After taking a bit of a hiatus from Outdoors Father, a new project came up that got me to deal, head on, with some old tricks that had been gathering dust recently. I grew up in Israel and started my outdoors experience hiking there, mainly stumbling across the country with all the wrong gear, not […]
Taking a little break
If you are a regular around here, or if you have just browsed around recently, you have probably seen my post from last week about moving to the USA. As part of the move we are going on a family holiday and spending some time doing much needed R&R for a few weeks, so Outdoors Father […]
Wrapping Up 5.5 Years of Walking in Britain
Just over 5.5 years ago, in November 2010, I moved to the UK in search of a more outdoors-oriented life than what I had previously in Israel. This has been mostly successful, and I have enjoyed walking in Britain, exploring an extremely interesting island that surprised me in many ways and made me the walker […]
Getting back from a backpacking trip – taking care of your gear
You had a great trip: 3, 4, 10 days out and about getting wet, muddy, wet again, dry with caked mud or dust – normal life on the trail. All that use and abuse (which is exactly what gear is made for) comes with a price tag: it can really ruin your gear. Taking care […]
First solo camping with a toddler – a father on a mission
It seems that every outdoors enthusiast who has kids, has one goal: to get their kids to love the outdoors as much as they do. This is probably true not just for outdoors people but also sports fans, various athletes or anyone with a serious hobby. So it is not a surprise that I really […]
Gear Review – Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody
For a long time I saw wind shirts (or jackets) as a novelty or an indulgence, something that is not at all necessary, especially since I always carry some sort of waterproof jacket. In 2011 I had a chance to buy a North Face Verto jacket for about 60% off, so I opted in and […]
How to walk 25 miles a day
I love walking long trails, but with limited time I needed to find a way to make it work: go fast or go long. I have written about the difference between going fast or going long (days) and explained how this connects to the ultrapacking concept. At the core of ultrapacking and completing longer trips […]
A new Cape Wrath Trail planning guide is out – and it comes in a bundle!
The hardest part of the Cape Wrath Trail is how challenging and demanding it can be, but second to that is planning for the trip. If you have ever considered tackling the Cape Wrath Trail, you already know that planning is extremely complicated with little information, scattered in many different places. After two years of […]
A Cape Wrath Trail gear list debrief
We all love gear lists, we do, it is just the way it is; but the real magic of a gear list for a long trip is when you get back: checking what worked and what didn’t, what needs replacing and what outperformed your expectations. Before going on the CWT trip, I made my gear […]
A Cape Wrath Trail teaser – Fort William to Attadale trip review
In early April I set out to walk the Cape Wrath Trail (CWT) in 8 days. I didn’t make it, but I did have an amazing walk from Fort William to Attadale in what I regard as the best CWT teaser I could have had. This section of the CWT starts at Fort William, walks […]
I took on the trail and the trail won – Why I failed to finish the Cape Wrath Trail in 8 days
Early in April I set out to walk the whole length of the Cape Wrath Trail, from Fort William to the Cape Wrath, in 8 days. My trip was set on lightweight principles, I was organized and prepared for a fully unsupported trip and my planning was perfect. Sadly, I didn’t complete my trip, for […]
A practical step for lightness – transitioning from hiking boots to trail shoes
I remember when I first decided I no longer wanted to hike with boots: my wife and I had been walking the Offa’s Dyke national trail for a week, proceeding at a leisurely pace with our heavy packs and our walking boots when on the 7th day my knees flared up, getting fully inflamed. I […]
Gear Review – Elemental Horizons Kalais Backpack
Backpacks are a sore point for many backpackers as it is both the defining and the most painful item if not used correctly. I have used my share of backpacks, starting from the worst kind (case style, no frame with about 90L of volume) to the lightest and simplest (28L running packs for a weekend […]
Is this the ultimate Cape Wrath Trail Menu?
As part of my 2016 Cape Wrath trail trip preparations, I decided it was time to re-examine my backpacking menu and take it away from fully processed freeze dried meals. Another aspect of my Cape Wrath Trail menu I wanted to develop was my need for a lot more energy than I thought I needed […]
Is ultrapacking the way to go?
It seems that today, there are a million and five ways to move on two legs, all involving various schools of thoughts and methods. I have tried many and I almost always find some limitations, especially as I keep getting older, fitter and with much less time. My biggest concern at this point in my […]