the process, deciding which van to get, proved to be more complicated than I anticipated. Ford recently announced the 2023 Transit Trail - a Transit package with standard all-wheel drive, a 3.5 in /
UGQ Bandit Backpacking Quilt Review
The UGQ Bandit is a highly-customizable sleeping quilt offered in a variety of temperature ratings, fills, and colors. In addition to being one of the go-to quilts in my quiver (what is the proper term for a collection of quilts?), it's also one of the top five highest-rated and most common quilts
Three-Season Backpacking Gear List 2022 (v2)
I've made a lot more changes to my gear list than I had anticipated, but many of these changes have been a long time coming. This gear is for three-season backpacking and would not be sufficient in winter conditions. Some items have been included for shoulder season hiking - like the base layers
Definitive Cyber Week Sales Guide for Backpackers (2022) – UPDATED!
BOOKMARK THIS PAGE! This list will be updated daily. Be sure to check back for new deals. Many discounts are still under embargo but I can tell you there are additional deals scheduled for many brands. The best Black Friday and Cyber Monday/Week deals for thru-hikers, backpackers, hikers (those
What It’s Like Running a 100-Mile Ultramarathon
Earlier this year, having never trained for any amount of running in my life, I decided my goal was to run a 100-mile (160 km) ultramarathon. I chose the Mountain Lakes 100 in Oregon as my first (and, at the time, presumably my last) ultramarathon. It takes place just south of Mount Hood and
REI GUGO Sale: The Ultimate Guide (2022)
The REI Gear Up Get Out (GUGO) sale is on again! Now through November 21, take 20% off one full-priced item, and an extra 20% off an REI Outlet (already discounted) item with the code GEARUP22. I've put together a comprehensive list of everything on sale this year so you don't have to waste
Rio de Janeiro Marathon Review and Recap
The Rio de Janeiro Marathon was my first marathon - my first organized race of any length - and was a great time (except for the pouring rain we had for nearly the entirety of the race). I didn't quite know what to expect, but since the Rio Marathon is a major race organized in a major city, I
The Best Ultramarathon Training Gear
When I decided to start training for a 100-mile (160 km) ultramarathon, I had little more than a pair of shoes as far as running equipment went. I quickly discovered that a sport technically requiring zero gear whatsoever - you can run barefoot and in the nude, after all - has available a lot more