Can I maintain my vegetarian/vegan diet on a thru-hike? This question is a common one that we get from backpackers planning a thru-hike. Some think a vegan won’t be able to finish their hike because they can’t consume enough calories or protein and will become weak and sickly. This is NOT true. You do not need to eat animal protein to finish any endurance activity. While hiking, the muscle continuously burns carbohydrates and fat as fuel, not protein. Like all other backpackers, vegans need to consume more calories from complex carbohydrates and fat. The best plant-based carbohydrates to consume when backpacking […]
This 5 minute video gives you some tips you might not think of when selecting boots or shoes for hiking. Do you find videos like these helpful? What else would you like to see? Please let us know! We are considering offering more videos and tips related to camp cooking and backpacking as well. Before we invest the time, we’d like to get your feedback.
Motion sickness? These natural remedies may be worth a try if you or your passengers start feeling queasy while traveling
Many ultra-lightweight backpackers carry alcohol stoves, while some won’t bother carrying a stove at all. For the rest of us, here are some considerations to keep in mind if you need to purchase a backpacking stove: Cost. Consider the long-term cost of owning the stove by factoring in the price on a per-use basis. The stove itself may be cheap, but take into account the operational costs, such as the fuel and any unique components. Durability. Look at the construction materials, ease of taking it apart to clean/replace parts, etc. Are there are flimsy plastic components that could break? The […]
You are excited about your upcoming backpacking trip but not the food preparation. You want to plan for the hike instead of preparing backpacking food, which, when done yourself, can take months. Making your backpacking food calls for considerable preparation. You must decide on a menu, purchase ingredients, prepare the meals, dry them using a dehydrator or freeze-dryer, measure and ration the portions, seal them into storage bags, and label the cooking instructions. Then, there is the concern about having packed enough food or too much. How will it taste – pleasant, dreadful, bland, salty…? Will you have enough calories, protein, […]