Cusa Tea is a premium instant tea that makes tea drinking as easy as those ubiquitous skinny packets that coffee drinkers use. Several tea flavors come in the same kind of stick packaging, making it easy to use and transport. The tea packets contain nothing but pure tea with no sweeteners, additives or preservatives. …
I’ve been curious about backpacking in the Trinity Alps of Northern California for a long time but trips to the Sierra kept taking precedent. This year, with the huge layer of snow that blanketed the Sierra, I decided it was high time I checked out Trinity. While Trinity gets a lot of snow as well, …
Hydration mixes such as Tailwind Nutrition drink powders are a lifesaver for me. I often lose my appetite when I’m at altitude and exerting myself strenuously. Early in my backpacking career, before I figured out what was happening, I’d frequently bonk in the afternoon. I’d often reach a state of exhaustion that was difficult to …
Many people have trouble coming up with a relatively healthy meal plan that has adequate calories and protein for backpacking. This can be a real challenge for those with a high metabolism who have significant calorie needs. How to determine calorie needs is a complex topic. There are formulas but they are, at best, only …
HydraPak SoftFlask bottles come in small sizes to accommodate energy gels or liquids. Made of soft thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), the collapsible, flexible material is remarkably strong and resistant to abrasion, even when abused on the backpacking trail. The company states that if used for gels, the 150 ml flask can hold five servings and the …
On my recent snow backpacking trip to Lake of the Woods in Desolation Wilderness over Memorial Day, I found that it was impossible to be ultralight. I’m usually only in the “light” category anyway, with a base weight of 12-16 lbs depending on whether I have a bear canister and any luxury items. I have …
In this epic snow year of 2017, summer backpackers may find themselves pitching their tent in snow. If that happens, they will quickly discover that regular tent pegs will pop right out of the snow. I’m no snow expert (unless I’m on skis) but this year I’ve started to acquire some snow backpacking skills. First …
The Oboz Sawtooth hiking boot is a beefy hiking boot in a compact package. I’ve been testing the boots all winter and there are a number of features that I like. They are rock solid on slippery, wet surfaces. They have a substantial rubber bumper around the heel and toe. They are waterproof, which came …
Kora’s Shola leggings are an ideal winter base layer under ski pants or on their own for winter walks, yoga or snowshoeing. Made from super soft yak wool, they are warm, stretchy, breathable and naturally endowed with odor resistance. Kora yak wool is a versatile textile that offers advantages over popular merino wool that …
The Kahtoola Microspikes ice traction system increases the stability of any winter shoe on ice and snow, taking the terror out of walking on frosty surfaces. Being able to hike on snow covered trails open up the possibilities for winter hiking, and Microspikes make all the difference. Microspikes are good for compacted snow and …