It can be difficult finding gifts for ultralight backpackers since the entire point of many ultralight backpackers is to have as few things as possible. That said, there are some items that can please almost everyone. A lot of these items are justifiably awesome, but they're equally expensive.
Mac’s Backpacking Gear List 2021 (v3)
I don't typically get to the third iteration of my gear list until the end of the summer or into the fall, but so much has changed in such a short amount of time recently, that I feel disingenuous not updating my list. What's changed from my previous gear list? Here are some of the items that
Mac’s Backpacking Gear List 2021 (v2)
After bikepacking the Arizona Trail, I've made some changes to my backpacking kit for the summer. Most notable, changes to my shelter (now using a SlingFin SplitWing) and my water filter (now using a Platypus QuickDraw). Later in the summer, I'm also hoping to try out a new quilt, some new stakes
Mac’s Backpacking Gear List 2021 (v1)
I'm hoping to be doing a lot more outdoors in 2021 than I managed to do in 2020 and I'm excited to start trying out gear. To start the year off, my pack looks a lot like it did at the end of 2020, but I've made a few small changes (most notably, my cooking system). The gear list below is what I
The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Gift Guide
Sure, you could take a look at the 2020 Thru-hiker Gift Guide, but what if you're not just any thru-hiker? What if you're a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker? Yes, every thru-hiker thinks themself special and those found (or about to be found) on the PCT are no different. So what if your loved one
The 2020 Thru-hiker Gift Guide
Things are finally cooling off (at least in California) and it's nearly time for the results of what will be some very strange thru-hiker surveys. That means it's also the season to work on upgrading your backpacking outfit for when it's time to go back outside next year (if you're interested,
Mac’s Backpacking Gear List 2020 (v2.0)
It's been a complicated year, but I still managed to get outdoors despite not being able to escape the country as originally planned. My gear list has continued to evolve as I continue to figure out what gear I like best and for what application I most enjoy using each piece of gear. I've
Backpacker Radio #79 | Mac from Halfway Anywhere
Last month, I sat down and talked to Backpacker Radio about pretty much everything I've ever done in the outdoors up until this year. You can start listening at around 10 minutes in and then sit back to enjoy the last eight years of my life compressed into a little under two hours. Long by many
Sierra High Route Gear List
The gear required for a hike of the Sierra High Route (SHR) needs to strike a balance of functional and lightweight. Typically, I am happy to tell people that "if you're happy carrying it, then carry it", but since the SHR calls for a lot of scrambling up loose talus and/or boulder fields, it's nice