backpacking Archives – Terradrift

I Backpacked the First Ever Fjällräven Classic Chile. New AND Experienced Backpackers Should Consider It.

Alisha McDarris — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 23:42:18 +0000

When I joined the outdoor brand Fjällräven for their Classic USA in Colorado last summer, I had no reason to believe I'd get the chance to do it again at any of their other 7 Classic events around the world. But when they announced a brand new 4-day backpacking route in Patagonia in Chile, I was thrilled to do it all again, this time in such a remarkable trekking destination. It was certainly different than the USA Classic, but one thing that remained the same: it's a great event whether you've been backpacking for years or you've never been backpacking before ever. Think you might want to check out a Fjällräven Classic yourself? Here's what I learned from backpacking with 200 of my closest friends. Twice.

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We Found The Best Camping Cookware for Ultralight Backpacking: 4 Cook Pots

Alisha McDarris — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:03:57 +0000

One of the best parts of backpacking is arguably the end of the day when you're done hiking, the ultralight tent or camping hammock is set up, and you've got nothing left to do but kick back, make dinner, and shove an unnatural amount of food down your gullet to replace all those calories you burned walking for miles with a heavy pack on your back. So when that time comes, you want the best camping cookware on hand, ready to rehydrate those backpacking meals. What makes a camp cookware set the best? Well, that depends on you and your style of backpacking, who you're with, and what you plan to eat. So we tested a handful of ultralight cookware options to see which were tops and which are best suited for all different types of backpackers.

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Suunto Vertical Review: A GPS Watch for Outdoor Athletes

Alisha McDarris — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:18:10 +0000

Are you a data nerd when it comes to tracking outdoor activities? Always have to know your mileage, elevation gain, heart rate? Searching for a GPS watch that can tell you all that and more that ALSO has a super impressive battery life? Me too, friends, me too. So allow me to introduce you to the Suunto Vertical, our favorite new GPS watch.

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A Couple’s Sub-10lb Ultralight Backpacking Gear Setup!

Alisha McDarris — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 22:39:52 +0000

We're all about backpacking here at Terradrift. Specifically ultralight backpacking. So we took a bunch of UL gear out on the Allegheny Trail in West Virginia in late spring conditions to see how light we could get our packs and how the gear performed. Here's what we carried.

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Sustainable Sun Hoodies: Protect Your Delicate Epidermis on Your Next Adventure

Alisha McDarris — Wed, 15 May 2024 00:40:06 +0000

If there's one thing I have in common with thru-hikers (there's way more than one...) it's the dress code for summer hiking: teeny tiny shorts on the bottom and full-coverage up top. Yup, when it's sunny outside, even when it's hot, you better believe I'm protecting my delicate epidermis with a sustainable sun hoody. I mean, who wants to stop every hour to slather more sunscreen up and down their arms, neck, and chest, am I right? And who wants to carry that much sunscreen on a backpacking trip? Not me; I'm an ultralighter. So yeah, you're waaaay more likely to catch me in full sleeves and a hood when it's hot outside than a tank top (at least when I'm hiking, biking, or trail running for more than an hour). But not all sun hoodies are created equal. Some are created more equal than others. Fortunately, we found four solid, sustainable sun hoodies for all kinds of outdoor activities so you can wander without getting sunburned.

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Lightweight AND Comfortable? This is the Deuter Aircontact Ultra

Josh McDarris — Tue, 07 May 2024 16:40:36 +0000

Maybe you’re one of those backpackers who's intrigued by the concept of ultralight but you’re not quite ready to make the plunge. Maybe you want something with a bit more support that's able to carry slightly heavier loads more comfortably than, say, a frameless ultralight pack. After all, if you have more traditional gear, it probably weighs quite a bit more than a slimmed down UL kit. Well we've got good news. We tested what might just be the perfect pack for backpackers who want to reduce weight without fully committing to going ultralight, who want comfort and functionality without sacrificing anything, and who might be considering transitioning to ultralight over time: The Deuter Aircontact Ultra 40+5, which excels at fit, function, and comfort and does it all at a lower base weight. Here's what we thought of it.

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LiteAF ECOPAK 40L Curve Full Suspension

Alisha McDarris — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:03:59 +0000

It’s fun, it’s funky, it’s ultralight! It’s the LiteAF ECOPACK 40L Curve ultralight backpack! But we test a lot of ultralight gear here at Terradrift, so what makes THIS pack so special? It’s super durable and functional.

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Cheap vs Expensive Trekking Poles: Are They Worth It?

Alisha McDarris — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 16:15:03 +0000

What's a hiker to do when shopping for trekking poles and one is twenty bucks and the other is $200? What? What they heck is the difference to require such a massive price difference? And are expensive trekking poles even worth it? We break it all down to help you decide if you should save your hard-earned cash for other gear or splurge on fancy new sticks.

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5 Reasons Winter Camping is the Best

Alisha McDarris — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 18:35:00 +0000

Want to know why winter camping and backpacking are the best? Here are five reasons to give it a go this season!

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Is This the Best Ultralight Backpacking Tent? The Durston X-Mid 2

Alisha McDarris — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 23:13:08 +0000

We a good ultralight backpacking tent here at Terradrift. Any ultralight backpacking gear, really. So we couldn’t have been more stoked to get our hands on the Durston X-Mid 2. We put it to the test recently to see if it was impressive enough to replace our beloved UL Big Agnes Tiger Wall. Spoilers: It sure the heck is. Read or watch to find out how and why.

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