Pillows… are they something you really need in the backcountry? I’ve found myself debating this question of the last few years. Yeah, I could stuff some clothes into a stuff sack and call it a night. But after a few lumpy, sleepless nights, I decided that a few extra ounces of weight wouldn’t hurt for ultimate comfort while backpacking. The Feathered Friends Geoduck pillow did the trick.
Like down jackets, one thing you can never have too much of is merino wool shirts! I mean, these thing get holes so quickly, owning about a million is really just prolonging the life of the shirt or something. At least that’s what I tell myself. When it comes to merino wool, I take the purchase whatever’s cheapest and in my size which means lots of crew necks and never any nice, fitted V-necks… until the Woolx Mia Lightweight V-Neck T-Shirt came along!
From Taylor Swift and Luke Bryan tickets booked months in advance to Outdoor Retailer, August was a pretty jam packed month for me. I took a look at my calendar, saw one free weekend and knew I had to capitalize on it or be sad forever. I texted my friend Bobby and put together a game plan. We were going to head to Mildred Lake up Convict Canyon for some epic and mellow backpacking.
When people think California, they think of eternal sunshine, surfing, and golden tans. What most people forget is San Francisco doesn’t really play that way. Cue the Give’r Silkweight All Sport, designed to keep you cool when it’s warm out and warm when it’s cool.
It always blows people’s minds when I say I don’t drink coffee. I mean you guys, come on. Do you really think I need extra caffeine? I’m bouncing off the walls 24/7, filled with extreme excitement ALL THE TIME. But sometimes when it’s pre-dawn in the backcountry and my sleeping bag is super snuggly and I really don’t want to get outside of my tent, it’s super nice to have a piping hot cup of something to wake me up.
When I’m the only tea drinker in the group, I’ll usually pack in my own tea bags, if I even remember to. In groups? I’m totally sold on Nature’s Coffee Kettle.