Category: Hiking with ropes
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Little brown lines, summer 2004
Sorting through quadrangle maps turned up one with notes from many years ago, and I realized that for a variety of reasons I’d never written anything about one outstanding trip from the last months we lived in Moab, publicly or privately. As I have written many times, modesty ought to be the rule for claims…
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Fuzzy longevity
Yesterday I finally retired* my Rab Xenon (*cut up for parts and usable scraps of material). I received this jacket in early 2012 for a BackpackingLight project, and for the better part of two years it got the snot beat out of it. Starting last spring it stayed in the closet more often than not…
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The next big pack
There were a few persistent flaws or sources of discontent with this pack, which eventually had to be remedied. Ergo the monster below, and yet another doorway/Bob map photo. It’s been tested in a very basic manner on a dayhike, but backpacking with Little Bear in Utah next week will be it’s first real trip.…
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The five-foot tarp
A five foot wide tarp is a dead useful thing to have around, for emergency use, hiding from the weather to cook or glass (above), or for a primary solo shelter which will force one to use good site selection and pitching techniques. It’s also an excellent and relatively cheap and easy MYOG (make ya…
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All about insulation
Insulation in outdoor clothing can be confusing. The common question is “will ___ keep me warm during ____”, which is as understandable as it is naive (and bluntly, stupid). Clothing does not make you warm, clothing keeps you warm, and neglecting metabolic training (ex: burning fats), proper fueling and hydration, and technique (ex: slow down…
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Food planning for 4-10 day outings
This post is for Ali. Food (red sack, pringles can, orange drybag) for eight days on this trip. Food planning for backcountry endeavors often goes wrong for folks. I’ve lost track of the number of noob backpackers I’ve seen trying to rehydrate dried pinto beans in the backcountry, or hungry on day 3 of 5…
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The Omnibar
A while ago the folks from Omnibar in Missoula contacted me, both about packrafting beta for the Bob and about trying their product. I said yes, a box of bars showed up in the mail, and I’ve been eating them for the last six weeks. The following are my thoughts. When buying day food for…
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The masterful Coal Frena beanie
When I head out much beyond the front country I always have two hats along, in addition to the various hoods on windshirts, rain coats, and puffy jackets. The percentage of warmth hats impart may have been overstated back in my Boy Scout days, but a dry hat remains the simplest and lightest way to…
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Synthetic insulation technology
When it’s cold outside, insulation is important. And it can be cold outside at just about any time. My new article over at Rokslide detailing the strengths and weaknesses of the various types of synthetic fills might help you keep warm.
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Fighting islands of moisture
“Go for a short walk, and you’ll know if your gear fits. You might notice the stretch, the lightness, the breathability, the warmth. But you won’t really know if it can keep you alive.” -Sitka blog Fire during the 2011 Wilderness Classic, still the coldest I’ve ever been. Photo by Paige Brady. The article/post linked…
Bedrock & Paradox 
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