As backpackers, we spend a lot of time thinking about and managing our feet. One problem that crops up a lot (especially for those of us who choose to utilize ultralight footwear, hike in damp or snowy environments, or both) is  wet feet. Feet that get wet and stay wet can cause all kinds of nasty issues - starting with maceration (wrinkly, pale, soft skin) and progressing through to immersion foot diseases like trench foot, tropical immersion foot, and warm water immersion foot.&nbsp; In this SKILLS SHORT, Ryan and Andrew break down the causes, symptoms, and results of immersion foot diseases. After a fairly exhaustive and somewhat nasty primer (you’ll hear the phrase “sloughing skin” more than once) the guys discuss strategies to prevent and manage immersion foot diseases and their symptoms. The pod wraps up with a discussion on when you should get off the trail (blackened skin = big trouble), and Ryan shares some of his favorite resources and further reading on foot care.&nbsp;  Click here for show notes  This podcast is brought to you ad-free by the subscribing members of backpackinglight.com. Please leave us a review and rating, it helps other people find our show

SKILLS SHORT: Maceration and Immersion Foot Diseases

Jimmy Carter created the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 1980, and it’s been a contentious subject virtually ever since. A bonanza of biodiversity, it also potentially sits atop one of America’s last untapped oil reserves. In this episode, Andrew talks to Adam Federman, a journalist covering the recent push by the Trump administration to lease oil and gas rights in the refuge. Adam is a reporting fellow with Type Investigations, where he’s spent the last few years covering energy, public land, and the Trump administration’s environmental policies.&nbsp; His recent piece “How Science got Trampled in the Rush to Drill in the Arctic” caught our eye when it ran in Politico in July of 2019. We immediately reached out to Adam for a chat about  this developing issue as well as a larger conversation about public land policy in the United States.&nbsp;&nbsp;  You can read the final Environmental Impact Statement  here,&nbsp;and make sure and check out the show notes (below) for more resources.&nbsp;  Click here for show notes  This podcast is brought to you ad-free by the subscribing members of backpackinglight.com. Please leave us a review and rating, it helps other people find our show

The ANWR, Public Lands, and the Trump Administration

In this podcast, we address three key questions:  What are clothing systems and why is it important to consider clothing in the context of a system? What does it mean when we talk about inclement conditions or summer vs. 3-season or 4-season backpacking? What pieces of clothing do we need to add or replace in our summer system in order to be better prepared for 3-season or inclement conditions?   Click here for SHOW NOTES This podcast is brought to you ad-free by the subscribing members of backpackinglight.com. Please leave us a review and rating, it helps other people find our show.

SKILLS SHORT: Backpacking Clothing for Inclement Weather

Today’s guest is Jeff Garmire (trail name Legend). In the summer of 2019 Jeff achieved the fastest known time on Vermont’s iconic Long Trail, clocking all 272 miles in five days, twenty- three hours, and forty-eight minutes. Prior to that he set unsupported and over-all FKT on the Arizona Trail, completed the Great Western Loop, and completed a Calendar Year Triple crown, among other accomplishments.&nbsp; When he isn’t hiking, Jeff is a public speaker and hiking coach / mentor. He also just released a book called “Free Outside: A Trek Against Time and Distance,” which chronicles his Calendar Year Triple Crown. Ryan and Andrew talk to Jeff about the nuts and bolts of his Long Trail FKT before transitioning into a conversation about mental health, relationships, and the philosophy of speed records.   Click here for show notes  This podcast is brought to you ad-free by the subscribing members of backpackinglight.com. Please leave us a review and rating, it helps other people find our show.

The Long Trail Fastest Known Time (Unsupported)

Backpacking Light explores the technology, gear, skills, and philosophy of backcountry wilderness travel through stories, interviews, reviews, and investigative reports.