High quality hiking base layers are these days made either of polyester or Merino wool and online you will find a lot of information about these two materials, especially pros and cons. Polyester is labeled as quick-drying, durable, light and cheap while Merino wool is considered breathable, pleasant to the touch and extremely moisture-wicking. Many…
Activities at high altitudes like mountaineering, climbing and mountain hiking are fun and exhilarating. But as you go higher, the air’s content of oxygen decreases. However, your muscles need the same amount of oxygen whether you are at sea level or at 10.000 feet. Therefore, you will be slower at high altitudes, whether you are…
When it comes to hiking backpacks, fit is everything. Certainly, a hiking backpack should be lightweight, durable, have convenient pockets and compartments, but an ill-fitting or ill-fitted backpack will never be comfortable on trails. A well-fitting backpack makes the heavy load feel much lighter while a poorly fitting backpack is uncomfortable even when you are…
A hiking app allows you to easily navigate along the trails and quickly find the best route to your destination. Furthermore, hiking apps can also track your hikes and show you details about each hike such as the duration, distance, ascent, decent etc. Some hiking apps come with preloaded trails so that you can easily…
Winter hiking requires additional gear which keeps you going safe and steady on snowy or icy trails. Gaiters, crampons and an ice axe are the three most often used items of winter hiking gear. Gaiters prevent snow from entering your boots while crampons provide you with traction on icy surfaces. An ice axe allows you…
Hiking boots are one of the most important outdoor purchases you’ll ever make and therefore buying a pair of hiking boots is never easy. Furthermore, hiking boots vary greatly in quality, weight, traction and breathability and you should of course consider these things before making a purchase. Here we selected the five best hiking boot…
If you are buying a new rain jacket or any other waterproof garment, you may have come across terms like hydrostatic head and MVTR (Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate). While clothing brands and online shops are usually great at listing the values of these two parameters for their products, they rarely explain what MVTR and hydrostatic…
While we have written multiple articles with tips and advice for planning and executing your hikes in the most successful manner, we have also made (and learned from) numerous mistakes over the years – either done together or individually. It happens to all of us; you forget some gear, you want to save money by…
A jacket keeps you warm in cold weather by trapping body-warmed air within its fibers. Insulated jackets typically use either down or synthetic insulation. While both insulations can provide good warmth, they do differ in weather resistance, drying time, durability, price and more. In the following we will explain what the differences between down and…
If you are into hiking, you have probably already heard about GPS tracks also known as GPS routes, GPS trails etc. GPS tracks are very useful for hiking because they make it simple and hassle-free to navigate on trails. A GPS track contains information about the trail such as geographical coordinates, altitude and distance. You…
