Video: Hiking the PCT in Three Minutes

The Pacific Crest Trail runs for 2663 miles (4285 km) from Mexico to Canada while passing through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington in the process. It is a long, beautiful, and incredibly scenic hike that takes weeks to complete end-to-end. But, you can experience the majority of the route in just three minutes by watching this video. It'll give you an enticing taste of the PCT, and perhaps may inspire you to walk it yourself.

Ultrarunner Scott Jurek Attempting Speed Record on Appalachian Trail

Ultrarunner Scott Jurek has been a legend in the endurance running community for years. Not only has he won both the Badwater and the Western States Ultras, he has scored wins in numerous other major races as well. Additionally, back in 2010 he set a record for the 24-hour run, covering 165.7 miles during that time period. To say he has had a stellar career would be an understatement, and although he has started to hint at a possible retirement, he isn't quite ready to hang up his running shoes just yet. In fact, he has just set off on his greatest challenge of all – an attempt to set a new speed record for completing the Appalachian Trail end-to-end.

Last week, Jurek began what he hopes will be a record-breaking run on the AT. He's chasing the record set by Jennifer Pharr Davis back in 2011, when she managed to cover the entire length of the 2160 mile (3476 km) trail in 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes. In doing so, she managed to travel about 47 miles (75 km) per day. Jurek hopes to be closer to 50 in his pursuit of a new speed mark.

The ultrarunner launched his record bid on Spring Mountain in Georgia last week. He'll now head north toward Katahdin, Maine, where the trail officially ends. Along the way, he'll pass through 14 U.S. states, and face enough vertical gain to climb Everest 16 times over. He'll also be attempting to run the equivalent of two marathons per day for a month and a half. If everything goes as planned, he will wrap up the speed attempt on July 6, although he'll need to stay healthy and have the weather cooperate along the way. He is, of course, making this attempt in supported fashion, with a three-person team providing resupplies throughout the journey. Pharr Davis did the same thing on her record-setting trek as well.

You can follow Scott's efforts on his Facebook page and official website.

Outside Picks the Best Gear of Summer 2015

It's that time of year again. Time for Outside magazine's annual look at the very best gear for the summer ahead. As usual, the 2015 Summers Buyer's Guide includes some of the best new equipment available for hiking, biking, running, and travel. If you're in the market for a new tent, pack, camera, or other gear, you might want to take a look at the products that Outside is recommending before plunking down your hard earned cash.

Amongst the new gear that made the list are an amazingly comfortable new jacket from The North Face, an impressive all-mountain bike from Giant, and an innovative new tent from Big Agnes. Hikers will love the new lightweight boots from Chaco, while the Osprey Atmos 65 continues to lead the way in backpacks. The Nikon 1 V3 gets the nod as one of the best new cameras available, while fans of waterspouts will find a list of the best paddleboards and kayaks available as well.

As usual, Outside isn't ignoring the ladies either. The magazine has dedicated an entire section to women's gear, with suggestions ranging from the best running shoes to the essential gear that every woman should take with her when she travel. There are even female-specific selections for biking, hiking, and SUP-ing as well.

Whether you're shopping for some new gear for yourself, or just want to keep up on the latest trends, be sure to drop by Outside Online to see what gear is coming highly recommend. I'm personally about to purchase a new tent, and their reviews and suggestions helped me to pick the one that I am going to go with. There are more than 365 products listed in the guide, so chances are you'll find something you'll want/need, even if you didn't know it yet.

Get Paid to Hike Across Canada this Summer

Are you looking for something to keep you occupied this summer? Than you may want to apply for the Woods Dream Job. Gear manufacturer Woods Canada is looking to hire two lucky people to embark on a 5-month long epic hike along the Trans Canada Trail, a 1700 km (1056 mile) backpacking route that stretches across some of that countries most wild and beautiful areas.

The two people who are hired for the Dream Job will spend their summer hiking, paddling, and climbing along the trail, while documenting the journey through photos, video, and written dispatches. Along the way, they'll also get to test plenty of Woods gear as well, including tents, packs, sleeping bags, clothing and more.

Applicants for the Dream Job need to be available to hike the trail between May 12 and September 30, 2015. They'll also be handsomely compensated for their time by being paid $20,000 Canadian (roughly $16,100 U.S.), as well as a $300/wee per diem, and a $2000 bonus should they complete the entire length of the route. On top of that, all travel expenses are paid as well, including transportation, lodging, and so on.

Sound like something you'd be interested in? Than head over to the Dream Job website to fill out the application. You'll also have to submit a 60 second video explaining why they should hire you for the job. They're going to hire two people for this fantastic adventure, one of them could be you!

Video: Climbing The Elk Mountains of Colorado

This beautiful short film was shot by climber/filmmaker Joe Kyle on his adventure in the Elk Mountains of Colorado. Joe traveled to that spectacular landscape last year and spent two weeks hiking and climbing there. Along the way, he managed to bag Maroon Peak, Pyramid Peak, and Capitol Peak, all of which are amongst Colorado's vaunted 14'ers. He also filmed himself as he went, creating this thoughtful and inspiring video in the process. The scenery in his seven-minute documentary is worth a view alone, but there is more to the film than just that. Join Joe on his backcountry adventure and get a great look at what the Elks have to offer.

If you enjoy this film, then check out Joe's next project, which he recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to seek funding. He hopes to shoot a feature length documentary about hiking in Colorado, and promises to put together something very impressive if he can hit his goals.

The Elks from Joe Kyle on Vimeo.

Backpacker Picks the Best New Gear of Spring 2015

With spring officially here, it is time to start planning some outdoor adventures, with hiking, backpacking, and camping trips on the agenda. It is also a good time to pick up some new gear for those excursions, and Backpacker magazine is here to help in that department.

The outdoor adventure-focused mag has recently published its spring gear guide, providing readers with lots of insights and information on a wide variety of products. For instance, their backpack overview alone covers more than 18 new packs, each of which were put to the test by over 160 different people in the field. Which packs came out on top? The team at Backpacker were especially fond of the new Atmos/Aura packs from Osprey, as well as the Baltoro and Deva from Gregory.

But backpack aren't the only gear items on the slate of products that were tested. The best new hiking boots were also run through the ringer, as were the latest sleeping bags and pads as well. The magazine even took a look at the top shell jackets, as well as the very best tents for the camping season ahead.

If you're in the market for some new backpacking gear this spring, than you'll definitely want to drop by the site and check out what products won the coveted "Editor's Choice" awards. If you're going to be spending your hard-earned dollars on new boots, packs, or tents, you want to ensure that you're selecting the best that your budget allows. As usual, the Backpacker team is very thorough in their methodology, and there is lots of good insight to be gleaned from their testing. Before you head out to your local gear shop, see what they had to say about the products you're considering adding to your gear closet.

Video: 2600 Miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in 4 Minutes

When backpacker Andy Davidhazy set out to hike the entire length of the Pacific Crest Trail he decided it would be a good idea to snap a selfie every mile of the hike. That added up to more than 2600 photos that notably mark his progress along the iconic route, but also showed his amazing physical transformation as well. The video below is a compilation of all of those photos, taking us along with Andy on the PCT end-to-end in just four minutes. It is a pretty impressive record of his accomplishment and definitely a fun way to document the journey.

Gear Closet: Rocky S2V Substratum Direct Attach Hiking Boots

Recently I've had the distinct pleasure of putting some of the fantastic gear from Rocky S2V through it's paces. I carried both the Provision Jacket and Provision Pants with me to Kilimanjaro, and if you've read my reviews of those two products, you already know that they proved invaluable in keeping me warm and dry on Summit Day. I've also been testing Rocky's Substratum Direct Attach hiking boot as well, and have once again come away incredibly impressed with the level of design, comfort, and attention to detail that has been put into this product. This is a boot that will see you through many adventures – in incredibly poor conditions – and continue to keep you moving all the while.

I will say that while I was very excited to receive the Substratum Direct boots as part of my pre-Kilimanjaro care package from the good folks at Rocky S2V, they did not accompany on my journey to Africa. As I wore them prior to departure, I realized two things. First, they needed to be properly broken in before I could scale a mountain in them, and secondly they are incredibly warm, which would have been great on the summit push, but not so useful on the lower portions of Kili where you're hiking through muggy rainforests. For those reasons, I chose to leave them at home and carry a pair of boots that were more suitable for all of the climate zones on Kilimanjaro instead.

That said, it should be noted that these boots are actually fairly easy to break-in, I simply didn't have the time to do so before leaving for my climb. But upon return, I have been wearing them regularly, and it has taken very little time at all to get them completely broken in. They were already very comfortable straight out of the box, but the flexibility wasn't quite where I wanted it at first. But it didn't take long at all for the boots to loosen up, and feel more natural on my feet.


As with all of their gear, Rocky S2V has built the Substratum to perform incredibly well in the poorest conditions imaginable. They are completely waterproof, with the fabrics that make up the boot treated with Rocky's proprietary Hydro IQ which repels moisture incredibly well, while still allowing your feet to breathe nicely. They also use both PrimaLoft and Aerogels as insulation, which explains why they are so incredibly warm, even in very cold conditions.

Of course, it doesn't matter how warm and dry a boot keeps your feet if it doesn't provide good traction on the trail. The Substratum deliver in that department too with Vibram sole that sticks to just about any surface – wet or dry – and provides plenty of protection for the foot too. I've used these boots on dry and muddy trails, as well as on snow and ice, and have found that they provided excellent traction on all of those surfaces. Something that provides a nice piece of mind when heading out on more challenging excursions.

The Substratum gets high marks for durability as well. As with Rocky S2V's other products, the level of construction is incredibly impressive, and it feels like these boots were built to last a very long time. My pair looks practically brand new despite having a few miles on them. The designers of these boots picked high quality materials for every element of the Substratum, and while I've only had them a short time, it seems this is the kind of hiking boot that will last you for years.

Those high quality materials will definitely extend the life of the boots, but they also have added a bit of extra weight to the shoes as well. I don't have very many nits to pick with the Substratum, but they are on the heavier side when compared to the competition. If you're a backpacker or climber who counts every ounce, you may find that a lighter boot is more to your liking. But when you consider the level of durably, protection, and performance that the Substratum bring to the table, you may find that there is very little else that can actually compete with them in all categories.

As mentioned several times, these boots are quite warm. So much so that I'm not sure they'll be something that I could wear on the trail during the summer months. They are definitely well suited to cooler weather hikes, and will perform exceptionally well in the winter, but during the summer most people will probably find them to be uncomfortably warm. Keep that in mind when you consider what you're looking for out of a boot, and when and where you'll be using them.

Rocky S2V designs their gear to be used in extreme conditions, and as such they often build in features that are meant to help us survive in the backcountry, even when disaster strikes. With the Provision Jacket for example they include a handy little survival kit complete with a signal mirror, compass, and so on. Both the Jacket and the Provision Pants also incorporate the Recco rescue technology as well, making it easier for SAR teams to locate the wearer should they go missing. With the Substratum boot the mad scientists in the Rocky labs have incorporated two fire sparkers and two wet cubes in the insole, making it very easy to start a fire should you find yourself in a situation where that is necessary. This is a nice touch that helps set Rocky's gear apart from the competition, and while you may never need to use these survival items, it is nice to have them just in case.

The Substratum carry an MSRP of $299.99, which puts them into a more expensive price range than most people will probably want to spend on a boot. But then again, these boots aren't built for most people. They are made for the active outdoor adventure who demands high performance out of their equipment, and expects it to meet those demands in the harshest environments imaginable. This is a boot that is made for backpackers and mountaineers heading into remote areas where conditions can be a bit unpredictable, and they will serve those men and women very well. If you're in need of that kind of performance, than this is certainly the boot for you.

On a side note, Rocky S2V makes a lot of boots that are used by U.S. military personal stationed across the globe. Much of the design and technology that goes into those boots have also made their way into the Substratum as well. In fact, both of the Green Berets that accompanied me on my Kilimanjaro climb owned boots from Rocky, and had nothing but praise for their high quality and high level of performance. One of those soldiers even brought a pair along for the trip, and he wore them throughout. The Substratum take many of their cues from those same boots, and the Rocky legacy and quality is evident across their entire line of gear. I can't tell you how impressed I am with all of their products, and I will be recommending them highly for a long time to come.