Backpacking & Blisters: A Hiking, Backpacking, and Adventure Show

Oatmeal, energy bars, and trail mix are the most common items on a hiker's daytime menu. It's time to mix it up! Derek and Carl suggest some other breakfast items and snacks that you may or may not have considered. Also, what are some of the best energy bars out there? And is Snickers an energy bar?  GET MORE CONTENT! Please support us at Patreon to get bonus episodes, videos, and priority invites...

This is not your typical list of hypothermia, getting lost, and broken bones. This list involves common tasks, scenarios and decisions trail users encounter. Are they all potentially deadly? You be the judge. Also, Derek is feeling free with his stories during this episode and shares an experience that involved a relatively benign object that almost killed him. GET MORE CONTENT! Please support us...

Season 3 has begun! This episode explores using gear in creative ways and learning how to handle gear more efficiently to make for more successful trail days. How do you fill that darn filter bag with the small hole? Are there light weight hygiene options? Should you be aware when others are taking care of their business? These questions and much more will be addressed. Also, is there Giardia dirt...

Famous Youtuber Dan Becker joins the show to share some of his insights on lightening one's load...without spending much (or any) money. He also outlines the merits of the Aquaclip. Was Carl using this simple device incorrectly? Also, what is the best defensive weapon when you encounter a potentially scary hiker? GET MORE CONTENT! Please support us at Patreon to get bonus episodes, videos, and pri...

For all of their experience, Derek and Carl still manage to make significant blunders on backpacking trips. This episode answers questions like...when are pants better than shorts, how to find the worst shuttle service, what really is an electrolyte, is it okay to sleep in until 9:30, how did both Derek and Carl manage to have significant pieces of gear go missing, and more! Also, is Olympic worth...

Sometimes we fall into bad habits and don't even realize it. This episode examines inefficiencies that occur due to lack of awareness, affordability, or downright laziness. Carl suggests a cheap way to save pack ounces but Derek isn't buying it (literally and figuratively). Also, how do you know where to go on a first trip or to a new place? And what embarrassing mistakes has Carl made in the past...

Derek and Carl wrap up Season 2 reflecting on takeaways big and small. The Most Ridiculous Backpacker of All Time vote has concluded and the winner is announced (much to Carl's displeasure). Carl shares a blister story that he's been hanging onto for two seasons. And both guys throw out a video challenge for each other for the upcoming trip. Might this inspire others to create their own trip video...

This is an episode about embracing the challenge. Do you ever try to stretch yourself to your physical limits? Is there a high probability of disaster potential? "The Death Hike" is an event that Carl is attempting this July with a couple of guys from his backpacking crew -- Jared and Rocky. This episode discusses the details surrounding this Fastest Known Time (FKT) attempt. This includ...

Many of us have brought items into the backcountry that are regrettable. But some do this intentionally. Derek and Carl share the nominations for the Most Ridiculous Backpacker of All Time Award. Carl discusses his trip report from Capitol Reef NP -- highlights, challenges and, of course, fails. Carl has poked fun at Derek for making a silly mistake last summer. But did he make the same blunder? Y...

Where did trail names come from and how does one get one? Derek and Carl explore the idea of trail names and then really dig into the results of a quiz they put out a few weeks back by plugging them into a newly designed "generator" to give a few folks some of the strangest names you've ever heard. Also, Carl shares some surprising (in a bad way) backpacking news about an upcoming trip....

Are the big trips your way to get your fitness on? Or do you train to dominate the trail? And which one will make for the better wilderness experience? Carl has made fun of Derek's lack of fitness over the last couple of years so Derek has upped his game. But is he simply spinning his wheels or making significant increases in his fitness goals? These are a lot of questions that this episode will a...

There's a fine line between foolish decisions and straight up adventure. When should we play it safe and when should we just go for it. No equation has all the answers but Derek and Carl weigh in on a few scenarios. Also, what's in your first aid kit (if you have one). Purchased kits range from a few ounces to multiple pounds. Derek and Carl each share items they feel are essential and items most...

Green Beret, Ultimate Survival Alaska Star, Dual Survivalist and now, Ursack representative, Grady Powell joins the show to give a different perspective concerning proper food storage. He also shares his experience of throwing salmon at a Kodiak bear to stop it from chasing him. Derek and Carl follow up with their takeaways from the interview including What would it take to get an Ursack away from...

No doubt many of these celebrities know their stuff, but are some of them giving straight up bad advice? Derek and Carl weigh in on a couple of these types of situations. Also, how do you respond to falling through the ice on a pond, or being cliffed out during cross country travel, or having to descend a steep Mesa after a helicopter drop-off (one of Derek's ideas)? And finally, is backtracking t...

Trip planning can be an art form. And it isn't for everybody. But is it for Derek? Carl challenges Derek to plan a specific trip for a group of people traveling to a popular area. Will he remember all of the key details for success? And if so, would Carl actually entrust him to plan a future trip? Also, how would Derek handle some specific examples of trip saboteurs? These questions and more will...

Derek and Carl react to the information regarding bear canisters provided by Ranger Rick Sanger. They break down his arguments and provide "research" of their own to address a potential new course of action. Listener Todd also shares an mp3 that further challenges them to follow the rules. Will they humbly begin to carry the appropriate amount of bear canisters? Also, is there a way to t...

Over the course of the first two seasons Carl and Derek (mainly Carl) have challenged some wilderness regulations--especially related to bears. This episode features a discussion with Ranger Rick Sanger that addresses all of these challenges. As a backcountry ranger, Rick Sanger was a key part of the search and rescue efforts for a lost colleague in Eric Blehm's book The Last Season. Does Mr. Sang...

How come America does not have rites of passage for men and women? And is it really all that important? Derek and Carl explore the journey from adolescence to manhood and why it matters. They each describe how a wilderness experience can play a critical role in this transition and, specifically, how they would set it up. Derek also wrestles with idea that becoming a man doesn't mean you can't have...

The desert is an oft overlooked wilderness area. But it's a place of real beauty and it can extend your backpacking season if you prefer warm weather. Derek suggests three reasons why you should consider heading to the desert this spring. Carl notes three things to consider when planning your trip as well as a few warnings. Dessert is also discussed in this confusingly named episode. And...Derek c...

Can penny water keep bugs away? Can sheet metal screws help with traction? In this episode, Derek and Carl are joined by guest host, Steve, as they cover some interesting ground with more backpacking tips and tricks. In addition, they each share some really good and really questionable trail pranks. GET MORE CONTENT! Please support us at Patreon to get bonus episodes, videos, and priority invites...

This episode could also easily be called "Don't Be That Guy/Gal." Pulling from experiences (some of them personal), Derek and Carl identify a handful of trail characters and behaviors that simply violate trail social norms or downright annoy adjacent hikers. Also, Carl challenges Derek on his trail etiquette knowledge. Among the questions: is it okay to intentionally scare somebody who h...

Trail legend Buzz Burrell joins Derek and Carl in this episode to discuss a growing movement based upon the Fastest Known Time website. Do average (or even below average) hikers have the opportunity to set trail records? What is the best GPS device to record our outdoor experiences? What happens when somebody pulls a gun on you when you're out on the trail? Buzz answers all of these questions and...

While the real Darwin Awards involve poking fun at others' misfortunate deaths, the Backpacking and Blisters version pokes fun at others' misfortunate decisions (mostly). Derek and Carl share their own ability to earn this version of Darwin Awards as well as an assortment of experiences others have shared. Is there something to be learned from these ridiculous mistakes or are experienced wildernes...

While philosophers and social experts ponder the chicken or the egg, nature vs. nurture, or where have all the Sasquatch gone, Derek and Carl come up with a list of backpacking related questions that are simply hard to answer. And both attempt to provide wise and reasonable answers for these questions. Derek also adds three terms to the English language. GET MORE CONTENT! Please support us at Patr...

Derek and Carl debate the merits of various electronics in the backcountry. Are they more likely to save your life or become a stronger leash to the "real world"? Derek also suggests how silly putty can be used in a variety of ways to "improve" one's trip. GET MORE CONTENT! Please support us at Patreon to get bonus episodes, videos, and priority invites to B&B "events!...