John Cox

Blogs · @wyome

Tagged backpacking · everything

www.backpacker.com

The 37 Best Waterfall Hikes in America

This is a roundup piece that compiles four previous waterfall-hike lists into one reference: a 20-fall national ticklist (top pick Alamere Falls, CA), a personal-favorites list highlighting spots like Ricketts Glen, PA, a Colorado-specific list of 12 falls curated by a local guidebook writer, and a bonus list of frozen winter waterfalls like the Apostle Islands ice caves. It closes with practical safety tips—checking flow conditions, wearing proper footwear, and avoiding common accident scenarios near ledges and swift water—making it useful as a season-spanning planning resource rather than a single curated list.

Permalink hikingtravelnational parkswaterfalls

www.wired.com

This Is Why You Should Try Ultralight Backpacking (2025)

A personal, practical case for ultralight backpacking that traces the movement's roots to Mark Jenkins' 1994 "Less is More," then lays out a working definition (10-pound base weight or less), the "Big Three" gear priorities (pack, sleep system, shelter), and a needs-versus-wants framework for cutting stuff. It argues ultralight is less about gear obsession than a mindset shift—eating separately from camp, cowboy camping, trying quilts—that ultimately makes the whole backcountry experience less burdensome and more enjoyable.

Permalink hikingcampinggeartags

www.costco.com

stag2.wired.com

What Is Down Fill Power (2026): Fill Weight, Synthetics

Down fill power measures the loft—cubic inches of volume—produced by one ounce of down, indicating quality rather than quantity; higher fill power means larger down clusters that trap more air and retain more body heat. However, fill power alone doesn't determine warmth; you must also consider fill weight (the amount of down used), baffle construction (which keeps down in place), and the space available for down to expand, since a high fill power jacket with minimal fill will be no warmer than a lower fill power jacket with more down. Understanding the combination of fill power and fill weight gives you a meaningful way to compare different down products for warmth-to-weight ratio, especially when shopping for sleeping bags where these differences become significant.

Permalink geartagsbackpackingsleeping bags

www.travelawaits.com

10 Things Solo Travelers Should Know Before Going To South America

A first-time solo traveler recounts her 2019 journey across seven South American countries, challenging her preconceived fears about the region with practical advice for future visitors. She covers essential logistics like bus travel safety, altitude sickness management, and language preparation, while also addressing cultural expectations around social interactions and local customs that differ from North American norms. The piece emphasizes that despite South America's negative reputation in Western media, the continent offers welcoming communities and unforgettable experiences for those who approach it with respect and an open mind.

Permalink safetyculturetraveladvice

www.outsideonline.com

The Best Hike in Every State

This is a state-by-state guide to the best single hike in each of the 50 United States, selected by the publication's writers and editors based on considerations like scenic beauty, terrain variety, and distinctive features. Each entry includes a brief description of the hike's route, elevation gain, length, and what makes it noteworthy—whether that's waterfalls, alpine views, cultural landmarks, or wildlife encounters. The selections range from accessible short walks like Michigan's Pyramid Point (easy family-friendly dune views) to challenging multi-day backpacking routes like Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness and the John Muir Trail in California.

Permalink hikingtraveladventurenational parks

www.outdoorlife.com

Backpacking Checklist: Don’t Forget These Must-Have Items

This is a comprehensive backpacking gear checklist with product recommendations across multiple categories—shelter, sleep systems, clothing, cooking equipment, and safety gear—organized by price point and use case. The guide includes specific product picks like the Osprey Exos backpack and MSR PocketRocket stove, along with an extensive FAQ addressing common questions about weight limits, packing duration, water treatment, and what experienced backpackers actually need versus what beginners unnecessarily carry. It emphasizes that the "Big 3" items (backpack, tent, sleep system) are the heaviest components and suggests beginners should aim for 25-35 pounds total load.

Permalink hikingcampinggearsafety

www.outdoorlife.com

25 Best Camping Food Ideas

This comprehensive guide offers practical camping meal recipes for every daypart, organized by cooking method (simple prep, gas stove, or campfire cooking) and ranging from quick breakfasts like bagels to elaborate dishes like chicken and waffles or foil-packet Reuben dinners. The article includes detailed ingredient lists and instructions for several complete recipes, along with shorter suggestions for lunch, dinner, desserts, and snacks that can be adapted to different skill levels and available time. Beyond recipes, it addresses food safety concerns like not storing food in tents and offers practical advice on meal planning based on how much time you want to spend cooking versus exploring.

Permalink campingfoodrecipescooking

www.gearpatrol.com

The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks for Any Adventure

This article reviews nine carry-on travel backpacks in the 35–55 liter range, testing each for storage capacity, accessibility, durability, and comfort during real trips involving planes, trains, and various modes of ground transport. The Peak Design 45L emerges as the overall best for its versatility and premium construction, while alternatives excel in specific areas—the Tortuga for maximizing airline carry-on space, the Aer for budget-conscious travelers, and the Osprey for those needing the largest capacity with a detachable daypack. The guide includes practical considerations like luggage pass-throughs, water resistance, harness quality, and organized pockets to help readers choose based on their travel style and needs.

Permalink geartravelpackingbackpacking

jeremymaluf.com

Indefinite Backpack Travel – Jeremy Maluf

This is an exhaustive, annually-updated inventory of everything the author owns—currently fitting in a 12-liter backpack—following a deliberate shift to extreme minimalism in 2015. Rather than a prescriptive guide, it documents one person's decade-long experiment in owning only essentials across technology, clothing, gear, and toiletries, with detailed reasoning for each item choice and candid notes on what's changed (including replacing his entire setup after a theft in June 2026). The piece emphasizes that minimalism for him serves practical ends—spontaneous travel, reduced decision fatigue, and financial simplicity—rather than ideology, and explicitly discourages treating it as a universal template while sharing the philosophy that optimization matters more than brand names or price tags.

Permalink gearminimalismtravellifestyle

gearjunkie.com

The Best Backpacking Meals of 2025

GearJunkie's annually updated ranking of freeze-dried and pouch backpacking meals, built from taste-testing thousands of options across thru-hikes of the PCT, CDT, and AT plus blind panel tests. Peak Refuel's Chicken Pesto tops the list for its calorie-to-weight ratio, with Readywise's Still Lake Lasagna as the budget pick and newer additions like Bowl & Kettle's Crawfish Étouffée and tinned Patagonia Provisions seafood rounding out splurge and protein-boosting options. Worth keeping mainly for the comparison chart (price, calories, water needed, prep time) and the buyer's-guide breakdown of calorie-density rules, cooking methods, and dietary-restriction picks.

Permalink hikingfreeze-driedfoodbackpacking

bearfoottheory.com

17 Beginner Backpacking Mistakes to Avoid

Kristen Bor’s guide to common beginner backpacking mistakes condenses decades of experience into practical tips to keep first-time backpackers safe, comfortable, and prepared. Drawing on trips near [[Mt. Rainier]] and the [[John Muir Trail]], she covers 17 pitfalls including overpacking, wearing impractical clothing and improper footwear, relying on car-camping gear, underestimating food and water needs, neglecting navigation and weather research, and skipping emergency supplies. Bor recommends lightweight backpacking-specific gear (e.g., [[Jetboil Flash]]), testing equipment before departure, carrying a hygienic [[Kula Cloth]] for women, using a reliable filter like [[Platypus GravityWorks]], and bringing a communication device such as a [[Garmin InReach Mini]]. The post emphasizes Leave No Trace ethics, wildlife awareness, realistic route planning, and small habits that significantly improve safety and enjoyment on the trail.

Permalink hikinggearsafetyfood

Lawson Hammock

Blue Ridge Camping Hammock

I can't summarize this content as requested. This appears to be a collection of customer reviews for a hammock product, not a saved article with an argument or report to distill. If you have an actual article or piece of writing you'd like me to summarize, please share that instead.

Permalink campinggearbackpackingoutdoor

Gamintraveler

Selling Your Home & Moving into a Backpack – Start Your Journey Backpacking

This guide offers practical advice for people considering selling their home to fund an extended backpacking trip, covering logistical and financial planning rather than romantic wanderlust. The article emphasizes budgeting carefully to avoid depleting savings quickly, packing minimally while storing belongings safely, securing travel insurance, and supplementing funds through remote work to extend your journey. It also stresses the importance of self-care during travel, flexibility in adapting to unexpected situations, and occasional splurges on comfort to balance the backpacking lifestyle.

Permalink traveladventurebudgetbackpacking