Episode 149 | Durability
This is Part 1 (of 4) in a new series called Principles of Outdoor Gear Design and focuses on the topic of outdoor gear durability. Ryan Jor...
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Backpacking Light Podcast
The Backpacking Light Podcast explores the technology, gear, skills, and philosophy of backcountry wilderness travel through stories, interviews, and investigative reports.
Episodes
20 of 103 episodesEpisode 148 | Rain Jackets for Mountain Minimalism
Learn why ultralight rain shells can be appropriate for mild trail conditions but inadequate in exposed mountain weather. Explore a decision...
Episode 147 | Thermoregulatory Debt
Thermoregulatory debt describes the delayed cost of layering decisions made during movement in cold, wet, and windy conditions. A small dela...
Episode 146 | Dirtbag Rich with Blake Boles
Ryan Jordan interviews Blake Boles, author of Dirtbag Rich, about redefining wealth through time, purpose, flexibility, and outdoor freedom....
Episode 145 | Backpacking at Altitude
Learn how altitude changes oxygen availability, hiking performance, sleep, recovery, appetite, and risk for acute mountain sickness. In this...
Episode 144 | Trail Steepness vs. Difficulty
Hiking effort doesn't scale smoothly with slope. It shifts across physiological regimes driven by muscle contraction type, aerobic limits, g...
Episode 143 | Managing Fatigue
This episode presents an operational framework for fatigue management in backcountry travel grounded in a non-circular load–fatigue–capacity...
Episode 142 | The 72 Hour Backcountry Reset
This episode explores why time in the backcountry can improve how we function beyond recreation. Ryan Jordan describes how modern life overl...
Episode 141 | Hiking at Night in a Blizzard
What gear do you actually need to hike out safely through a winter blizzard at night, in sub-freezing temps and high winds, when stopping is...
Episode 140 | Winter Storm Decisions
Ryan walks through a structured, six-question framework for deciding whether to stay put or move when a winter storm deteriorates around you...
Episode 139 | Repair Kits
In this Field Notes episode, Ryan breaks down ultralight repair kits using a simple framework: context, consequence, and capability. He comp...
Episode 138 | Plan – Focus – Trust
In this episode, Ryan introduces the Plan-Focus-Trust framework - a simple but powerful approach to managing hard, uncertain objectives in t...
Episode 137 | The Risk Control Continuum
In this episode, we introduce the Risk Control Continuum - a practical, evidence-based framework for managing risk in the backcountry. He ex...
Episode 136 | Fringe Season Layering
What is the difference in layering strategy from summertime to the fall-winter transition? In this episode, Ryan Jordan discusses how the en...
Episode 135 | Field Notes - The Metabolic Cost of Bushwhacking
In the Field Notes episode, we explore why bushwhacking miles aren't just harder but metabolically different. The Metabolic Energy Mile (MEM...
Episode 134 | Sleep Quality in the Backcountry
Backcountry sleep is fragile, and when it breaks down, recovery, judgment, and safety are at risk. In this episode, we examine the forces th...
Episode 133 | Human Waste Management
In this episode, Ryan Jordan examines why traditional cathole practices often fail in alpine, desert, and high-use environments. Drawing on...
Episode 132 | Satellite Messenger Weather Forecasts
Today's episode of the Backpacking Light Podcast is sponsored by Vaer Watches. A Vaer watch is an expedition-worthy, made in the USA, reliab...
Episode 131 | Ultralight First Aid Kit Strategies
In this episode, we discuss how to design scalable, evidence-informed first aid kits for backcountry travel. Grounded in the principles of c...
Episode 130 | Bivy Sack Camping
In this episode, Ryan shares his approach to bivy sack camping above treeline using a waterproof-breathable system built for stealth, weathe...