The Trailhead
Every journey has a first step. And some of the greatest, most meaningful journeys begin at trailheads. Welcome to ours! Here you’ll learn about gear, see route and trail intel, and dive into stories, images, and videos from our global community of adventureheads like you. Think of it like "The Third Place"–not home, not work, but your other most important/favorite place. The spot to hang out around like-minded people and have your life decisions and priorities validated. You won't need to justify your latest gear purchase or explain why you're using up all your paid time off hours to this crowd. They get it. Let’s go!
2024 THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL GEAR LIST AND AN IDEAL BASE WEIGHT FOR HIKING
So! You've decided to go for a 2,190-mile walk in the woods! First off, CONGRATULATIONS! The Appalachian Trail is a transformative experience for those who follow its iconic white blazes. Second, g...
Time to Clean House: Getting Your Gear In Order For The Next Trip or Off-Season Storage
Words and Photos by Tina Haver Currin
Like Newton's third law of motion, what gear goes out must inevitably come back in. And if you're anything like me, you pull goodies from your gear closet with...
A Life of Miles: Introducing Jeff Garmire, and an Invitation to Pick His Brain
Words & photos by Jeff Garmire
Thirty thousand miles, give or take a few yards or inches, all done on foot. At least, that was the current total at the time this post was put together. Jeff Gar...
Chasing Ten with Dylan Suhr
How long have you been going light?
7 years
What’s the base weight of your pack before adding consumables like food and fuel? 10.98 lb
Beyond the “The Ten” items, what other kinds of gear do you m...
Chasing Ten with Christopher Johnson
How long have you been going light?
As soon as I began backpacking five years ago, I knew I needed to lighten the load I was carrying. I was unaware at the time that ultralight backpacking existed ...
Lots of Ground to Cover (To Cover a Lot of Ground)
Therese Hobson’s Studious Approach to Gear for the Appalachian Trail
Therese Hobson completed a NOBO thru hike of the Appalachian Trail this year, taking with her not just gear, but a good base of ...
Thoughtful Spending
Over years and thousands of miles hiking, paddling, and biking along the length of North and South America, Bethany “Fidgit” Hughes has been very intentional about what constitutes her carry weight...
Never Not Learning: How to Pack Light For Backpacking with Mike St. Pierre
Words & Photos by Mike St. Pierre When you’re first learning the ins-and-outs of how to pack light for backpacking, it’s important to understand that it’s a process. I still constantly refine t...
Essential Tarp Camping
Words & Photos by Cam Honan Nine Reasons to Try Tarp Camping The essence of going lighter in the woods is not so much about gear, as it is about the adoption of a simpler, less cluttered approa...
