The Best Hiking Backpacks for Children
With more families looking to rediscover the great outdoors, interest in hiking and backpacking trips with children seems to be growing exponentially.
Tag: floridatrail
Review: Osprey Exos 58L Backpack
If I could only buy one backpack for all my varied hiking needs, it would be the Osprey Exos. Dollar-for-dollar and pound-for-pound, this go-anywhere, carry-anything pack remains one of the best (if not the singular best) backpack you can buy for the trail or distance …
How To Read and Follow Trail Blazes in North America
For many beginning hikers, the excitement of exploring a great trail is often tempered by anxiety about becoming lost along the way. However, you don’t have to be intimidated by the National Scenic Trail system or worried that you’ll be lost. Nearly every public trail …
The Best Months to Hike the Florida Trail
Planning to hike the Florida Trail? Since 2018, I have been section hiking the Florida Trail, one of eleven congressionally-designated National Scenic Trails in the United States. At more than 1,300 miles, the FT has been called “the toughest hike you’ve never heard of” for …
PACKING LIST: First-Aid Kit for Blisters and Foot Care
One of the questions I get from both experienced and newer backpackers alike is: what first aid and foot care items should I carry in my backpack in case I get blisters or have foot pain? This is a really serious topic for hiking, whether …
PACKING LIST: Backpacking First-Aid Kit
As a lifelong Scout and Scout Leader, I’ve probably created and carried more than 30 unique first-aid kits over the years. I say “created” because – more often than not – retail first aid kits are not specialized enough for backpacking – lacking a few …
The Top Hiking GPS Apps for iPhone and Android
Looking for the best GPS apps for your iPhone or Android smartphone for your next hike? As a solo hiker and pilgrim, I never leave home without a GPS map and guidebook. Since your phone contains a GPS chip that does not require cellular or …
Gear Hack: Refill Your Backpack Hydration Reservoir from Water Bottles or Filters
As I’ve explained before, I use hydration reservoirs almost exclusively over water bottles when I’m hiking. For me, I drink more, stay hydrated, and make better time along the trail when I can easily drink from the tube without stopping. One of the biggest challenges …
The Best Hiking Poles for the Camino de Santiago
Hiking poles (or trekking poles, as they are known throughout much of the world) are one of the most hotly debated items for pilgrims on the Camino. Some peregrinos swear by them; others swear at them. Let’s settle the debate quickly: Hiking poles are …
Five Tips for Hiking the Florida Trail
Since 2018, I have been section hiking the Florida Trail, one of eleven congressionally-designated National Scenic Trails in the United States. At more than 1,300 miles, the FT has been called the “toughest hike you’ve never heard of” for its exceptionally diverse track over the …