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!
Storm Cats, Zeus, and Views–An UltaMid Faces it All in the Andes
Words & photos by Cass Gilbert
It’s one thing to pack your favourite ultralight gear when the conditions are ‘just so.’ It’s another to rely on it come hell or high water.
I admit it. When it c...
A Non-Conformist and Our Flat Tarp Roll into a Campsite
Words & Photos by John Woodruff Fleck
Our friend and Global Sales Manager for Surly Bikes, John Woodruff Fleck, has a methodology towards overnights outside that comes from a blend of experienc...
What is the Expiration Date of Adventure?
Words & Photos by Brett Davis
It seems like in this modern age that everything has an expiration date, and that those dates are getting shorter and shorter and shorter. It used to be, so I am t...
Mud is Thicker Than Water: Where Bikes Meet Boats
Words and photos by Huw Oliver
Huw Oliver and Annie Evans are highly experienced bikepackers, packrafters, and route finders often undertaking pursuits that require all three skillsets in abundance...
Feel the Rhythm! Ten Tips for Thriving Outside This Winter
Words and Photos by Taylor Bracher
When the going gets cold, Taylor Bracher gets moving, continually building on a skillset that allows her to enjoy her Alaska Winters to the maximum. Wherever you ...
Wet Alders and Still Frozen Toes
Words & Photos by Steve “Doom” Fassbinder
This pack and I have shared and collectively created far too many tales to tell in just one sitting.
From Pakistan to the desert Southwest, Tajikistan ...
INTRODUCTION: OUR CASE FOR ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKING
IT'S SIMPLE PHYSICS.
Making an effort to put together an ultralight backpacking kit will reap you immeasurable rewards. You’ll be able to travel more efficiently in greater comfort with less fati...
A Desert Fish Out of Water
Words & Photos by Rich Rudow
What a South Westerner learned on a week-long Appalachian Trail section hike from Rangeley to Caratunk, Maine.
Roots. Millions, and millions of roots. Within 100 ya...
Q&A: Two friends packrafting thru Kamchatka, Russia
Words & Photos by Nathan Shoutis and Thomas Kinsley
Thomas and I started packrafting in the early days of Alpacka Rafts – around 2005- when it was still a one-woman operation working out of a g...
Off-Season Gear Care + Storage
Cabins, barns, attics, garages or closets all work for storing your outdoor gear.
Taking care of and storing our outdoor gear is an art we’re still trying to master. After all, outdoor gear is an i...
