It’s hard to buy gifts for hikers and backpackers in 2022. I get it. We’re a gear-hungry bunch who spends an obscene amount of time searching for products that’ll take our trail game to the next level. Choosing a present for an avid hiker that’s both unique and worthwhile can get overwhelming because we […]
Noel Krasomil
Montbell Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka Review
Price: $439 MSRP – Check Price on Montbell Noel’s Rating: 4.6 of 5 stars Pros: Extremely warm and lightweight, very comfortable, full set of features Cons: Not very water-resistant, slightly delicate, expensive Weight: 8.4 oz Women’s Model: Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka Lighter Option: Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Jacket: 4.8 oz Budget Option: Superior Down Parka: $209 […]
How to Start a Travel Blog in 2022: Travel, Create (& Get Paid)
Back in 2017, I saved up a chunk of money, quit my job, and started traveling. I had the world at my fingertips and big, shiny plans for the future. That’s right, I was going to start a travel blog and make money while exploring the earth at my leisure! How’d that turn out, […]
Ultra-Minimalist Travel Packing List for a Week [Extreme Simplicity]
Ultra minimalist travel — these three words sound a tad extreme, don’t they? If they conjure up images of a sunburnt drifter hobbling down the sidewalk with ragged clothes and nothing to their name, I can’t blame you. But, it’s not like that, I swear. Ultra-minimalist travel is anything but an aimless struggle. It’s […]
What to Bring on a Day Hike: The Essential Gear [Full Checklist]
Okay, I’ll admit it: years ago, I would never have been qualified to tell you what to bring on a day hike. I used to set off on trails completely unprepared for the twists and turns that lay ahead. I’ve left my rain jacket in my car, and hiked unsuspectingly into chilling alpine storms. […]
Get Paid to Hike: 10 Hiking Jobs to Make Money on the Trail
Mark Twain once said, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This quote is a bit overused and might even be considered a cliché, but Mr. Twain wasn’t lying, even when it comes to us hikers. That’s right, you can get paid to lace up your […]
The Ideal Colorado Road Trip Itinerary (Ideas, Costs & Map)
If I had to sit down and draw up my dream U.S. road trip itinerary, I’d have a hell of a hard time ever leaving my home state of Colorado. I’m a hopeless skiing, hiking, camping, and outdoor addict, and I simply can’t imagine a better setting to fire up my camper van and […]
Traveling Sucks Sometimes: My 12 Worst Travel Stories
Traveling sucks sometimes, it’s a fact. Life on the road has the tendency to unravel and spiral out of control when we least expect it. The best-laid plans can fall apart at a moment’s notice, and there’s nothing any of us travelers can do about it. I’ve watched helplessly as my backpacking trips have […]
Booth Falls Trail to Booth Lake: Vail Day Hiking at its Finest
Booth Falls Trail to Booth Lake Hike I’d been eyeing Vail’s Booth Falls Trail to Booth Lake day hike for a couple of years, and on a perfect Colorado July day, I finally pulled the trigger. The ensuing adventure was a breathtaking and ass-kicking journey through the Gore Mountain Range’s more rugged and raw […]
Chicago Lakes Trail: Colorado’s Stunning Mt. Evans Wilderness
Chicago Lakes Trail in Mount Evans Wilderness The Chicago Lakes Trail exemplifies everything I love in a Colorado day hike, even if its high-elevation ascents had me pouring sweat and gasping for air. I guess it’s hard to complain about such challenges when the trail I was hiking lead to a crystal clear glacial […]