Curious about barefoot running and how it ties into living a more balanced, fulfilling life? In this episode, Barefoot Ted, the founder of Luna Sandals, to explore the power of minimalism, autonomy, and finding your flow. Ted shares his unique perspective on the three pillars of well-being and how embracing simplicity—both on the trail and in life—can lead to something pretty special.

Imagine thru-hiking the entire Pacific Crest Trail… with a nine-month-old! That’s exactly what Jack McClure and his wife did. In this episode, Jack shares what it was really like to take on such a massive adventure as a family—from managing gear and navigating medical scares to handling the emotional ups and downs along the way.

Everest has long been a symbol of human challenge and adventure, but the story behind its guiding industry is often misunderstood. Dive into the evolution of Everest guiding, the rise of Sherpa leaders, myths that surround the world's tallest peak, and discover how Everest continues to inspire adventurers while balancing accessibility and preservation.

Brad Brooks of Argali Outdoors joins the podcast to talk about backpacking with kids, his new lineup of tents, and the benefits of using polyester instead of nylon in backpacking tents.

Aaron Owens, founder of Backcountry Foodie, shares how a midlife crisis turned into a journey of redefining trail nutrition. Learn the importance of consistent, nutrient-dense meals for backpacking, balancing comfort foods with nutrition, and her passion for helping hikers through personalized meal planning and resupply services.

Robbie Kroger of Blood Origins joins the podcast to explore the complexities of wildlife conservation—from wolf reintroduction and wetland preservation to the ethics of hunting and cougar management in California. This episode offers a fresh, nuanced perspective on sustainable wildlife management.

Steve Speck and Mark Huelsing of Exo Mountain Gear join me for a behind-the-scenes look at their newest pack design; the K4. After over three years in development and a decade of pack-building experience, the K4 is a finely tuned design and the best pack Exo has designed.

Dan Becker is a backpacker from Wisconsin who turned his passion into his full-time profession.  He’s grown a massive following and for good reason - he’s just a great guy, and you’re about to get to know him.

Andrew Skurka is a long-distance backpacker, wilderness guide, and outdoor educator.  He joins the podcast to discuss the early days of thru-hiking, high routes, becoming a guide, and advice for new backpackers.

Katie O'mara is the co-founder of Trail Magik, an outdoor brand that offers lightweight carriers for kids who are walking and too big for a traditional carrier but need a break from time to time.  

Shelter size is a big deal for backpack hunters. Go too small and waiting out a storm for a few days will drive you crazy, but go too big and you might not find a suitable place to pitch it. Choosing the right sized shelter for your hunt will impact your overall comfort and capability so let’s get it sorted out!

Floorless vs. floored shelters; the new “age old question” that has floored backpack hunters since the beginning of time. Depending on where you live, where you’re hunting, what your willing to sleep with or not sleep with, and what weather is headed your way, you’re going to find yourself considering which type of shelter to haul with you into the backcountry. In recent years, floorless has become a staple in the backcountry for a number of reasons, yet traditional floored shelters still have their place in the backcountry. If you’re caught trying to decide which is right for you, this article is going to help you out.

We’ve all seen those pictures floating around the internet of toes and heels blistered so bad it turns your stomach inside out. Blisters happen to the best of us, but they are preventable and treatable if you know what you’re doing. There’s no perfect solution to blister prevention because each boot, foot, and skin type is different. It’s an exercise in finding the right combination of treatment and prevention to make your life on the mountain enjoyable for your feet.

There are two main types of backpack hunting camps; a base camp where you return to each evening and a mobile (or spike) camp which requires you to pack up each morning and make camp each night. It’s up to you as the hunter to determine which camp is best suited for your situation and to plan your gear accordingly.

Learn how to use a successful military planning framework to enhance your backpacking plans to ensure success, enjoyment, and safety.

You’ve probably prepared your gear, your meals, your weapon of choice, and your body for your upcoming backpack hunt, but are you prepared for the trash you’re going to create while you’re out there? All those meals and snacks come with a wrapper of some sort so have you thought about what you’re going to do once you’re done with them?

We all need water. It’s the one thing that you’ll want after a long climb up a rugged landscape and it’s the one thing that can become scarce if not managed properly. It’s important to not only know where you’re going to get your water during your hunt but also how you’re going to manage it and store it once you have it. It’s not a complicated process, but it’s one worth thinking through so you can make sure you have enough available for the duration of your hunt.

Pants on a backpack hunt are important for a lot of reasons. They’re often the first line of defense against the underbrush and weather. Depending on where you’re hunting, what season you’re in, and how your body performs, having the right pants on a backpack hunt could actually impact your overall comfort in the backcountry. In this article, we’ll line out what to look for in a pant and offer up a few suggestions on which to consider based on proven field use.

If you’re going backpack hunting, you’re going to filter water at some point during your hunt. Considering that water weighs in at around 2 lbs per liter and you not only need water to drink, but water to cook with, it can add up very quickly so while you could carry all the water you need for your trip in one shot, it’s not recommended. Extra water also takes up valuable space in a pack so the more water you can filter in the backcountry, the less you have to carry with you on your back, and the more miles you can put in finding that animal of a lifetime. There are a number of different water filters on the market and a few non-filtering methods that create clean drinking water which we’ll cover in this article.

Choosing the right pack size for your backpack hunt is has a direct impact on your overall comfort, capability, and functionality in the backcountry. Choose a pack that’s too small and you’ll be struggling to find space for what you need for your hunt and forced to strap delicate items to the outside where they’ll risk damage. Choose too large of a pack and you’ll end up overpacking, taking more than you need, and ultimately weighing yourself down without gaining much for it.