Vasque

 The final element to our Insulation System is our Footwear.  Similar to our Clothing System, we think about our Footwear System as a combination of layers.  Our socks act as our next to skin layer and our shoes or boots act as a protective shell layer. Read the rest of this entry »

 We find it extremely important to kick off this series of AS SEEN ON TOUR gear blogs with the following disclaimer: we are firm believers in the concept known as Hike Your Own Hike.

This series of Gear blogs will attempt to highlight the gear we utilize as ambassadors for Backpacker Magazine’s Get Out More Tour, but our attempt to explain why we choose to travel with a particular piece of equipment is by no means an attempt to tell you that there is one right way to backpack, or that you must be carrying any one right piece of gear to achieve backpacking success.

Backpacking success comes in a variety of forms.  It would be impossible to define backpacking success with a single definition because one person’s idea of backpacking success can be dramatically different from another’s.  Hiking your own hike undoubtedly means different things to different people. Read the rest of this entry »

 Living in wild environments for days at a time provides us the unique opportunity to enjoy an intimate connection with nature, a connection that includes witnessing wildlife in their own environment.  We’ve enjoyed numerous bear sightings throughout our backpacking lifetime.  The majority of our bear sightings have been Black Bear.  We’ve seen a few Grizzly Bear.  During our annual visits to Yellowstone and Glacier we’ve had the opportunity to witness grizzly bear, but it’s always been from a safe distance.  Most of our Black Bear sightings have been from a distance too, but every now and then we experience closer encounters of the bruin kind.  As a matter of fact, it would be tough to get much closer than an encounter we experienced this week on the Mid State Trail. Read the rest of this entry »

 We live in a world that is always changing.  How do you feel about that?  Some change is good, and some change is bad?

Backpacking gear for example, it’s evolving right before our eyes.  Tents and packs are getting lighter and more durable, boots are being created to match our exact activity and precise destination, and satellite technology  provide the ability to update facebook and twitter from just about anywhere on the planet.  Aren’t these all good changes?

Some people resist change, some folks invite it.

Whatever your take, this time of the year it’s difficult to hide from change. Read the rest of this entry »

 Even on the well maintained network of erosion saving planks and strategically placed stairways that alternate with the well worn dirt path dropping into Turkey Run past flowing waterfalls and rocky ledges on the descent into the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania we couldn’t help but feel the challenge of the rugged terrain.  Along the way our appreciation of trail maintenance shared our thoughts with our imagination as we Read the rest of this entry »

 If your idea of taking a hike involves a casual stroll along a flat dirt path over the hills and through the woods, this hike is not for you.

We’re not saying we don’t enjoy and appreciate hikes that are over the hills and through the woods.  We’re just saying the Devil’s Path is not that kind of hike.  The Devil’s Path wouldn’t have earned the name “Devil’s Path” if it simply involved hills and woods.  This route is demanding. Read the rest of this entry »

 It’s April, spring is fighting off old man winter, the temperatures are rising, bare trees are showing off new buds, flowers are beginning to bloom, and Backpacker Magazine’s Get Out More Tour is back in action.  We are Sheri and Randy Propster and we hope you will come along for the ride as we utilize this Blog to share our adventures from the 2011 Tour.  Read the rest of this entry »