BIC lighters are a great reliable way of making fire on hiking trips. In particular, the BIC mini is the choice for many backpackers out there. Here is how you make them easier to use with Gloves, cold hands, or in general. By removing the safety on the sparker. This is a project that only requires one tool, a Victorinox Classic, or to be specific, the screwdriver that comes with it. Since it is a nice slender shape the screwdriver fits perfectly underneath the BIC lighter. And can be used to get rid of the safety really easily. So grab your BIC and Victorinox Classic and follow along with the…

Hiking boots are the traditional footwear for any hiker, with time they themselves have evolved and there are more alternatives then ever. Lets cover them. Doesn’t matter where you go shopping for hiking boots, be it on an online store or in a traditional hiking / outdoor store. The first thing that greets you when you walk into their footwear department is the long wall of different hiking shoes and boots. In this article I hope to shed some light on the different choices that await you. And how you can make the choice for your hiking footwear. Quick jump guide What kind of hiker are you? What trails will…

Hiking is a wonderful sport and activity that can teach you a lot about yourself. Everybody can do it and start in any location. Here are my eight reasons to start long distance hiking. All hikers have different reasons to start hiking, but it all boils down to a few key reasons. When walking a Camino to Santiago de Compostella you will be sometimes asked what your reason is for walking the way. In the beginning I didn’t really have a reason. But the more I got asked the question along the way the reasons became more clear to me. And I hope for you they will to. Peace and…

Carrying and drinking water is an absolute necessity when hiking long distances. Without it and it not only uncomfortable but outright dangerous. In this article I’m going to cover the different ways of carrying water with you out on trail. Carrying water while out and about has been a cause of concern as old as history itself. Many different ways where thought of during the ages and many of them remain exactly the same in essence. Find a waterproof container and carry it with you. The waterproof container could be a gourd hollowed out, a bladder or skin. Or a metal canteen. Today we see the same water bladders made…

The ancient Roman borders or Limes stretch far and wide. If you are a Roman History lover and Hiker you owe it to yourself to hike one of these trails! There are a lot of hiking trails with Historical significance, in every country there is a battlefield or historic site that can be explored on foot. For history lovers and long distance hikers this is a perfect match. As a Roman history buff and a hiker these trails have always had my interest and so far I have hiked two of them. Lets explore the different Roman Limes trails or hikes that you can do throughout Europe! Hadrian’s wall path…

Modern hiking boots do not need near as long as a break in period as the full leather boots of old. However they and your feet still need to be broken in before hiking. Lets go over the different ways to do that. These 4 steps you must take to insure your hiking boots are properly broken in. Just go out and hike as much as you can Wear the right socks Change out the insoles with the ones you are going to be hiking in Walk barefoot to toughen up your feet How long does it take to break in hiking boots? There is no magic way to break…

Choosing hiking boots or shoes is something a lot of hikers struggle with, in this article I cover the basics and things to look for when choosing hiking shoes. Hiking shoes have a long history and quite a bit has changed in the last few years and decades alone. No longer are hikers wearing thick and heavy hiking boots for light trail use in most cases. With the rise of readily available Ultra Light hiking gear hikers tend to drift more towards the lighter trail running shoes. But picking out hiking shoes or boots is still something very personal and depended on what kind of hiking you are going to…