Stories by the Author
Media Mentions
The Trek: Best Deals for Hikers From the REI March Member Coupon Event
From 3/14 through 3/24 this year, REI Co-op members can save 20% on one full-price item and an extra 20% on one REI Outlet item.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: 7 Safer Smartwater Bottle Alternatives That Are Actually Practical for Thru-Hikers
A review of alternatives to Smartwater bottles for thru-hikers.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Gear List
A list of the gear needed to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Gear I’m Taking on the Appalachian Trail in 2024
The long anticipated gear list for my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2024.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Don’t Fall For These 7 Backpacking Gear Myths
From water bottle cap sizing to waterproofing, here are seven myths about backpacking gear to watch out for.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Day 158 – Discomfort Is Where Growth Happens
A short update from Derek while on trail.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: 10 Reasons to Backpack the Tour du Mont Blanc
Need a reason to backpack the Tour du Mont Blanc? Read here.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Backpacker Radio #200 | Lyme Disease Symptoms, Treatments, and Prevention with Dr. Brian Fallon and Noah Johnston
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Dr. Brian Fallon and Noah Johnston of Project Lyme to discuss all things..
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Good gear for the Benton MacKaye Trail
For now – at 5 am camped at a remote creek and pecking on my phone screen – I just want to offer a few thoughts on what the trail has been teaching me.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Still a Noob, an Insatiable Hunger and The Next 200 Miles
300 miles in, and I still feel like I am learning how to do this thru-hiking thing.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: AZT Gear List
The gear list for the AZT hike is very similar to our AT gear list:
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Sawyer Mini vs Sawyer Squeeze: Which Filter Is Best for Thru-Hiking?
For once, the lightest, smallest option is probably not the best choice for hardcore backpackers.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Gear Before and After Shakedown Hikes
Mr. Rook and I have always felt that gear should support the hiker’s needs. Each hiker is different, thus what they need for their hike to be successful
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Gear! Gear! Gear!
My goal was to have a base weight (base weight = packed weight — food and water weight) as close to, or below, 20 pounds, with a packed weight not ...
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: What’s in your backpack? Ten…Eleven Essential and No Machete
What's in your hiking backpack?
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Boomerang
I’d like to introduce you to Boomerang, an 11-year-old going for his Triple Crown on the PCT this year. Also, he’s my second-born.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Lucky P’s 2023 AT Gear List
Laying all of my gear out and taking inventory of everything seems simple enough, but it can be one of the most daunting yet...
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: To Bidet…or not to Bidet?
Screw a hunk of rubber onto your water bottle, walk 200 feet away from the trail as well as any water sources, dig a six-to-eight-inch deep...
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Top Stoves, Filters, and Power Banks on the Appalachian Trail: 2022 Thru-Hiker Survey
In this final post of the series, we’ll cover the most popular cooking systems, resupply strategies, water filters, water- and tickborne diseases...
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Unpacking Fears on the Appalachian Trail
Unpacking the fears you might have hiking on the Appalachian Trail
Read the Story
Media Mentions
Appalachian Trail: Everything I Carried on the Appalachian Trail in 2022
The Compilation of Gear for my 2022 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: TP or not TP: that is the question
This is an uncomfortable topic for most of us, including me as I decide how to deal with poop while hiking in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina...
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: I’m a Porsche with No Brakes
Margaret Blauvelt runs through her hiking gear list and packing skills here.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: 5 mistakes from the PCT
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I really wouldn’t change much about my PCT thru hike this year.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: Greenhorn Gear: A Newbie’s Thru-Hiking Gear List
I’m new to hiking but I know that you need gear to hike the Appalachian Trail. So I had to figure out what is and isn’t worth the weight for me.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: PCT Gear List: What Has Changed?
Growth in Paul "Bowie" Madigosky's PCT Gear list
Read the Story
Life Outdoors
The Trek: I Am My Gear
My intention is to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail (AT), southbound, starting in June of 2023.
Read the Story
Life Outdoors
The Trek: How To Treat Your Clothes With Permethrin
Let’s talk about all things Permethrin, including why you should use it to treat your clothes and gear before your next trip.
Read the Story
Media Mentions
The Trek: What’s in my pack: Slaughterhouse’s Long Trail Gear List
Slaughterhouse’s Long Trail Gear List & Tricks to cut down weight.
Read the StoryMedia Mentions
The Trek: Best Deals for Hikers From the REI March Member Coupon Event
From 3/14 through 3/24 this year, REI Co-op members can save 20% on one full-price item and an extra 20% on one REI Outlet item.
Media Mentions
The Trek: 7 Safer Smartwater Bottle Alternatives That Are Actually Practical for Thru-Hikers
A review of alternatives to Smartwater bottles for thru-hikers.
Media Mentions
The Trek: Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Gear List
A list of the gear needed to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.
Media Mentions
The Trek: Gear I’m Taking on the Appalachian Trail in 2024
The long anticipated gear list for my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2024.
Media Mentions
The Trek: Don’t Fall For These 7 Backpacking Gear Myths
From water bottle cap sizing to waterproofing, here are seven myths about backpacking gear to watch out for.
Media Mentions
The Trek: Day 158 – Discomfort Is Where Growth Happens
A short update from Derek while on trail.
Media Mentions
The Trek: 10 Reasons to Backpack the Tour du Mont Blanc
Need a reason to backpack the Tour du Mont Blanc? Read here.
Media Mentions
The Trek: Backpacker Radio #200 | Lyme Disease Symptoms, Treatments, and Prevention with Dr. Brian Fallon and Noah Johnston
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Dr. Brian Fallon and Noah Johnston of Project Lyme to discuss all things..
Media Mentions
The Trek: Good gear for the Benton MacKaye Trail
For now – at 5 am camped at a remote creek and pecking on my phone screen – I just want to offer a few thoughts on what the trail has been teaching me.
Media Mentions
The Trek: Still a Noob, an Insatiable Hunger and The Next 200 Miles
300 miles in, and I still feel like I am learning how to do this thru-hiking thing.
Media Mentions
The Trek: AZT Gear List
The gear list for the AZT hike is very similar to our AT gear list:
Media Mentions
The Trek: Sawyer Mini vs Sawyer Squeeze: Which Filter Is Best for Thru-Hiking?
For once, the lightest, smallest option is probably not the best choice for hardcore backpackers.
Media Mentions
The Trek: Gear Before and After Shakedown Hikes
Mr. Rook and I have always felt that gear should support the hiker’s needs. Each hiker is different, thus what they need for their hike to be successful
Media Mentions
The Trek: Gear! Gear! Gear!
My goal was to have a base weight (base weight = packed weight — food and water weight) as close to, or below, 20 pounds, with a packed weight not ...
Media Mentions
The Trek: What’s in your backpack? Ten…Eleven Essential and No Machete
What's in your hiking backpack?
Media Mentions
The Trek: Boomerang
I’d like to introduce you to Boomerang, an 11-year-old going for his Triple Crown on the PCT this year. Also, he’s my second-born.
Media Mentions
The Trek: Lucky P’s 2023 AT Gear List
Laying all of my gear out and taking inventory of everything seems simple enough, but it can be one of the most daunting yet...
Media Mentions
The Trek: To Bidet…or not to Bidet?
Screw a hunk of rubber onto your water bottle, walk 200 feet away from the trail as well as any water sources, dig a six-to-eight-inch deep...
Media Mentions
The Trek: Top Stoves, Filters, and Power Banks on the Appalachian Trail: 2022 Thru-Hiker Survey
In this final post of the series, we’ll cover the most popular cooking systems, resupply strategies, water filters, water- and tickborne diseases...
Media Mentions
The Trek: Unpacking Fears on the Appalachian Trail
Unpacking the fears you might have hiking on the Appalachian Trail
Media Mentions
Appalachian Trail: Everything I Carried on the Appalachian Trail in 2022
The Compilation of Gear for my 2022 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike
Media Mentions
The Trek: TP or not TP: that is the question
This is an uncomfortable topic for most of us, including me as I decide how to deal with poop while hiking in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina...
Media Mentions
The Trek: I’m a Porsche with No Brakes
Margaret Blauvelt runs through her hiking gear list and packing skills here.
Media Mentions
The Trek: 5 mistakes from the PCT
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I really wouldn’t change much about my PCT thru hike this year.
Media Mentions
The Trek: Greenhorn Gear: A Newbie’s Thru-Hiking Gear List
I’m new to hiking but I know that you need gear to hike the Appalachian Trail. So I had to figure out what is and isn’t worth the weight for me.
Media Mentions
The Trek: PCT Gear List: What Has Changed?
Growth in Paul "Bowie" Madigosky's PCT Gear list
Life Outdoors
The Trek: I Am My Gear
My intention is to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail (AT), southbound, starting in June of 2023.
Life Outdoors
The Trek: How To Treat Your Clothes With Permethrin
Let’s talk about all things Permethrin, including why you should use it to treat your clothes and gear before your next trip.
Media Mentions
The Trek: What’s in my pack: Slaughterhouse’s Long Trail Gear List
Slaughterhouse’s Long Trail Gear List & Tricks to cut down weight.
