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
BearVault BV450 Bear Resistant Food Canister Review
The BearVault BV450 is a polycarbonate (plastic), 7.2-liter, bear-resistant food canister (i.e. a bear canister or bear can) weighing 33 oz / 936 kg. It's approved for use to ward off both black bears and grizzly bears, and it is approved for use (mostly) everywhere you are required to have a bear
BearVault BV500 Bear Resistant Food Canister Review
The BearVault BV500 is a polycarbonate (plastic), 11.5-liter, bear-resistant food canister (i.e. a bear canister or bear can) weighing 2 lbs 9 oz / 1.162 kg. It's approved for use to ward off both black bears and grizzly bears, and it is approved for use everywhere you are required to have a bear
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
Hiking the PCT Northbound: A Stupid Idea
There are two directions to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, northbound and southbound, but there's one correct direction to hike the PCT - southbound (SOBO). If you're considering a PCT thru-hike, do yourself a favor and don't even consider hiking northbound - it's a stupid move. The only way
Hiking the PCT Southbound: A Stupid Idea
There are two directions to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, northbound and southbound, but there's one correct direction to hike the PCT - northbound (NOBO). Hiking the PCT northbound it the only reasonable way anyone should complete this hike. The notion of hiking the trail southbound is absurd -
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 You (Probably) Don’t Need an Umbrella on the PCT
Should you bring an umbrella on your Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike? A question many of you have probably asked yourselves (and that others of you have been asking me). The gear you bring on a thru-hike is something hikers love to research, stress over, and talk about, so it's worth examining whether
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