John Z on Making Gear, Not Filtering Water, and 50-Mile Days
Release Date: 09/23/2024
10+ International Hikes and a Continuous Yo-Yo of the AT and Long Trail with Curtis Himstedt (BPR #296)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Curtis Himstedt, known on trail as Easily Forgotten. Easily Forgotten’s backpacking resume is bananas. A partial list of his adventures includes the Annapurna Circuit, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in Wales, the GR10, Tour du Mont Blanc, Yorkshire Dales High Way, South Downs Way, and Cotswold Way in England, the Triple Crown in the U.S., the Tahoe Rim Trail, and a continuous yo-yo of the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail between 2023-2024. Curtis takes us through these treks,...
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8 Tips for 2025 Appalachian Trail Hikers (BPR #295)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by LMNT, Chaunce and Badger are serving up tips for this year’s class of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. We’re covering everything from social dynamics and budgeting to mental prep, diet, why you should document your hike, some listener submission tips, and much more. We also give a rundown of advice from previous episodes in case you want to dig even deeper into getting ready for the Appalachian Trail. Whether you’re hitting the AT this year, planning for a future trek, or know someone who is, this episode...
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Dog Mushing, 20+ Years in the Navy, and the Triple Crown with Ben "Ginger Ballz" Vaughan (BPR #294)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by Ben Vaugh, known on trail as Ginger Ballz. Ben is a Navy veteran, accomplished thru-hiker, and currently works as a dog musher, a topic Chaunce and Badger had way too much fun diving into. Ginger Ballz takes us through his transition from the military to thru-hiking, why he recommends it to fellow service members, and the parallels between the two. He shares stories from his hikes of the Triple Crown trails, the Hayduke, Superior Hiking Trail, and Long Trail. We also get a...
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Managing Relationships while Thru-Hiking with Michele Weiner-Davis, aka Zach's Mom
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by acclaimed author, marriage therapist, and speaker, Michele Weiner-Davis, known in my household simply as "mom". Being our Valentine's Day episode, this one is meant to equip you with the knowledge necessary to make your relationship flourish. We cover a range of questions, both general tips on how to improve your relationships, but also thru-hiking specific scenarios, including how to navigate when one partner is on the trail and the other is back home, encountering challenges when...
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Viking Q&A: First Aid Kits, Electronics, Socks, and a Beard Update
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are A’in your Q’s, with our pal and yours, the lightly bearded Jabba aka The Real Hiking Viking. In today’s question and answer we dive into a host of nitty gritty backpacking details, including what exactly is in our first aid kit, electronics bag (down to the cords), and our stuff sac systems, including some specific product recommendations. We also chat about our least favorite backpacking trips, our thought process in choosing socks for a backpacking trip, and what we deem as the...
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The Rise and Fall of GoLite and Balancing Federal Budgets with Demetri "Coup" Coupounas
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Demetri Coupounas, aka Coup, the founder of GoLite and MyTrail Company. Coup might just be the most interesting man in the world. This conversation takes us through his incredible journey, from his work balancing the federal budget in the '80s and '90s to becoming the first person to complete unsupported hikes of the Colorado Trail and the Long Trail, and how he stumbled upon the once underground world of ultralight backpacking. We also dive into the history of GoLite, from its role...
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Making Gear for People with Boobs with Symbiosis Gear Founder Sarah Berkeley
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Sarah “Mellow” Berkeley, founder of Symbiosis Gear, a pack-making company designed specifically for people with boobs. Sarah shares insights into her unique upbringing in a small log cabin in rural Colorado, her adventures on the Long Trail, PCT, Colorado Trail, and half of the CDT, and her journey to creating a backpack tailored for primarily women. We dive into the inspiration behind her patented S-shaped shoulder strap, the challenges of starting a business with no prior...
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Thru-Hiking with 50-Year-Old Gear with Jared "Snackbox" Champion
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Jared “Snackbox” Champion. Snackbox is s a hiker, father, and Youtuber who, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Colorado Trail, hiked it almost exclusively with 50 year old gear. We talk about the process of sourcing this gear, the hardest items to acquire, the least backpacker-friendly items of the bunch, which gear hasn’t advanced as much, and how his appreciation for gear has changed in light of this experience. Jared also shares the story of bonding with his...
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Triple Crowning as a Family of 6, Parenting Teenagers on Trail, and Life Lessons with Vince & Georgie Strawbridge
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Vince and Georgie Strawbridge, one-third of the six-person thru-hiking family. We last caught up with the Strawbridges in early 2020, when they were freshly off their hike of the PCT. Since, they’ve conquered both the CDT and the AT, completing the Triple Crown as a full family. We dive into the high and lowlights of these treks from the perspectives of Vince (dad) and Georgie (the youngest in the family). They share insights on navigating the CDT during COVID,...
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Backpacker Radio LIVE with Kyle Hates Hiking: A New Trail Mystery, Shaving Jabba's Beard, and Kyle's Reddit Haters
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined yet again by Kyle O’Grady of Kyle Hates Hiking for our 2nd live podcast, recorded at the Skylark Lounge in Denver. This episode is action-packed. We kick off the episode by shaving Viking’s beard. The beard shaving is the ultimate entertainment, we encourage you to check this one out on YouTube. Kyle then shares an exclusive trail mystery about a local Colorado man who disappeared while pursuing another man who also vanished under mysterious circumstances. We also talk shop about...
info_outlineIn today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by thru-hiker, gear maker, YouTuber, musician, and dare I say philosopher, John Z. John Z has hiked it all, including the triple crown trails, the Arizona Trail, Colorado Trail- in 10 days, setting the unsupported FKT on the way, which was a side trip during his PCT thru-hike- the Great Divide Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail, the Death Valley Loop, amongst others. He gives us an overview of these trips, the inspiration behind starting Pa'Lante Packs and now Meadow Physics Gear, why he doesn't hike with a water filter or satellite communicator, his tendency toward being a "water princess," the time he barked at a cow and the cow fought back, his run-ins with an angry black bear and a mountain lion, and much more.
We wrap the show by unveiling our adult film star names, the triple crown of campaign promises 2.0, and Chuance leaves us a mailbag.
Gossamer Gear: Use code “SNUGGLEBUG” for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com.
PATH Projects: Use code “THETREK10” for 10% off at pathprojects.com/thetrek.
Katabatic Gear: Use code “BPR15” for 15% off at katabaticgear.com.
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Interview with John Z
Time stamps & Questions
00:02:40 - Reminders: Join us for a live show in Denver on December 7! Support us on Patreon for exclusive bonus content!
00:05:18 - Introducing John Z
00:06:22 - What’s your background in the outdoors?
00:08:15 - If you had to pick only bikepacking or backpacking forever, which would it be?
00:09:50 - What led you to long distance backpacking?
00:11:29 - Did you start off ultralight?
00:14:15 - How did you transition from bikepacking?
00:16:04 - What was your biggest gear mistake early on?
00:18:20 - Tell us about making gear
00:21:54 - What were the vibes like in the desert on the PCT?
00:23:35 - How do you get trail beta?
00:25:07 - In what area do you think there’s the most room for improvement in gear?
00:27:03 - Tell us about the shelter you designed
00:30:00 - Tell us about your recent engagement
00:34:45 - How do you juggle a relationship with hiking?
00:36:35 - What’s the longest food carry you’ve done?
00:38:40 - Aside from light gear, what goes into long mileage days?
00:40:20 - What kind of food do you pack?
00:44:15 - Discussion about the Colorado Trail FKT
00:47:10 - What other FKTs have you attempted?
00:49:48 - Tell us the cow story
00:52:55 - Tell us the bear story
00:54:00 - Tell us the mountain lion story
00:56:40 - Tell us about your Alaska trip
00:58:50 - Why don’t you like to use a water filter?
01:00:30 - Discussion about tea
01:02:10 - What’s something you’ve gone on a deep dive on recently?
01:04:20 - What podcasts do you listen to while hiking?
01:06:04 - What don’t you like about the AT?
01:08:20 - What’s in your pack for a thru-hike?
01:11:35 - What do you do for bug protection?
01:14:00 - How do you pack your pack?
01:17:09 - Do you ever use a pack with a frame system?
01:17:55 - Tell us about the Death Valley Loop
01:20:20 - Are you more drawn to trails or routes?
01:21:20 - Do you think about your legacy?
01:22:17 - Is there any competition in route making?
01:23:00 - Tell us about the Great Divide Trail
01:25:00 - What trails do you keep repeating?
01:27:00 - Are you still making Youtube videos?
01:30:24 - What prompted you to take your channel down?
01:31:36 - What fabrics are you excited about right now?
01:33:55 - What’s next for you?
Segments
Trek Propaganda
- 2024 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers: Submit Your Completion Photos
- 272 Miles in Less Than 4 Days: William Peterson Sets New Long Trail FKT by Kimberly Fetherston
QOTD: If you were an adult film star, what would your stage name be?
Triple Crown of campaign promises 2.0
Mail Bag
5 Star Review
[divider]
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A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Ben Love, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Liz Seger, Patrick Cianciolo, Rebecca Brave, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, Tracy ‘Trigger’ Fawns
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