The SPOT Gen3 Satellite GPS Messenger is a satellite messenger (not a personal locator beacon, PLB) intended for tracking, communication, and calling emergency services. It weighs 4 oz / 114g (this includes the required 4 AAA batteries) and uses GEOS satellite technology (more on this below). SPOT
Sawyer Micro Squeeze Water Filter Review
The Sawyer Micro Squeeze is a 2 oz / 57 g hollow-fiber membrane water filter that removes bacteria and protozoa from water. It's a common choice of water treatment for hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail and is worth considering for shorter backpacking trips as well
Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator Low Hiking Shoes Review
The Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator is a ventilated hiking shoe made with leather, mesh, and a Vibram sole. They're not quite the trail runners that you find many long-distance hikers wearing, but they're also not quite boots. As I said, they're hiking shoes. A pair weighs in at 31 oz / 879 g and will
Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter Review
The Sawyer Squeeze is a 3 oz / 85 g hollow-fiber membrane water filter that removes bacteria and protozoa from water. It's become the default water treatment system for hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail and is definitely worth being considered for your backpacking
Why Water Caches Are Bad for Thru-hikers
Water caches are locations where water is stored or left out where there would otherwise be none. They have become increasingly common on long-distance trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, which may sound like a good thing - water caches mean hikers aren't forced
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Review (WingLock Valve)
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite from Cascade Designs is a three-season 12 oz / 350 g inflatable sleeping pad with a 4.2 R-value (the measure of resistance to heat flow through a given thickness of material). It's essentially become the default ultralight, three-season inflatable sleeping pad (it's
Continental Divide Trail Week 13: The Winds
During week 13 on the Continental Divide Trail, Appa and I continue through Wyoming's Great Divide Basin and make a resupply stop in Lander via South Pass City and Atlantic City before entering the Wind River Range with our bear spray where we take the Cirque of the Towers alternate and encounter
Your Pacific Crest Trail Thru-hike Is Canceled
I tried to break the news gently, but now time for willful ignorance has come to an end. The Pacific Crest Trail Association, the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy have all officially requested hikers to postpone or cancel their thru-hikes (in related news,
COVID-19: Time to Cancel Your Thru-hike? (yeah, probably)
Update March 19, 2020: The Pacific Crest Trail Association, the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy have all officially requested hikers to postpone or cancel their thru-hikes. A month ago, it may have been difficult to imagine that what you may have thought