After exerting all that energy to carry the weight of your food on your back, the last thing you want to do is to lose valuable calories by eating carelessly. Chewing your food thoroughly is one of the most important and overlooked things you can do to improve calorie and nutrient absorption from trail foods. How to Maximize Calorie Absorption Digestion starts in the mouth before it can happen in the stomach and intestines. Chewing your food not only breaks the food down into smaller pieces so it can be […]
Backpacking Tips
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34% of the world’s population lives within 330 vertical feet (100 meters) of sea level Chances are, you live in a part of the country that is lower in elevation and pay no attention to cooking instructions intended for high altitudes. But one day, you may find yourself hiking more than 8,000 feet above sea level in the Sierras or Rockies and wonder why your rehydrated pasta meal came out crunchy or rice curry watery. Backpacking foods will require cooking adjustments at higher altitudes. High altitudes affect backpacking food preparation […]
Do noodles or pasta need to be cooked at all? Here we discuss which types of pasta “cook” in cold water, without a stove.
Reducing pack weight starts with minimizing gear and replacing heavier gear with lighter materials. Ultralight backpackers know all the different methods to reduce excess weight to achieve a lighter pack. But backpackers often narrow their focus to reducing only carrying weight, and what you carry on your torso is not the only thing that matters. The weight of your feet, particularly your shoes, significantly impacts your energy expenditure and sense of load. The U.S. Army has research to support this fact: The weight on the feet is disproportionately more exhausting than […]
Although lightning is a common and spectacular weather phenomenon – the power is extraordinary. I was reminded of its awesome power when a storm suddenly formed while hiking the summit of the Mount Mitchell mountain range. Luckily, I quickly descended to lower ground and took cover before the cloudburst was released. Within a few minutes of descending, the jagged bolts rapidly lit up the sky. We later learned that a nearby backpacker was struck and killed that same day. The following week, a 20’ tree branch collapsed in a strike […]