In the beginning of January 2017 Garmin announced the release of the new Fenix 5 series GPS watches which are replacing the highly popular Fenix 3 series watches (note that a Fenix 4 series will not be launched, according to Garmin). The Garmin Fenix 5 collection includes three different and highly customizable GPS watches –…
Backpack enables you to easily carry water, food, additional clothing and other necessities. Hiking backpacks vary greatly in design, capacity, fit and features. Therefore it can be hard to decide which backpack to buy. In this guide to hiking backpacks we first explain different types of backpacks and then help you figure out your needs…
Hiking trips will take a toll on your feet and legs because you will walk long distances and often on uneven if not downright rocky terrain. Therefore, you should wear good hiking footwear which will protect your feet from injuries and enhance your performance. Because hiking footwear varies greatly in weight, design, support and cushioning,…
Hiking requires good clothing so you are comfortable on trails, no matter the weather. Many beginners are in doubt about what garments to use and how to properly layer them. Therefore, we made this hiking clothing guide where we explain the concept of layering and give you information about different garments and how to best…
A shell is the last (outer) layer of a layered clothing system and is thus worn over a base layer and a mid-layer. In warm weather the shell can also be worn directly over a base layer because insulation, which is normally provided by a mid-layer, is not required. The term “shell” is sometimes confusing…
In 2016 I conducted seven very different hiking trips in the eastern part of the Alps; two in Italy and five in neighboring Slovenia – a small Central European country with great possibilities for hiking and mountaineering. In the following I will describe some of the characteristics of alpine hiking as well as give you…
After executing six different hiking trips in the Alps, I decided it’s time to climb the highest mountain in the Julian Alps, Triglav with its 2864 meters. The mountain lies in the heart of the Julian Alps and is very popular but fairly technically challenging. However, Triglav offers several approach routes that differ by total distance, ascent and…
After climbing the 2539 meters high Skuta peak in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, I decided to proceed my “Hiking the Alps” tour by ascending a relatively small, 1924 meters high mountain called Vogel in the southern Julian Alps. Vogel is very popular among hikers as the trail is not technically challenging. Nonetheless, Vogel offers a great view on…
A hydration bladder is very useful for hiking trips of all durations because it provides easy access to water and you have your hands free while you are drinking. Therefore, it allows you to take small sips of water throughout the hike which is recommended during strenuous activities because it ensures that the water gets…
While it might be easy as cake to pack a backpack for a short hike where you carry only water and a snack, it becomes more of an art when you need to pack additional clothing, extra gear (climbing harness, helmet, via ferrata set etc.) or even sleeping equipment in case you plan to spend…
