When I first started hiking, I didn’t own a single piece of real hiking gear. My trail shoes were old Nike gym shoes with zero traction. I was wearing cotton leggings, an oversized cotton sweatshirt, and the same school backpack I used in college. I…
Struggling to find the perfect gift for the outdoorsy person who already seems to have everything? You’re not alone, and you’re in the right place! After working at REI for over six years, I’ve helped hundreds of people find gifts that actually get used: not…
Do you feel like packing for backpacking trips is overwhelming? Are you always trying to figure out what you really need to pack for backpacking? Are you a woman who is tired of reading what men think women should pack on their backpacking trips? Whether…
As an outdoor photographer who loves hiking and backpacking to places far away from the parking lot, I often grapple with how much camera gear I should bring. The photographer in me screams to bring everything, and the thru-hiking backpacker reminds me that I often…
Since being back home, I’ve returned to my previous job at REI, working on the clothing floor. So, I’ve been inspired to talk about my clothing system on the PCT, since I seem to do that all day anyways! In this post, I will explain…
