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!.

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!.

This week’s focus: Gear, including a shoe and socks

Salewa Ultra Train 3 ‘speed hiking’  shoe

I’m protective of my feet: without their support I not only miss out on my favorite recreation, I’m deprived of a living as a hiking and backpacking guide. So when I’m approached by a shoe manufacturer about test-driving one of their fleet, I’m a bit apprehensive: when you hike about 40 miles a week you can’t afford for them to be unhappy. It helps, though, if you’ve had good experiences with the manufacturer’s line. Such is the case with Salewa, which sent me a pair of Ultra Train 3s a couple months back.

I’ve hiked in Salewas, off and on, for about a decade. I’ve been particularly happy with the Ultra Train line, though I’m not a fan of the elastic lacing used in the Ultra Train 2. Fortunately, that system has been replaced in the UT3 by traditional laces, which offer more flexibility in securing a snug fit. 

The UT3 is categorized as being for “speed hiking,” a cross, I suppose, between a traditional hiking shoe and a train running shoe. I can see that: the shoe is light (357 grams, or about 12.6 ounces per shoe) and appears spare at first glance. Which brings me to the first thing I love about this shoe:

• No sore feet. On a hike of more than 10 miles or on a backpack trip, the first thing to go for me are my feet. Often, my soles start getting tender after a couple hours of hiking. Not so with the Salewa Ultra Train series. I’ve put more than 300 miles on my UT3s in two months, and I don’t recall a time when my feet cried uncle before the rest of my body did. (And it’s not that my feet are suddenly less tender; I’ve hiked in other shoes and boots during this time and have experienced soreness.) Even with 28 pounds or so on my back, no soreness, bringing me to my second favorite thing about the UT3 …
• Good for backpacking. I’ve done a couple of backpack trips in the UT3s and have been surprised by how they’ve handled the load. I’m neither an ultra-lighter nor someone who brings multiple changes of clothes depending upon my mood: again, my full pack weight is typically 26, 28 pounds. The shoes … well, to quote the Salewa web site, “The sole and midsole work together with Motion Guidance technology to support natural movement and ensure stability over any terrain.” Not exactly sure what that means from a tech standpoint, but it does handle the load and does so with another thing I love about the shoe…
• Stability and grip. Again, I’m not good with interpreting the UT3’s specs, but the shoe’s innards to a good job of providing stability, and the soul has a grip you wouldn’t assume by looking at it. On the morning I’m writing this, my buddy Will and I took an early morning along the Eno River. We came to an unbridged drainage that had steep and muddy banks; I made judicious use of my trekking poles for balance, but the shoes did a much-appreciated job of grabbing onto the slippery slope. Likewise, this past weekend hiking in the Wilson Creek area of the Pisgah National Forest, an area with lots of rock and water, I was further challenged by intermittent rain. The soles — again, with more than 300 miles on them — were faultless on rain-slicked rock and mud. 

The Altra Lone Peak is generally considered the top lightweight hiking shoe, especially by thru-hikers (the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, et al). I’ve had three pairs of Lone Peaks and can see why. With the Salewa Ultra Train 3 you get many of the Lone Peak’s attributes, but in a shoe that’s more stable and, based on my experience, more durable. An especially good shoe choice as we head into prime hiking season and you start logging more miles.

Learn more about the Salewa Ultra Train 3 here.

Warm weather socks

We’re coming up on 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.

Farm to Feet No Fly Zone socks

As soon as it warms up, which it finally is, hikers want to know: What about ticks? Well, they’re out there. And we advocate fending them off starting from the ground up. As in, with Farm to Feet’s No Fly Zone hiking socks treated with permethrin. Permethrin wards off common biting insects such as mosquitoes, flies, chiggers, midges, ants and, yes, even ticks. Plus, Farm to Feet socks are not only made in the USA, the company is based in Mount Airy! And, the socks are 100 percent merino wool. Check ‘em out here.

Convertible pants

We’re in that time of year when it can be cold when we start down the trail, hot by the time we return (or vice versa). That makes it an ideal time for convertible pants, a k a zip-offs. Pants that can go both ways: in the early morning chill, they’re pants, providing full-leg protection and warmth. Then, when things start to heat up, you zip off the legs and — viola! — shorts! We won’t recommend a specific make or brand, but we do suggest that you get the kind with a side zipper up the side of the calf, making for speedy ons and offs without having to take off your boots. Also, make sure they’re made of a quick-drying material. If you need a little direction in selecting a pair, check out SectionHiker.com‘s list of “10 Best Hiking Pants,” which includes four convertibles (including the best bargain of the bunch, the Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible).

The post Wednesday Wisdom: A great summer hiker (and the socks to wear with them) appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

This week’s focus: gear.

It’s funny the pieces of gear that can excite us most. One day it’s a new pack, the next it’s a Ziplock bag. Today, we focus on the Ziplock end of the spectrum.

See the light: Black Diamond Moji Lantern

Winter backpacking brings with it many delights: mountaintop views afforded by a naked canopy, fewer hikers on the trail and better campsite options, among others. It also brings long nights: it’s not uncommon to spend 12 to 14 hours huddled in your tent waiting out the cold and dark. That’s why in winter it’s especially important to have a good light source that makes your tent feel homier and even a bit warmer. And that’s why we’ll be picking up a Black Diamond Moji lantern for our trip this weekend on the Appalachian Trail. The Moji is simple, lightweight (4.37 ounces), beams out 100 lumens and has a dimmer function. And, it’s one of the least expensive backpack lantern options, retailing for $19.95. Learn more here.

How cold? Best backpacking thermometers

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. Last weekend on the Appalachian Trail north of Asheville we were especially curious about Friday’s 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.

Dry bag alternative: 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).” (Read the blog for more insight here.)

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. 

Ziploc Freezer Bags also relatively inexpensive: you can get a 28-pack for less than $5.

Finally, a beef with wasteful obsolescence 

On a scouting hike in the coastal plain in February I went to mark a waypoint on my GPS and discovered that the soft rubber button — called a Rock ’n’ Roller — used to navigate between screens had popped off. I retraced my steps for a quarter mile, to no avail. No biggie, I thought, I’ll just get a replacement part.

Not exactly. The missing part was on a Garmin Colorado 300, which Garmin replaced more than a decade ago with the Oregon, Garmin’s first touch-screen GPS. When I Googled a replacement part, I was taken first to a website with all sorts of electronic replacement parts. Alas, not this one: they had done exhausted their supply. I went to another site that wanted a dollar to tell me whether they had the part; I passed. As a last resort, I went to Garmin’s customer support. This is always my last resort, as I’ve never had a productive (or civil, really) interaction with Garmin. We don’t have that part anymore, I was curtly told by the chatbot.

It’s not that I’m miffed that I need to buy a new unit for at least $400 (though I am). It’s more that the device is perfectly functional, save for this one silly part. I thought of the growing number of outdoor gear and equipment makers, lead by Patagonia, who encourage you to use their gear until there’s no gear left to use. Not, apparently, the case with Garmin. 

Before I succumb to a new GPS, I will search a bit more. The part on the site that no longer had it in stock, was less than $30; it’s worth a bit more sleuthing.

In the meantime, if you have a spare Rock ’n’ Roller (it goes where the blue hole is in the photo) that fits a Garmin Colorado 300, give me a yell. Let’s talk.

* * *

GetHiking! enewsletter

Find tips, gear recommendations, our hikes and trips and more in our weekly GetHiking! enewsletter. Sign up here.

The post Wednesday Wisdom on Gear: Ziplocks, lanterns, thermometers … and a beef appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Welcome to GetCamping! 

Our GetCamping! program aims to make your introduction to camping as easy and inexpensive as possible, by providing the key pieces of camping gear you need from Great Outdoor Provision Co. Included in our GetCamping! kit:

• Tent. Shelter is key. Our kit includes the 6-person Kaiju 6 tent from The North Face. It provides plenty of room for sleeping, even hanging out. The tent includes a rainfly to keep you protected from the occasional sprinkle, and is well-vented to make sure you sleep through the night with a pleasant supply of fresh air.
• Air mattress. The big complaint about camping: I don’t want to sleep on the ground. With the ExPed inflatable sleeping pad, you’ll sleep on a thick cushion of air. Nearly as restful as your designer mattress back home.
• Camp chairs. Face it, part of the appeal of camping is the opportunity to sit and relax — for extended periods. And that’s possible with the GCI Freestyle Rocker, a camp chair that captures the magic of your favorite recliner, but that can be toted from the campsite to the lake to an overlook for sunset. Two GCI Fireside Rockers are included with each kit. 
• Hammock. Take your relaxation to the next step, the nap step, with a camp hammock from Eno.
• Tarp. A tarp provides an extra layer of insulation and protection for your tent floor.
• Light. Just because the sun calls it a day doesn’t mean you have to. We supply you with a Black Diamond Spot headlamp to help you navigate the night.
• Kitchen. Even if you’re just warming up meals brought from home, you’ll need cooking gear. Our kit includes a Primus two-burner propane stove (including gas canister), and a stainless steel cookset.

Is that all we need to camp? you ask. No, just the things you likely don’t already have if you aren’t a camper. Everything else you’ll need you probably already have on hand. When you sign up, we provide a checklist of what you’ll need and what you likely already have that works as a good substitute.

Two ways to GetCamping!

1. DIY Rental  If you have some camping experience or simply are good at figuring things out, you can rent the kit. We’ll make arrangements for pickup, typically between noon and 2 p.m. on the Friday preceding your weekend camping trip, and will include instructions on how everything works. You’ll also receive the aforementioned list of appropriate household substitutes.

2. Concierge service.  Setting up and taking down camp can entail a fair amount of work. Wouldn’t it be swell to simply show up and have camp magically waiting for you? That’s the plan with our concierge service. On certain weekends at given campgrounds, all you have to do is arrive at the appointed check-in time and your camp will be set up and ready for you. This service includes:

• Camp set-up, including tent, air mattress, a bundle of firewood, chairs. 
• Access to your personal “campground host,” a GetCamping! expert who will be available to answer questions and assist with problems. 
• Guide to trails, fishing, biking, tubing/rafting and other things to do in the general area. 
• Camp breakdown. When checkout comes, you just gather your personal stuff and head home; we’ll break down your camp and deal with clean-up.

Campground check-in for weekend trips is 4 p.m. on Friday.

Campground check-out for weekend trips is noon Sunday.

Your safety

We take every precaution to make sure the kit you receive is clean and safe. Here’s our protocol:

• When a kit is returned from being used, it’s kept in quarantine for three days.
• After three days, each piece of equipment is cleaned with a disinfectant approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use against SARs-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID 19. We wear gloves when cleaning the gear and let each piece air dry. We then use gloves to repack the gear into the GetHiking! Camp Kit, for the next user. In the case of the Concierge Service, the gear is assembled by your glove-wearing GetCamping! host.

Like it, buy it!

If you love camping and the gear you’ve rented, you can buy the same package new from Great Outdoor Provision Co., with your rental fee applying toward the purchase price!

Cost

Rental service only, for two nights: $195

Concierge service, for two nights: $295

Sign up

Click the following links to sign up. 

Rental Only

Click the appropriate link for the weekend you would like to rent:

June

• June 4-6 (Friday and Saturday evenings, with pickup Friday after noon). Click here.
• June 11-13 (Friday and Saturday evenings, with pickup Friday after noon). Click here.
• June 18-20 (Friday and Saturday evenings, with pickup Friday after noon). Click here.
• June 25-27 (Friday and Saturday evenings, with pickup Friday after noon). Click here.

July

• July 2-5 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, with pickup Thursday after noon). Click here.
• July 9-11 (Friday and Saturday evenings, with pickup Thursday after noon). Click here.
• July 16-18 (Friday and Saturday evenings, with pickup Thursday after noon). Click here.
• July 23-25 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday evenings, with pickup Thursday by noon). Click here.

August

• July 30 – Aug. 1 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, with pickup Thursday or Friday after noon. Click here.
• Aug. 6-8 (Friday and Saturday evenings, with pickup Thursday or Friday after noon). Click here.
• Aug. 13-15 (Friday and Saturday evenings, with pickup Thursday or Friday after noon). Click here.
• Aug. 20-22 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday evenings, with pickup Thursday or Friday after noon). Click here.
• Aug. 27-29 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday evenings, with pickup Thursday or Friday after noon). Click here.

Concierge Service

Click the appropriate link for the weekend you would like to camp:

• April 23-25, Friday and Saturday evening: B.W. Wells  campground, Falls Lake State Recreation Area, Raleigh. Click here.
• April 9-11, Jones Lake State Park, Elizabethtown. Click here.

Custom packages

Interested, but need the gear for a mid-week trip or for a longer outing? Contact us at info@getgoingnc.com, tell us what you have in mind, and we will be back in touch with a quote.

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