Also media.
Hi everyone, it's me James and I'm joined by Sharen today, and in a rare instance, we are not discussing something terrible and sad. It seems like most of the thinks Serene and I talk about. But it's a fun episode today, isn't it, Shreen.
Yeah, I'm in a good mood, which is crazy to say these days, but I'm happy to be here. I love to be the podcast dummy. I love to have things talks to me at and I listen too. Yeah, exactly, that's interesting.
You've crushed it. No, we won't be taking that again. Let's go from there. I don't want everyone to think Seren is dummy. Suren's very intelligent, but we are making a podcast today about touching grass. A thing that some people need to do has become apparent. I've been on the internet. I think some people need to go outside. Yeah, and even if you're not saying the stupidest shit imaginable on Twitter, I still think it's actually really good for
you to go outside. Like, I know, this seems to be an episode I do every couple of months, but every single time I have to go and do something traumatic or scary or upsetting for work. I just book a few days afterwards to be by myself in the mountains camp and sort of just not particularly like trying to do massive miles on a trail, just being outside. And I find it's the most healing thing for me. It's how I process all the things that I have to see and hear about for work. And I want
you to do that too, podcast listeners. Yeah, and Serene, I want Shrean to do it.
Nature is healing, it is, and that makes sense that that's where you go. It makes total sense.
Yeah, I think you have to be comfortable, like you know, if you're scared sleeping alone outside in a tent by yourself, right, Yeah, it's not going to be healing for you. And I can see that. I'm a white dude, right and I go through the outdoors just like I go through everywhere else's white. You know that means that something different experiences. Yes, yes, yeah,
we have. That's why sociore is you to think anyway, I want to talk today just about hiking or walking or rambling or hillwalking or you know, you could call it any of the things that you want, just because I think it is probably the most successible way to get outside for most people. Right, Like I could talk about cycling. It's been a lot of my life cycling. It's expensive and confusing for people.
So in your equipment, you know, hiking, you just need to get outside.
Yeah, exactly, like you probably if you're able to move under your own power now, then you can probably go for a walk. I'm going to talk about equipment in the back half, but I think if you're a lot of people seem to have a lot of questions about backpacking equipment, so we'll cover that. But yeah, I think for most people, just like setting the intention of going for a walk would be a massively beneficial thing. So
I want to encourage you to do that. To start of summer, if you're in the northern hemisphere, if you're in the southern hemisphere, it's a start of winter, you know, you can still get out there. And so to start off with, I wanted to talk about finding a route, finding a place, picking a route to go hiking. Did you go hiking very much?
I actually do. I do like a hike. I like a hike. I've gone backpacking once and I really liked it.
Where did you go backpacking? Oh?
Hi?
Oh yeah, wow, Yeah.
That'd be a cute little place. But it was so hot and I almost passed out. I should have done it in a different day. We should have done it a different day. But I do love to hike. I like to be outside. I'm not like the most outdoors a person. I wish I knew how like how to make a fire or something, or like I wish I was like a scout.
There's lots of shit that you don't want to be involved with in the scouting movement, Surrey.
Oh really, Okay, I take that back.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, probably inducing behind the bus just for.
A scout, Okay, I will do that. I did not, But what I mean is like I really like being outside, and I have like the bare minimum of like equipment that I need for that kind of stuff. I used to get really intimidated that I didn't know as much as I thought other people did. But I don't think anyone knows as much as they think they do.
Absolutely no.
Yeah, so that made me feel better.
Yeah, And like the outdoors are super humbling sense right, Like you think you know it all, you don't, and at some point you'll get humbled or hurt. So it's good to always have a bit of respect, yeah, for the outdoors and mother nature. I've seen some people who do not. It can end messily. Seen some people who learn to climb on YouTube really get to grips with
YouTube not being the same as going outside. I guess if I'm starting off, if you're picking a route, and I think probably the best way to do it is I discovered this recently. Lots of these modern smartphones have a step counter in them. Even if you don't have a fancy watch that count steps, your phone does it for you. I think that's a really good way of ascertaining, like how far you walk in a regular day? Right, I was thinking about, like how far do most people walk?
I don't know. I know a fun fact about me, I would love to ushering.
I purposely have never ever opened that app or activated it to know how many steps I walk because I know myself and I know I would get like hyper fixated on it, and I did not want to be confronted with the days that I just sit on my ass all day, you know, and so I have never ever activated app.
That's a great stream. I'm proud of you for knowing that that would be good for you.
I mean, I just know myself, it wouldn't be a good thing for me. I think it's a good thing for a lot of people to like get them motivated and stuff. But sometimes it's also a negative to being too focused on the numbers and.
Yeah, totally, especially like if you're someone who's had like a relationship with exercise, it wasn't healthy for you before.
Yeah, I guess that's also part of it too, that was my experience. I'm sorry, are you the things to had that just happened?
Yeah, okay, Yeah, I'm glad that you have a good relationship with it now. But yeah, for people who you know, if that's not for you, that's not for you. I'll say that.
But I just think it's a fun fact. I don't know anyone else that has not, Like, I'm terrified of the app. I have not even opened it. When you go to my health app, it says welcome, like it doesn't even you know what I mean, Like it's not.
Yeah, I did think you've got a brand new phone. I was going to suggest to all trails because A it's got a very complete list of trails, and B I noticed I had a wheelchair for Yeah, I was looking for wheelchair accessible trails for someone the other day. You can just filter on all trails, like you can find the ones that don't have steps or excessive rocks or something. So like, if that's something you're looking for, I think that could be really handy. And other little
tips for picking your root. If you try and set off early a, you're gonna not deal with big crowds of people be Animals are almost always more active at dawning dusk. I have been trail running a lot recently, and I love to trail run right when the sun's coming up. It just feels like it's nice and I see little animals. Don't see as many snakes. I like to see a snake.
The weather is probably like the best it's going to be that day.
Yeah, yeah, exactly, especially as it gets hotter, right, Like if you're not necessarily doing a lot of exercise right now, and then you go for you know, even a short hike in the middle of the day on a hot day, you can put yourself in the box. And like I think I've heard before that like the vast majority of trail rescues are like on front country trails, like five or ten believe.
That people get confident.
I guess that in mind. If you're heading out on a little front country hike, I would say some things to bring would be we'll go over like equipment, boots, stuff like that. If you if you're like getting more into it, but you're heading out on a little first hike. If as long as you have a bag with some water and a phone and some shoes that you like to wear that they're comfortable for you, I think you'll be fine. And I think they bring a snack. Snack
is always a good thing to have. It's nice to have a little trail snack and yeah, I love a good rectangular food. But yeah, if you don't have water, that's like fourth of July last year, someone didn't bring water for their dog, and I remember the dog was in like severe Yeah. No, it was one of the stupider things that I can't think of a year here where I haven't been running or riding on trails and seeing someone forget to bring water for their dog.
Terrible. I hate that. Yeah, I don't like I see like sometimes there's like a communal stops for pets, but you can't count on those, you know.
Yeah, totally I don't really count on any of those things working, you know, like water fountains, Like, don't be reliant up on a water fountain, take a little water bottle. You'll be so much happier. If you want to find people to hike with, I've had pretty good like with a meetup app. I used to climb by some people from meet up here in San Diego, and like climbings are fairly like high trust endeavor if someone's belaying you. I definitely met some people there who are very capable
and we had a great time climbing outside. Meetup seems to be pretty good for that kind of stuff. ARII also often has free like they'll just take you out for a hiker really hiking sessions, and I know they have like yeah, yeah, yeah, they they seem nice. They have like fem ones that women transferm people can go and sist news can't go, which is fine, you know, like it's probably a nice thing for some people feel a little safer and more comfortable there. They have one,
so they're just open for everyone. I think that's a dude's only hike, which is also fine. So those are some places to meet people. I think it's always nice to go with someone, especially if you don't feel confident or you don't feel like the outdoors are a place where you're look comfortable. It's nice to go with even if it's someone who has the same degree of knowledge and background in it as you, like they can rationalize your fears.
Yeah, when you're alone and like you get lost or you feel panic, it's so much worse than if you had like a friend with you. It only happened to me once and I was on trooms, so but I won't get into that. But it was scary.
Yeah, then maybe you'd leave those a home if if you're going out first maybe.
Yeah, No, you don't need those if you're by yourself, especially Just take it from me. Please don't go on a mountain and take too many things and panic the whole way home.
I want to hear this story afterwards.
It was my thirtieth birthday in twenty twenty, so everything was closed. I tried to go and touch grass games and I had had a spiral.
He nearly touched it with your face as you fell down the mountain on your stream trip. Yeah, your thirtiest birth day is Yeah, it was. It was crisis.
I suppose anyway. Sorry, yeah, I'm dereiling.
Yeah, that's okay. You know, shreen, do you know what will not make you have an existential crisis on top of the mountain on your own in the middle of a pandemic? Please tell me it is the products and services that support this show. Unless we get a shroom sad. Oh, I would love that the stream will read your shroom sad. If you're in the industry, please reach out her Twitter is at I write. Okay, all right, we're back. That was an had a psilocybin. Maybe it's still illegal.
I don't think they are. Yeah, they're in Oregon. They are.
Yeah.
Well, there you go. So I'm interested to know what questions you had before you decided to embark on your hiking lifestyle or is this something you've always done.
I mean, my family and I we never really did outdoorsy stuff, so it was something I did when I was like finishing high school. I started to be like, wow, I live in a place where I can go hiking, and I've never.
Done this before. So it was a learning curve.
But I started when I was like seventeen, and I got my entire family to go hiking. With me for the first time. Yeah. It was also when I was introducing my mom to like Zoomba. That was the vibe back then, So I was trying to get active. But I think the most important things are I mean, I'm a big skincare person. I think some protection cannot be understated, especially if you are hiking in the middle of the day, like when the sun is at its highest point. You
need sunscreen and a hat. There is like some protective clothing even that could come in handy, but at the bare minimum, you need a good hat. Yeah, like not even a cap. I like those those fishermen looking hats. You got to get the whole circumference. But a cap is fine. A cap will do. I think that's the most important little accessory for me. It's a hat.
I have one of those, like felted wool hats.
Nice. Don't they get hot?
No? Not really. The wool breeze pretty well. Like it was what I was out of the body yesterday helping out and it was like a nineteen I was wearing it. It was fine, and it's wool, so you can like diep in the water and it gets wet. Yeah. I like one of those. Yeah, I actually have a little list of equipment or clothing stuff which maybe I could go over. It seems like the vast majority of the questions I get people like to DM me their question,
which is great. By the way, I do like it when people ask me for like.
How can there are no bad questions?
No, there aren't. And like a lot of my career as a journalist, like earlier on was doing outdoor media, and like, yeah, the outdoor media has gone to complete shit, and you know, you can't write anything. It's an advertorial now just actually like just to if you are looking to buy something, and it is basically any product review
you read on the internet. I understand that the vast majority of those will only be products that pay a certain percentage back to the website that refers you to them, and so then inherently causes a bias against products which don't do that. An editor at a big men's magazine suggested that I write some reviews about the stuff that I'd never seen.
They were going to even send them to you.
Well, the company would have done, but the editor wanted the piece in like fifteen minles, which, like I know, I used to do lots of reviews and buy some stuff and I take it pretty seriously. And because it's a lot of someone.
I look at those reviews all the time. I have to weed out the ones I think are like sponsored, but I really, I really like reviews.
Yeah.
I go on Reddit a lot to see what people think, like their own experience redd.
It's a great place. So I've said that like universally, but I do mean with respect.
To Yeah, it's a place where you can find more anecdotal experience with stuff versus I don't know, Amazon review.
Yeah, there are some whoppers on Reddit who in any aspect to overestimate their insight into things, but you'll find anyone needs innet. So, yeah, I'm going to go through some different clothing items, stuff I like and stuff that I think you can probably find cheap and hopefully that will help people kind of especially if you're thinking of backpacking.
It can be very intimidating and expensive, I think, and at the start of the PCT almost once a week, right helping out the border, that's one of the areas where people cross and I see people with thousands of dollars of gear that is all brand new, and I know it can be pretty intimidating, but like you don't have to start there, So there's always stuff you have a home. Maybe we'll do one on camping later in the summer. So you get a hat, any particular hat preferences sharing.
I don't know the brands, honestly, I don't know unless like someone recommended this brand, use this, like my shoes are I think we talked about this before Solomon No, Yes, is that a brand? Yeah, Salmon, And I was like, I thought that.
She read, Yeah, yeah, I think you can.
Find really cheap hats that are protective, you know. I don't think you need a big brand for a hat as long as it like covers your head in your face.
Yeah, yeah, totally. I trail run all the time in a hat I got free like five years ago.
If anything, I think it's better to have things you don't care about getting dirty or ruined, you know, because you're sure.
I've noticed a lot of outdoor stuff really kind of moving towards streetwear. There's this thing that I learned about recently called gorp core, which is my neme. Okay, the test. I think it's cute. Okay, this is going to be the point of disagreement. People like it. When the host disagree on podcast.
How do you define gorp core.
It's people wearing hiking stuff to go around town, which is fine. I do that all the time. I dress like a man in ARII catalog, But like, why are you making it fashion? And then why have you stolen my brands who used to make reliable outdoor gear?
And now I agree with that assessment. I will say, I don't think wearing hiking stuff is necessary, but I do like to look like I'm going on a safari, you know. I like that character for me.
Do you have like a pith helmet and like a No, it's just more just like fascinating.
Like shorts that are meant to be hiked in are longer usually, and I just think they look better than other shorts, and you can just wear that and like a button down shirt with some leaves on it, it look like I'm going on a safari, but I'm just walking around town.
This this vision of nineteen twenty sharen, you know, carriage seeing a line.
But yeah, gorf core is it's becoming more and more trendy. And I will say that you're you're right about things being more expensive because of it. Because it shouldn't be so expensive to be prepared to go on a hike.
Yeah, and like so like for most of the stuff I look for when I'm hiking, A lot of brands I go to, like Outdoor Research, Mountain Hardware. I'll list some other stuff as we go through, but like Arctics and Patagonia seem to have taken off in price and
like decoupled from other stuff which literally uses the same materials. Right, One of the things I would suggest if you're trying to buy outdoor gerrias look at the materials used, because you know you might find the same material used in another piece somewhere else, and it might cost less, right if it doesn't have that like gorp cor appeal. If I just go through some stuff I like really quickly, I like to wear buttonup shirts when I hike. Forten
a whole piece about this. It's like two thousand words and it's it's on backpenny.
So what's the reason A very shortened version of the reason.
They're nice. They cover your neck a bit better. They have buttons so you can vent your chest if you need to, like teacher, get some extra ventilation. Yeah, you can roll up the sleeves. You can roll down the sleeves that there was very practical. When I met the president of the Marshall Islands, like one of my little hiking batnup shirts because I hadn't been expected to be formal, and I put on a little tie that they gave me and I went.
I will say I have worn button down hiking shirts out and about town because I think they look so oops.
Yeah, I agree with you, Srian. I think they look cute. You can look cute in them. If you're looking to buy some shirts. Outdoor Research has one called the Astroman, which is amazing, like it feels like you're not wearing a shirt, which is always the goal with shirt couu. The Hunting brand has one called the Tiburon, which is right.
Are there's going to be listed somewhere?
Yes, Like I did last time, I will make a two thousand words show description with links in it for people. I also like those T shirts, like running shirts. I don't really buy like hiking t shirts. I think often they're just cotton T shirts with a picture of a river on. But running shirt to nice gore wear so that the people who make gortex there's also really good value stuff. Actually it's worth looking at obviously, Like they're like in house, so they have all gor text waterproof stuff.
But they have a shirt called the Contest which always trail running. This morning, it's a pretty nice shirt. It's hot here in San Diego, and like, I don't want to be the guy running with his shirt of and so. And also I'm British, so like me and the sun are in a constant state of disagreement. I'm not a skinware person like stream. I didn't believe in me I do now. I do now, I do now. Until my early thirties, I thought that it was stopping my skin
breathing and affecting my performance as a bigraces you've cherished changed. Yeah, I never had skin on my well, like most of my you thought on scream was bad. When you have to understand that everything about pro cycling is like lies
the older people tell you. So like when I was coming up in cycling, it was like the very end of the like people who had trained in East Germany, like before the fall of the Berlin War, right, and they had all these bullshit things that they like I had a team director who would make us eat fast animals, because he thought that would turn us into fasters. Like that's a good no. I mean the even now.
There is a little subculture of like, don't wear sunscreen. The sun is good for you. You should just like vitamin D. But y'all know, wear sunscreen, reapply the sunscreen. I should make a skincare episode. I'm obsessed with this stuff, and sunscreen is so important.
It is. You get much better sunscreen outside the US, Yeah, I do. I use Korean sunscreen. Korean sunscreen is great. Okay, great, Okay. I get European sunscreen when I'm in the airport.
But also both the European sunscreens and Asian sunscreens, they're formulated so much differently than the ones in the US. I feel like there are certain things that are they're different. I don't know, America is fucking up.
It's because the active ingredients, haven't the FDA. Yeah, okay, yeah, sunscreen conspiracy, divotion over sharen. Maybe we should take an advertising break here in case we land the Koreans.
Oh okay, yeah, let's do it. I want to get shrooms and Korean suns green under my advertising bill. That would be great. That's my entire personality.
All right, we're back. We have you enjoyed that advert for scenes screen. I want to talk about trousers just in general, but also with reference to hiking. Sometimes I go out and I drop water for people say that they don't die in the desert, and that's something that I think is one of the coolest fucking things that you can do if you live near the border, and everyone who does it is a massive legend in my opinion. And even if you just come out once, you could
save someone's life and that's pretty fucking cool. And I want you, if you live near here, to feel like you can do that if what's holding you back, if you don't know what to where or want backpack to get Just like dm me on Twitter, but sometimes I come out in jeans. I would not suggest hiking in jeans. I would make jeans are great. I love jeans. I like to climb in jeans. I know Ian, the producer of this show, have some opinions on people who I
want to hear. Take You haven't seen this, yeah, because Ian does tweet very much, so I only found his twister like six months ago. One of his tweets with about why do people working because it's cool lean. No, no, no, it's not because you have to climb in jeans, because you have to remind people that you were climbing before the fucking Alex Honold film came out. And the way
to do that is to be a dirt bag. And the way to do that is to go to a second hand shop and buy the ladies jeans sort of stretch.
The ones that are worn in, because like from New Genes, seemed so uncomfortable to do anything in in my opinion.
No, you want the stretchy fabric jeens, you know the ones. It's okay if they're normal jeens. Yeah, they've got to be worn in, and then you cut them off a couple of inches above the ankle so you can see your feet, and you go climbing in those and a cut off T shirt and you keep climbing grungy, because that's important. You can't be letting all the Have you seen this film Free Solo? People change it? So yeah, oh gosh, yeah, that's one of the things that I will never back down.
That run.
Yeah, they use the easiest route in my climbing gym for years. Was cool. Hey, dude, have you seen this film? It's called free Solo, which I thought was great. Well, yeah, you can go climbing in jeans, but don't go hiking in jeans. They don't breathe very well, they don't move very well. They do chafe very well, and if they get wet, they suck. So you can get good like Nico or polyester or like even some with like spandex or like greens. So they stretch trousers pretty quickly. I
really like Prana trousers that, like the yoga brand. I'm wearing some right now. They have a one called the Stretch Zion. They have a men's model and a women's model, I think, and they're really cheap. They're always on sale. I really like those for like a cheap go to trouser hiking. So there's a brand called True Work who make like technical work clothes, which I like to wear. If I'm like when we were constructing shelters a lot
in Cucumber before the border patrol tore them down. It's nice to have the little like extra pockets for your tools and for your pencil and your tape measure and stuff like that. I wear those for hiking as well, and they're kind of dual PERP. Generally, if you have trousers that are lightweight, that breathe well and have good flexibility, you're good to go. The next thing I have here is socks. People really fuck up with socks, and it seems like socks and footwear are areas where people really
get themselves into trouble. Tried this out recently and the interest of journalism. Actually, there are a couple of brands the things that I do just on a whim down tough, you know, down tough sucks, serene, No, okay, now you do. They're a company and Vermont, who make good socks, will.
Say, I do want I need new hiking socks.
Okay, good, yeah, sit down, okay. Two brands that I would recommend are Features and Done Tough because they fit well there will so will still insulates when it's where it breathes well. It doesn't burn, but that's not a big concern for most of us hiking here. Yes, you're in a forest far I guess, but they'll find your feet. That'll be great. They also have lifetime warranties, which I
think is really cool for so for socks. Yeah that's cool. Yeah, So I tested these out in the interest of journalism and features in science and Science. Yeah, I did a did a little double blind test, and I contacted Features and done toff and said, hi, I have worn holes through the front of my socks. And they said, no problems, send them back. And I sent them back and Features got me the socks. So what they do is they send you a coupon, then you go on their website
and you order whatever socks you want. And it took me about a week and I had new socks. Well down tuft took a little bit longer, but I had new socks. So like, if you're a person who doesn't want to spend a lot of money, you can spend your money once and have socks for life, which I thought was pretty cool. Yeah, yeah, it's cool. I heard that they had a good warranty. But then I was like, you know what, lots of brands say lots of bullshit,
to let me test it, and tested I did. It turned out to be true in both cases.
I will say for the inexperienced person, I think when you hear wool socks, you're like, okay, i'll wear those one that's cold, but no, you have to wear them for like it's like temperature regulation, right, It's like, yeah.
You want to let your foot breathe, right, so you don't get like blisters, you do?
You wear them any weather. That's my point. I feel like when I hear wool as someone that grew up in Sokel, I'm like, Okay, it's going to be cold, No it's not. Just put them on your feet and your shoe will be war comfy. Also a comfortable shoe essential. Yeah, I'm sure you're going to get there. But yeah, there are different thickness is. You have will socks for cod wether there, but I also have wolf socks for hot weather, right, But they're all wool you know.
Oh well, yeah, they're just in Actually I wore a wool shirt when I did a couple of years ago. There was a heat advisory, so I figured that would be a good time to go backpacking on the PCT because no one else would be there.
Yeah, good idea.
It's great. I had a wonderful time. It was not molested by people. You saw some snakes. It was nice. Rescue the dude.
Did you wear sunscreen?
Yeah? I did in that instance, anah, actually yeah, this was after my sunscreen awakening.
Oh great, I'm so glad.
Don't go out without water. This dude was out looking for Kitchen Creek Falls, which if you're not familiar as a seasonal waterfall in these county San Diego. And he was probably about three or four months late or early, depending on how you look at it. And so I had gone out without water. Which don't be relying on that kind of stuff. If it says water on the map, that's cool. Still bring water, especially you're in the desert. Yeah,
let's talk about shoes. I think people want to go hiking in boots because that's what like you think of when you think of like grambling or hiking. But like if you don't wear boots for work or habitually, you know, for just like crosspunk reasons, then you might be really uncomfortable in boots, Like you're not used to hard things rubbing your ankles. So we would not suggest and unless
you're putting on load, like I wear boots if I'm backpacking. Certainly, if I'm like pack rafting or something where I've got like the raft and everything else and I'm going to do it a long hiking, right, so I've got all my camping stuff and the raft I'm gonna wear boots or if I'm off trails when we drop water. We're not going on trails, right, We're just sort of out and about climbing up mountain. So I'll wear boots for that. But for almost everyone, especially if you're hiking on trails,
you're going to be just fine with shoes. I think the big thing. Boots give you more stability, right, they stop your ankle from twitter.
That's why I wear them.
I weak ankles. Yeah, it's genetic. I wear boots. Yeah, you can work on their little ankle strength stuff you can do.
But that's not happening. I'll just wear boots.
Boots maximalist for me, like finding shoes sort of stable that like you know, like inherently stabilize my foot without clamping my ankle has been really good.
I feel more stable in a boot though you don't think so.
Yeah, but then you're just sort of transferring to me, Like sometimes I like to have the ability to move my ankles, especially like I like to trail run as well. If I'm to be honest, i'm just going out, I'm probably running at the minute, and like even over night city it's really fun to just run until it gets dark and then sleep and then run again. It's a fun thing to do well.
I'd be curious about your hiking shoe recommendations versus boot.
So I got three. They're all like they have little kind of your foots, like sitting in the insole, not on the insult, if that makes sense. So it's like cupped a little bit nickeys in possibility. One is the Salomon Genesis. It's the cheapest one they make in that line. I think it's a really good shoe. I trail running in them all the time. Two the other one is a Soccony Exodus Ultra two, which it's really cool. It has like a softer foam in the middle and then
a stiffer foam around the outside of your heel. I could talk about the shit for hours, but it feels very comfortable and soft. But also you're very stable, and they're about to be phased out, so you can find them really cheap.
Why are they both to be phased out?
Running shoe companies make a new shoe every year because they feel like they need to.
Human foot has been the same, I would argue.
For a while. Yeah, it's not changing. Technology advances, right, Like shoe foams have come up even in the past five or six years. Like, if you have more running shoes in the past five or six years, and you have the means to buy some more running shoes, Piba foams and things like that, like these like high energy return phones make running a lot more pleasant. But often it's just like a different color scheme, you know, slightly different upper. Yeah, and I think in that case you're
just fine. The other ones that Meryll kind of had a reputation for making like old man hiking boots for a while, but they're trail running shoes really great.
That's cool. Yeah, my friend has Meryl shoes and they're cute.
See they used to be cute. They used to be very like dad coded.
Yeah.
I think they've turned a corner.
Yeah they have. I'm a big fan. Now I'm wearing some right now. Actually, Alex to wear Meryl. The Agility Peak one is good. The long Sky is when I'm like trail running in burlier terrain. If you're going to buy boots or shoes, please try it on or at least order them from a website that lets you send them back. Yeah.
I really think that's essential. I messed up the first time I really invested in expensive boots. I got them after all reading all these reviews, and I hated them. Like I walked around my house and I was like, these are terrible. But I was able to return them to my ARII that was local, and I tried on the other shoe I wanted to try on that they had, and that was great. I walked around Aria and I was like, this is the one you have to try them on.
Yeah, take the socks you're gonna wear when you're hiking as well. They don't just take socks don't feel the same. And then we walk around and the next thing I had was backpacked. Actually, and I'm going to say the same thing, like, the most important thing for a backpack is that it fits your body and that it is fitted to your body. Ari I will do that for free, which is great. Lots of other outdoor shops San Diego used to have a Venture sixteen. It's sadly closed rip.
But anyone who's trying to sell your backpack in person and won't fit it to you is probably someone you shouldn't buy a backpack from. So if you google around enough and you have enough Google for you will find a video of me teaching you how to wear your backpack.
Someone will find that.
Yes I know, and yeah, I've got a broken arm in that video, which you can't tell. I haven't sought medical attention. At the time of the video. I got hit by a car and then I knew how to eat video the next day, so I went to do the video. I'd have to make money. It was broke.
I will say that as someone who isn't the most knowledgeable about the stuff, but I like it, and I would consider myself like a I don't know, intermediate, not advanced, but go into ARII and getting a backpack fit. And that's what I did do, shy away from asking questions. They're there to help, and I think as soon as
you get over that, you'll be fine. I feel like as soon as I just like accept that these people are there to help you and not to shame you, hopefully that's great, and like, yeah, they're trying to sell you things, but I don't know, just go in with a smart head on your shoulders.
Yeah, expect people to be well meaning, Like we all just want you to be happy and enjoying the outdoors with us, it's not a competition with backpacks. Real quickly, you've got basically three distinct types. You have ultra light backpacks, which you don't have a frame at all. Imagine a bucket made of fabric with two straps so attached to your back. I wouldn't suggest starting there. You have external frame that's where the frame is external and the back
is clipped onto the frame. And you have internal frame where the frame is integral to the bag. Right, most of the bags you're probably going to look at our internal frame to start with. The heavier the bag gets, the more structure you get, and the more little pockets an organization you get, those can seem super tempting, especially when you're looking online and you're seeing like different specs
and trying to compare them. If you're a person who has access to zip block bags, you don't need all the pockets, right, Like, yeah, what I do every single time they go back back and so I put a bin bag in it that waterproofs it. Right, Yeah, it's cool if your bags it's waterproof, I don't trust it to be waterproof and it doesn't need to because I'm going to put a bin bag in there. Anyway, and then I put everything in stuff sacks as it block bags in there. Likewise, you'll find lots of bags with
like seventy five ways to access the main pocket. Most of the time you're going to have your stuff inside it. A waterproof bag anyway, it's not such a big deal.
I think the most important aspect of a bag that used to look at first is just the weight.
Yeah, you can fuck yourself up with a heavy bag. Although that said, like, one of the bags that I use the most for water up stuff is a Mystery Ranch black Jack. It's a military bag. It's heavy, it's like a I think it's five point seven pounds for
a bag, But I'm not trying to be light. What I'm trying to do is fill it with gallons of water, right, and then haul them up and down a mounted So I might as well make the bag comfortable because it's a negligible percentage of the overall weight of shit I'm carrying.
That's fair.
There's a bag with the Radix, the Mystery Ranch make that I've been using a lot recently, and it's made of like very lightweight material like an Ultrolte bag. But I like their frames. They have like a yoke that kind of wraps around your body as opposed to frame that sits on top of your body, and that works really well for me. Their warranty is good, their products
are good. I've used their bags in every continent apart from the Antarctic and never had anything break, especially like if you're a person who gets actiss about your ship breaking, then you can't go wrong with them. They also have incredible discount If you want one but you think it's too expensive, take your time and you'll find the way cheaper. That's a good bag to get. I like Gregory bags, Osprey or a good brand. Osprey bags can.
Tell what I have, But my backpacking backpack is an Osprey.
Yeah. They're very comfortable. They have a lot going on sometimes and they have that mesh. Do you have the one with a mesh? Like? Yeah, they are very comfortable. I have an Osprey bag that I really like. I took it pack rafting in Alaska and it was great. It was bomba If you're just going on a day hike, you don't need very much backpack, right, twenty liters or whatever is fine, even ten. I really like those running vest file backpacks where you have like pogets on the front.
Have you seen those? You don't have to pack? Oh it's cool? Yeah, do I have one? Send your piculator shreat things? Yeah, I mean you're looking forward to it. When I ran, I like to have a little water flasks down there, and then that makes sense. Yeah, And then I was like, why don't have this on my normal backpack? Why am I having to like reach around for my snacks. I'm all about fishiencies. So running vest style backpacks are cool. Camelback has some good ones, everyone
called the Octane I use a lot. And then when you're buying a backpack, you'll want to buy a little water reservoir to go in it. One of the reasons you're going to waterproof everything in your bag is because every single water reservoir that you put in your backpack will break at some point, and when it does, it will send its contents into your bag and it will be a bad day. And as you have water proved everything, this will happen to you, especially if you like sit
down and lean back and then you crush it. So that's where you're gonna water with everything. But I think hydro pack like the best ones. I really like that, insulated ones. Even if you don't get an insulated bladder, get it insulated. Sucky su Susa worcherine. Thank you. Last podcast of the day here, guys. Yeah, getting intated straw because when it's really colder, who is your straw will freeze because it's just like a small amount of water right when it freezes more quickly.
I never thought of that. I only backpacked and highten really hot weather.
Yeah, when it's below freezing, like even like I was out on Palamar in October, a surry turned from a Curtis Dan so it was, you know, below freezing up of the mountain and know my water phrase, you can blow your water back out again, but you're just going to forget to do that realistically. And then yeah, the last thing I had was hiking poles. Hiking poles great.
I've never had a pole.
You never had a pole? If you ever had a stick?
I mean it likes fine ones, And I guess I don't hike on the things I might need a pull for. I guess I don't know.
Yeah, they're great if you're someone who's like maybe has some injuries or you're worried about your knees just because they hurt in general life. They were a great way to take this strain.
Of the I'm trying to give into my mom to get a pair of poles, because I think she would really benefit from them, because she wants to go on all these hikes and yeah, just needs help. So there's no shame in getting a pole or two.
I will donate your mom some poles. Sarene Oh, it's my gifts, my gift you. Suren's mom helped me translate for some migrants the other day. My mom's the best I'll send your mom. Don't be afraid of using them. Don't be thinking that like anyone's going to judge you for using them. Like if that makes you feel more stable and come table, go for it. Don't buy the ones that telescope I mean by telescope, like yeah, because
they collapse. And I remember I was up in the Sierras six or seven years ago now and it was fucking snowier than I'd expected. Then my stupid hiking pole collapsed into itself. It just it just made the day like less fun.
Yeah, I can imagine that.
But otherwise it's stick is great, right, find a nice stick phone with a nice notch your thumb. You get it from a nice type of wood. Used to love making sticks when I was little. You can get a stick topper. You can order them online. You know, it's got like a head of a dog or a pheasant or a deer.
Or a cane. It's like a fancy little cane.
Yeah, we had crooks, you know, a crook no, for like when you're catching your sheep, James.
Why you mean, like there's the hook looking thing.
Yes, yeah, it's called a croak. I did not know that.
I know what you're talking now that you mentioned sheep. I know what that is, but I've never known.
Yeah, because you're sheep eggs. But yeah, it's got a crook. We so those great for walking? I can see that. Yeah, yeah, so we we used to use those a lot when I was a kid. But yeah, having one is great. And I think especially like if you're nervous about falling going you know with your person who worries about the knees. If you're picking your first route, keep it pretty flat. If you're going up my down a lot of elevation
and you're worried about how that's going to feel. The poles are a good way to mitigate someonem worried that I'm going to fall on my knees. But yeah, don't feel afraid of using that stuff. Oh, I forgot to say one thing. In my shoes. Think chacos are the best sandals. Fuck all other sandals. That's what I have to say about that. You know when you're cool because
you have the z from the chaco's burned onto your feet. Well, unless you practice foot skincare, which I've not upgraded to that level yet.
I was thinking about getting those. I remember I was signing between those and something else, and I got off for something else. But now I have to go back and get those.
A couple of years ago, I rafted with some people who listened to the podcast. They invited me and I went and we did a week on the Colorado. Oh that's so cool. You're so trusting little irl. I like to go outside. It was cool. I like people. So some of them reached out and I said, yeah, let let's go for a rafting trip. So we went on a rafting trip on the Colorado River. And now I wore my chackos the whole time, while sun cream none of the time. Feet were just roasted, just red, but
with a little z from the chack for the whole summer. Anyways, they are very comfortable sandals. One of my friends, another podcast listener, is hugging the PCT in his chackos right now. Thanks go to Canada. So yeah, I hope you're doing well. They know who they are. Surprisingly enough, I've gone long talking about outdoor things.
But no, I'm glad you took the time to make this little list. I realized I don't have to be as big of a dummy as I thought. I thought I was going to come in here and being a huge dummy. I know more than I think I do. You know, and I know what to do outside most of the time.
Yes, sure, yes you do. Thank you for listening to me talking about going outside. If you have any questions, you can DM me on Twitter. That's the only way I communicate with anyone now, don't have a dm me
and I'll send you my email. But really, like I just want people to feel that the outdoors is for them and feel safe and feel comfortable and feel like they know all the things they need to know, and to not buy stuff because someone's getting three percent back on it even though they've never touched it in their whole lives. And also, like I know that we're all fucking poor and spending your money is hard. So I've tried to suggest stuff so it's not crazy expensive or
that you can find on sale. But if you have questions. Oh, one more thing, there's a company called Outdoor Vitals which has a subscription. You can be a member and then you can get a lot of their stuff cheap for backpacking. It's a good company and they make some good stuff and they do some good stuff the outdoors as well. But yeah, if you have questions, you can message me. We will do one about what to put in your
bag when you get backpacking eventually, Yeah, go outside. Send us your photos if you're going outside, if they're not weird, we would like there.
It could Happen here as a production of cool Zone Media. For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website coolzonemedia dot com, or check us out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can find sources for It Could Happen Here, updated monthly at coolzonemedia dot com slash sources. Thanks for listening,