While we truly are thankful for so many moments throughout this past year, our reflections are burdened by a heavy heart.  Senseless violence is an unfortunate reality, a reality that weighs heavy on our hearts this holiday season.  Our deepest sympathy goes out to all those who have been impacted by the needless and unexplainable acts of evil that have filled the headlines recently.

We’ve all seen the headlines, the newspaper’s front page and the nightly news top stories.  Stories that could easily cause us to question the world we live in.  Stories that could cause us to question the intentions of others and cause us to challenge our trust in the people we know as neighbors and friends. 

It’s the reality of those headlines and the questions and challenges that they present that has inspired us to want to share a story of our own.

Our story doesn’t sell newspapers and it’s a story that is harder and harder to find on television, but it’s also a story that is told again and again in the actions of the everyday people we’ve met all across the country.  It’s a story told in the hearts of people like you and people like me.  It’s a story of giving, it’s a story of caring, it’s a story of concern.  It’s a story that could be a headline in every paper in every town, and be the top story on every national television broadcast, because it is a story that can be found all across this country, because everywhere we’ve looked we’ve found people who are being kind.  We feel like it’s time to tell a different story with a new headline, a headline that reads, “PEOPLE ARE KIND”.

This is our people are kind story….

 We live a unique lifestyle.  We could even be considered modern day nomads.  For nine months per year, every year, for the past seven years, we have traveled the United States.

Our first year as “nomads” we went for a walkabout.  We walked from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean on a 4,000+ mile thru-hike of the American Discovery Trail (ADT).  At the completion of our walk we sent over 100 thank you cards to perfect strangers who were kind enough to help us along the way.  Some people offered a cold drink of water, some offered a spot in their yard to camp and some invited us in their homes to spend time with their families.  Sometimes we were in small towns, sometimes in big cities, sometimes in the middle of the desert.  None of those who helped us were asked, forced or told to – they acted purely out of kindness.

We found our experience on the ADT to be similar to that which we enjoyed on the Appalachian Trail during our Georgia to Maine thru-hike, an experience many of you may know as “Trail Magic”. 

  After our coast to coast hike we took on the role of Ambassadors for BACKPACKER Magazine.  For the last six years we’ve traveled the country in a Subaru Outback outfitted with the outdoor industry’s latest and greatest backpacking and camping gear making our way from campground to campground exploring the country with a “walk the walk” mentality so that we can “talk the talk” as outdoor experts with an authentic and inspiring educational message promoting an active outdoor lifestyle.  Our unique lifestyle allows us to live our passion, a passion for backpacking, hiking and camping, and a passion for sharing our experiences with others.

 While our mode of travel has changed and our needs are different, the kindness we’ve received has never wavered.  All over this country, whether we are in Tampa, Florida or Tampa, Kansas, rarely a day goes by when someone doesn’t offer an act of random kindness.   Whether it’s “magic” on trail or on the road, it is overwhelming how much kindness we’ve witnessed.  We’ve witness so much kindness that we feel as though our cup is overflowing and we can’t help but to want to pass on kindness to others.  Our experience has led us to believe that kindness is contagious.

One aspect of living such a unique “nomadic” lifestyle is the opportunity (or the challenge) to meet new people (or perfect strangers) on a daily basis.

 We don’t find ourselves in any one place for any extended period of time, so we find ourselves experiencing a continuous run of first impressions.  On a nine month road trip throughout the United States lower 48 you will encounter thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, or maybe even millions of people.  You will meet people from small towns, from big cities, from crowded places and wide open spaces.  You will share the open road with perfect strangers, you will share a secluded trail with perfect strangers, you will sleep under the stars in a remote forest with perfect strangers, and if your experience is anything like ours, you will learn that this country is full of wonderful, trustworthy, giving, caring, and kind perfect strangers.  You will find perfect strangers who may offer you kindness and you will find perfect strangers who may benefit from your act of kindness.

We’re overwhelmed to have had the opportunity to explore and experience this country on such an extended and intimate level and as we dig through the mountains of memories created throughout our time with BACKPACKER Magazine and the Get Out More Tour, all the highs and lows, summits and valleys, we are not at all surprised to come away from touring the United States knowing that the moments we cherish the most, the peaks of our experience, are created by the kind-hearted perfect strangers we meet along the way.

Sure, many of our highlights are moments of complete isolation, moments when we feel a genuine connection with nature.

 As backpackers we are constantly searching for the intimate connection with ourselves, with each other, and with the world around us that can only be provided by an escape into nature.  Our connection with nature brings about memories of unique landscapes and rare wildlife encounters (hard to forget Raining Bears).  Each year we find ourselves in awe of the natural beauty found in this country.

Some moments will surely stay with us forever.

 We couldn’t possibly forget witnessing the day’s first rays as an orange glow crept over the Atlantic Ocean painting the exposed mountaintop rocks in Maine’s Acadia National Park, or watching the shifting shadows turn pinks to reds and then reds to maroons as the sun crawled high over Utah’s Zion Canyon, and being mesmerized by the shimmer of competing light as the day’s last rays were chased by the moon in a race to see which could slowly fall into the glassy surface of the Pacific Ocean first off the coast of California’s Half Moon Bay.

The natural wonders we’ve enjoyed while discovering the wild places this country has to offer are certainly highlights of our travels, but in our opinion it is without a doubt the people who call this country home, the kind-hearted perfect strangers we’ve encountered who deserve the headlines in our story.

 People like Tom Johnson, people who give themselves, their time and their energy to their community without asking for anything in return.  People like Ross Hayduk, people who not only overcome personal challenges, but along the way they inspire others to overcome challenges in their own lives.  People like Beaty Jackson, people who open and close every conversation by asking “what can I do for you”.  People who we knew as perfect strangers who we now consider wonderful friends and wonderful examples of the incredibly kind people that can be found all over this country.

They’re people just like your neighbors, people just like your friends, people just like your family, people just like you.  People who when faced with the reality of senseless violence, when faced with the need to question the world we live in, question the intentions of others, and question whether or not they can trust anyone, decide that their only option is kindness.  This country is full of people who believe that kindness is contagious, that giving is better than receiving, and that the world is a better place when we share it with each other.

Regardless of whether or not it will ever make the headlines, one random act at a time, kindness can make a difference.  In our experience kindness is alive and well in this country, but right now sure would be a great time to bring it to the front page.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make the 2012 Get Out More Tour a tremendous success, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all.  Be kind to each other!

Sheri and Randy Propster

The first step to staying hydrated is being sure you know where you will find water.  Be sure you research your destination before you hit the trail.  Remember, just because there is a little blue line on the map it doesn’t mean that there will be water there.  Talk to locals and rangers to be sure the water you are counting on is actually flowing at that particular location that particular time of the year.

 When it comes to storing our water we find hydration bladders to be the most convenient option.  With hydration bladders we can drink on the move hands-free.

However, hydration bladders wouldn’t be our first choice in below freezing environments.  In below freezing conditions we will utilize hard sided bottles that we store upside down (so the first water to freeze will be at the bottom of the container and not the top) deep in our packs.  We usually sleep with the bottles in our sleeping bag, and may even put hot water in them to create a heater effect to improve our sleeping bag warmth.

 Since staying hydrated is an essential need we always utilize at least two methods for carrying water.

In warmer conditions, if we have extended distances between water sources, we have to carry enough water for the entire trip or we simply want to keep a supply of water ready at camp, we call upon Sea to Summit’s Pack Taps.  Available in 2, 4, 6 and 10 liters (3.8, 4, 13, and 14.5 ounces), they’re lightweight, easy to attach to our packs when full and easily packable when empty.

 When it comes to water retrieval we prefer to make as few trips as possible down to the source.  To carry larger amounts of water all in one trip we utilize Sea to Summit’s Folding Bucket.  The free standing Folding Buckets allow us to bring back 10 or even 20 liters of water to camp all at once with a single scoop into the source.  They’re fantastic for those water sources that are off the ridge or a significant distance from camp.

Want to go lighter?  Trade the 2.6 ounce free-standing option for the 0.8 ounce ultra-sil option.  The lightweight ultra-sil option is still a fantastic way to transport water from the source, it’s just not free standing.

These two options are a great example of the typical weight, comfort and convenience trade-offs associated with backpacking equipment: improve your comfort by needing only one trip to the source, up the convenience with a free-standing design, or choose the weight savings of the ultra-sil design.

Once you know where your water will be and how you plan to retrieve and carry it, it’s critical that you ensure your water is safe to drink.

No research required, treat any and all water you plan to drink.

Water treatment can be accomplished in a variety of ways, so once again we are going to search for an option that best meets our weight, comfort and convenience needs.  Boiling water definitely works, and all we’d need is the weight of a single match, but having to start a fire and bring a pot of water to a boil every time we need a refill isn’t very convenient. 

Chemicals work, but they take an extended period of time to be effective.

Pumps work, but they can be a lot of work.

UV devices work, but they take batteries to work so be sure you carry back-up. Consider packing a pre-filter, so you won’t have to drink all of the sediment that they don’t remove from the water.

Technology has really changed the game when it comes to the weight (lighter the better), comfort (confidence you will be drinking safe water) and convenience (less work) of gravity filtration.

We now have an option that weighs only 3 oz., was developed with 0.1 micron absolute hollow fiber technology originally designed in the medical field to clean blood, and is versatile enough to be used for everything from adventure travel to backcountry travel.

 The Sawyer Squeeze Bag System is the most versatile gravity filter we’ve seen which probably explains why the Editors of BACKPACKER recognized this system with a 2012 Editors’ Choice Award.  The filter can be used with the included reusable bags, we simply fill the bag and give it a squeeze, no pumping required.  Or, we can use the adaptors to insert the filter right into the line of our hydration bladder, fill up and move on, as fast as we drink, water is being filtered on the way to our mouth.  Or, if we have any bottle with a standard size top we can screw the filter on, open the spout and drink. 

The lightweight Sawyer Squeeze Bag System (3 oz) allows us to feel safe knowing that our water will be clean and gives us the comfort of knowing we will be drinking sediment free water.  

Best of all, the filter comes with a one million gallon guarantee (no replacement cartridges ever!) so you can use it all day, every day!

Bottom line: If you want to stay safe, stay hydrated!

See You Outside,

Sheri and Randy Propster

For more essential “As Seen On Tour” information check out:  http://www.getoutmoretour.com/2012/07/02/as-seen-on-tour/

If you know how to build a natural shelter (and have the appropriate supplies and time) it is possible to utilize the resources that are provided by your destination to create a shelter (watch Drop Dead Ted turn a critical eye on his homemade test shelters).  While we suggest everyone practice those types of essential survival skills, most of us that plan to spend a night or more in the wild will prefer to pack out a shelter that takes less time and energy to set-up.

 There are many options on the market in the world of shelters: tents, tarps, bivys and hammocks can all provide the protection we need from the forces of nature we will face in the wild.

When we are deciding on the appropriate shelter option for our adventures we focus on three broad categories.  We are certainly going to consider how easily and quickly we can set a particular shelter up, the weight of the shelter and the volume the shelter will take up in our pack, but the majority of our decision making process will be included in these three categories: the weather, the terrain and our personal comfort threshold.

When it comes to the weather we break down our shelter need into three-season protection or four season protection.  A four season shelter is typically a heavier shelter with a beefier pole structure and more enclosed canopy that is designed to bear the weight of snow and ice.  Four season shelters usually perform better in cold winter winds (check out the Alti Storm from NEMO).

If we are not winter camping we typically prefer a three-season shelter.  Three season shelters are usually lighter, pack down with less bulk and offer better ventilation.

In addition to the weather, the terrain we are hiking into will play a major role in many of our decisions concerning the design of our shelter.  Some environments are just a better match for specific shelter designs.

Take sections of the Florida Trail for instance, if there is ankle high water on the ground all around you, a hammock may be your best option.  Hammock shelters are growing in popularity, we are seeing more and more of them in the backcountry all the time.  As long as there are trees readily available in the terrain you are exploring, utilizing a hammock will eliminate the need to find a level, rock free piece of earth to lie on.

 The terrain will also dictate whether we choose a free-standing or a non-free-standing shelter.  Free-standing shelters are designed with the ability to stand upright without the need of stakes or guy-lines (check out the Obi 2P from NEMO), whereas non-free-standing shelters will require stakes and lines to create the rigid support they need to stand upright (check out the META 2P from NEMO).

A trip into Yosemite National Park and the high Sierra will likely provide you an opportunity to sleep on a bed of granite, if you choose a non-free-standing shelter in that terrain, good luck getting the stakes in the ground.  Sure, you can utilize rocks and boulders to pitch a non-free-standing tent on a bed of granite, but it will certainly be less convenient than a free-standing design.

We always pay close attention to the relationship between weight, comfort and convenience with all of our gear choices.

Non-free-standing shelters can offer a weight savings, but they can also sacrifice convenience by being more difficult to pitch in some types of terrain.

We definitely love to see innovations that offer a weight savings.  The Meta 2P utilizes trekking poles to support the non-free-standing design (weight you are already carrying for your on trail support), and shelters like NEMO’s GOGO Elite, a featherweight superbivy that not only saves weight with a minimalist design and lower volume bivy style, but trims the weight even more by eliminating the need for poles thanks to air support technology.

 Another design comparison that can impact weight, comfort and convenience is that of single wall vs. double wall shelters.  The single layer of waterproof breathable nylon used in single-wall shelters like the META and GOGO offer a weight savings versus the two “walls” (an internal layer of nylon and no-see-um netting and an external removable waterproof nylon rain-fly) of a double wall design like the Obi, but you may be inconvenienced by the lack of versatility regarding breathability and star gazing and you may sacrifice some comfort dealing with the typical increase of condensation created by the single-wall design.

In addition to the weather and terrain considerations it is critical that you find a shelter that will accommodate your personal comfort needs.  Some of you will not get a good night sleep in the banana shape of a hammock, some will find the bivy a bit too confining, some may find condensation annoying and we will all get frustrated if the shelter doesn’t pitch quickly in a downpour.

 Be sure you set up your shelter in the shop, before you make the purchase.  Take your time, get inside, check the head room and be sure your toes and head don’t touch the walls.  Are the zippers smooth and easy to operate (even with gloves on)?

Your necessary level of comfort is a very personal decision, just remember, backpacking is not punishment and it is very possible to get a good night sleep in the backcountry, maybe even the best sleep of your life!

For more on tents check out this Tent Buying Guide by Backpacker Magazine’s Gear Editor, Kristen Hostetter:  http://www.backpacker.com/tent-buying-guide/gear/15054

See You Outside,

Sheri and Randy Propster
For more backpacking essentials check out: AS SEEN ON TOUR

 Some aspects of what makes Fall so special are apparent in the slow and subtle changes that creep into the landscape.  Other aspects demand our attention with every step we take.  Take the narrow and winding paths that we have enjoyed all summer long for instance.  In the Fall those innocent trails are coated in crumbling leaves that quite stealthily disguise loose rocks and stubborn roots that we would otherwise recognize as potential ankle breakers.  Combine the additional challenge below your feet with the temptation to enjoy the distant views that are afforded by the lack of leaves in the trees and it almost seems as if the leaves are playing a role in some deeper conspiracy targeting backpackers.  Maybe the leaves prefer the literal definition of Fall over the synonym for Autumn?

 The current issue of Backpacker Magazine (October 2012) highlights the literal definition of Fall.  The entire issue is dedicated to Survival.  An issue that is traditionally a subscriber favorite, the Survival issue is packed with stories of horror, close encounters and close calls that have pushed backpackers to the literal edge.  An entire segment of the magazine specifically targets falls and points out that gravity is year after year, a hiker’s worst enemy.  Annette McGivney’s feature story, “Man Down” describes the nightmare with brutal honesty when she writes, “the impact from falling 200 feet does the same thing to a body as stepping on an IED.  It explodes.  Shreds.  Splatters.”

 The image Annette has successfully painted in our minds would be enough to keep some backpackers from searching out elevation ever again, for us it just instills an ever present reminder that we need to stay alert at all times.  Combine the perfect destination with the additional challenge presented by the conspiracy of the leaves that coincides with autumn and as guest editor Bear Grylls put it, “one complacent or careless move, and gravity can grab you…a fall from any height can do serious damage”. 

You can pack in the best, latest and greatest gear on the planet, but if it’s in your pack when you get careless and take a fall, it’s accelerating with you at 9.8 meters per second squared.  We’ve said it thousands of times, but we know we can’t possibly say it enough, the most important thing you can have with you on any adventure into the wild is your BRAIN!  Stay alert, think things through, weigh the risks and reward yourself with the opportunity to come back another day.

 As for those perfect destinations (or as the Survival issue calls them, “Killer Trips”) where you can find a true risk/reward proposition, we’ve had the pleasure of exploring two trails recently where it could easily be perceived that “gravity wants you dead”.  The Angel’s Landing Trail in Utah’s Zion National Park and the Chimney Top Trail in the Red River Gorge NRA of Kentucky.  With a freefall knife edge of over 1,000 feet and an overhang of 600 feet respectively these routes are not for the casual explorer.  These routes offer world class views and acrophobia inducing exposures.  If you want to find out if you have a head for heights these hikes are for you!

Check out our pictures from Zion here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24479591@N05/sets/72157631731020034/

Check out our pictures from Red River Gorge here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24479591@N05/sets/72157631731128077/

Better yet take the risk/reward challenge for yourself:

                Zion N.P.: (435)772-3256; nps.gov/zion; Trip ID 44885

                Red River Gorge: (606)784-6428; fs.usda.gov/dbnf

See you Outside,

Sheri and Randy Propster

The Get Out More Tour is currently on its west coast swing, so we thought we would take Backpacker Magazine’s west coast Readers’ advice and check out the Lakes Trail for an overnight trip to Pear Lake.  The route we followed was highlighted in the January 2010 Readers’ Choice edition of Backpacker Magazine and is still available online at: http://www.backpacker.com/january-2010-lakes-trail-to-pear-lake-sequoia-np/destinations/13731 .

 From the first few steps away from the Wolverton Trailhead all the way to Pear Lake and back, this overnight trip will put an ear to ear grin on your face.  This hike offers so much diversity.  As you climb from just over 7,000 feet to just over 9,500 feet you will have the opportunity to walk a well graded Lakes Trail in the shadows of enormous trees, through meadows along the wolverton creek where black bear and black tailed deer graze, along steep cliffs that allow you to get a taste of the dramatic elevation changes found in the park (1,370 feet to 14,494 feet), and past the shoreline of multiple alpine lakes before reaching the awe inspiring beauty of the cirque surrounded Pear Lake whose shoreline campsites provide level surfaces and hours of quiet reflection.

  A true highlight of the hike is the side trail leading to the “Watchtower”.  The watchtower is a colossal granite spire that seems to stretch toward the sky.  Don’t get too close to the edge though because the deep canyon floor is certainly a long way down.

 With abundant wildlife, numerous wildflowers, massive granite walls, plush meadows, calming lakes, and the tallest trees around, this hike is one we would definitely suggest to anyone looking to avoid the craziness of Yosemite…the often (over)crowded National Park neighbor to Sequoia’s north.  We’ve visited Yosemite multiple times (http://www.getoutmoretour.com/2011/09/12/the-yosemite-middle/),  and while we’ve called it (and rightfully so) a true backpacker’s paradise, we wouldn’t hesitate to say that this 12 mile out and back to Pear lake can compete with the size, beauty and diversity that even the best of Yosemite has to offer.

 Be sure to check in at the Lodgepole Ranger Station before heading in at the Wolverton Trailhead, the Lakes Trail is limited to a quota of 25 overnighters and a permit is required.  We carried an approved bear canister and food lockers are available at Pear Lake, so make sure you properly store all of your scented items…bears are active in the area.

Start planning your own Sequoia National Park backpacking experience at: http://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm

Check out some of the photographs from our experience at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24479591@N05/sets/72157631516642963/

See You Outside,

Sheri and Randy Propster

We certainly need to insulate our feet and socks are a critical link when it comes to foot comfort.  We look for socks that are going to pad our feet where we need it while not adding unnecessary bulk in areas that we don’t.

Materials are very important in our footwear too.  If we’re backpacking our feet will get wet.  It’s almost impossible to avoiding wet feet.  Whether it’s from precipitation, dew or sweat, our feet will battle moisture, so we need to look for materials that will maintain their shape and continue to insulate in those moist conditions.  The WOOLRICH Superior Hiking Socks we have been utilizing this year combine merino wool, nylon and spandex to achieve the shape and insulation balance.

We keep our socks in a constant rotation that allows three pairs to be the magic number whether we’re out for the weekend or for the month.  All three pairs are the exact same style of sock.  Consistency is so important when it comes to the fit in our footwear.  Changing our socks can change the volume that our foot occupies in our shoe, and therefore the overall fit, which is also why we try on our shoes with the socks we plan to wear during our adventures.  With three pairs we have one that can stay dry with our dry set of clothes and two pairs to rotate throughout the hike so as to keep our feet as dry as possible.

We also suggest that you try on your shoes at the end of the day, in the evening when your feet are typically swollen.  Your feet will definitely swell after a few miles on trail so you want to be sure your shoes can accommodate your feet in that condition.   You should also be sure to take any insoles or custom orthotic inserts with you when you are trying on your shoes and be sure you understand that shoes and boots are constructed with a variety of materials designed to offer varying levels of support.

Shoes are built for specific activities, and believe it or not, shoes and boots are actually built from the inside out.  The first step manufactures take is to build a Last.  A Last is essentially a model of a foot.  The shape, size, angle and position of the last will ultimately impact the way the shoe fits your foot, and impact the shoe’s performance in a particular activity. 

Let’s compare a few different Lasts to illustrate the concept.  Take the VASQUE Talus Ultradry for example.  The Talus (reviewed in Backpacker Magazine here: http://www.backpacker.com/2012-august-gear-review-vasque-talus-ud/gear/16732) has been strategically constructed as a hiking shoe.  It was built around a Perpetuum Last, it’s a straighter last designed for the continuous motions that slightly flatten out your feet, it has a narrow heal cup to help lock your foot into place and a wider toe-box to accommodate the swelling that comes with long days on trail.  This Last was intentionally developed for steady long distance endeavors.  Under your foot you get a molded foam (PU) midsole that is designed to cushion each step and a Vibram outsole that offers protection and traction.  The upper that wraps around your foot is constructed with a combination of nubuck and mesh so that you get the appropriate balance of support and breathability.

The VASQUE Velocity 2.0 is actually the latest version of the shoe that was Randy’s hero shoe on our walk across the United States (American Discovery Trail).  Five of the nine pairs of shoes and boots it took him to get from one ocean to the other were the Velocity.  This option is what we like to think of as the perfect marriage between the lightweight breathability of a trail runner and the armored construction found in these hiking shoes.  The Velocity is built on an ARC TEMPO Last which has an asymmetrical curve built in it that puts your foot in a more powerful position during toe-off, creating a toe spring effect that is great for trail runners or for you hikers who find yourselves bouncing around on technical terrain.

There’s no question that having a shoe designed for our activity will improve our comfort, but it won’t do us any good if we don’t get the right fit.   When it comes to fit we consider the Length, Width and Volume.  Some boot options are available in narrow medium and wide widths, some are available in a men’s as well as a lower volume women’s model.  Our toes should be able to wiggle inside our shoe, but our feet shouldn’t slide around or be compressed from side to side, and the bulk of our foot should fit securely without being too tight.  Try pulling the insoles out of the shoes and standing on them, the more similar the shape of your foot and the insole, the better chance of a good fit.

 There is some truth to the fact that shoes will take some time to break in, so don’t make the mistake of buying new footwear the night before your big trip, but don’t get talked into buying an uncomfortable shoe with the belief it will become comfortable, shoes should start comfortable and become more comfortable.

Bottom line: take your time, try on multiple options and wear them for an extended period of time (start in the shoe department then shop while walking around in the new shoes) before making a final decision.  Consistency is the key, so once you find a system that works for you, stick with it.

As for blister issues, be proactive.  Cover potential rub spots before they become rub spots and stop the second you feel an uncomfortable rub, don’t wait to see if it gets better, it won’t.  Liner socks may help if you are blister prone (nylon stockings work as liners too).

Our final Footwear thoughts:  Happy feet equals happy hiking!  Put the time and energy into a good pair of shoes/boots and your hiking/backpacking will definitely benefit.

See You Outside,

Sheri and Randy Propster

AS SEEN ON TOUR: BACKPACKS 

AS SEEN ON TOUR: INSULATION – CLOTHING SYSTEM

AS SEEN ON TOUR: INSULATION – SLEEP SYSTEM

If you have never enjoyed the opportunity to watch this 75 minute information packed skills clinic and gear show, now is your chance to be informed and inspired as you watch the pages of Backpacker Magazine come to life over the world wide web.  Sheri and Randy Propster will be web-casting the 2012 Get Out More Tour live from the flagship REI store in Seattle, Washington.  Invitation to watch from Sheri and Randy.

Get Out More is a one-of-a kind mobile tour that brings the pages of Backpacker to life for audiences nationwide. From April to December, Backpacker’s experienced Get Out More road team travels the country to educate consumers about the skills and equipment they need to Get Out More!  Watch the Come Along for the Ride Video.

 Sheri and Randy want to motivate you to get outside, explore the world around you and develop an intimate connection with nature, and they know that backpacking can provide a connection to nature unlike any other experience.

Sheri and Randy invite you to watch their LIVE WEBCAST at www.rei.com/live on Wednesday, September 5th so that they can offer you the information that you need to be able to backpack comfortably, to be able to backpack safely, to be able to backpack with confidence!

  Along the way they will show off dozens and dozens of gear options that they have personally put to the test, allowing you to see the latest and greatest gear offerings that are available from the outdoor industry.

If the Get Out More Tour isn’t going to be visiting a town near you (Tour Schedule), this is your chance to get all of the information and inspiration that the Tour has to offer, and it’s coming to right to you, wherever you are, LIVE on Wednesday night!

See You Outside (or inside during the WEBCAST),

Sheri and Randy Propster

The Get Out More Tour is going LIVE.  On Wednesday, September 5th at 7:00pm (PDT) the 2012 Get Out More Tour will be WEBCAST LIVE at www.rei.com/live.

When it comes to our sleep system, and choosing a sleeping bag, we focus on temperature rating and fill material.

When it comes to temperature ratings, it’s important to remember that a ton of factors affect a sleeping bag’s rating: the shape of the bag: there are rectangular, mummy and even spoon shaped bags (more about NEMO’s new design here: NEMO SPOON SHAPE), the length of the bag: there are short, regular, and long bags, the type and amount of fill in the bag, and equally important but often overlooked, the amount of heat being generated by your body.

 Sleeping bags don’t generate heat, they trap it.  If you can’t seem to sleep warm even in a properly rated bag you should try eating a chocolate bar before diving in your bag for the night, it will give your body calories to burn, allow you to generate heat, and give your bag a fighting chance.

We look at temperature ratings as simply a guide.  We’re happy to see more and more manufactures using a standardized EN 13537 rating test, but that test is only performed on fully insulated mummy shaped bags, so if a bag doesn’t meet that specific criteria, we’re stuck with trusting the manufacturers’ rating.  That being the case, we typically grab a bag rated about ten degrees lower than the coldest temperatures we expect to face, just to be sure.

 When it comes to fill materials, or what’s inside the bag, you have the choice of Down or Synthetic Insulation.  Down is very warm for its weight and extremely compressible, which is fantastic, until it gets wet.  We suggest that you protect your Down bags from moisture because Down absorbs moisture and collapses onto itself, closing all of the tiny air pockets that would normally trap your body heat.

While it would be unusual to lie in a puddle or sleep out in the open in a downpour, those aren’t typically the reasons our sleeping bags take on moisture.  Condensation is usually the culprit.  Regardless of how your bag gets wet, if it does, the Down inside the bag will lose its ability to trap your body heat.  In mild environments that will definitely affect your comfort and in cold environments it can be downright dangerous.

Fortunately for all of us, the U.S. military experienced that exact issue.  Back in the 1980’s the U.S. Army determined that there simply had to be a better insulation option, so they had a better option developed.  Today we know that better option as PrimaLoft.

PrimaLoft uses hydrophobic synthetic micro-fibers in a variety of unique configurations to insulate clothes, gloves, hats, boots, and in this case sleeping bags.  It’s the softest, warmest, and lightest synthetic insulation available, which we certainly appreciate, but for us it’s about peace of mind, knowing we will be warm when dry and warm when wet is priceless in the backcountry.

This year on the GET OUT MORE TOUR we’re confident that our 35 degree rated Velocity sleeping bag will keep us safe.  It has a 2-layer fill that takes advantage of both PrimaLoft One (warmest) and PrimaLoft Sport (highest loft) to create a warm and light bag, just 1 lb 11 ounces for the women’s regular and 1 lb 15 ounces for the men’s long.

If the weather forecast has the potential for temperatures that would push the limits of our 35 degree bags, we would consider adding a sleeping bag liner to our kit.  Sea to Summit’s Reactor Series can add 14, 20, or 25 degrees to our bag’s temperature rating.  They also do a great job of protecting our expensive sleeping bag from dirt and grit.  When we return from our adventures we simply throw them in the washing machine and it’s like having clean sheets for our backcountry bed every time we go out.  They’re compact and lightweight, as light as 9 ounces, so they’re also a great addition to our day hike set-up as an added level of insulation in the case of an emergency, and they’re great for anyone traveling light who doesn’t want to sleep on the sheets in hostels, huts, or even economy motels.

When we pack our sleeping bag we want to ensure that it takes up as little space as possible, so we use compressible dry sacks.  Sea to Summit’s eVac Dry Sacks offer us waterproof protection and the ability to compress all of the air out of the bag thanks to an air permeable membrane on the bottom of the dry sack.

Knowing that we won’t need to call upon our sleeping bag until the end of the day we typically put our sleeping bag in the very bottom of the pack.  Doing so helps us distribute the weight in our packs properly by allowing the heavier items we carry to be higher up, in-between our shoulder blades.

The Deuter AirContact Backpack has a separate access point that allows us to store both our sleeping bag, and the second element of our sleep system, a sleeping pad in the separate bottom compartment.  Sleeping Pads provide both additional insulation and padding between our bodies and the cold, hard ground.

There are inflatable air core pads, foam pads, and in the case of our NEMO ZOR Pads: a combination of foam and air.  Our pad choice will be a decision based on the trade-offs of weight, comfort and convenience.  When we want full length comfort, we’d go with the 14 oz ZOR regular so that we have padding from head to toe versus just under our hips and shoulders.  Want to go lighter?  Pad just your hips and shoulders and drop to just 10 ounces with the ZOR Short.  Both Pads are crazy convenient because they pack down super small and they only take a handful of breaths to blow up.

If we want more cushion, we pack the Tuo Standard (2 pounds 4 ounces), a full length pad with two insulated chambers that allow us to adjust the cushioning of the top chamber separately from the bottom chamber.  If we want to go warmer, we’d go with a full length insulated pad that is filled with Primaloft Insulation.  The Big Agnes Insulated Air Core has been rated down to 15 degrees.

When we’re extreme car camping, we love NEMO’s Cosmo and Astro Insulated pads.  They both offer full length comfort and they both offer a Pillowtop add-on made of memory foam.   If you’re going that route, you may want to add one of the Fillow options too.  The Fillo is a memory-foam padded inflatable pillow, but be careful, you might sleep more comfortably in the woods than you do in your own bed.

Don’t like the idea of blowing up the larger air core pads, the Cosmo has a built in foot pump, or for 2.2 additional ounces we could pack out a Disco pad pump and let our feet do the work with any pad.  If you’re blowing up pads for a family of four it’s well worth the 2.2 ounces.

Bottom line, do your research!  Make sure you know the weather, environment and terrain that you are going to be backpacking in and be sure your overall Insulation System, including your Sleep System, is designed to match the conditions you might face. 

See You Outside,

Sheri and Randy Propster

Sure, we get our moments of picturesque downtime.  Lounging in a camp chair next to a relaxing campfire, watching the sun fall into the ocean or rise over the mountains, and lying in the Cricket listening to the serenade of crickets are all moments we cherish while on the road.  Some weeks however offer more hustle and bustle than they do relaxing and lounging.

Don’t get us wrong, we are definitely NOT complaining.  We count our blessings every day that we are in a position to live our passion.  Bringing the pages of Backpacker Magazine to life is our life, and it’s a life we feel honored to live.  Fighting through the hustle and bustle is simply par for the course.  Besides, the upsides far outweigh the downs.

Take this week on Tour for instance, lots of hustle and bustle, not much relaxing and lounging, but the experience was overloaded with upsides.

We actually rolled into this week with our energy tanks already running on empty.  We had the pleasure of representing Backpacker and the fabulous Get Out More Tour sponsors for a four day run at FloydFest to finish off last week.  The Festival full of art, outdoor activities, and live music involved some crazy long days at the Backpacker booth, sunup to after sun down long days, but the upside of talking shop with thousands of outdoor enthusiasts and rocking out to some of our favorite bands (ALO, Michael Franti, Marco Benevento, Alison Kraus, and a new favorite the Boston Boys to name only a few of the great acts at FloyFest this year) was well worth the effort.

After the Festival we drove away from the Blue Ridge Mountains and officially started the 2012 Get Out More Tour’s western swing.  After a nine hour day in the Outback we stopped off in Lexington, Kentucky where a huge crowd greeted us for a night of information and inspiration at J & H Lanmark.  From there we were off to Louisville where Quest Outdoors hosted a packed house (over 150 folks), and then on to Ohio where the Crossroads of America Bass Pro Shops completed the trifecta with our third event in a row to pack in more than one hundred outdoor enthusiasts in attendance.

We had to rush out of Bass Pro to put some more late night highway miles in so we could make it to Detroit, park the Subaru and the Cricket, and hop a plane to Salt Lake City.  We arrived in Salt Lake, after a lay-over in Denver, just in time to hit the showroom floor for another great Outdoor Industry Association Summer Outdoor Retailer Show.  And there’s your upside!

Are we running low on fumes?  You bet we are!  Is it worth it?  You better believe it!  As an outdoor enthusiast this is the Mecca, the mother-load, the one place on the planet we want to be right now.  The Salt Palace is currently jam-packed full of the latest and greatest gear in the outdoor industry. 

The highway time, the back to back to back Tour events, the long flight and sleepless night have all led to this heaven on earth for a couple of outdoor enthusiasts.  This weekend we’re getting a sneak preview of all the cool toys and gadgets and must have gear that won’t hit the retail shelves until 2013.  Can you say way UP-side!

Sleep is overrated anyway, right?  We will catch up on sleep after the show.  We’ll also be sure to catch all of you up on the cool stuff we discover at the show.  We can’t wait to see what the industry has hiding around the corner, and we look forward to sharing it with you on the Get Out More Tour!

See You Outside…After the Show!

Sheri and Randy Propster

Whether your idea of outdoor activities is a fun-filled day with early morning hikes, afternoon float trips, evening mountain bike rides, and “quiet camping” under a blanket of stars in the Blue Ridge Mountains, or your scene is a better fit with a lazy morning followed by a stroll around the disc golf course, a few adult beverages to get the evening going and a night of steady rock and late night jamming before diving into some “extreme camping” tucked in the treeline, FloydFest Lover’s Rock 2012 is where you need to be this week.

 From July 26th thru 29th, 2012 a beautiful 80 acre plateau just off the Blue Ridge Parkway will play host to a Global Village full of Outdoor Adventures, a Healing Arts Village, an Imagination Tent Teen Scene, a Kid’s Universe, a massive Tent City, and oh yeah, let’s not forget the multiple stages throwing down one of the best summer music festival line-ups your ears will ever find.

There will truly be something for everyone. Come by yourself and hang out with thousands of like minded adventure seekers for the weekend, or bring the whole family and share the all ages Lovers Rock vibes.

There will be tons of great vendors for those looking to get their shopping fix on, all sorts of outdoor activities and hours and hours of great tunes.

Be sure to stop by our Backpacker Magazine Get Out More Tour booth and check out our cool Cricket Trailer and our Montana wrapped Subaru, and grab up some of the amazing SWAG Giveaways we will be dishing out throughout the weekend!

Seriously folks, this is a Blue Ridge Mountain EXPERIENCE unlike any other, so put on your good-times attitude and head to FloydFest 2012!

See You Outside…at FloydFest 2012,

Sheri and Randy Propster