Skip to content
Menu

Primary Menu

  • Home
  • Ramblings
    • Musings
    • Books and Media
    • Videos
    • From The Web
    • Thru Hikes, Long Walks, or Routes
      • My Alphabet Soup summary
      • Vermont’s Long Trail
      • Appalachian Trail
      • Pacific Crest Trail
      • Colorado Trail
      • Continental Divide Trail
      • Ring The Peak Trail (Pike’s Peak)
      • Benton Mackaye Trail
      • Tahoe Rim Trail
      • Uinta Highline Trail
      • Collegiate Loop
      • A Walk Across Southern Utah
      • Great Divide Trail (Canada)
      • The Northern New Mexico Loop
      • Grand – Moab Route
      • SEUG Circuit
      • A Walk Across New England
    • Other Outdoor Jaunts
      • Utah
      • Colorado
      • New Mexico
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Nebraska
      • New England
      • Nevada
      • North Carolina
      • Oregon
      • South Dakota
      • Texas
      • Wyoming
    • Photos
    • PMags News
    • Press
  • Nuts and Bolts
    • New to the outdoors? Start here!
    • Getting Started
    • Quick Tips
    • Trip Planning
    • Quick and Dirty Guides
    • Food
    • Gear
      • All Gear Posts
      • Gear Reviews
      • Gear Quivers
      • Gear Lists
      • Budget Gear
      • What I’m Wearing
      • Clothing and related
      • Footwear
      • Packs
      • Shelters and related
      • Sleeping bags, quilts, and pads
      • Stoves, cooking, and related
      • Tools
      • Water containers
    • Road trip and car camping – gear and techniques
    • Winter trip reports, gear overviews, tips, and techniques
  • Subscribe by email
  • Write Me
  • About PMags.com
    • Who is Paul Mags?
    • About Joan West
      • Joan’s articles
Header Toggle
Facebook Twitter Feed Pinterest YouTube Instagram Reddit
PMags.com
Facebook Twitter Feed Pinterest YouTube Instagram Reddit
Home » Archive for  Gear (Page 23)

Category: Gear

The most popular topic of the outdoors it seems.

Walking The Backbone – A Backpacking Light article

Posted onApril 5, 2011May 3, 2011AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

An article I wrote for Backpacking Light.  A photo essay and a briefy synopsis of the  lightweight backpacking gear I used from the trail. Check it out!  

CategoriesGear, Long Walks, Musings, PressTagscdt, Continental Divide Trail, lightweight backpacking, lightweight gear

Carter Moriahs

Big knife. Too much food. Out of shape. No map. My first backpacking trip

Posted onDecember 15, 2010November 21, 2025AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

An account of my first backpacking trip in 1996. I did not know what I was doing to say the least! But, everyone has to start somewhere. It was not a lightweight bapcking trip to say the least! 🙂   With Read More …

CategoriesGear, Musings, PressTagsbackpacking, camping, gear, humor, New Hampshire

“It’s Just A Water Bottle

Posted onNovember 24, 2010April 15, 2020AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

In May of 2004, Rocky Mountain Sports Magazine published an article about the Nalgene bottle craze in Colorado. Not just for outdoor types, but seems EVERYONE has one of these lexan wonders. The magazine solicited stories about Nalgene bottles in Read More …

CategoriesGear, PressTagslightweight gear, nalgene, water bottle, water containers

Come to the Lite Side

Posted onNovember 19, 2010January 16, 2016AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

Isaac Stokes is a neighbor of Marni and Josh. He also writes an outdoor column for the Boulder Weekly. Out of the conversations we had over shared beers, Issac thought an article about my more "down to earth" approach to Read More …

CategoriesGear, PressTagscamp stoves, lightweight backpacking, lightweight gear

Dirt Bagging – A minimalist gear philsophy

Posted onNovember 5, 2010April 29, 2020AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

A version of this document has appeared in Yogi’s PCT Handbook and on various hiking boards. It  is also  in the current  edition of the Colorado Trail Guidebook.  My overview of lightweight backpacking.   One sunny, summer day in Maine, Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagsbudget gear, dirt bagging

Styrofoam Cup Water Bottle

Drop In The Bottle – Water Treament in the Backcountry

Posted onNovember 5, 2010April 25, 2025AuthorPaul Mags7 Comments

An overview and comparison of ways to treat water in the backcountry for hiking, backpacking and camping. Read More …

CategoriesGear, Getting StartedTagslightweight backpacking, lightweight gear, water treatment

Old Yeller

Old Yeller Stove

Posted onOctober 10, 2010December 23, 2016AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Scary and/or amusing! My "Old Yeller" stove system  with many trail miles on it. It was 'retired' after the CDT with perhaps 6000+ trail miles on it!  

CategoriesGearTagsbudget gear, lightweight backpacking, lightweight gear, stoves

Ga-Ga Over Gear: The New Gear Fetish

Posted onOctober 10, 2010December 10, 2010AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

This essay is my rant about gear and the outdoors. Or rather people who care more about spend time outdoors to use gear rather than the other way around.  🙂  

CategoriesGear, MusingsTagsbackpacking, gear, wonks

The Evolving Gear List : 1997 – 2006

Posted onSeptember 3, 2010April 25, 2025AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

Over the years my base pack weight has become lighter and lighter. It took many miles and years of tinkering to get to this point, though! I have been asked if I had gear lists for the different trails I’ve Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsAppalachian Trial, backpacking gear, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail, gear list, lightweight, lightweight gear, Long Trail, Pacific Crest Trail

“Not Even The Kitchen Sink

Posted onFebruary 6, 2006April 25, 2016AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

An article in Mechanical Engineering Magazine that featured a photo of mine of Glacier Peak on the Pacific Crest Trail. The fact that engineers loved the idea of lightweight backpacking is not surprising. Nice to see they enjoy natural beauty Read More …

CategoriesGear, PressTagscamp stoves, light weight backing, lightweight gear

Post navigation

Newer posts →

Virtual tip jar

A Quick Guide to Moab

The Squak – A readily available, $60, active-focused grid fleece hoodie from a Utah-based company. Read the review.

Women’s | Men’s | Children’s   

The Squak Camp Dress 

One of Joan’s favorites!

The Squak Alpha Fleece 

                                                                    

– 15% off coupon = PMAGS-SQUAK                                                                                                      

  • REI: Shop Deal of the Day at REI Garage!
  • REI: Outlet 50% off deals
  • REI: Official Coupons and Rebates page
  • REI: Used Gear Store

PMags Instagram

@ramblinghemlock and I changed our plans because our usual March haunts were already pushing 90°F. We headed higher to places we usually visit in May. The blooming paintbrush, greening plants, and the lack of snow on the 11,000+ foot peaks in the distance made me wonder what the coming fire season might bring.
@ramblinghemlock and I have had to do some adulting lately. A career transition and a 1956-era house will do that. It sometimes means skipping overnight trips.
We did some volunteer work for an organization we are active with on Saturday and Sunday, and made it into a local camping trip in between the assignments.
Some local hiking this weekend. I scouted a route for a possible packrafting trip later this month, and on Sunday, @ramblinghemlock and I meandered through a canyon we’ve been curious about for a while.
I can’t imagine this landscape with a wall.
Two years inside the Park Service, trying to balance trade and calling. I left in fall 2025, and I’m still making sense of it - part grief, part gratitude, and part closure.

PMags Popular Posts

  • Popular
  • Comments
  • Latest
  • Today Week Month All
  • The Colorado Trail “End to End” Guide The Colorado Trail “End to End" Guide
  • Backpacking Loops – Mags Favorites Backpacking Loops – Mags Favorites
  • The Frugal Backpacker – The $300 Gear Challenge The Frugal Backpacker - The $300 Gear Challenge
  • PCT trail marker A Quick and Dirty Guide to The Pacific Crest Trail
  • A Quick and Dirty CDT Guide A Quick and Dirty CDT Guide
  • Stove Comparison – Real World Use Stove Comparison – Real World Use
  • Talus vs. Scree – What is the difference? Talus vs. Scree - What is the difference?
  • Ground Cloths : A quick overview Ground Cloths : A quick overview
  • Build a gear sled the dirt bagger way Build a gear sled the dirt bagger way
  • From GIS Sleepings Pads - A grounded view
  • Western Snap shirts vs. Sun Hoodies- Hot and Dry Weather Western Snap shirts vs. Sun Hoodies- Hot and Dry Weather
  • Higher up, a little early Higher up, a little early
  • More local hiking – Moab in March More local hiking – Moab in March
  • Some volunteering and camping Some volunteering and camping
  • The Vanderbilt's "summer cottage" - The Breakers Mansion. From American Esscence. The Gilded Age, a Catholic Nun, and Public Lands
  • Local jaunts in 3D Local jaunts in 3D
  • One Year Review – OYGSieg Sun Hoodie One Year Review – OYGSieg Sun Hoodie
  • A bit of winter in Moab A bit of winter in Moab
  • Thoughts on two years with the National Park Service Thoughts on two years with the National Park Service
  • Magic 8 Ball for Public Lands Management Magic 8 Ball for Public Lands Management
  • Today Week Month All
  • Western Snap shirts vs. Sun Hoodies- Hot and Dry Weather Western Snap shirts vs. Sun Hoodies- Hot and Dry Weather
  • Into the Blue – The Abajo Mountains Into the Blue - The Abajo Mountains
Ajax spinner

Archives

Recent Comments

  • Paul Mags on Western Snap shirts vs. Sun Hoodies- Hot and Dry Weather
  • Lee on Into the Blue – The Abajo Mountains
  • Del Gray on Western Snap shirts vs. Sun Hoodies- Hot and Dry Weather
  • Paul Mags on Thoughts on two years with the National Park Service
  • Stan Allison on Thoughts on two years with the National Park Service

Disclosure: This website may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products to which I link. These sites include Amazon, REI, Moose Jaw, Gaia GPS, Six Moon Designs, Squak Mountain Co, and ULA Equipment. There is no additional fee for purchasing items through these links.

 

© 2026 - PMags.com - All Rights Reserved -Privacy Policy
Scroll Up
  • Home
  • Ramblings
    • Musings
    • Books and Media
    • Videos
    • From The Web
    • Thru Hikes, Long Walks, or Routes
      • My Alphabet Soup summary
      • Vermont’s Long Trail
      • Appalachian Trail
      • Pacific Crest Trail
      • Colorado Trail
      • Continental Divide Trail
      • Ring The Peak Trail (Pike’s Peak)
      • Benton Mackaye Trail
      • Tahoe Rim Trail
      • Uinta Highline Trail
      • Collegiate Loop
      • A Walk Across Southern Utah
      • Great Divide Trail (Canada)
      • The Northern New Mexico Loop
      • Grand – Moab Route
      • SEUG Circuit
      • A Walk Across New England
    • Other Outdoor Jaunts
      • Utah
      • Colorado
      • New Mexico
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Nebraska
      • New England
      • Nevada
      • North Carolina
      • Oregon
      • South Dakota
      • Texas
      • Wyoming
    • Photos
    • PMags News
    • Press
  • Nuts and Bolts
    • New to the outdoors? Start here!
    • Getting Started
    • Quick Tips
    • Trip Planning
    • Quick and Dirty Guides
    • Food
    • Gear
      • All Gear Posts
      • Gear Reviews
      • Gear Quivers
      • Gear Lists
      • Budget Gear
      • What I’m Wearing
      • Clothing and related
      • Footwear
      • Packs
      • Shelters and related
      • Sleeping bags, quilts, and pads
      • Stoves, cooking, and related
      • Tools
      • Water containers
    • Road trip and car camping – gear and techniques
    • Winter trip reports, gear overviews, tips, and techniques
  • Subscribe by email
  • Write Me
  • About PMags.com
    • Who is Paul Mags?
    • About Joan West
      • Joan’s articles

Subscribe to PMags.com

  • Receive an email notification of new posts direct to your inbox once a week.
  • Old school text email digest
  • It is easy!

ClickHereButton

×
 

Loading Comments...