stg-sectionhikercom-buttons.kinsta.cloud Backpacking Gear Reviews and FAQs

Step-in Crampons After much consideration, I decided to buy a pair of Black Diamond Sabertooth Pro step-in crampons last week that require front and toe boot welts, rather than strap-on ones that can be used with a wider variety of boots. The fact is, I really only intend to use them when I am wearing plastic mountaineering boots that are …

Hiking and Lyme Disease Last year, I switched to wearing long pants for all of my day hiking and backpacking trips to lower my risk of Lymes disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. I have an alarming number of friends who’ve contracted Lymes at least once, and it’s something to be avoided. But the problem with wearing long pants is …

Outdoor Research Alti Mountaineering gloves are designed for technical climbing in very cold weather or at high altitudes where you need to be able to grasp and manipulate tools and ropes. The shells are waterproof Gore-Tex with leather palms and are anatomically curved with a soft shell stretch fabric on the back of the hand for better dexterity. The leather …

After a week of increasingly alarming weather forecasts, we ended up having excellent weather for our summit attempt on Mt. Washington today. Temperatures were only 10 below zero with winds of 38 miles an hour, gusting to 50 miles per hour. That’s considered balmy in January. However, despite the good weather, we were forced to turn back just 0.3 miles …