We watch a video: if we like it and think you will, too, we write a short review. If we watch it and don’t like it, well, if it’s really egregious we might write about it to let you know what you’re not missing. Otherwise, we move on to the next. The good news: there’s enough decent stuff out there to keep us in business.

While this page is mostly about videos, it’s also about podcasts, books and magazines. Some of the entries are practical in nature — gear reviews, how-tos — others are about the experience of being outdoors, virtual escapes you can take when you don’t have time to take your own.

We’ve cataloged these entries by the following subjects:

• Hike/trip recommendations
• Adventure
• People
• General media
• Gear
• Nature
• Skills
• Health & Safety
• Lifestyle

We will continually add to this list.

Hike/Trip recommendations

The Benton MacKaye Trail on YouTube

Of late, we’ve been thinking of the 287.6-mile Benton MacKaye Trail, which, like the Appalachian Trail finds its southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Ga., then runs north into the Smokies. Once we started thinking about the BMT, we realized how little we knew about the trail. So we turned to our preferred YouTube explorers for some enlightenment. Here are three videos that make a nice introduction:

• Leonides: 7-day, 7-part series. The daily videos are in the 15- to 30-minute range and take a chronological approach, which is especially good if you may only be able to hike portions of the trail. Helpful, too, because his series is recent, shot in late 2020. Find it here.
• JBenHikes: I can do that trail in six episodes, JBenHikes appears to proclaim. These episodes tend to be a little shorter, with more emphasis on scenery than chatting. The beginning of his last episode in the series shows that thru-hike aren’t all sunny escapades: he reports in the wee hours from his tent, which is being buffeted by intense winds atop Mt. Sterling in the Smokies. Especially good video quality. Also shot late last year. Find it here.
• Evan’s Backpacking Videos: 14 episodes. Evan’s series starts with planning and training videos before getting on the trail. Each episode also has a theme (“Making Outdoor YouTube Videos with an iPhone 6,” “The Doctor Knows Best About Blister Care”), which adds an additional bit of info to each episode. Lots of great information about the trail and the experience of thru-hiking it peppered throughout. One downside: it was filmed in 2016, making it nearly four years old. Find it here. 04.27.23

Evan on the Foothills Trail

As Evan of Evan’s Backpacking Videos notes at the beginning of his 46-minute 8-second video of his thru-hike on the 77-mile Foothills Trail, the trail appears to be misnamed: the term “foothills,” he argues, suggests ease. This is not, he states up front, an easy trail. He also suggests it might not be a trail to attempt in bad weather. Begin the adventure with Evan here.

Waterfall hikes

In hot weather we look for hikes that are: 1) at higher elevation; 2) involve water; 3) both.

So today, we pass along 5 YouTube videos highlighting some of the best waterfall hikes around:

1. Tennessee Waterfalls | Best in the United States?, XPLR.Nash
2. Waterfalls of the Smokies, Johnny on the Trail
3. Top 5 Waterfall Hikes in Shenandoah National Park, William 180
4. Asheville, North Carolina: 9 Easy Waterfalls to Hike, Adrienne Jones
5. Best Waterfalls of North Carolina, Bill & Eric Photography

Barkley Marathons: ‘Where Dreams go to Die’

As outdoor adventures go, the Barkley Marathons certainly is among the quirkiest. For starters, it’s impetus was James Earl Ray’s 1977 escape from Tennessee’s Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Morgan County, Tennessee. The vexing terrain made Ray’s escape a short one, but inspired Yosemite Sam look-alike Gary Cantrell (a k a Lazarus Lake) to create a 100-mile race with … fluent rules, a mysterious registration process (more than 1,000 typically apply for the 60 slots), a 60-hour time limit, a total elevation gain of 60,000 feet and a start time that’s anytime between midnight and noon (Cantrell blows a conch shell when he decides it’s time to start). Sound challenging? Since the race began in 1986, only 15 people have finished the Barkley. (No one finished this year’s race.)

Ginger Runner Ethan Newberry captures the race’s quirky and sometimes cruel nature in “Where Dreams go to Die,” a 1 hour and 16-minute documentary on the two-race odyssey of one contestant, Gary Robbins, in his quest to tame the Barkley. Even if you aren’t an ultrarunner, you’ll appreciate the pushing-the-envelope edge of this captivating film. Check it out here.

JupiterHikes:  ‘Which Trail Should I Hike?’

It’s the first of the year, you’re contemplating your hiking goals for 2023. Is this the year you do a long trail? And if not a “long” trail (a l a Appalachian, Pacific Crest) then perhaps a sorta long hike (Benton Mackaye, John Muir)? So many questions. Questions you’ll find answered by YouTuber JupiterHikes in his 17-minute 40-second video, “Which Trail Should I Hike?” JupiterHikes has a lot of miles on the trail, and this video reflects that experience. He discusses options, he discusses different approaches. Well worth a watch — even if a long hike isn’t in your immediate future. Check it out here.

Adventure

Dirtbag Diaries: ‘Grand Traverse’

Around this time we start thinking about the year ahead, about what we hope to achieve. Thus, we start looking for motivation, for inspiration. The challenge is to find such that isn’t too on-the-nose, too first-day-of-the-rest-of-your-life. That’s probably why the tale of the Grand Traverse on the latest Outside podcast strikes such a cord. It’s not not about “goals” per se. Rather, it’s about doing something challenging that, at year’s end, you can look back at and say, “Dang! I did that! I guess I had a pretty good year.” The “that” in this case is the Grand Traverse, a 40 mile cross-country ski race in Colorado, from Crested Butte to Aspen. It started in 1997 and attracts hundreds of participants, include Pat O’Neill, who has done all 25. The podcast is mostly about O’Neill, but it provides good insight into the kind of challenging achievement you could hang a year on. Best of all, it’s not just an impressive physical accomplishment, it sounds like a lot of fun. Give a listen here.

Sintax77:  ‘Stone Shelter Camping in a Snow Storm’

Sometimes you crave a winter backpack trip — a true winter trip, with snow and all — but it just isn’t in the cards. So you turn to the next best thing: a YouTube. In his latest video, Sintax77 takes us on a hike in New York’s 47,527-acre Harriman State Park. It’s a hike that starts under blue skies with puffs of white cloud, a dusting of snow on the ground and later spends a night in a stone shelter as a winter storm blows through leaving drifts of up to two feet. It ends with a thick blanket of snow on the ground under gorgeous blue sky. Winter backpacking at its best. Check it out here.

TOGR’s ‘A Quiet Place’ adventures

Looking for that quiet tranquility you seek on the trail, but are crunched for time and can’t experience it in person? Check out ‘A Quiet Place Adventures” from The Outdoor Gear Review. They’re much like the adventures TOGR’s Luke takes on his main channel, but minus the commentary. It’s amazing the difference no talking makes. These chatter-free videos have a zen-like quality; the sounds of nature are left in, the sounds of man are not. They typically run less than 20 minutes, perfect for a quick escape when you need one. Check ‘em out here. 

‘Emotional Rescue’ on Mount Washington

Rescue stores are always fascinating. While they frequently contain many of the same elements — an ill-prepared hiker, ignoring the weather, attempting an adventure over one’s head — they are uniquely different. “Emotional Rescue,” which occurred roughly 13 years ago and was written about in the Summer/Fall 2018 issue of Appalachia Journal, may sound familiar in some respects, but includes two elements of particular note. One is that the rescuer, Pam Bales, pictured, was just another hiker who happened to be on the mountain at the right time and in the right place. The second element? You’ll have to read it yourself to find out. Check out the story here.

Outside: ‘A Wild Odyssey with the World’s Greatest Chef’

We all suffer, at some point, from degree of … ennui, of a personal version what President Carter once infamously referred to as a “crisis of confidence, a malaise. When this happened to New York Times food writer Jeff Gordinier, he felt perplexingly adrift, perplexingly, because in a lot of ways he was on top of the world, at least professionally. But personally, he was a mess. Then, a unique opportunity presented itself that led him on a mostly unlikely adventure. This adventure, expertly portrayed by Outside’s Michael Roberts, underscores the power of adventure, in that it transported him from the land of the listless to the land of the vibrantly alive. A great listen, that you can find here.

Outside: A true van tale

Paul Harvey, for you youngsters, was a radio commentator from years ago who shared tales that told “the rest of the story.” Some were stories you thought you knew. Others were stories that weren’t what they appeared to be on the surface. This week’s Outside podcast on Emily Pennington is a bit of a Paul Harvey. Pennington set out in 2020 to visit all 63 U.S. National Parks. She was expecting a somewhat light-hearted romp as she shucked her job, hopped in a van and hit the road. That’s not exactly what happened (the fact she did this in locked-down 2020 should give you a clue). But neither is her story one of one disaster after another. Rather, it’s a pretty straight-forward look at what it’s really like to live in a van and vagabond for a year. Give a listen here.

Bryan Delay: Smokies in Winter

You like the idea of a winter overnight escape to the Smokies. You also like the idea of staying warm and dry. So why not tag along with our buddy Bryan Delay (of “Backpacking with Bryan Delay”) and his son Nathan on a trip in December. They start at Davenport Gap and hike south on the Appalachian Trail to Cosby. It’s a trip full of blue skies, a couple inches of snow on the ground, and lots and lots of the Great Smoky Mountains. A wonderful 16 minute and 4 second escape (be sure to check out the sweet shelters). Find it here.

YA adventure books for camping

A few years ago I disappeared for a night into the Birkhead Mountain Wilderness to simply escape. I didn’t hike in far — about 3 miles — and camp was pitched by 4. What did I do with my afternoon and evening? I read. I finished a book I’ve been reading exclusively on backpack trips for about six months, “Banner in the Sky,” by James Ramsey Ulman. Based in Switzerland in 1865 (the book, which won the Newberry Award, was published in 1955), it’s about 16-year-old Rudy Metz, who is determined to conquer the mountain that claimed his dad. It’s a wonderful tale, perfect for backpacking in part because it’s about adventure, in part because it doesn’t weigh much. In fact, some of my favorite backpacking books fall into Banner’s Young Adult adventure category, books by the likes of Canadian author Farley Mowat (“Lost in the Barrens”) and contemporary American author Roland Smith (“Jaguar,” “Sasquatch,” the Peak series). Though geared toward young adults, these authors don’t pander: the stories are good, crisp adventures designed to engage readers regardless of age. And I find they’re perfect for transitioning from your own adventure to someone else’s. 04.20.23

People

Conrad Anker on ‘Wild Ideas’

As the show notes for the latest episode of “Wild Ideas Worth Living” succinctly state, “Conrad Anker is a legendary mountaineer and one of the most prolific explorers alive today.” On a camping trip when he was 15 he decided that exploring the outdoors was what he wanted to do with his life, and for the past 45 years he’s done just that. His climbing resume (including three Everest summits) is unparalleled. More than that, he’s simply a decent, well-rounded guy. If you’re not familiar with Anker, the latest 30-minute episode of “Wild Ideas Worth Living” is not only a great introduction, it has a bit to offer to folks who have closely followed his career (hint: it has to do with his pre-expedition preparation).. Give a listen to “The Wisdom of Expeditions with Conrad Anker” here.

Media in general

Carving a nitch on YouTube

It must be tough being a YouTuber in the adventure realm: so many people doing essentially the same thing. How to distinguish yourself? Steve Wallis has made a good name for himself with his series of stealth camping episodes: stealth camping in an airport parking lot, under a bridge, in a wrecked trail. Others, such as WildBeare, use stunning video and a keen eye to make even the mundane marvelous. Then there’s Base Camp Chris. We’ve long liked Chris’s quick overnights near his Nevada home. Nice, tight escapes. 

But about nine months ago Chris apparently felt the need to better distinguish himself from the masses. So he started telling stories around the campfire, the kind of stories we tell around the campfire to keep anyone within earshot of getting a good night’s sleep. Some involve Big Foot-type characters, some involve people who went into the woods — and never came back. Most are reportedly based in fact, with some including recored 911 calls, some news clippings, some interviews. His latest? On the Missouri Monster (“Momo” to the locals), which you can listen to, if you dare, here.

‘The Ginger Runner’

Technically, the “The Ginger Runner” YouTube channel is about trail running. But isn’t trail running really just fast hiking? Among the things we love about “The Ginger Runner”:

1. Shoe reviews. If you’re into lightweight hiking shoes, you will find no better source of information than “The Ginger Runner” reviews of trail running shoes. Recent reviews include The North Face Flight Vective, TNF’s Vective Endurance, the Saucony Peregrine 11, the Hoka One One Mach 4.
2. Great trails. A recent favorite, the 93-mile Wonderland Trail circumnavigating Washington’s Mount Rainier. So what if the episode is about recent attempts to set new FKTs (fastest known times; 18 hours, 49 minutes, 11 seconds for the Wonderland!), but you get to see the entire trail, some of it at night!
3. Life on the trail (albeit in the fast lane).
4. Great visuals. The camera work is exceptional, as is the storytelling.

Check out The Ginger Runner YouTube videos here. Also available in podcast form here.

Elsa Rhae: ‘First Time Backpacker’

Lots of people make videos, few were born to do so. Elsa Rhae is one of the latter. We stumbled upon her “First Time Backpacker” video by accident when the video we were watching ended and hers began before we could switch channels. Good thing. Elsa is no stranger to outdoor living: she and her partner travel the country, living in a 13-foot Scamp trailer. “First Time Backpacker” is her first time backpacking: 42 miles in 4 days on the AT through the Smokies. She gets a great tip from her shuttle driver on how to start a long hike to avoid injury (hike the first 15 minutes at an almost unbearably slow pace, the next 15 slight less slowly, then take a 5 minute break). She shows how she made a gel that she used for nutrition on the trail, she’s judicious with her video. She has great hiking tips, and shares her thoughts on the gear that worked for her. Really, one of the best outdoor videos we’ve seen. Check it out here.

Media Playlists

The alert popped up on YouTube: a new video was available from The Outdoor Gear Review. It was short, less than 10 minutes, and a gear review in a topic I’m particularly interested in on the trail: sitting. Specifically, sitting comfortably at the end of a long day. This review was of Big Agnes’s Skyline UL Stool, and overall, the reviewer liked it. Comfortable, if a little pricey ($99). But it was deemed light enough for backpacking (1 pound, 4 ounces), and that led me to wonder what other gear TOGR’s Luke had tested that you could take backpacking. A lot it turned out: 163 items, to be exact. And I found that information quickly because Luke does a good job of categorizing his videos; under “Ultralight” (where the stool was parked) I found reviews on everything from “Flashlights, Lanterns, Etc.” (78), to “Military Surplus” (249), to “Backpacks / Packs – Civilian & Military” (177). If you want a good gauge of how seriously a vlogger takes their craft, look no further than their playlist. Provided they have one.

‘Trailside’

Before there was Darwin, before Dixie, before the legions of YouTube adventure videographers, there was “Trailside: Make Your Own Adventure.” Trailside was a half-hour adventure show that ran on PBS beginning in 1993. Its original host was John Viehman, who was editor of Backpacker magazine at the time. Viehman would take viewers on a variety of adventures around the globe. The emphasis was on making the adventures accessible, which Viehman managed to pull off weekly. A total of 154 episodes were produced with a variety of other hosts after Viehman left to start a similar show, “Anyplace Wild.” The show was pioneering in its “you-are-there” approach, regardless of whether they were kayaking Class IV water, caving or ice climbing.

Oddly, despite only dating back to the 1990s, episodes are hard to find. Recently, we stumbled onto several episodes on the Trailside YouTube Channel. Check ‘em out here.

‘Escape’

World War II had ended, America was easing into a time of prosperity, of settling down, of committing, gladly, to a 9-to-5 work-a-day routine. And yet, something was missing during this time of milk and honey. While no one pined for the horrors of war, there was an element of adventure that was now missing from most Americans’ lives. So in 1947 CBS launched a radio series called “Escape,” which each week told swashbuckling tales of adventure, from diving for gold in Paraguay, to the story of the second man to scale Mount Everest, to the plight of boat wreck survivors caught tantalizingly within sight of shore, but unable to make landfall. The show’s opening captured the restless sense of the times for many: “Tired of the everyday grind? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all?” And then, “Escape! Designed to free you from the four walls of today for a half-hour of high adventure!”

Most of the weekly stories were adaptations of works by noted authors, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Rudyard Kipling and H.G. Wells. And the shows starred some of the top radio actors of the day, including William Conrad, John Dehner and Barney Phillips. The tales could be a little over-the-top by today’s standards, but in the context of the emerging Cold War, they can be extremely entertaining. Think half-hour radio versions of Indiana Jones. And they were certainly well-received at the time: 228 episodes were produced before the series ended in 1954.

Need a little escape from the four walls of your today? Learn more about the series here, download all 228 episodes here.

 ‘The First 40 Miles’

Before you get excited and ask, “The First 40 Miles is back?” it’s not. But thankfully it lives on, and that’s great news if you’re new to backpacking and eager to pick up a few tips. After 214 episodes — more than four years’ worth — Heather and Josh Legler discontinued their popular podcast aimed at beginning backpackers more than two years ago. It lives on in the ether, though, and you can catch every episode here.

A virtual visit

You can’t hike your favorite mountain trail in person, but you can virtually. Odds are there’s at least one YouTube video of your favorite trail. Call up YouTube, search for your favorite trail and enjoy a variety of perspectives in various seasons. A good way to visit without being there. 

TA Outdoors

Every once in a while we stumble upon a new outdoor channel and think we’ve made a grand discovery. Then we see that said channel has 2.4 million subscribers. OK, so maybe we weren’t the first. Such is the case with Mike Pullen’s TA Outdoors, a channel that’s about “Bushcraft, Survival, Building, Wild Camping, Wilderness Camping Trips, Solo Bushcraft Trips, Woodworking, Ancient Historical Building” and more. Even if you aren’t into this degree of roughing it, TA Outdoors is educational and, more important, fun to watch. He’s got everything from “10 Bushcraft Axe Skills in 10 minutes,” to lengthier videos on building a Viking House or a thatch roof house. And with 545 videos, you can binge to your heart’s content. Check out the channel here. 

Gear

Shug: ‘How Hammocks Changed My Life’

There’s a lot of hyperbole on YouTube, especially with outdoor videos where there’s competition aplenty to see who can out-outdoors whom. Not with Shug, aka Shugemery, aka Sean Emery. Shug grew up in Charlotte, resides now in Minnesota and has been a performer all his life (including a stint with Ringling Brothers). He’s also an avid explorer, so when Shug says hammocks changed his life, you can bet it’s a statement worthy of pursuing. Shug tried his first hammock in 2006 and has been committed ever since. Spend a moment with this video and find out why. It’s an especially good watch if you’ve contemplated giving hammocks a try yourself. Check it out here.

Microfiber towel

This time of year especially, you get wet on the trail. Let’s say you’re hiking a trail with multiple stream crossings and you don’t want to get your shoes wet, so you take them off and cross. Feels good, but you emerge with wet feet. Or you’re slogging up a steep hill, gaining 1,000 vertical feet in less than a mile: early on you develop a case of slog sweat that will blind you if it gets in your eyes. Thank heavens for the pack towel, that quick-drying swath of microfiber that dries those feet, wipes dry that brow and then dries uber fast dangling from your pack awaiting the next round. (They’re also great for helping you cool down: dip it in a nearby stream, wrap it around your neck, instant relief.) Cascade Designs makes an especially handy face towel (10” x 14”) that’s compact and efficient. Check it out here.

Black Diamond Talus gaiter

Constantly getting rocks and duff in your hiking shoe? Annoying on a short hike, blister causing on a longer venture. Nip those irritants in the bud with a pair of gaiters that slip over your shoe laces and neck of your shoe/boot, making it darn near impossible for stuff to get in. We like the Black Diamond Talus because it’s simple and does the job. Maybe it’s not waterproof, maybe it’s not the most stylish gaiter on the market. But it’s relatively inexpensive ($40 for a pair) and you can get them on and off quickly, a big plus in our book. Check ‘em out here. 

VELCRO straps

It drives you nuts, loose gear jiggling around inside and outside your pack. A charging cord that explodes like a snake-in-a-can when freed from its ziplock, water sandals clanging around on the back of your pack, your quick-access water bottle dangling from your shoulder strap. Well, explode/clang/dangle no more, not when VELCRO straps can help contain the chaos. This pack of 12 straps includes 4 each of 8”, 12” and 18” lengths, perfect for your containment needs. Check ‘em out here.

TOGR: The pop-up tent

One of the things I like most about The Outdoor Gear Review is that the channel isn’t entirely about gear; it’s also about the experience, and how the gear can enhance the experience. And that experience isn’t always the same experience: sometimes it’s backpacking, sometimes it’s car camping, sometimes it’s overlanding. And sometimes it’s simply about getting out for the day and finding a nice spot to hunker down and kick back. That’s the case with the oddly misnamed “Camping in a Weird MASSIVE Korean Pop-up tent.” Oddly misnamed because the tent in question, the Idoogen Instant Camping Tent, is not, as host Luke acknowledges, “MASSIVE.” But that’s beside the point.

The point: While it may be massive, it is indeed a pop-up tent — simply take it out of the storage sack, toss it down and pops up on its own to become a tent. With a little effort on your part, you can erect the massive — this time the description applies — awning. Find a nice spot in the woods (not far from the car; it weighs 10.34 pounds), set it up in minutes, get out your camp chair and relax. Hang out under the awning and read, crawl into the tent and take a nap. When it’s time to leave, the tent packs up in a jiffy. You can stay the night, Luke says, but it’s claim to being waterproof is suspect; he promises to test that claim in an upcoming episode.

Still, for about $90, it’s a good deal if you just take it out for a day trip.

Check out the review here. 

Roll those ticks away

Water? Check. Map? Check. Lint roller? Ch—

Lint Roller?

Worried about ticks? Then there’s one piece of gear you should start keeping in your pack: a lint roller. Yup, that wand with sticky tape on the end that you use to pluck everything from crumbs to cat hair from your clothes. Turns out a lint brush is pret

ty good at snatching ticks from clothing as well. Reach the end of the trail, pull the brush out of your pack and give yourself a good once over (especially your pant legs and socks) and look for little legs atwitch from a small orb. Caution: doesn’t work quite as well on bare skin, especially hairy bare skin.

Quilts vs. sleeping bags

Are you a backpacker who’s used a sleeping bag since your first overnight, but have wondered about all the fuss over quilts? Today, we offer the takes of four of our favorite backpacking vloggers on the topic of quilts vs. sleeping bags. Spoiler alert: they all favor quilts. Click and learn:

• Homemade Wanderlust
• Darwin on the Trail
• The Outdoor Gear Review
• Shug

5 Ultralight (and in some cases cheap) gear lists

We love getting other hikers’ takes on gear, especially hikers who spend a lot of time on the trail. Today, we share five YouTubers who share their thoughts on lightweight — and in some cases, not-so-expensive — gear. We culled these five from a random collection of gear videos. Some didn’t make the cut because they weren’t as informative as they could have been (omitting details on cost and weight, for instance), some because we questioned their take on gear we were familiar with. The ones that follow we found to be quite insightful and helpful.

• “Low Budget (but high-quality!) Ultralight Gear,” GearTest Outdoors. 21 minutes, 46 seconds
• “GEAR I should have gotten as a BEGINNER backpacker,” Jeremiah Stringer Hikes, 21:02
• “My 2021 Thru-Hike Gear List – Benton MacKaye Trail,” Darwin onthetrail, 10:48
• “8.7 Pound Ultralight Backpacking Kit – Colorado Trail FKT,” Juice Hikes, 22:28
• “Ultralight Backpacking Gear List (9 lbs / 4kg),” Outdoor Adventures, 25:38

Media Ginger Runner on trail shoes

The Ginger Runner is all about trail running. And while what we hikers do may not be running (“anti-running,” perhaps), we do have one key thing in common with trail runners: we both need good shoes. You may have noticed that an increasing number of fellow hikers are in trail running shoes. For good reason: they’re lightweight, they generally have good grip, they’re built to minimize rubbing (and thus, blisters) and they’re generally pretty comfortable. Ah, but what to look for in a trail running shoe?

This is where The Ginger Runner excels. Host Ethan Newberry, in his 10- to 11-minute reviews gives you the information you need to know if a given shoe is a good fit (sorry). He gives lots of specs, and for those of us who scratch our head over specs, he explains how those specs translate into a positive trail experience. Best of all, through an arrangement with www.runningwarehouse.com, he’s able to review a wide array of shoes — and there are a whole lot out there. He’s also got several reviews of shoes that seem ideally suited for hiking — shoes with a bit more cushion that, I’ve personally found, take the foot pain out of a long day on the trail.

Dixie on hiking socks

Dixie of Homemade Wanderlust fame is a straight-shooter. Thus, we’ve chosen her take as the one to consider when embarking on a quest for good hiking socks. Her 16 minutes and 31 seconds on the topic is well worth the time. Check it out here.

Food: ‘The Hungry Hiker’

Dinnertime on the trail can present a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, you’re really hungry. On the other, you’re really tired and not keen on preparing a complex meal. There is the option of a dehydrated meal — provided you don’t mind spending around $10 per meal. Certainly there must be a good alternative? There is, and The Hungry Hiker shares it in her 11 minute and 46 second video, in which she puts together, quickly, 10 dinner options with common, inexpensive ingredients found at most grocery stores. Some are possibly things you’ve tried: instant mashed potatoes, or dehydrated rice or pasta. But it’s what she adds to them that will have you busy planning your next backpack trip just so you can have a trail dinner. THH also does breakfast, and any number of other meals. Find her oeuvre here, her dinner video here.

Darwin on ‘… Way Too Many Clothes’

Darwin onthetrail’s latest video, “You’re Backpacking with WAY Too Many Clothes” is geared toward backpackers but applies to day hikers as well. Basically, it’s his recipe for proper layering, a good lesson anytime but especially in fall and going into winter when layering is especially important (see Tip, above). His overriding message: you don’t need a lot of clothes, you just need the right clothes. And by “right” that mostly means clothes made of Merino wool. Yeah, it’s a little more expensive, but in the long run, if you need fewer clothes, it’s not that much more expensive. His advice comes based on 10 years and more than 14,000 miles of distance hiking. Check it out here. 

BattlBox: 3 items

If you could only have three things with you in the woods, what would they be? That’s the question put to three top wilderness survival experts in “The Only 3 EDC Items You Should Carry ALL THE TIME,” from BattlBox, a YouTube channel that focuses on surviving on your wits — and a few key pieces of equipment — in the woods. BattlBox host CURRIN1776 @FueltheFires JJ Morris and @ONThree host Jason Salyer share their top three items. Some of the items may surprise you; the reasoning behind them will not. Check it out here.

Nature

Outside/In: ‘Who Owns the Sky?’

There are things you think about on the trail — What makes the trees bloom? Am I on the right trail? Where’d I stash my snacks? — and things you don’t, such as, Who owns the sky? Who owns the sky? You likely don’t even know where to begin on this one. Certainly not with the medieval Roman notion of, “Whoever owns the the soil, it is theirs up to Heaven and down to Hell.” That’s where this podcast begins, and gets even more interesting from there. Give a listen here.

‘The Daily Respite’

Imagine waking every morning to find a daily slice of nature waiting in your inbox. Now imagine “The Daily Respite,” from Clara Parks. Parks is the author of books fiber (“Vanishing Fleece,” “Book of Yarn”). When the pandemic hit, she launched “The Daily Respite,” where she began searching for a “daily touchpoint.” “Failing to find just the right balance of soul, brevity, and humor, I decided to do it myself,” which would be “The Daily Respite,” quick, nature-based insights, mostly from her Maine farmhouse, that she’ll email you for free. (You can Respite more for a fee.) Check it out and sign up here.

‘How We Survive’

Every once in a while a podcast will take the week off and run an episode of a podcast that it likes and is aligned with its mission. Such was the case this week when the Outside podcast aired the first segment of a season-long segment on climate change by the “How We Survive” podcast. I hadn’t heard of “How We Survive,” but my attention was immediately grabbed when Outside host Peter Frick-Wright introduced it as being by the folks who produce “Marketplace,” “which may be the best show on radio. Having gotten my professional start in life as a business reporter, I’ve listened to Marketplace since the beginning, and whole-heartedly agree that it’s the best show on radio, giving an understandable spin to often complex economic issues of the day. 

I didn’t realize that the Marketplace people have other podcasts, including “How We Survive,” now in its sixth season. I was eager to listen to episode 1, and was not disappointed. The podcast covers climate change with a truly Marketplacian approach: clearly and understandably. This particular episode is about climate change and the military, both the military’s impact on climate change and climate change’s impact on the military. No spoilers here; give it a listen — it’s well worth it. Check it out here.

Skills

How to waterproof a map

There are worse things than a soggy map, or WMS (Wet Map Syndrome), as Mike with Outdoor Chronicles calls it. But a soggy map is pretty bad, especially if you’re relying on said map to get you somewhere vital in the field — like back to the trailhead. Thus, it’s always good to have a waterproof map, and in this 11-minute video Mike shows you how to make that happen. His three suggestions:

1. Buy a map that’s already waterproof (in our experience they’re more water resistant than proof). Mike notes that if you like to custom-design your own maps with a service such as CalTopo, there are online waterproofing options available, pricey online options ($10 to $15 per map).
2. Stick your paper map in a ziplock bag. A little more helpful.
3. Laminate your own map. This is the suggestion we were hoping for, and the one Mike spends most of his time on. His method is cheap; you probably already have the basic tools — an X-Acto-type knife and a ruler or straight-edge — meaning your only investment is a role of clear contact paper: you can get a 36-foot roll of 12-inch paper for about $6.

Soggy maps no more, thanks to Mike with Outdoor Chronicles. Watch his video here.

‘Homemade Wanderlust’ on hitchhiking

Dixie has hiked the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, and has piled up a bunch of experience along the way, experience she’s happy to share on her Homemade Wanderlust YouTube Channel. A 2019 post — “My Sketchiest Hitchhiking Story” — includes tips for hitchhiking while backpacking. It’s a curious combination: after hearing her describe the peculiar fellow who gave her and a backpacking friend a lift in Arizona, you won’t exactly be motivated to stick out your thumb. But if you are, stick around for her tips (in fact, you can bypass the sketchy guy segment by punching a button that lets you skip ahead). The tips will be helpful to any hiker keen to bum a ride; some good tips in the Comments section as well. Check it out here.

Outside: An update on pooping

It’s funny: though we’ve been ridding our bodies of waste since Day 1, the rules for the disposal thereof in the wild keep changing. This week’s Outside Podcast episode is an informative and engaging update on the current rules for ditching doody in the wild. (It also spends a fair amount of time on the topic of dog poop, a topic we discuss in “Tips,” above.) In addition to updating us on the currently recommended procedures, there’s an entertaining history on the topic, especially pertaining to how the matter has been addressed on Grand Canyon raft trips. One caveat: The piece takes the typical western-centric approach to waste disposal — that is, how it’s best dealt with in an arid, rocky, exposed environment (as opposed to here in the wet, fertile, East). One more reason to listen: the piece is narrated by Paddy O’Connell, our favorite podcaster on topics outdoors. Check out “A Bold New Way to Poop in the Woods” here.

Drenalin Adventures: Bushcraft camping

Here’s something to think about: a winter tent with indoor heating. A lot of heating, via a woodstove. Obviously, this isn’t a nomadic backpacking option. Rather, it’s a basecamp option that includes curling up with a good book next to a wood stove fire — in your tent. Sounds like the best of both worlds, no? There are a lot of variations on this theme in the YouTube Uverse, one we especially like is “Solo Bushcraft Winter Camp: Cooking Over a Fire in Wet, Heavy Snow, Canvas Camp for Shelter,” from Drenalin Adventures. Host Scott talks just enough to explain what he’s doing — which is building his basecamp in a steady snow in the Canadian woods — but not too much to distract from the genius of his set-up and the beauty of the woods. You may never set up a canvas tent basecamp with a wood stove in a snowstorm,  which makes it all the more fun to watch someone who has. Watch the video here.

Big Foot on the Neel Gap Shakedown

Bigfoot launched his YouTube channel in 2016 to vlog his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. He’s continued the channel to report on subsequent long hikes — including his 2017 thru-hike of the John Muir Trail and his unsupported FKT (Fastest Known Time) attempt on the Superior Hiking Trail — but also to provide advice to potential thru-hikers. His most recent video is on the shakedown offered by outfitter Mountain Crossings at Neel Gap, 32 miles into the Appalachian Trail (from the south, at Springer Mountain, Ga.). His focus in this video is on the the most unnecessary pieces of gear they find on backpackers. The report is surprising on two fronts: the stuff people think they need and they do need, but forget. One key takeaway: on a typical shakedown, Mountain Crossings helps a hiker shed 6 to 10 pounds from their pack. Watch the 17 minute and 35 second video here.

Too lifeless to hike? Read!

Sometimes when you’re out of energy, you’re out of energy for a reason and not even a hike will help — or is a good idea. I’m thinking of the time I had mono when about all I could do was lift a book. Fortunately, I had the strength to at least do that. When the time comes for a full physical recharge, I turn to the Outside Canon, issued by the magazine in 2004. Herein you’ll find some of the best adventure tales ever told, including books focused on place (Isak Dinesen’s ‘Out of Africa”), on journeys you’d like to take (“The Great Railway Bazaar” and other adventures by Paul Theroux), on journeys you’re glad someone else took and lived to write about (Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s “The Worst Journey in the World,” a first-hand account of Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated Antarctica expedition in 1910-1913). A sea of adventures you can’t wait to settle in with, especially when you personally aren’t up for exploring yourself. Find the Outside Canon here.

Health & Safety

‘Patient Zero’ podcast on Lyme Disease

If you spend much time outdoors, and we suspect you do, you’re no doubt interested in ticks and the havoc the little  blood-suckers can cause. Lyme Disease, for instance. Is it true, you may wonder, that you can’t get infected if you get the bugger off you within 24 hours? (Not necessarily.) The name of the podcast, “patient zero” — isn’t that the term given the first person known to contract a given disease? (No. That person is actually referred to as the “index case.”) And the iconic red bullseye — isn’t that a true sign you’ve got Lyme Disease? (Again, no. You can get Lyme without getting the bullseye.) “Patient Zero” comes from New Hampshire Public Radio, which also gives us the wonderful “Outside/In” podcast. In fact, “Patient Zero” is hosted by Taylor Quimby, a senior producer for “Outside/In” (and senior producer of the also quite good serialized crime podcast, “Bear Brook”). “Patient Zero” is a fascinating look at a disease that went misdiagnosed for years, and a disease that’s not fully understood now. Four episodes are out so far; check ‘em out here.

‘The Call of the Void’

You probably recognize the iconic Virginia location on the right: McAfee Knob. And if you’ve hiked there, you’ve likely had your picture taken at knob’s edge. Like this group.

So why’s the guy on the end sitting down?

He’s trying to resist “The Call of the Void,” a k a “high place phenomenon.” According to psychologist Jennifer Hammes writing in “The Journal of Affective Disorders,” HPL is “An urge to jump [that] affirms the urge to live..” Messed up survival wiring, in short. And about a third of us suffer from it.

That urge is the focus of the latest podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio’s Outside/In podcast, and it’s a good one. If you’ve ever had this urge, you’ll find it especially interesting — and a bit of a relief because no, we are not crazy. 

Check out the podcast here.

Out Alive on survival myths

The Out Alive podcast from Backpacker via Outside tells a story of survival every other week. This bi-week, they divert to discuss three common myths of survival. You may well know these as myths, but especially in these times of free-for-all social media, it’s good to be reminded of what’s real and what’s not. In this episode, Jessica Krebs, founder of O.W.L.S Skills, a Colorado-based survival skills program for women, addresses three common myths: sucking the venom from a snakebite, building a survival fire, and drinking your pee. It’s a quick — about 10 minutes — listen and valuable information. Give a listen here.

Another benefit of trails

You know trails are a godsend; it’s not like you need additional proof to convince you of their worth. Here’s some anyway: according to American Trails, “Trails connect suburban and rural communities to wild places, and they can play an important role in landscape resilience, as wildfire becomes more frequent in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) where homes are increasingly being built.” So trails can help prevent wildfires? Or at least help mitigate their impact? Apparently.

“A trail system can be part of a wildfire management strategy and may serve as emergency egress routes before or during a fire,” according to the non-profit trails advocacy group. Further, “After the fire, trails in burnt-over landscapes may help visitors learn about fire recovery, and the impact of wildfire on watershed health.”

Read more about the role of trails and resiliency here.

Lifestyle

Media ‘Outside’ on invitations

If you subscribe to the parallel universe theory, you’ve know doubt wondered about those roads not taken. About the time you declined an invitation to summit Mount Mitchell in January, in the snow. Or the time you passed on a chance at a week on the AT. Or that day you stubbornly sat in the office and stewed as your friends played hooky and spent a glorious fall day in the St. Mary’s Wilderness. Invitations proffered, invitations passed. But what about those invitations that are embraced? That’s the topic of the latest podcast from Outside. In this episode, it’s all about the invitations that were accepted, and how an opportunity seized changed lives. Give a listen here.

 ‘Something Wild’

I always feel better going to bed knowing something I didn’t know when I got up. I’ve been going to bed happier since discovering the Something Wild podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio. Once a week, Something Wild delivers a quick — 4 to 5 minutes — bit of information about the natural world that not only makes me sleep better, but gives me something to think about until then. The latest installment, for instance, is about birdsong, and why the avian rhapsodies of fall make us wistful for spring. Check out Something Wild here.

‘Backcountry creativity,’ on BPL podcast

You like the idea of somehow chronicling your adventures, but how? Keeping a journal — written, drawn, or both — is especially appealing, but you’ve got so many questions before getting started. What kind of journal should I use, waterproof or regular? And lined on blank pages? Or a grid? In this week’s Backpacking Light Podcast, hosts Ryan and Andrew share their experiences of writing, drawing and painting on the trail. Just the boost you need to get you creatively into the fall backcountry season. Give a listen here.

The Outdoor Gear Review: ‘A Quiet Place Adventures’

On some level, you’re aware of the sounds of the woods: a twig snapping, that last frog of the season croaking in the distance, a breeze rustling the leaves far above. You likely hear them, but you don’t take the time to appreciate them. That’s the beauty of “A Quiet Place Adventures,” a new channel from The Outdoor Gear Review. The segments run 15 to 20 minutes, and in many ways resemble TOGR’s other productions. The one difference? Host Luke says nary a word. You hear him chopping wood, feeding a campfire, boiling water for coffee. But you never hear him speak. It’s a good opportunity to enjoy a meaningful, but often neglected, element of the outdoor experience. Check it out here.

BPL podcast on mental health

We hear a lot about the mental health benefits of being outdoors: that it reduces stress, can improve your mood, it’s relaxing, detached from electronics it can give your brain a chance to renew. On some level we know this to be the case: spend an afternoon on the trail and who doesn’t feel better? But how really tuned in to how we individually benefit mentally from being outside? In Episode 34 of the Backpacking Light Podcast, hosts Andrew and Ryan discuss how being outside personally affects them.

It’s insightful because it shows that the impact of being outdoors varies from person to person. For instance, Ryan discusses how following the standard advice of being active for 30 minutes a day just doesn’t cut it for him. Rather, fewer, longer stretches of being on the trail have a more significant, long-lasting impact. I can relate; while getting out and stretching the legs for a few minutes in the morning and again in the afternoon is helpful, it’s those longer stretches — a couple hours or more — that really clear out the cobwebs and open the doors for a couple days of clearer creative thinking.

Outside Podcast: ‘A Pro Climber’s Coming Out Story’

This summer, the Outside Podcast is celebrating one of the main things we missed in 2020: connecting with people. Specifically, the podcast is looking at how outdoor experiences enhance (for the most part) our relationships. Think about it: on a group hike, you can go from strangers to intimates in a couple of hours. A weekend backpack trip? Forget about it.

The first episode in the Outside series is about professional climber Jordan Cannon’s publicly coming out. But that’s only part of the story; Cannon’s coming out is heavily intertwined with the relationship forged with a new climbing partner, Mark Hudon. Some of Cannon’s fellow climbers thought it odd that their 24-year-old friend would team with 62-year-old Hudon. How’s that going to help you? they wanted to know. In a variety of ways, it turned out, including having the supportive father figure he didn’t have growing up. A good story; we look forward to hearing more in the series. Give a listen here.

 ‘Sea Hunt’

One night recently when I had the house to myself, I was noodling around on YouTube when I came upon “Sea Hunt,” and not just one episode — all four seasons (155 episodes). Back in the 50s and 60s, there were three networks and thus, three choices for what the family could watch at any given time; my family watched “Sea Hunt,” the story of ex-Navy frogman Mike Nelson (Lloyd Bridges, The Dude’s dad) who made a living as a freelance scuba diver. Underwater adventure was a new frontier at the time; scuba diving was little more than a decade old when the show began. Every time Mike went under water — whether he was rescuing a Navy pilot trapped in his plane or diffusing a nuclear bomb — it was an adventure. To an adventure-loving kindergartner whose world was confined to his backyard, it was the most anticipated half hour of the week. Even today, the black-and-white episodes free of special effects offer some of the best adventure escapism around. See for yourself, here.

‘Camping with Steve’

To those of you who aren’t into camping because of the sacrifice and discomfort it demands, I point you to “Camping with Steve.” Steve is Steve Wallis of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and his approach to adventure is to embrace it while not necessarily escaping the conveniences of home. In the first video of his that I watched, “Cheap Hammock Storm Camping,” he not only camps in a storm with fresh-out-of-the-pack budget hammock gear, he also cooks a hamburger soup that, by the looks of it, could feed 20 (he’s solo on this trip). In a salute to comfy summer camping (“Air Conditioned Insulated Tent Camping”), he uses a portable air conditioner to cool an ice fishing shelter. He’s into stealth camping, as in “Abandoned Campground Stealth Camping,” and “Urban Stealth Camping Disguised As Businessman.” In short, Steve puts a spin on camping and adventure that you likely haven’t thought of. Steve offers a good way to revisit your view of camping going into the popular fall camping season. See more of his work here

Motivation for fall

In addition to this week’s more tolerable temperatures, for additional motivation to get up for fall I turned to my favorite outdoor YouTubers. Granted, it’s not fall on YouTube. But it has been, and there are plenty of archive videos to get you ready for the season. Since I was looking for a taste of fall in my backyard of North Carolina, I turned to Luke with The Outdoor Gear Review. Luke spends a fair amount of time exploring the Southern Appalachians near his home in northwestern North Carolina. Just the place I love to explore, especially in fall.

Especially in late fall, as it turns out. The video I selected, “Windy Mountain Fall Day Camp” from four years back, appears to have been shot in late November/early December: the trees at 3,000 feet, are stripped clean of leaves, it’s blustery, the sky has that pre-winter indifference. Luke, dressed in fleece, tells us it’s 42 degrees. He stops for coffee, lunch and a chat. The video is just 15 minutes, just long enough to further get you onboard for the season ahead.

‘The Prepared Wanderer’ on 2025

We check in with The Prepared Wanderer from time to time and we were glad we did last week when he dropped “My Channel SUCKS! ! Everything Changes in 2025 — Get Ready.” Basically, it’s a brief (14 minutes 20 seconds) apology by Wendell for his recent videos and a vow to do better. The apology is partially to his 75,000 subscribers, partially to himself for not being true to his mission. It’s a bit harsh; his recent videos haven’t been bad, but he’s mostly done reviews from his desk, at his home base in Ohio. His 2025 goal: to get into the wild more, to take more classes, to be more of a conduit for helpful information on exploring the backcountry. The video is a good example of being frank with who you are, and who you want to be. Check out the video here, learn more and subscribe here.

The post Media: What we like (and a thing or two we don’t) appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

So many questions hikers face.

Fortunately, there are lots of places where you can find answers.

In our four decades of hiking we’ve come to rely on certain sources for answers. Below, we list the ones we’ve found to be most helpful. Hopefully you’ll find them helpful as well.

GearLab

GearLab, until recently known as Outdoor GearLab, gets its own entry because it’s so darn helpful. Whenever we’re contemplating a new piece of advice, we first see what GearLab has to say. For each category of gear it reviews, GearLab tests dozens of products, then rates them in a variety of categories: Best Value, Best Men’s, Best Women’s, Best Overall — the same categories you use to make your decisions.

Fall hiking gear

Our cool(ish) weather-inspired pining for fall got us thinking about fall hiking gear. Not that we need anything — which is the ideal time to look because you’re not pressured into snap decisions. Rather, you can take a few minutes to make intelligent decisions, shop around a little. And the best place to do a little high-quality window shopping? Gearlab. For instance, its “The Best Hiking Pants for 2024” includes a range of options. Gearlab present 13 pants options, ranging from the $32.50 Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible (“Thin material not suitable for rugged terrain, no water resistance”), to the $200 Arc’teryx Gamma Pant (“These functional, high quality pants best serve those who hike in wet weather”). Or the “Best Base Layers for 2024,” which rates 19 options, some of which are surprisingly affordable. Take a moment to pick out your fall wardrobe here.

Best beanies

Because we know many outdoorsy types like to thoroughly research before buying, we point you toward GearLab’s reviews of the 5 Best Beanies for Men and Women. From a large field — 50 for women alone — they whittled down to less than 10 the number of beanies to field test for both men and women before coming up with their top 5, with rankings based on varying criteria. Note: some are viewed as not particularly good for athletic purposes, such as hiking. Check out the men’s Top 5 here, the women’s here.

Best solar charger

While we’re on the topic of portable chargers, why not check out solar chargers? Because of our tree cover in the Southeast, these tend to be not quite as effective — and thus, popular — as they are in the wide-open West, but they’re becoming more efficient, and if you can master when and how to best use them, they can keep you in power for days. GearLab recently completed its latest review (they’ve been reviewing them for 10 years); for this review they started with more than 100 chargers and winnowed them down to the 8 that underwent extensive field testing. Go here to find out how they ranked, including their top charger and their best buys.

10 Best Sandals of 2024

In today’s feature post we extol the virtues of summer hikes with lots of water. So it only makes sense that in this space we extol the virtues of the best resource we know for selecting gear: GearLab. GearLab reviewed 65 pairs of sandals to come up with their 10 Best Sandals of 2024. Not all the sandals are suitable for long hikes, which GearLab recognizes. Thus, they evaluate the sandals based on a variety of criteria — including Best Secure Adventure Sandal. Their recommendation? You’ll have to go here to find out. 06.05.24

Best Sun Protection Shirts of 2024

Here’s a question that frequently comes up on hikes, especially long hikes, especially in summer: How exposed is the trail? Hikers, I’ve noticed, are becoming increasingly concerned with sun protection, to the point they’ll consider a long-sleeve shirt on a 90-degree day if it offers good sun protection. So how do you know which of the multitudes of sun protection shirts offer both good sun protection and breathability (so it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing a long-sleeve shirt on a sunny summer’s day? You seek out GearLab’s “Best Sun Protection Shirts of 2024.” Over the past four years GearLab has tested 25 such shirts and rates 16 of them here.

10 Best Rain jackets

In this world of overnight delivery, you might still have time to order a rain jacket before Debbie departs completely. And not just any rain jacket, but the best, at least according to Outdoor Gear Reviews’ May review of the 10 Best Rain Jackets of 2024. And as they often do, the jackets are based by different criteria: Best Overall, Best Performance, Best Bang for your Buck, best men’s, best women’s. Over the past 14 years, GearLab has tested 205 jackets, and these are currently the 10 best. Check ‘em out here.

Best Base Layers for 2024

The key to happy and comfy winter hiking? No doubt it’s having a base layer you love. One that’s comfortable, that feels good next to your skin, that keeps you warm but gives you some degree of regulatory ability so you don’t get too warm. You also want one that will last and what the heck, one that looks good, because even though it’s a “base” layer, because of the Southeast’s more moderate winter temperatures, you’ll likely be wearing it as your exposed layer more often than not. With dozens of options to choose from, how do you make an informed decision? By starting with Gearlab’s “The Best Base Layers for 2024.” Gearlab whittled its test group down to 19 options and gives its assessment, including its recommendations for Top Pick, Best Buy and more. Check it out here.

Best gloves

Maybe you’re the type who likes to evaluate all the glove options. For you, we recommend checking out the GearLab evaluations of various glove options. If you can’t find it here, odds are they don’t make it — or it’s not worth buying. Begin your search here.

Gear (in general)

Pack Hacker on packing cubes

Intrigued by the notion of packing cubes for backpacking and hiking and want to learn more? Check out “Best Backpacking Cubes for Travel,” from Pack Hacker. They review a variety of options, rating them based on different purposes and needs. You might be surprised how many options there are. Check it out here.

Audubon’s ‘bins’ picks

“Bins” — birder slang for binoculars — are coveted for a variety of features. Weight, for starters. There’s also ease of focusing, clarity, ergonomics, color rendition, and balance, to name a few. Audubon’s “top-scoring binoculars for less than $150” takes all of these into account in their reviews of the five binoculars under $150 they tested (a couple of which list at just above $200, but are included anyway “because they are often on sale for less than $200.” And if you have no problem going well north of $200, you can check out reviews of bins in other price categories in the complete Audubon Guide to Binoculars. Find the budget binocular review here.

Gearjunkie on the Best Winter Traction Devices

And because winter traction devices, like so many things, are a matter of personal preference, may we suggest you check out the Gearjunike’s Best Winter Traction Devices of 2024-2025. Published about two months ago, it’s current and reflects testing over a three-year period. They give the pros and cons for each device, rate them in different categories, rate them under different conditions. If you plan on doing any high country hiking this winter, you best check out the review, here

Motivation

Hiking goals

Looking for a worthy hiking goal in 2024? The Carolina Mountain Club has 7, from the longstanding South Beyond 6000 (40 select southeastern peaks above 6,000 feet), to the Pisgah 400 (hiking all 400 miles of trail in the Pisgah Ranger District), to Lookout Tower Challenge (hike 24 fire towers). Find those goals and more at the CMC website, here. Those goals are North Carolina centric. In Virginia, check out Go Hike Virginia’s “15 Hardest Hikes in Virginia,” which includes some favorites of our GetHiking! Charlottesville crew. Check ‘em out here.

Ethics, getting involved

Leave No Trace

Most of us know the basic seven principles of Leave No Trace: 1. Plan Ahead and Prepare, 2. Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces, 3. Dispose of Waste Properly, 4. Leave What You Find, 5. Minimize Campfire Impacts, 6. Respect Wildlife, 7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors. But do you know what these seven principles entail? Be a better outdoorsy type in the year ahead by becoming more well-versed in the specifics of Leave No Trace by spending quality time at the Center for Outdoor Ethics’s Leave No Trace website.

Hiking etiquette

Don’t you wish there was a Miss Manners, of sorts, for questions of hiking etiquette? Well, there is, of sorts.

The American Hiking Society offers a quick rundown of key do’s and don’ts when hiking. For instance, did you know that hikers headed downhill should yield to hikers headed up hill? They should. Or that when you take a break, you should do so off the trail? (Would you just park in the middle of the road to stretch driving cross country? No, you would not.)

Spend a couple of minutes pursuing the AHS’s rules for hiker etiquette. It will make the trail an even more civil place to be.

Volunteering

Feel like getting involved in trail matters, you’re just not sure how? Check out this list of 200 U.S. hiking organizations affiliated with the American Hiking Society. It includes causes you may be familiar with (Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, Carolina Thread Trail) and ones you may not (Chinook Trail Association). Lots of regional options, in addition to the ones above. Find an organization and how learn you can get involved starting here.

When nature calls

A question that frequently comes up: Are there restrooms on this hike?

Answer: Sure. Pick a tree.

I will note that this question rarely comes from males. I should note, too, that my answer rarely elicits the hearty chuckle I expect.

For a more helpful answer on the topic, I defer to Backpacker magazine, which has far more experience on the topic. Read Backpacker’s answer here.

Hikes with visitors

We have entered the season of Hikes with Visitors, that time when friends and family arrive for the holidays and you are left wondering what to do with them. Take them for a hike, of course, but are they up for the type of hiking you do? Besides, isn’t the point of hiking to get away from it all? What you need is a hike where you are not the center of attention, where everyone is relying on you for direction — and directions. What you need is a ranger-led hike at a nearby state park. Say, the History Hike on Thanksgiving Day at James River State Park in Gladstone, VA, or the Thanksgiving Day Hike at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve in Southern Pines, NC.

Find events at Virginia State Parks here, North Carolina State Parks here.

Finding a hike

‘Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina’

So, how do you know if a trail is good for a dog? You get a copy of Karen Chavez’s “Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina.” Chavez, who was the Outdoors Editor at the Asheville Citizen-Times at the time she wrote the book, did a lot of hiking across the state to cull these pup-friendly hikes. She also includes information on trail etiquette for dog owners and their pets, tips on hiking with dogs and their special needs, dealing with wildlife encounters and more. Learn more and score a copy here.

State Park hikes

Looking for a hike with a little something extra this weekend? Check out the hikes offered at your local State Park. For instance, Saturday morning at 9 you can tag along with a ranger at Virginia’s Fairy Stone State Park for a two-hour hike to Little Mountain Falls. Or, in North Carolina, at Gorges State Park take a hike ranger-led hike to Raymond Fisher Pond.  Check out additional options by clicking the links below:

• Virginia State Parks
• North Carolina State Parks

National Forest Service websites

The start of spring is when many of us start to return to our National Forests to explore. In part that’s because a lot of us don’t get out as much in winter. In part, it’s because many of us have a drive a ways to reach a National Forest, and in winter we’re more included to hike closer to home. But a big reason we steer clear is because many of the roads we take to reach our favorite spots — and some of the places themselves — are closed for winter. Now, they’re starting to reopen. When? Well, you can find out speedy quick by going to the appropriate Forest Service website for your state and checking “Alerts & Notices.”

• Georgia
• North Carolina
• Virginia
• Tennessee
• South Carolina
• West Virginia

Where to check ahead

In our quest this week to get you to check ahead before heading out, we rerun this list of contact links for some of the larger land managers in the region:

• Blue Ridge Parkway
• N.C. Department of Transportation
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• North Carolina State Parks
• North Carolina National Forests (Croatan, Pisgah, Nantahala, Uwharrie)
• Virginia Department of Transportation
• Shenandoah National Park
• Virginia National Forests (George Washington and Jefferson)
• Virginia State Parks

American Hiking Society’s Hikes Near You

Looking for a fresh source of recommended hikes? Check out the American Hiking Society’s Hikes Near You database. You start with a map showing trails on a map. Pan back for a big overview, which gives you a general sense of the length of the trails. Then, drill down for specifics. Click on a trail for the quick skinny, then click again for specifics — you’ll be taken to REI’s crowd-sourced Hiking Project. Check it out here.

Sunrise, sunset tables

With the end of Daylight Saving Time, it’s increasingly important to see when the sun sets before heading out for a hike. What’s an easy way to find the local sunset? By going online, of course. Our favorite source: SunriseSunset.com, which not only covers all 50 states, but scores of communities in each state, giving you a pretty accurate account of when sunset occurs. Check it out here. 

Resources on resources

Resource American Trails Resource Library

Curious about how ebikes will impact multi-use trails? Maybe you have questions about how to become a better advocate for trails in your area? Or perhaps you’re interested in keeping up on current legislation involving trails? All questions that could require time-consuming sleuthing on the internet. Or that could be answered quickly with a visit to the American Trails website. American Trails is a nonprofit that “celebrates decades of working on behalf of all trail interests. Our website is one of the world’s most comprehensive online sources for planning, building, designing, funding, managing, enhancing, and supporting trails, greenways, and blueways.” It’s especially alluring if you’re a little geeky, but a solid resource even if you aren’t. Check it out here.

Andrew Skurka’s blog

When it comes to advice based on hands-on, in-the-field experience, it’s hard to beat Andrew Skurka, who has hiked more than 30,000 miles including a bevy of long, long hikes, such as the 6,875-mile Great Western Loop and the  7,775-mile Sea-to-Sea Route. (If you haven’t heard of some of these, it’s because he makes them up — meaning he pioneers them.) Skurka thought he wanted to be a Wall Street type when he enrolled at Duke in the late 1990s, quickly saw the error of his ways and has become one of the world’s preeminent distance hikers. Today, he continues to hike, but also teaches and shares his experience and offers advice on his blog, which you can find here.

YouTube + Google

Imagine having a friend with a photo album from trips to, seemingly, all the places you’d like to hike in the region. In fact, you do have such a friend — it’s your very own GetHiking! Meetup hiking group. Each week on our hikes, people take pictures and post them on their local site. Some post one or two, some post a whole lot. Not only do they showcase the various trails we hike, but they show how much fun we have on our hikes. Here are the appropriate links to two of our more active groups: Charlottesville and Charlotte. Check ‘em out. 04.04.2024

Safety & First Aid

American Hiking Society on safety and first aid

The best way to avoid needing a rescue? The best two ways, actually?

1. Be prepared before going into the wild.
2. Know what to do should a problem arise,

You’ll find quick information on both topics in the American Hiking Society’s Hiking 101 Resource page under the heading “Safety & First Aid.” Everything from preventing and dealing with blisters, to hydration to basic first aid is covered. Check it out here.

Mayo Clinic

The more you know, right? That applies to pretty much everything, and this weekend that’s especially true when it comes to knowing the effects of heat on your body. Our go-to medical source, the Mayo Clinic, is well-versed on the topic; learn most of what you need to know by starting here. And if you don’t have time to become an expert on the subject, check out this Mayo Minute on heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Nature

Look, up in the night sky!

Again, on a Tuesday Night Hike a while back, we were blessed by clear skies that were cold and crisp. We hit a clearing, flipped off our headlamps, looked up and — What is it we’re looking at? We were looking at all kinds of celestial bodies, yet we weren’t sure what we were looking at. That’s why before heading out on the next night hike I’ll be sure to check out space.com‘s Stargazing page for its day-by-day (night-by-night?) breakdown of what’s in the sky. Had I looked before Tuesday night’s hike, I would have learned, for instance, that Jupiter and Venus would be traveling together above the southeastern horizon. Find out what’s going on in the sky before your next night hike, here.

Picture those clouds

You read about clouds and their various meanings in science class and thought, “Wow those cloud descriptions were great, but I’m a visual learner so how will I identify each type of cloud when I see it in the sky?” Well you’re in luck, because this Instructables page has everything you need to know and more about how to keep up with the clouds! Not to mention it has plenty of helpful pictures!

USGS streamflow data

You’re doing a hike that has multiple stream crossings, and there’s been a fair amount of rain of late. How do you know if the stream is too high to cross? The U.S. Geological Survey monitors streamflow on thousands of waterways nationwide, with data livestreamed to its website. Making sense of the data can take a bit of work. For starters, not every river is monitored, so you may need to rely on a nearby waterway to get an idea. And what exactly the data means isn’t intuitive. For each reporting station, both the river’s height (Gage Height) and flow (Discharge, measured in cubic feet per second) are shown. You’ll need to click on the reporting station’s Station Number for historical information to put those numbers into perspective. You can find data here for North Carolina, here for Virginia.

Six simple weather checks

As we mentioned earlier, we are now into the summer hiking season. In addition to dealing with bugs (see “Tip”) we must also be more vigilant about the weather, especially those summer thunderstorms that can pop up out of nowhere. The folks at The Simple Hiker offer up six resources for checking the weather before a hike (and during, to some degree). Reduce your chances of getting caught unawares by Mother Nature by checking out The Simple Hiker’s “Six Different Ways to Check the Weather,” here.

Dealing with pests

Insect repellant comparison

Choosing the insect repellant that’s right for you can be a very personal decision: One explorer’s DEET is another’s … cow dung? Cow dung, bananas, gin and tonic’s — they’re all repellants of choice for various individuals. So what’s the repellant for you? Helping you make that decision is the goal of a “A Guide to Mosquito Repellents, From DEET to … Gin and Tonic?” in an enewsletter called Goats and Soda, from National Public Radio. The assessment is based on research done by New Mexico State University based on interviews with 5,000 repellent users. If you overthink every decision in your life, you’ll want to spend some quality time on this page. Check it out here.

Guided hikes, events

Great Trails State Events page

Remember back during Year of the Trail (last year) how easy it was to find a Year of the Trail event? You simply went to the Great Trails State Coalition website, clicked on the Events page, and — Voila! — you had access to events from the mountains to the coast. YOTT may have passed, but the Events page lives on. It’s still a great way to find out what great trail-related events are going on around the state. Take this weekend: On Saturday, there’s the 9th Annual Wheels on the Greenway in Greensboro, the Haw River Camp ’n’ Clean, and our very own Deep River paddle trip and hike (see main story). On Sunday, Outdoor Women and the Dan River Basin Association host a free beginner kayak safety class at HaRo (hip-speak for (Hanging Rock”) Lake at Hanging Rock State Park. Continue to discover events around the state at the Great Trails State Coalition Events page, here.

AHS on National Trails Day

We will talk more about National Trail Days, which is June 3, next week. But if you want to start planning your observance now, check out the American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day page. Learn what NTD is about, and more importantly, use it to find an NTD event near you. Check it out here

Camping

The Camping Canuck: ‘100 Camping Hacks’

Yes, more tips, these from The Camping Canuck.

Duct tape is but one wise trick in the hiker’s arsenal. To learn of others — from unlikely fire starters (Doritos) to other multi-use stars (baking soda, good for everything from treating minor burns to calming an upset stomach) — check out these “100 Camping Hacks That Will Blow Your Mind,” from The Camping Canuck. 07.25.24

The post Resources: Where to find the best hiking info appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

We’ve divided our tips into:

• Before the Hike. Tips on preparing and plannin
• During the Hike: Things you might find helpful on the trail
• Apres Hike: Little follow-ups to make your next hike (or the next day) even better
• Motivation! For when you don’t want to hike (but you know it will do you good)

And if you’d like to find our tips in one place, check out our “Let’s GetHiking! A Quick and Comprehensive Guide (2nd Edition).” This 110-page guidebook goes over all the essentials for becoming a confident hiker. The expanded Second Edition includes sections on next-level hiking, including hiking at night, hiking in the rain, and hiking in summer’s heat. Check it out here.

Enjoy!

Before the hike

Don’t hesitate

A simple tip for a perfect weather week: The temperatures are friendly, which they haven’t been in a while — take advantage! Don’t overthink it, don’t let chores get in the way. When the weather’s like this get out and hit the trail!

Be wary of guided hike descriptions

On a hike last weekend a new hiker mentioned she’d recently hiked with a new Meetup group. The hike was described as being about 10 miles, which turned out to be true. It also said that some of the hike was off-trail. I knew the hike in question and started to laugh. “Yeah,” she said, “it was all off-trail.” And not easy, follow-an-old-roadbed off-trail, but rather scramble-up-rock-face-and-squeeze-through-briars off-trail. Fortunately, the hiker had a good sense of humor and was in good shape. But it was not the hike she expected. 

How do you insure that a posted hike is what it says it is? Well, you can’t be absolutely certain, but you can do a little vetting. Some things to keep in mind:

• Do you recognize the hike leader(s)? It doesn’t take more than one outing to recognize whether a hike leader has a flair for understatement or hyperbole, or is a straight shooter. 
• Check the comments for previous hikes lead by this person. Most folks aren’t shy about commenting if they think a hike wasn’t as advertised.
• Watch for key phrases. “Off-trail” is one of them; as our new hiker discovered, off-trail covers a lot of ground. “Stream crossings” is another: are there a couple of low-water rock-hops or are they roll-up-the-pant-legs-mid-thigh-to-stay-dry crossings?
• When in doubt … reach out. Dubious? Send the hike leader a message for clarification or additional information. Every hike posted should include distance and difficulty; the latter should include a brief justification for the rating. A response, or lack thereof, to your message will also tell you whether the hike leader is truly interested in leading a hike, or simply doesn’t want to hike alone.

You’re putting a lot of trust in the person leading the hike. You have a right to know what you’re getting into.

Scouting for dry trail? Try old roadbeds

Even when it’s dry, it’s wet. That seems to be the story of this winter: the sky may be sunny and inviting, but the trail, thanks to persistent rains and continued cold temperatures, remains downright soggy. Even with a couple days of midweek sun and warm temperatures, trails throughout the region will likely remain saturated this weekend. 

Most trails, that is.

One exception: trails piggybacking on old roadbeds, especially old roadbeds not so long ago decommissioned. These trails were designed with durability and reliability in mind. Whether you needed to haul your farm goods to market or get your timber off the mountain, you couldn’t afford roads that quickly succumbed to rain. These roads may not have been designed with scenery in mind, but isn’t sacrificing an overlook here, a waterfall there worth it to finally emerge from a hike with dry feet?

How to find such a hike? Likely, you’ve been on these doublewide trails before; take a moment and you can likely conjure up one or two. Also: website trail descriptions may mention if the trail is on old roadbed; you can also call the ranger’s office and ask.

Shoulder season gear check

We’re entering one of those times of year when one weekend we may be hiking in shorts, the next we’re bundled up like Nanook. That means you need to be extra diligent when packing for a hike. This is especially true if the temperature was in the 60s for your last hike and your upcoming hike will be in the 30s. Odds are good you jettisoned extra layers, gloves, hat and other cold-weather-specific gear for that 60-degree outing. You might have even downsized your pack. You’ll want to make darn sure you’re prepared for the cold when you head back out into freezing temps. Keeping a checklist near your gear box helps, as does simply taking an extra five minutes before heading out to think through the conditions (How cold will it be? Will it be wet? What about my head and hands? etc.), then make sure you have the appropriate gear.

Keep a day-pack box

Do have different day packs for different occasions? A light-weight pack for short hikes, say, or hikes in the summer? A heftier pack for winter? A fanny pack for those days when you’re feeling fast? The question is especially relevant now that Daylight Saving Time opens the option for quick getaway evening hikes, requiring minimal gear, in addition to your longer weekend hikes, which require more water, food, a change of clothes, etc.

Rather than keep all your packs fully stocked, Have a dedicated box where you keep your daypack essentials. When you head out on a hike, grab your bag de jour and load it with what you need. It’s an extra step, but it won’t take long. And it will greatly minimize the odds of discovering, at an inopportune time, that you’re missing a vital piece of equipment.

Check the forecast

We’ve hit that time of year when you can head out on an afternoon hike in 70-degree shorts weather and finish with the temperature dipping into the 50s. Add to that an earlier-and-earlier setting sun and you could develop quite a chill by hike’s end (especially if you worked up a little sweat during those warmer hours). Conversely, if you’re a morning hiker you could start in the 40s and, if you haven’t layered appropriately, wind up overheated by hike’s end. Checking the forecast just takes a minute; invest the time before heading out.

Beware the holiday hiker

You’ll need to start picking your hikes more wisely now that we’re entering the holiday season. As we note below (see “Resources”), trail traffic is bound to pick up, especially this weekend and the period between Christmas and the end of the year. These will generally be occasional hikers, hikers looking for shorter trails, for trailheads with addresses, trailheads with facilities, especially Visitor Centers and, heaven forbid, a gift shop. Avoid any of those and you’ll likely have the trail to yourself. 

What’s in my day pack?

Little knives

In the past week I’ve found two small knives; one, a mini Swiss Army knife, the other a tiny True single blade. The discoveries made me think about all the times I’ve been without a knife on the trail and could have used one, even a teensy one. The problem: two many packs, not enough knives. Because I’m not organized enough to relocate gear from pack to pack before heading out on a hike, I need to keep each pack fully stocked. And that includes these little godsend knives. Little knives: keep ‘em handy.

Skurka on navigation tools

This is from the Facebook page of Andrew Skurka, one of the premier adventurers and guides of today. Follow him here.

An expert navigator hikes with three things:

1. A toolkit, pictured, which includes three types of maps (large-scale, small-scale, and digital), a magnetic compass, timepiece, altimeter, GPS, and a pen. These items can be purchased or downloaded, and should be considered a starting point.
2. Skills and knowledge, to use these tools effectively and efficiently. This can be gained by reading, watching, and practicing in clinical settings.
3. Experience, so that past learnings and observations can be extrapolated to new circumstances and settings. For example, knowing the tool(s) that work best in a particular location, finding an elk trail through thick brush, determining if a pass will “go” based on the contour lines, or approximating the size of a creek that must be forded. This is really what separates intermediate navigators from experts, and it requires time in the field and attentiveness.

Crowd alert

As we head into the busy fall hiking season, remember that you aren’t the only one who loves hiking this time of year. Everyone loves being outdoors when the temperature is 70 degrees, the humidity is 20 percent and there’s nary a cloud in the sky. Thus, we reiterate our advice on how to avoid crowds:

• Before heading out, check the venue’s website/social media to see if they have any advisories on crowds (e.g., you may have to wait a spell to find a parking space).
• Certain trailheads attract the casual hiker, including those with:
  • Paved parking
  • Restrooms
  • Visitor center
  • An address you can plug into a GPS device

You may not avoid crowds entirely, but you won’t be hiking elbow to elbow. 

Check ahead

Hurricanes/tropical storms/depressions that hang out in your region for several days dropping buckets of rain have a tendency to make trails wet. Close them, even. Even the mere thought of a big “weather event” can close trails. As of Tuesday, before a drop of Debbie had hit, seven North Carolina State Parks announced they would close starting Wednesday and lasting at least through Friday. Too much rain isn’t good for trails, and as a result, they can be closed. Th point: this weekend, before heading out, check ahead to make sure the trail you hope to hike is open.

Pack an antihistamine

We’re into the spring pollen season, which can be miserable for lots of outdoors folks: stuffy nose, runny eyes, clogged head. Some of you are no doubt aware of your allergies. But allergies can come on without warning, leaving the unsuspecting stumbling down the trail in a sea of … congestion. Buy a small bubble pack of pills, add ‘em to your first aid kit and you’ll be prepared.

Follow directions to the trailhead!

You’ve signed up for a group hike, the hike leader posts the trailhead location; these days, that more than likely includes an address. An actual street address, which is a good thing because it can lead you directly to the trailhead, which is where, again, the hike starts. So why, then, do so many people get in their car, disregard the hike leader’s instructions, and instead plug in the name of the trail or park? The problem? Trails often have several trailheads, parks even more. As a hike leader, there’s nothing like having the group assembled and ready to go, and getting a call from a late hiker who says, “I’m here but no one else is.” Argh!

Use the address you’re given, period.

Pack a phone battery power bank

If you’ve ever read an advisory on something you buy and think “This is ridiculous! Who would do such a thing?” your next thought was likely, “Of course, there must be a reason they put it here.” That’s the set-up for today’s tip: Buy a power bank for charging your phone at the campsite, rather than plugging it into your car and letting it charge for a half hour — while the car is running. This weekend on a camping trip, I walked by a car with the motor running. Didn’t think much about it, just assumed someone had either just arrived or was getting ready to leave (tinted windows, it was hard to tell). About 20 minutes later I walked by and the car was still running. I walked down to where the campers were lounging about: “Hey, someone left their car running.” Instead of someone jumping to their feet and dashing to turn if off while exclaiming, “Golly, I can’t believe I did that,” the response was, “That’s mine. I’m charging my phone.” At $4.89 a gallon, there are cheaper ways. Namely, a portable power bank.

Wear a Buff

Twice a year we endorse the Buff, that stretch tube of microfibre fabric that can be worn a dozen ways — as ear muffs, as cowl, as hat, as balaclava, as blindfold for a nice nap on a sunny day. Most of those are winter adaptations. Come summer, the Buff makes a dandy lightweight headband to help you keep the sweat out of your eyes. When you enter a meadow or other clearing, pull it over the top of your head to protect your head from sunlight. And when you hit a cool creek? Dip it in the water and give yourself — your face and neck in particular, a cooling bath. Encounter a sandstorm? You get the picture. Check it out here.

Clear, cool, water

Especially this time of year, no matter how short the hike, you need to remember to take water and drink. Unfortunately, in warm weather when you need to drink the most you may feel like doing it the least as you take a slug of tepid water better suited for brewing tea than quenching thirst. To keep hydration refreshing, try filling your water bottle three-quarters full the night before a hike and stick it in the freezer. The next morning, top off this block of ice with water. If you’re using a bladder, fill it with ice cubes the morning of a hike, then top off with cold water. Either way, you should have cool, tasty water for a good two hours.

Follow the forecast (but don’t freak over it)

Last Saturday, the forecast for this weekend’s GetBackpacking! trip to Standing Indian indicated rain on Friday and Saturday; come Monday it was down to just Friday. Tuesday, showers Friday morning only. Wednesday, no rain. I learned a while back not to pull the plug on a trip too soon. A week out, you’re looking at a guess. Five days out, a slightly more educated guess. Two days out: OK, maybe I’ll plan my wardrobe and gear accordingly. Even the morning of, sure, check the forecast, but pay more attention to the radar. Above all, keep an eye on the sky the entire time you’re on the trail.

Take extra food

Backpack enough and you get a pretty good idea of exactly how much food you’ll need on a trip. Backpack enough and you’ll also realize there’s no sense in toting extra weight. Over the years, I’ve come to pride myself in ending a trip with only a crumb or two in my back. Our encounter over the weekend with the Virginia Creepers (see post above) made me realize the folly of this approach: You run into folks in need on the trail, of course you’re going to help them out. Plus, there’s always the possibility that weather or other circumstances could extend your trip an extra day — or longer. From now on, I’m packing extra food.

Be smart, be flexible

Have a plan, but don’t be afraid to change it. Maybe you’d been planning a long day on the trail for weeks, but that plan didn’t take into account a last-minute heatwave. You can still get out, just take a shorter hike. Cooler days lie ahead for that long day on the trail, a day you’ll enjoy so much more without suffering heat stroke.

Pack extra socks

It’s hot. You start to sweat. Your feet sweat. Your wool socks do a good job of wicking away the moisture — initially, at least. But even if they stay a little damp, they can be a blister liability. Avoid the wet-sock syndrome by packing an extra pair. You start to feel your feet slipping around, stop and swap out your socks. Use your compression straps to tie your damp socks to the outside of your daypack. They stand a better chance of drying there — and they won’t funkify your lunch and whatever else may be in your pack.

Drill down on that temperature

You look at the forecast, it says the high will be 55. Yay, you think, I might just get away with a light long sleeve for my hike. Trouble is, that high won’t hit until mid-afternoon, and your hike begins at 9 a.m., when it will be just above freezing. Big difference between 35 and 55: make sure you’re checking the forecast for when you’ll be hiking.

On the trail

On hot days, slow it down

There’s a segment of the hiking community that hikes at a brisk pace, even when the temperature is anything but brisk. The latter would describe summer hiking; the former would be wise to recognize as much. For when the going gets hot, the pace should start slowing. Recognize that the heat takes it out of you, recognize that even at two-thirds your normal pace you’re getting a good workout, recognize that bad things can happen when you overheat. Accept the realities of summer by dialing it back a bit. And, as the photo suggests, remember to take more frequent breaks.

Let those dogs breath on long hikes

For many of us, summer means long hikes on mountain trails, long hikes that are inclined to raise blisters. One way to keep that from happening is to take off your shoes and socks when you take a break. That lets your feet cool and gives your shoes and socks a chance to dry out. Heat and friction aided by moisture: to key elements of blister cultivation. Learn more tips for avoiding blisters on the trail from the Gearjunkie, here.

Scouting for dry trail? Try old roadbeds

Even when it’s dry, it’s wet. That seems to be the story of this winter: the sky may be sunny and inviting, but the trail, thanks to persistent rains and continued cold temperatures, remains downright soggy. Even with a couple days of midweek sun and warm temperatures, trails throughout the region will likely remain saturated this weekend. 

Most trails, that is.

One exception: trails piggybacking on old roadbeds, especially old roadbeds not so long ago decommissioned. These trails were designed with durability and reliability in mind. Whether you needed to haul your farm goods to market or get your timber off the mountain, you couldn’t afford roads that quickly succumbed to rain. These roads may not have been designed with scenery in mind, but isn’t sacrificing an overlook here, a waterfall there worth it to finally emerge from a hike with dry feet?

How to find such a hike? Likely, you’ve been on these doublewide trails before; take a moment and you can likely conjure up one or two. Also: website trail descriptions may mention if the trail is on old roadbed; you can also call the ranger’s office and ask.Scouting for dry trail? Try old roadbeds

Even when it’s dry, it’s wet. That seems to be the story of this winter: the sky may be sunny and inviting, but the trail, thanks to persistent rains and continued cold temperatures, remains downright soggy. Even with a couple days of midweek sun and warm temperatures, trails throughout the region will likely remain saturated this weekend.

Most trails, that is.

One exception: trails piggybacking on old roadbeds, especially old roadbeds not so long ago decommissioned. These trails were designed with durability and reliability in mind. Whether you needed to haul your farm goods to market or get your timber off the mountain, you couldn’t afford roads that quickly succumbed to rain. These roads may not have been designed with scenery in mind, but isn’t sacrificing an overlook here, a waterfall there worth it to finally emerge from a hike with dry feet?

How to find such a hike? Likely, you’ve been on these doublewide trails before; take a moment and you can likely conjure up one or two. Also: website trail descriptions may mention if the trail is on old roadbed; you can also call the ranger’s office and ask.

Bridge freezes before trail surface

A reminder based on our recent freezing rain and snow that while the trail may just be wet, perhaps a little slushy, from snow or freezing rain, the footbridges you cross may be surprisingly slick. The reason: cold air surrounds an exposed bridge surface, causing the cold to be felt from both above and below. Thus, always approach a footbridge with care, even though conditions on the trail seem safe.

You back there?

On a group hike, where the hikers are expected to hang together, you have one responsibility: the hiker directly behind you. If you suddenly notice there’s no one behind you, alert the head of the pack — or at least the person in front of you (the word, hopefully, will make it up the line). Stop and give the hiker(s) behind you a moment to catch up. If they don’t after a short period, head back down the trail to make sure there’s not a problem.

Wet trail shoes

Even if you hit a dry spell among our recent rains, don’t assume the trail you’re headed to will be dry. The cold that’s followed most recent rains has kept the earth from drying out; thus, a fair amount of that moisture remains. At the least, you might want to rethink those lightweight trail runners and stick with your heavy-duty hikers, at least for a bit longer.

Three points of contact

A lot of folks who use trekking poles don’t reap the full benefits of their sticks. Case in point: poles can be lifesavers for maintaining balance on uneven terrain or when rock-hopping a creek. The key to making your poles work in such conditions? Always maintain three points of contact. If one foot is up, make sure the other is on the ground, as are your poles. If one stick is up, the other stick and both feet should be down. A tripod is more stable than a bipod. Keep this in mind, especially when crossing a creek, especially when navigating rocky or eroded trail. 

Double blaze defined

You’re hiking along on a blazed trail, let’s say a trail blazed with a white dot. You follow these single white dots for a bit, then, suddenly you come upon a tree with two dots, one atop the other. Perplexed? This double marking indicates that the trail takes a turn. Now, ideally, the upper blaze will be offset to the left or right — this indicates the direction the trail heads: if it’s off to the left, the trail veers left, off to the right it veers right. This isn’t always the case: sometimes you’ll see the two blazes in a vertical line. In that case, check both right and left to see which way the trail veers. If the trail has been properly marked you should be able to see another blaze down the appropriate path.

A seasonal reminder to drink (water)

With temperatures flirting with the upper 70s, it’s time for our periodic nag about remembering to hydrate. Reasons to drink on the trail: getting dehydrated not only is dangerous to your health, making you subject to heat stroke, it’ll slow you down, make you crabby, and basically take the fun out of your hike. Sometimes, the trick to staying hydrated is simply wanting to drink. We find that on a hot day, our urge to drink tepid water is lukewarm at best. So: if you drink from a water bottle, fill it three quarters full the night before a hike, stick it in the freezer. In the morning, before heading out, top the bottle off with water. If you’re a bladder enthusiast, fill your bladder with ice, then top off with water. In both instances, you should have cold water for at least two hours on even the hottest day. So, no excuses — drink!

Airplane mode, please

We were hiking in peace, then someone’s phone started hooting. “Got a signal!” he yelled, and immediately the peace was broken as every alert the hiker had accrued in our valley dead zone made itself heard. Most of us are outdoors to disconnect. If you can’t bear to be out of contact, at least silence your alerts and go to vibration mode: not everyone needs to know that Amazon has delivered your shoulder dolly moving straps.

Park smart

Spring, a time when our fancies, for seemingly all of us, turn to hiking. Among other things, that can translate into congested trailhead parking. A reminder that when you pull up to a parking area, especially a gravel lot or a roadside pullout, be aware that you likely won’t be the only person hiking from this location. If it’s a lot, think about the best way to park that will allow the most cars: for instance, if you’re the first car, park at one end or the other, allowing enough space for you to get in and out, but not enough space that you eat up a potential parking spot. Likewise with roadside parking. Take a moment to think about your fellow hikers and their parking needs. 

Snakes: Leave ‘em be

We were a mile into a hike in the 40,000-acre Butner Game Land when one of our hikers spotted a snake sunning up ahead on the exposed double-track trail. We gathered for a look after determining it wasn’t harmful; that was my main concern. But my other main concern was that we do no harm to the snake. “OK, have a look, then move on,” I advised the dozen hikers in the group. That prompted several to go for their smartphone cameras and lean in for a shot. “OK, quick shot, then let’s get going. He’s just trying to jump-start his engine” (it was in the low 50s, a bit cool for his type, but it was sunny and it was April 10, for Pete’s sake). “We don’t want to stress him,” which prompted one hiker to reach toward the reptile. “Don’t!” I said. Captive snakes may get used to human touch and not mind it, but wild ones apparently don’t relish the experience. Admire from a distance, then move in.

Don’t be a lemming

Sometimes on a group hike we follow lemming-like the person in front of us. They can see, they must be paying attention and choosing the right path. And usually, they are — but not always. If you find yourself stepping on one-too-many wobbly rocks or into more puddles than seems necessary, it’s time to assume the lead. How, without offending the offending leader? Stop the hike by calling to attention something along the trail. Then, as everyone clusters around to ooh and ahh (or possibly huh?), subtly position yourself at the head of the pack. The “leader” likely won’t notice and even more likely won’t resent relinquishing the lead. Resume the hike — and be darn sure you pay attention!

Feel with your feet

As we enter the peak fall color, leaves will shortly begin to fall and cover the trail. Even on a well-blazed trail the accumulating leaf litter can make it difficult to keep the trail. Your best bet for staying on trail? Feel your feet. The leaves provide only a light coating over the trail: as long as you’re still on the trail, it will feel firm on the compacted ground beneath. As soon as you stray, however, your steps will become more cushioned and you’ll sink into the earth as you leave the compacted trail. When that happens, stop and look for a blaze: in front of you at first, behind you if you don’t see one straight ahead. If you catch your error soon enough, you shouldn’t have trouble regaining the trail.

Eventide: take a 10-minute break

Dusk. Twilight. Eventide. Gloaming. All describe a great time to be out on the porch watching day fade to night. Not such a great time to be on the trail, however.  This in-between time, this time when there’s not quite enough light to see by — especially to see roots and rocks in the trail — yet it’s not dark enough to benefit from igniting your headlamp, is a challenging time on the trail. For many of us it’s a nerve-wracking passage between the clarity offered by the sun and the focus provided by a good headlamp. So why deal with it, especially if you’ve got another mile or more to hike? Rather, it’s a good time to take a 10-minute break — about the time it takes for the gloaming period to pass. Drink some water, have a snack — and enjoy nature’s shift change, when the diurnal head home for the night, the nocturnal punch in for their shift. 

Four fingers ’til sundown

Sounds like an old west thriller starring Clint Eastwood, Buddy Van Horn and that guy with the googly eyes, right? Rather, it’s woodsy talk for “an hour ’til sundown.” It’s an old backwoods skill for estimating how much time until the sun sets that involves — well, rather than tell you we’ll show you, with the graphic on the right from the folks at Manliness. It’s pretty reliable, too, provided you can find a spot in this neck of the woods with a clear shot of both the sun and the western horizon.

Motivation!

Get out!

After a long, cold winter, it’s easy to feel sluggish coming off the couch and getting back on the trail. Especially when you have a tease of a springlike weekend, as we had this past weekend, then have it rescinded, as we’re experiencing this week. But here’s the thing: Spring officially arrived Tuesday night; Spring and Fall are arguably the best two times of year to hike. You don’t have the luxury of moping and waiting for perfect weather. Commit to breaking through your lethargy and hitting the trail this weekend. Sunday is looking a little better (drier) than Saturday, so commit, now. Decided to hike one of your favorite trails. Maybe a trail you haven’t hiked in a while. Or a trail where you know, based on previous experience, Spring will be in bloom. Cement your commitment by pulling your gear together — now! — and keeping it handy. Start building anticipation for a day — or at least a half day — on the trail. It’s time to come out of hibernation.

Explore your North Carolina State Trails

Tired of spring’s crowded trails? Then check out one of North Carolina’s State Trails. Granted, some — Wilderness Gateway, Equestrian — are still conceptual at this point. And some — the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, Fonta Flora State Trail — do have stretches that see some traffic. But for the most part, the State Trails are hidden gems. We invite you to discover that this weekend on the Deep River State Trail hike in Franklinville. This 3-mile out-and-back hike is on an old rail bed that’s well shaded and offers glimpses of some of the Deep’s rockier, more rollicking stretches. Learn more about that hike and sign up here.

To help you explore more of our State Trail system, in coming weeks we’ll be highlighting some of our favorite stretches of the lesser-known trails, as well as some lesser-known sections of the more popular trails.

Play hooky

For the past week we’ve had a run of perfect weather: dry, cloudless skies, temperatures in the 60s, a tinge of emerging color. OK, so there was a hurricane in there. By and large, though, this is the weather we dream of. Weather that is ideal for getting out on the trail — and not being cooped up inside. Yes, we all have commitments. And it’s not like you need to throw your entire life out the window and become a vagabond (although … ). But slipping out for an hour, even just once a week, could result in a memory of the season that will help get you through the lean times (that is, the cold, rainy days of winter). Something to think about as you stare out the window … . 

Trouble? Toot thrice

You may not have noticed this, but very likely on the sternum strap of your pack (the strap across your chest) one of the buckles has a fluted end king up to you. Take a close look: it’s a whistle. Oh? Oh, so it is! It’s not there to annoy other hikers; it’s there in case you get in trouble. If you are in trouble — if you’ve fallen, if you may have broken something, if you’re having an allergic reaction — three quick blasts lets anyone in earshot know you need help. If you hear, three whistles, give a signal toot on your whistle to let the distressed party know their signal has been heard. It’s wise for the distressed hiker to continue issuing three toots to help the searching party figure out where to go. 

Three points of contact

A lot of folks who use trekking poles don’t reap the full benefits of their sticks. Case in point: poles can be lifesavers for maintaining balance on uneven terrain or when rock-hopping a creek. The key to making your poles work in such conditions? Always maintain three points of contact. If one foot is up, make sure the other is on the ground, as are your poles. If one stick is up, the other stick and both feet should be down. A tripod is more stable than a bipod. Keep this in mind, especially when crossing a creek, especially when navigating rocky or eroded trail. 

Apres Hike

Before you wash those hiking duds …

You’ve returned from a great weekend in the mountains — with the dirty, smelly clothes as proof. Before you blindly toss every smelly item in the wash, give ‘em the once over. Check your pockets to make sure, say, your Leatherman isn’t still aboard. That map in your back pocket won’t fair well in in the hot-water cycle, and the change from that life-saving soda-and-chips you scored at the mom-n-pop grocery on your way out will drive everyone nuts in the spin cycle. Be particularly thorough with those socks; if you had a blister-fest it’s unlikely that all the Band-Aids and moleskin withdrew with your feet.

Most of all, search for tissues. Miss even one and you could be looking at a long evening plucking fluffs of white from every article of clothing on the trip.

Check. It just takes a second.

The post Tips for the Trail appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Below is some of what we love — and why we love it. Click on the link for more information; in some cases, links to the item on Amazon are provided. We will update this list regularly. The categories are:

• Clothes
• The Little Things that Really Help
• Reviews
• Food

Clothes

The Buff

Twice a year we endorse the Buff, that stretch tube of microfibre fabric that can be worn a dozen ways — as ear muffs, as cowl, as hat, as balaclava, as blindfold for a nice nap on a sunny day. Most of those are winter adaptations. Come summer, the Buff makes a dandy lightweight headband to help you keep the sweat out of your eyes. When you enter a meadow or other clearing, pull it over the top of your head to protect your head from sunlight. And when you hit a cool creek? Dip it in the water and give yourself — your face and neck in particular, a cooling bath. Encounter a sandstorm? You get the picture. Check it out here.

Smartwool Merino Beanie

I’ve been reminded these past few frigid weeks of how much I love my Smartwool Merino Beanie. I’m not a Smartwool devotee in other areas, but I do love the beanie: it’s snug but not tight, lightweight and compactable (I can stuff it in a coat pocket when I warm up), and it’s durable. It’s one piece of gear I don’t need to think about (except when I can’t find it), and for what it is, it’s pretty inexpensive, priced at $25. Check it out here.

Driving shoes

You take a great hike, get back to the car and realize your boots are caked in mud. Makes you wished you’d packed a pair of shoes for the drive home. But who wants to buy an extra pair of shoes just for driving? No one, of course. And you don’t have to. Simply take the hiking shoes you’re ready to decommission and use those instead. They’re comfy, and they still have a little life left (though not enough to hike in). The perfect solution. And good for your car, too.

Treat yourself (to socks!)

We don’t have a specific gear recommendation this week. Rather, an admonishment to treat yourself to a new piece of gear. Maybe it’s a piece of gear you don’t necessarily need, but a piece of gear you really want (packs fall into this category for me). Maybe it is a piece of equipment you need, but have been putting off because of the cost. Here’s a thought about that: Buy it now and you’ll have a full hiking season to use it — makes it more cost effective, you know? March yourself down to your favorite outfitter — again, now! — with the promise to not return home empty handed.

Personally, I plan to be hiking this weekend in a new pair of my favorite sock: the Darn Tough Men’s Quarter Midnight Hiker. Snug, durable, and long-lasting. Check ‘em out here.

Marmot Precip

Here’s the thing about rain jackets: you can spend $100 on a rain jacket, you can spend $500 on a rain jacket. And both work about the same, especially in warm weather. That’s why we’ve long gone for the Marmot Precip EcoJacket, a lightweight beast that that does an especially good job — for a year or two. It excels in warm weather — that is, temperatures much above 60, above which you’re likely to get as wet from working up a sweat as you are from getting soaked by rain. It’s got zip pits for ventilation, a couple of pockets, and right now, if you buy one in certain colors you can get it for a fraction of its retail price of around $100. Check ‘em out here.

Warm weather socks

We’ve had our first 80-degree hiking days of the season — and the beginning of the mysterious “sweaty foot season.” Why, we wonder, are our feet suddenly hot and sweaty during a hike? I mean, I haven’t changed a thing, and yet … . And yet that’s the problem — you need to change a thing, that thing being your socks. Those wool socks you’ve been sporting all winter, the ones that have kept your feet nice and toasty? They may be too much for warm weather hiking. Most hiking sock makers make socks for a variety of conditions; often, you can tell their suitability for warm weather hiking based on their cushioning. Socks with medium and heavy cushioning will make your feet sweat; switch to a lightly cushioned sock and to either an ankle-length or crew sock: come summer, cool feet are happy feet. For more on what makes a good summer hiking sock, check out this post from BestHiking.net, which also makes five sock recommendations (see photo).

Gaiters

We’ve been having trouble of late with grit getting into our hiking shoes. The reason? No gaiters. The last time we bought gaiters was maybe 20 years ago, and we bought the wrong kind for our needs. Thus, we haven’t used them and we’ve been gun-shy to invest in a new pair. Then we ran across GearLab.com‘s “The Best Gaiters of 2024.” A dozen gaiters tested for various conditions (keeping water out, keeping dust at bay, ease of use, etc.) and ranked for your consumer needs. Check it out here. 

Liner gloves

Gloves, like socks, come in many permutations, one, seemingly for every conceivable situation. But when it comes to hiking in the Southeast, you pretty much just need one type of glove: a lightweight wool liner. The Smartwool Liner Glove is a good, relatively inexpensive ($24) choice, keeping your heat in even when the temperatures drop into the 30s or slightly below. It doesn’t get much colder on most of our hikes; that and the fact they’re lightweight, have a touch-screen-friendly thumb and forefinger, and are flexible make them ideal for most of our winter hiking. And if you find yourself in more severe conditions requiring a heavier glove, well, these are liners — you can count on them to pitch in. Check ‘em out here.

Gear 99-cent backup gloves

I was walking down King Street in Hillsborough a while back when I saw a cardboard box with the sign, “Gloves, 99 cents.” Too good to be true? Nope, the box was filled with jersey-material gloves that had been unearthed from the deep storage of Dual Supply. I slipped a pair on, they came home with me (after I paid for them). The beauty of these gloves wasn’t just their price, it was the fact they could be balled up and tucked into my pack, forgotten about until that day not far in the future when I find myself on the trail in weather colder than expected — and without gloves. My main gloves, that is, because I’ve got my trusty 99-cent backup gloves waiting to bring warmth to my grateful fingers. (Note: you may not be able to score backups for 99 cents, but you likely can find them for less than $5.)

Traction devices

We love to hike in winter, and we’re not about to let a little thing like snow and ice keep us off the trail, especially when there are several economical over-the-boot traction devices that provide grip on a slippery trail. But which one to get? The answer, it appears, depends in part on the conditions you’ll be hiking in. If you’re on a trail that likely will be icy and snowy throughout, then slip-ons with metal spikes appear to be the answer. Microspikes, for instance, get good reviews for durability and grip in ice and snow. The downside: if you go back and forth between snow and ice and rock surface, the spikes wear down quickly. Then there’s the spring coil-type devices, such as Yaktrax, which get their traction from coils wound around rubber bands. They go back and forth from snow and ice to hard surface more easily, but can slip off and snap. One advantage to the latter? Price. Yaktrax can be had for about $25, Microspikes about $70.

The little things that really help

50 feet of cord

It’s not one of the 10 Essentials, it likely comes in at 11th. But a good run of hiking cord — reflective, if possible, with a break strength of around 225, 250 pounds — is well worth the 2.5-ounce investment. Rain moving in and you need to throw up a tarp? You’ve got your ridgeline. Suddenly hit a rock scramble that’s difficult to maneuver in a pack (especially a backpack)? You’ve got your rope to hoist your gear. An unruly hiking companion who needs restraining? Well, perhaps not. But you get the point. Staves off those woeful moments when you find yourself saying, “If only I had a rope.” 

Freezer Ziplocs

You do so look forward to lunch on a long day hike. Even if it’s simply a robust PBJ, brimming with chunky Skippy and oozing with strawberry Smucker’s, it’s a key component to a successful hike. Now imagine your chagrin upon opening your pack come noon and discovering the flimsy plastic sandwich bag you’ve entrusted with your tasty repast didn’t withstand the impact of that tumble you took: your PBJ has exploded beyond recognition and now covers the inside of your pack. Tsk.

That likely wouldn’t be the case had you used a gallon Ziploc Freezer Bag. And yes, Ziploc, because that is the choice of the Appalachian Mountain Club, which notes in a blog: “They’re thicker than your average sandwich bag, which averages 1.5 mil in thickness (a mil is 1/1000th of an inch). Most freezer bags are at least 2 mil; Ziploc brand freezer bags are some of the thickest at 2.7 mil.” Further, notes the AMC: “What’s more, a thickness of 2 mil or more allows manufacturers to produce the closure strip at the same time the bag is produced. On thinner sandwich bags, the closure strip has to be laminated on (and can potentially peel off with repeated use).”

What’s more, if you crave something hot for lunch, you can fill a bag with soup mix, ramen, whatever and add boiling water! The bag will hold and you can dine straight from it. Another plus: Ziploc Freezer Bags also relatively inexpensive.

The basic Bic lighter

“I can’t get this to ignite,” Kimberly said — for the third time — as she punched away at the recalcitrant pushbutton igniter on her camp stove. “Can I borrow your lighter? Again?” Thank heavens and a hot dinner for the basic Bic lighter. The ubiquitous point-of-purchase device that costs maybe a buck fifty and can be your best friend on the trail, from getting your dinner underway with your cookstove to starting the campfire that will keep you and the crew gabbing late into the night. Buy one, tuck it away with your cookset. Actually, buy two: stick the second in your hip belt pocket or your pack brain and forget it’s there — until you need it.

Waterproof matches

It’s one of outdoor life’s little pleasures: getting a match to strike — to see, to light a stove, to light a campfire — when it’s miserably wet. The match we rely on: Coghlan’s Windproof, Waterproof Storm Matches. They come in a watertight case that includes two striker sections and will burn for 10 seconds, more than long enough to light the Pocket Rocket and get water boiling for your ramen.  Learn more here. 

Backpacking thermometer

It’s an odd thing to be obsessed over just how cold it gets on a trip, but it’s an odd thing that just about all of us are obsessed by. Once on the Appalachian Trail north of Asheville we were especially curious about the overnight low. The forecast was for 19 degrees, but at an elevation 2,000 feet below ours. We speculated it might get as low as 17. Then, Saturday we ran into a couple of thru-hikers who said it was 13 at their camp, which was about 1,000 vertical feet below ours. It’s all about bragging rights, I reckon. Anyway, next time we head out we plan to have an accurate take on the temperature using one of five thermometers recently tested by AmericanStateParks.org. The candidates range from a $6.49 keychain thermometer to a $29.88 digital readout. Their top choice: the BTMeter Anemometer BT-100 . Read the review here. 

No-waste doggie water bottle

You love hiking with Farfel, but there is one thing that drives you nuts: When you think it’s time for a drink, Farfel doesn’t always agree. You fill his collapsible bowl with precious water from your personal stash, he looks at it, looks at you, looks back at it, then becomes fascinated with a dust mote dancing by. Grrr. If you can relate, then check out the Avelora Dog Water Bottle. Farfel looks thirsty, you pull out the bottle, flip a switch and fill the reservoir on the end, then offer Farfel a refreshing drink. Should Farfel decline, tilt the reservoir upright and the water flows back into the 12-ounce bottle, for future consumption, should Farfel develop a thirst. Learn more here.

Headlamps

Headlamps, like diaries, are personal things. Some folks just want a durable torch that’s cheap and shines a light. They don’t care how much it weighs (Heckuva good way to build neck muscles!). For them, a basic $13 200 lumen Energizer lamp with three modes will suffice. Others want the flashiest thing on the market, say, the Zebralight H600w Mk IV, with a whopping 1400 lumens (be seen from space!), $89 price tag be danged. And there’s a passel of options in-between. Which is why we refer you to the GearLab’s most recent look at the subject, “The Hunt for the Best Headlamps.” Over a six-year period they’ve reviewed 63 headlamps; in this article, they give their thoughts on 27 of them. Check it out here.

Picaridin insect repellant

In today’s “Resources” section we provide a resource for folks who really like to investigate every conceivable option before making a decision. That would not describe the GetHiking! braintrust, to employ that term lightly. When it comes to insect repellent we go with picaridin over DEET for one simple reason: Both will kill mosquitoes, but picaridin has been shown to do a better job of keeping skeeters at bay. Simple decision for us. Check it out here.

Extra washers for your Sawyer filter

I’d found a spot on the stream with decent flow, took a seat, reached into my water treatment stuff sack to grab my Sawyer filter and — odds are if you have a Sawyer you know what’s coming next: the white plastic gasket that assures a tight fit between dirty bag and filter, was gone. To quote Ralphie, “Oh, fudge!” Despite the fact it pops out every time I use it, I hadn’t gone the extra step to pack a spare. Bree, however, had. “I always bring an extra; I give ‘em away all the time.” Only smart Bree didn’t have an extra official replacement, which can cost upwards of a buck a piece — she’d gone to the hardware store and got a bag of suitable washers for about a tenth the cost. The dimensions, to make sure you get a tight fit:  0.99 x 0.99 x 0.13 inches.

Thanks again, Bree.

Headbands and wrist bands

Tube socks — I get why those went out of style. But headbands and wristbands? Talk about utilitarian and groovy gear. If you weren’t around in the ‘70s (or were and can’t remember), sweatbands were a go-to piece of gear for sweating basketball players. A headband kept the sweat out of your eyes, wristbands kept the sweat from running down your arms and saturating your hands, making ball handling a challenge. But toss on a combo of headband and wristbands and you were one cool — and dry — athlete. And you can still get them! A company called Suddora sells them for just $9.99 a set! That’s right, headband and wristbands yours for under $10. Worry not about blurred vision obliterating rocks and roots, nor about being able to hold on to your poles. 80 percent cotton, 12 percent spandex, 8 percent nylon; check ‘em, out here.

Digital zipperpull thermometer

How many times have you been on a hot/cold hike and someone says it must be at least 95/25 degrees? Now, you know they’re high/low, but without proof, who’s to say with certainty that they’re wrong? That’s why you need to spring for the Sun Co. Digital Zipogage, a digital thermometer that clips to your zipperpull, and at the push of a button gives you a more accurate temperature reading. End of debate — and for only about $21, by going here.

Anker 325 Power Bank

Frankly, there are a lot of good portable power banks out there that get good reviews and that can be had for not much more than $20. But if you want to be absolutely sure you don’t lose a phone charge — and don’t mind helping out your fellow campers to boot, check out the Anker 325 Power Bank. With 20,000mAh it can provide 5 full charges to just about any cell phone. And with two ports you can charge two phones at the same time. About $40.

Sewing kit

For everything from one-hour day hikes to multiday backpack trips, it pays to have a sewing kit in your arsenal. For mending everything from blisters to rips in your pack to holes in your pockets (Hey! Where’d my gummies go?), a simple sewing kit could be the best $2 you spend on gear. Check on out here.

Cooling towel

A bandana dipped in a stream, then wrapped around your neck feels great on a hot summer’s day. But the effect can be short-lived. A cooling towel, on the other hand, is more absorbent so the wet lasts longer, and its composition somehow manages to cool the water, increasing the cooling effect. It’s not like jumping into a pool of ice, but it can make a big difference on a hot day. We’ve used the Chilly Pad from Frog Togs and been quite pleased. Now we just have to remember where we put it before the weekend hits. Check it out here.

Whistle, while you hike

You’ve fallen on the trail, and you can’t get up. Grand as it would be to push a button, proclaim your dilemma and have help magically appear, you’re in the wild with no cell service. What you need is a whistle, a strong whistle that you can toot three times to signal you’re in distress. A signal that can be heard a mile away. You need the Slim Rescue Howler Whistle from SOL (Survive Outdoors Longer, in case you were thinking something else). The whistle is small, emits a 100db signal, and weighs just a few grams. It fits easily in a pocket, or to a zipper pull. Best of all, it comes in a pack of two, so your hiking buddies and can toot back that they’ve heard you and are on the way. $10 for the both of ‘em Learn more here.

Forget-about-it flashlight

As we near the end of of Daylight Saving Time and and are noticably losing daylight by the day, we issue our periodic call to stash an extra flashlight in your pack. Our recommendation? The 9-LED Ozark Trail flashlight you can get at WalMart for a buck. Nine LEDs may not seem like much, but it’s enough to light your way back to the car after the sun has set — and it’s a lot easier to activate than the flashlight on your smartphone. A spare torch: for a little more than a buck, it’s perhaps the best hiking investment you can make. 

Reviews

2024’s best little knives

GearLab, the Consumer Reports of outdoor gear, also appreciates the importance of little knives. Over the past decade they’ve tested more than 45 pocket knives, 21 of which were considered for their Best Pocket Knife of 2024 review, released in November. As always, they rank them on various factors, from Best Buy to Top Pick. All specs are included. Check out the review here.

Knives, multitools

Morakniv Knife and Fire Starter

This is much more than your run-of-the-mill knife. Or fire starter. In fact, it’s both wrapped into one. 

This extremely sharp knife is flexible and all around sturdy. In the handle you’ll find a fire starter. With this one tool you can split kindling, light a campfire, and gut and clean a fish. The fire starter works equally well when wet, and has predictable performance at all altitudes (unlike many other methods). Additionally, it lights not only wood, but also starts gas-stoves and barbecues. The sheath comes equipped with a clip so you can have it close by at all times. This little knife will have you prepared to trek through a blizzard or through the Amazon — and fire up the stove for a spot of tea en route. About $28. Check it out here.

TSA knives

Need a multi-tool or knife cheap? Better still, need a signature gift you can give to all your outdoorsy friends that will have them saying, in the good way, “Oh, you shouldn’t have?” Ever wonder what TSA does with all those knives, multi-tools and other pointy objects they confiscate at airport checkin from people who forgot (usually) they were carrying? In North Carolina, they wind up with State Surplus Property and are sold to the public at ridiculously low prices. Benchmade knives, folding knives, Kershaw knives, buck knives, multi-tools and more, you’ll find them all at State Surplus stores in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Greenville, Wilmington and Pembroke. For more on these locations and State Surplus in general, go here.

Station IX Trail Ultra neck knife 

A neck knife — a knife worn around your neck for easy access in the event of trouble on the trail — wasn’t something I’d given much thought to. Until I saw The Prepared Wanderer’s review of the Station IX Trail Ultra (also called the Number 7). The small knife, about 3 inches in length, fits in a sheath attached to a chain that you can hang around your neck. You get into trouble and don’t have time to fetch your knife out of your pack, it’s right there. What makes it especially attractive is your ability to customize it into a versatile survival kit (see Media: The Prepared Wanderer). $50. More info here.

Food

Tuna packets

Lunch on those long hikes — like those you’re taking this fall — presents a conundrum. You want it to be nutritious and fuel-efficient, you also want it to be tasty. One popular option has long been tuna, what with its high protein content. Trouble is, tuna typically needs a little help to catapult it into the tasty category. The Bumble Bee people have not only injected tasty into the mix with its new line of flavored Snack Kits (Spicy Thai Chili, Lemon & Pepper, Sun Dried Tomato, to name three), but they’ve also added convenience: the 2.5-ounce servings come in a pouch that includes a little spoon! Each packet also provides 15 grams of protein (if just 70 calories). Topping out on 5,520-foot Standing Indian Mountain this past Saturday after a 6.6-mile climb, I was pleasantly surprised by my Chipotle tuna, which had a mild, but not overwhelming, kick. Convenient, they taste good, and they’re only a little more than $1 a pack. Check out your options here.

Sport Beans

I’m not a big fan of eating on the trail, even on a long hike where having a little boost to get you through can be crucial. Mainly, it’s a digestion thing: I like to keep moving and doing so while eating a PBJ can be counterproductive to an effective digestive process. No need to elaborate. Thus, I lean toward Sport Beans, which have carbs, electrolytes and Vitamins B&C. Frankly, though, I just like sucking on them to slowly extract their flavors, which include red, purple, yellow, green and orange. Keeps the saliva flowing, too. Check ‘em out here.

The post Gear: Not all the gear, just what we use (and why) appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

You don’t. But you do build on it.

The just-passed Year of the Trail was intended to promote North Carolina’s vast trail system. Hiking trails, sure, but paddling, biking and equestrian as well. Year of the Trail events were held in 94 of the state’s 100 counties, those events ranging from hour-long guided walks on local greenways to three-day festivals celebrating trails across the state. The ultimate sign of Year of the Trail’s success? When the concept was conceived by the state’s General Assembly in 2021, it included $29.15 million for trail development; in the budget passed this past fall, legislators allotted nearly twice that much for trail development in the next two years.

Much of that money is targeted to the North Carolina’s State Trails, of which there are 14. State trails? you may wonder. These are longer trails — some hiking, some paddling, some both, one equestrian — that date back to the 1970s. You’ve likely heard of one, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, you likely haven’t heard of the others. Each trail has a non-profit partner that is in charge of the trail’s development. Here’s a quick synopsis of the trails, including it’s partner:

• Dan River State Trail, 90-mile paddle trail in Surry, Stokes and Rockingham counties. Partner: Dan River Basin Association
• Deep River State Trail, 125-mile paddle and hiking trail that follows its namesake river from Jamestown in the Triad to Moncure. Partner: Piedmont Land Conservancy
• East Coast Greenway State Trail, the North Carolina portion of the East Coast Greenway, which will run 3,000 miles, from Maine to Florida. North Carolina’s stretch is two, actually, one in the Piedmont and one along the coast. The converge in Wilmington. Partner: East Coast Greenway Alliance 
• Equestrian State Trail, a horse trail still in the conceptual phase that will be located south of the Triangle.
• Fonta Flora State Trail, probably the fastest developing of the State Trails, this hiking/biking trail will link Asheville to Morganton (with a loop around Lake James). About 38 miles of the trail, mostly in Burke County, are done. Partner: Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail
• French Broad River State Trail, a paddle trail running 115 miles along the French Broad, from Rosman to the Tennessee Line. Partner: Mountain True
• Haw River State Trail, a paddle and hiking trail running from the Haw’s headwaters north of Greensboro to its conclusion in Jordan Lake. Partner: Alamance Parks
• Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail, hiking and biking trail linking the Hickory Nut Gorge area near Lake Lure with South Mountains State Park. Partner: Conserving Carolina
• Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 1,175-mile hiking trail spanning the state, from Clingman’s Dome on the Tennessee line to Jockey’s Ridge at the coast. Partner: Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
• Northern Peaks State Trail, 40-mile hiking trail that will link Boone on the south to Mount Jefferson State Natural Area to the north. Partner: Blue Ridge Conservancy
• Overmountain Victory State Trail, the 225-mile stretch of the OVT in North Carolina; the trail runs through three other states.
• Roanoke River State Trail, paddle trail originating at Roanoke Rapids and ending at Albemarle Sound. Known for the camping platforms developed by its partner, Roanoke River Partners
• Wilderness Gateway Trail, a mostly hiking trail that will link at South Mountains State Park with the Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail (see above) with the towns of Valdese and Hickory. Partner: Foothills Conservancy
• Yadkin River State Trail, 163-mile paddle trail running from W. Scott Kerr Reservoir to Morrow Mountain State Park. Partner: Yadkin River Keeper

For more information on the North Carolina’s State Trails system, go here. For the latest on each trail, click the provided partner link.

We’ll be exploring and writing about North Carolina’s State Trails throughout 2024. Return to this space for the latest information.

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