As we put together to welcome in 2025, we’re taking time to look again on the path we’ve traveled to get right here. Particularly, we’re taking a look at the place the world-renowned Gentle Ft weblog has taken us over these final 12 months.
Our purpose is to make Gentle Ft our group’s go-to vacation spot for uplifting interviews with out of doors fans, helpful ideas and methods for the path, adventuresome tales from the backcountry, useful gear highlights, and all issues light-weight backpacking. Because of visitor contributors, knowledgeable interviews, and our top-shelf, in-house inventive brainstorming crew, we’ve printed some fairly enjoyable content material this 12 months, if we do say so ourselves.
To find out the perfect Gentle Ft blogs from the previous 12 months, we used a extremely scientific course of that concerned trying on the variety of views every of our articles bought this 12 months and mixing that with an general vibe examine. Following this thorough overview, we’re excited to current you with the highest 15 Gentle Ft weblog posts from 2024!
We kicked off the 12 months with some recommendations on organising your favourite Gossamer Gear shelter when it’s windy out. Pitching your tent within the wind could be a irritating course of, however with insights from our weblog, we hope you’ve been in a position to confront these conditions with extra confidence and ease. There’s nothing fairly like cozying up within the backcountry when it’s blustery out however you’re cosy as a bug.
With the launch of some new and up to date merchandise this 12 months, our group was hungry for extra content material about put our gear to make use of and select which pack is greatest for various adventures. Two of our model ambassadors, Lauren “Sparkle” Veloz and Riley “Waldo” Ormiston, are energy customers of each our Kumo 36 Superlight Backpack and Quick Kumo 36 Fastpack. They helped us put collectively this weblog to assist prospects higher perceive the variations between the 2.
Getting ready in your first thru-hike could be a daunting job. Certainly one of our favourite methods to prepare for a brand new journey is to be taught from those that have traveled the path earlier than us. Certainly one of our hottest blogs this 12 months was a roundup of recommendation from our model ambassadors on errors they made throughout their first thru-hikes. We hope you’re in a position to glean some good ideas from their experiences to make your subsequent trek a smoother one!
Have you ever ever felt like you may’t ask a query as a result of it looks like the reply must be apparent? Properly, this weblog proves you’re not alone. Certainly one of our most-read articles this 12 months was about use trekking poles. We get it! For those who’re new to them, it’s straightforward to really feel like a foolish giraffe tromping by the woods. We hope the following pointers from the Gentle Ft weblog aid you use your trekking poles with extra confidence on path going ahead. Your knees will thanks!
We’re fairly happy with the mixed badassery of our model ambassadors. 4 have accomplished the Triple Crown of thru-hiking, together with Heather “Anish” Anderson who was the primary lady to finish a calendar-year Triple Crown—that means she hiked all three trails inside the similar 12 months. Our different three, Zelzin Aketzalli, Arlette “Apple Pie” Laan, and Gabe Vasquez, shared their insights with us about every path. The AT, CDT, and PCT are all unimaginable choices, and we hope the takeaways on this weblog aid you select the place to start out or which to hike subsequent!
All year long, our crew has lovingly referred to this weblog by its quite simple acronym: WDTTOMGGPD. The WDTTOMGGPD weblog was stuffed with all of the particular Easter egg options hiding in plain sight in your Gossamer Gear pack—from thumb loops and headphones wire routing to an AirTag holder and emergency whistle. Subsequent time somebody asks you, “WDTTOMGGPD?” we hope you’ll be capable to enthusiastically share the knowledge!
This 12 months, our Gorilla 50 and Mariposa 60 backpacks bought a significant glow up. We excitedly launched our new patent-pending PVT Body+Belt system. This pivoting backpack system gives a extra snug expertise as a result of it routinely adapts along with your altering actions on path. We all know this characteristic is new to many, so we needed to share all the small print on the way it goals to make your path expertise additional cozy. If you wish to be taught extra, this weblog is a good place to start out!
This 12 months we launched the Gentle Ft weblog’s Journey Shakedown Collection. We all know our group is at all times searching for new backcountry adventures to attempt to ideas for making ready and packing for them with an ultralight mindset. On this sequence, our model ambassadors meet that path starvation with particulars on their newest and biggest travels. Nancy East kicked us off with an outline of her first thru-hike of the Colorado Path, which proved to be an enormous hit with our viewers. We will’t wait to see all your CT images in 2025!
We additionally launched our Backpacking Baseweight Collection this 12 months with an interview with our founder Glen Van Peski. This sequence goals to assist readers be taught methods to lighten their load over time with insights from a spread of different backpackers. Glen’s baseweight runs round 5 kilos and is typically as little as 2.89 kilos! We get that this isn’t everybody’s model, although, so make sure that to examine the weblog in 2025 for extra contributions to this sequence that present a spread of backpacking types.
Significantly for these of us who hike within the West, wildfire is one thing we want to remember when mapping out a visit within the backcountry. Sure, we will plan journeys for earlier in summer time and through shoulder seasons when it is sensible, however smoke season has additionally been lasting longer lately, properly into fall. To have the ability to benefit from the outdoor whereas maintaining secure through the wildfire months, we’ve got to take some precautions. We hope this weblog helps you retain mountain climbing safely as we adapt to a altering local weather.
Ever end up in a mountain climbing rut after finishing an enormous journey or having a major life transition? You’re not alone! Our weblog editor (me!) shared ideas this 12 months on how she bought again right into a rhythm with the outside after a cross-country transfer and ending a big mountain climbing purpose. Revisit this learn in the event you’re seeking to jumpstart your 2025 resolutions with extra time outdoors!
For those who’re visiting the Pacific Northwest, it is best to positively go chasing waterfalls. This inexperienced, mossy slice of the world is rewarded with stunning waterfalls in beautiful evergreen forests in alternate for its seemingly limitless rain within the winter. For those who haven’t visited these waterfalls but, make this weblog your PNW journey bucket record for 2025.
The nice outdoor is a magical place for all ages! For those who’re a brand new mother or father planning your first hike along with your children or a mother or father merely searching for new concepts for partaking your youngsters within the outdoor, we wrote this weblog for you. It consists of ideas and methods for getting children outdoors from our employees and model ambassadors at Gossamer Gear. We hope their concepts proceed to encourage your 2025 adventures!
In case you missed it, Gossamer Gear is transitioning to utilizing recycled materials and supplies! We’re enthusiastic about how these modifications are permitting us to make the identical nice gear with a decrease environmental footprint. You’ll be able to be taught extra about these modifications on this Gentle Ft weblog.
Overcrowding in parks can pressure native sources, resulting in delayed emergency response and different security issues. It could actually additionally create disagreeable site visitors and useful resource harm. Contemplating an alternative choice in your travels when high-visitation parks are at their peak can each ease strain on land administration companies and provides you a chance to journey someplace it’s possible you’ll not have in any other case identified about. That’s why we rounded up these 7 “park dupes” on the Gentle Ft weblog to assist along with your 2025 journey planning!
Thank You and Blissful New Yr!
From all of us at Gossamer Gear, we wish to categorical how a lot we recognize you being part of our group. You made the journey a fantastic one this 12 months and we’re excited to get to maintain mountain climbing with you into the grand vistas of the long run. As we shut out the 12 months, we want you all of the happiest of trails in 2025 and the years to return!
Ensure that to share your adventures with us by tagging tagging Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and utilizing the hashtag #takelessdomore. And if in case you have an thought for a visitor weblog within the New Yr, be at liberty to achieve out to korrin@gossamergear.com!
