9 Signs You're an Old School Backpacker

Fads come and go, but you've been a backpacker through it all. Here are a few signs you're a diehard dirtbag.

Author:: Shey Kiester
Updated:: Feb 14, 2017
Original:: Mar 5, 2014

You thru-hiked a long trail before it was cool.

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In 2013, Fort George released a mere 2,200 cases of this delectable treat. Named after the record company of the same name, the Tender Loving Empire brings an ethereal tangerine hue to the table, rounding out the killer flavor. http://www.fortgeorgebrewery.com

Enhance your next hiking trip with these local craft brews that (handily) come in cans.

Cheryl Strayed’s wry, touching memoir about her months solo hiking the Pacific Crest Trail as a 26-year-old will speak to anyone who has ever looked to the outdoors for soul-searching and reinvention.

Whether read before the trek, during the adventure, or after it's over, these books remind us why we love the wild.

Best outdoor dog breeds mixed breed

These dogs love the outdoors just as much as you do.

Best Foods for backpackers Quinoa Salad with Kale image by Carmel Zucker

Backpacking Food Basics

Go beyond granola bars and make these energy-rich essential foods part of your trail diet.

Best Outdoor Women of Instagram

These adventurous ladies are the up-and-coming all-stars of the outdoors.

What list would be complete without the deep voiced-melodies of this iconic American musician? "I've been everywhere, man. / Crossed the desert's bare, man. / I've breathed the mountain air, man. / Of travel I've had my share, man. / I've been everywhere." [image: Henrich Klaffs/Flickr]

From folk songs to oldies to rock 'n roll, this eclectic list will inspire your next trip.

1.Gather two standard cans of beer (or one standard and one tallboy—the tallboy is better for maximum sun coverage), duct tape, a knife, and if you can, a marker and pair of tough scissors.

Nice job. You’ve forgotten your sunglasses and your hat. Lucky you thought ahead and brought duct tape and beer. Here’s how to put them to use keeping the sun out of your eyes.

2015 Spring Book Preview - Phenomenal: A Hesitant Adventurer’s Search for Wonder in the Natural World

From alpine obsession to the search for Abbey's grave, here are six new books for every backpacker's reading list.

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We all make mistakes. Learn from these classic backpacking gear fails, and you'll make better ones.