Say Goodbye to Mosquito Bites

This time of year I usually have at least a few mosquito bites on my legs, arms and feet. Heck, last week, I even had a mosquito bite on the inside of my belly button. What kind of a skeeter bites people there?! A mean one, apparently. Seeing that I’m not a fan of chemicals and [...]

A Reversible Winter Jacket for All of Your Outdoor Activities—Even the Windy Ones!

Ever since I went backpacking last summer, I have come to appreciate the beauty of a coat that is lightweight, warm and is—I’ll admit, even in the woods—cute. And the new Craghoppers ClimaPlus Reversible Jacket that the company recently sent me to test? Well, it fits all of those requirements. Not a backpacking coat by design [...]

Backpacking Food: Way More Delicious Than You’d Expect

When I first embarked on my backpacking journey, I never really thought it would be much of a culinary adventure. I mean, really, how exciting can trail mix get? Turns out, even the freeze-dried food we ate wasn’t all that shabby. Granted, you begin to redefine what “good-tasting” means when you’ve been out on the [...]

The One Time Backtracking Is a Good Thing

Normally when you hear the word “backtracking,” you think of, well, going backwards—away from your goal or your aspirations. However, in the case of hiking and backpacking, backtracking your steps to the place where you started a hike isn’t just helpful, it’s a huge safety plus! While most of the trails I hiked during my recent [...]

Taking a Hike With the Garmont Amica Hike GTX

I’ve already lamented that when it comes to hiking, having the right footwear is insanely important. You want a boot that supports your feet and ankles properly, doesn’t rub you the wrong way (blisters suckaroo!), feels comfortable, and makes easy business of walking over terrain of all kinds and rocks of all shapes and sizes. And when you’re [...]

Body Wipes: Two Fixes for When You Just Can’t Shower

Whether you’re out camping, hiking or even just going from the gym to work, it’s easy to not feel your freshest after getting your sweat on. No matter if you’re going an hour or, ahem, six days without a shower, we put these two get-fresh products to the test to see how clean they really [...]

Review: The REI Hiking and Backpacking Gear That Got Me There

As promised, below is the first of many backpacking gear reviews from my recent trip in the Rocky Mountains! Today’s review is all from the REI gear I put to the test for six nights of (stanky yet fun) camping and backpacking! Women’s Endeavor Pants Think packing for your usual vacay is challenging? Think of what [...]

Vacation, Oh Glorious-Yet-Physically-Challenging Vacation

Some like to vacation on beaches. Some like to relax on big cruise ships. Some see the sites of a new city. Me? I apparently like to go on vacay like a pack mule. (See photo evidence at left. Pack. Mule.) As Bob Harper would say, going on a backpacking trip is “no joke.” Especially when [...]