Sleep Better When Backpacking: Slumber and Siestas

For backpackers, especially thru-hikers, quality sleep is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of enjoying the trail. However, falling asleep and staying asleep can be a challenge. Endless reasons can disrupt your sleep while on the trail, such as stormy weather, nocturnal animals scurrying around your tent, aching bones, physical discomfort sleeping […]

Listening In: Earthly Sounds in a Man-Made World

I always find it ironic when I see someone on the trail wearing earbuds. It seems that while this person is taking the time to travel through the natural world, they are simultaneously filtering part of it out. We humans have had a lot of help tuning out mother nature, […]

How Far? How to Estimate Distance with your Thumb

Estimating distance is a crucial skill in various scenarios such as daily life, hiking, and survival situations. It helps you maintain your sense of direction, calculate distance and height, and estimate travel time while hiking relative to your pace. Did you know you can estimate distance using only your finger? […]

cooking pasta backpacking

Cooking to Save Fuel

White gas, kerosene, isobutane, and denatured alcohols are common fuels for backpacking stoves. Fuel savings greatly depend on the efficiency of the cooking process, as well as the stove and type of cooking pot. One of the best ways to conserve fuel is to avoid energy loss during cooking. You […]

How to Cook when Backpacking

Whether you have recently started backpacking or are a veteran, you could probably benefit from a few cooking tips. First, we’ll describe the common method that backpackers use when cooking dried foods and strategies you can use to conserve your cooking fuel when using a backpacking stove. This cooking method […]