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The Best Vegan Protein Powder for Backpacking and Hiking

If you’re planning a multi-day backpacking excursion, thru-hike, heck, even an extended day hike, nutrition is important. You’re going to need some serious calories, for sure, but your body also requires protein. A lot of it. And one of our favorite quick and easy ways to get it, on OR off the trail, is with vegan protein powder. Here are 5, ranked by the tastiest to the tongue-scrapingly awful.

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Free National Park Days This Year [2025]

There are a total of 5 fee free national park days in 2023, which means you can get into any of the more than 400 parks, monuments and conservations areas, many of which usually charge a pretty penny, for free (or almost free)! And we highly recommend you take advantage of these days if you’re traveling on a budget, hoping to save some dough on your next adventurous outing, or you’re looking for any old excuse to visit a national park near you (or not so near you). Which you totally should, ’cause they’re pretty dang great! So if you’re ready to enjoy some seriously epic landscapes, pack the camera and start planning! And remember that you’ll still need to make reservations ahead of time at some national parks (we’ll tell you which ones).

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4 Winter Hikes Near Aspen for People Who Don’t Ski

If you find yourself in Aspen or its surrounds during ski season, but downhill skiing isn’t really your thing, fear not! There are plenty of winter hikes near Aspen to keep you occupied. Just lace up those waterproof boots, grab some traction devices or snowshoes, and hit the snowy trails! You’ll get epic views, great photo ops, and have a great time on uncrowded paths that don’t require expensive lift tickets or waiting in long lines. Here are 5 winter hikes near Aspen, all within a 45 minute drive (give or take).

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Fanny Pack vs Backpack: A Gear Showdown!

It’s a debate as old as time…Or probably just as old as the 90’s or whenever hip packs, bum bags, waist packs, or whatever you call them in your neck of the woods came into vogue: Which is better for hiking and other outdoor activities? A hip pack or backpack? They are, after all, very different animals. And serve very different purposes and functions. Or do they? We’ll break down what each does best in this backpack vs hip pack showdown to help you decide which you want to carry on your next outdoor excursion.

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7 Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking [Insulated and Sustainable]

Who doesn’t love a sleek and streamlined insulated jacket? Cozy and layer-able, they might be the perfect multitasking piece of outdoor clothing: you can wear one as a midlayer on cold hikes, an outer layer on mild trail days, ball it up and use it as a pillow, pack it in your carry on, throw it on to go to the gear shop down the road…synthetic insulated jackets are just so dang versatile! So we rounded up 7 of our favorite sustainable options that are guaranteed to keep you cozy on any outdoor adventure! Check ’em all out to find out which one is perfect for you.

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The Ultimate Ultralight Backpacking Gear Kit: 8.2lb Base Weight!

I’ve been backpacking for over two decades now. And over that time, I’ve become more and more of an ultralight Backpacker. Meaning, I prefer to carry as a little weight as possible, no matter how long of an excursion I am embarking upon. So I decided to go all in. I upgraded my entire backpacking kit to include only the most ultralight gear I could find to test it out and see if it was worth the weight savings, the cost, and the lack of feature-rich gear. So I took it all out on a recent weekend trip, and will break it all down for you right here, right now, and let you know if some of the most ultralight backpacking gear in existence today makes for a better backpacking experience or a more miserable one.

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The Best Travel Coffee Kit for Perfect Pour Overs

Coffee is what makes the wheel spin and keeps the content churning here at Terradrift. We love it. We’re obsessed with it. We’re probably addicted to it. So we’re always on the lookout for innovative devices and methods of brewing, especially portable coffee makers that we can take on the road with us. So allow me to introduce you to the Pakt Coffee Kit, a delightfully portable travel coffee maker that packs up into one convenient little handheld package and contains everything you need to brew a great cup of coffee just about anywhere. Read (and watch) all about it here.

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5 Hikes Near Fredericksburg (and Where to Stay While You’re There)

Fredericksburg, Texas, located centrally within the state in a region warmnly known as Hill Country, is known far and wide for its wine. Dozens and dozens of wineries call Fredericksburg home and a drive into town from Austin or San Antonio will take you past many of them. In the spring, wildflowers pop up everywhere and in the fall you may even spot a few fall colors on the deciduous trees. But whether you’re headed to Fredericksburg for the wine or the German heritage or the holiday festivities, if you find yourself getting a little antsy and eager to explore, these hikes near Fredericksburg will not disappoint.

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Gnara Go There Pant (Formerly SheFly): Hiking Pants for Women (So We Can Pee Anywhere)

There are a pair of shiny new hiking pants for women on the market and they. Are. Legit. Why? They are designed to finally give anyone who has to pee sitting down the chance to laugh directly in the face of the patriarchy. Why? How? They allow women to pee in the outdoors with their pants still 100% on and their privacy protected. Got your attention? We thought so. Well, buckle up, because we’re gonna talk about these new SheFly Go Anywhere Pants, what we thought of them, and whether they’re worth the price right here, right now.

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The 3 Best Winter Hiking Boots [Synthetic and Vegan]

Winter is coming. (Sorry, I had to…) And that means it will soon be time to gird your feet in more insulated, protective shoes. (Permit me a moment of mourning as I put away my hiking sandals…) And that means it’s time to break out the winter hiking boots! But if you’re concerned with sustainability and/or are searching for warm vegan hiking boots, the pickings are slim to say the least. So we did some digging to find the best sustainable and vegan winter hiking boots on the market this season. These three are tops in our book!

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