Gear
Mountain Hiking Gear
Modern hiking gear is a fantastic mix of old and new — compasses & GPS devices, knives & smartphones, wool socks & space blankets. A backpack full of cool hiking gear is one of my favorite things about mountain hiking.
Wallpapers 01 – Catskills Summits
Please enjoy this collection of Catskills wallpapers for your desktop computer. This set contains 16 images of Catskills summits.
Microspikes & Trail Crampons (Winter Traction Footwear)
This short post discusses the basic differences between cleats, microspikes, trail crampons, crampons, and snowshoes — and describes the safety benefits of each.
PSA: Buy a Hiking Headlamp – Your Phone’s Flashlight Sucks!
For hikers and campers, headlamps are essential pieces of gear. Whether you’re hiking out at dusk after a long day, or hiking in, in the pitch dark for a glorious summit sunrise, a headlamp will keep you on track and safe.
When Does Hiking Season End in the Catskills?
Learn how to extend your hiking into the fourth — and greatest! — hiking season. Catskills hiking never ends…
Backcountry Camping in the Catskills: A Beginner’s Guide
If you want to camp out in the Catskills backcountry, it’s probably because you want to experience the wilderness on your own terms. This comprehensive list of resources, regulations and gear will help get you ready for your first Catskills campout.
40+ Tips to Capture the Perfect Sunrise or Sunset Photo
Dawn and dusk: there’s no better time of day to shoot landscapes than when the sun is low on the horizon. Here’s everything you need to know to plan, prepare, and pull off the perfect sunrise photo shoot.
PSA: Dog Days of Summer — How to Hike Your Dog Safely When It’s Hot & Humid
From springtime on, temperatures and humidity can spike, but July & August bring heat indices that regularly shoot past safe limits for our canine companions. Mountain hikes are much harder, and much longer, than regular walks. All of this presents an elevated risk for dogs.
Gear Upgrade: More Backpack, More Fun
A few weeks ago, I switched my backpack from a 34 liter model that’s great for day hikes to a 65 liter model that’s more suited to overnights. I’m really happy with the upgrade.
The Best Hiking Apps for 2020
The best hiking apps broken into four categories: navigation/planning, field identification, photography, and fun. Whether you enjoy easy scenic trails or challenging mountain hikes, these apps will help you plan, plot and prepare for your next adventure.
Winter Mountain Hiking Gear: How to Survive and Thrive on the Hills
Winter mountain hiking in the Catskills is spectacular. Snow-blasted forests, bleached valley views, and bright blue skies. The days are shorter, the nights are longer — and the temperature is lethal. Make sure you have the best winter hiking gear and know how to use it.
New Gear: Buff
With cold weather on the way, I’m looking to make some changes to my winter kit from last season. Sometimes small tweaks yield big benefits, and that’s exactly what adding a buff does. A buff is a leg-warmer for your face It’s a thin, light tube of fabric you pull over the top of your head until it wraps around your neck, trapping a layer of warm air next to your skin.
What to Pack: The Ten Essentials
The ten essentials is a list of items you should carry on every trip into the backcountry. This essential gear can keep you safe and on track. In an emergency, it might save your life. You may not need these items on every trip but, if you only ever need them on one trip, you’ll be so relieved you packed them.
Backpack Basics
Your backpack is a fundamental and very personal choice. There are lots of excellent brands to choose from. Take your time. Do the research. I started with a small, cheap, generic pack but, very quickly, my needs outgrew it…
Kit List: Basic Mountain Hiking Gear
While hiking gear can change from trail to trail, and from season to season, the following items will serve you well on every hike. They are a fleshing out of The Ten Essentials (the absolute bare minimum you should pack for every hike). This hiking gear list focuses on day-hiking.
