As we put together to welcome in 2025, we’re taking time to look again on the path we’ve traveled to get right here. Particularly, we’re taking a look at the place the world-renowned Mild Toes weblog has taken us over these final 12 months.
Our objective is to make Mild Toes our group’s go-to vacation spot for uplifting interviews with outside fanatics, helpful suggestions and methods for the path, adventuresome tales from the backcountry, useful gear highlights, and all issues light-weight backpacking. Due to visitor contributors, professional interviews, and our top-shelf, in-house inventive brainstorming staff, we’ve revealed some fairly enjoyable content material this yr, if we do say so ourselves.
To find out one of the best Mild Toes blogs from the previous yr, we used a extremely scientific course of that concerned trying on the variety of views every of our articles obtained this yr and mixing that with an total vibe examine. Following this thorough evaluate, we’re excited to current you with the highest 15 Mild Toes weblog posts from 2024!
We kicked off the yr with some recommendations on establishing your favourite Gossamer Gear shelter when it’s windy out. Pitching your tent within the wind generally is a irritating course of, however with insights from our weblog, we hope you’ve been in a position to confront these conditions with extra confidence and ease. There’s nothing fairly like cozying up within the backcountry when it’s blustery out however you’re cosy as a bug.
With the launch of some new and up to date merchandise this yr, our group was hungry for extra content material about find out how to put our gear to make use of and select which pack is greatest for various adventures. Two of our model ambassadors, Lauren “Sparkle” Veloz and Riley “Waldo” Ormiston, are energy customers of each our Kumo 36 Superlight Backpack and Quick Kumo 36 Fastpack. They helped us put collectively this weblog to assist prospects higher perceive the variations between the 2.
Getting ready to your first thru-hike generally is a daunting process. One among our favourite methods to prepare for a brand new journey is to study from those that have traveled the path earlier than us. One among our hottest blogs this yr was a roundup of recommendation from our model ambassadors on errors they made throughout their first thru-hikes. We hope you’re in a position to glean some good suggestions from their experiences to make your subsequent trek a smoother one!
Have you ever ever felt like you’ll be able to’t ask a query as a result of it looks like the reply must be apparent? Effectively, this weblog proves you’re not alone. One among our most-read articles this yr was about find out how to use trekking poles. We get it! Should you’re new to them, it’s straightforward to really feel like a foolish giraffe tromping by way of the woods. We hope the following tips from the Mild Toes weblog provide help to use your trekking poles with extra confidence on path going ahead. Your knees will thanks!
We’re fairly happy with the mixed badassery of our model ambassadors. 4 have accomplished the Triple Crown of thru-hiking, together with Heather “Anish” Anderson who was the primary lady to finish a calendar-year Triple Crown—that means she hiked all three trails inside the similar yr. Our different three, Zelzin Aketzalli, Arlette “Apple Pie” Laan, and Gabe Vasquez, shared their insights with us about every path. The AT, CDT, and PCT are all unimaginable choices, and we hope the takeaways on this weblog provide help to select the place to begin or which to hike subsequent!
All year long, our staff has lovingly referred to this weblog by its quite simple acronym: WDTTOMGGPD. The WDTTOMGGPD weblog was filled with all of the particular Easter egg options hiding in plain sight in your Gossamer Gear pack—from thumb loops and headphones wire routing to an AirTag holder and emergency whistle. Subsequent time somebody asks you, “WDTTOMGGPD?” we hope you’ll be capable of enthusiastically share the knowledge!
This yr, our Gorilla 50 and Mariposa 60 backpacks obtained a significant glow up. We excitedly launched our new patent-pending PVT Body+Belt system. This pivoting backpack system presents a extra snug expertise as a result of it robotically adapts together with your altering actions on path. We all know this characteristic is new to many, so we needed to share all the main points on the way it goals to make your path expertise additional cozy. If you wish to study extra, this weblog is a good place to begin!
This yr we launched the Mild Toes weblog’s Journey Shakedown Sequence. We all know our group is all the time searching for new backcountry adventures to try to suggestions for making ready and packing for them with an ultralight mindset. On this sequence, our model ambassadors meet that path starvation with particulars on their newest and best travels. Nancy East kicked us off with an outline of her first thru-hike of the Colorado Path, which proved to be a giant hit with our viewers. We are able to’t wait to see all your CT images in 2025!
We additionally launched our Backpacking Baseweight Sequence this yr with an interview with our founder Glen Van Peski. This sequence goals to assist readers study methods to lighten their load over time with insights from a spread of different backpackers. Glen’s baseweight runs round 5 kilos and is typically as little as 2.89 kilos! We get that this isn’t everybody’s type, although, so ensure that to examine the weblog in 2025 for extra contributions to this sequence that present a spread of backpacking types.
Significantly for these of us who hike within the West, wildfire is one thing we’d like to bear in mind when mapping out a visit within the backcountry. Sure, we will plan journeys for earlier in summer time and through shoulder seasons when it is smart, however smoke season has additionally been lasting longer lately, nicely into fall. To have the ability to benefit from the outdoor whereas preserving secure through the wildfire months, we now have to take some precautions. We hope this weblog helps you retain climbing safely as we adapt to a altering local weather.
Ever end up in a climbing rut after finishing a giant journey or having a major life transition? You’re not alone! Our weblog editor (me!) shared suggestions this yr on how she obtained again right into a rhythm with the outside after a cross-country transfer and ending a big climbing objective. Revisit this learn in case you’re seeking to jumpstart your 2025 resolutions with extra time exterior!
Should you’re visiting the Pacific Northwest, you must positively go chasing waterfalls. This inexperienced, mossy slice of the world is rewarded with stunning waterfalls in beautiful evergreen forests in alternate for its seemingly limitless rain within the winter. Should you haven’t visited these waterfalls but, make this weblog your PNW journey bucket checklist for 2025.
The nice outdoor is a magical place for all ages! Should you’re a brand new father or mother planning your first hike together with your children or a father or mother merely searching for new concepts for partaking your youngsters within the outdoor, we wrote this weblog for you. It consists of suggestions and methods for getting children exterior from our workers and model ambassadors at Gossamer Gear. We hope their concepts proceed to encourage your 2025 adventures!
In case you missed it, Gossamer Gear is transitioning to utilizing recycled materials and supplies! We’re enthusiastic about how these modifications are permitting us to make the identical nice gear with a decrease environmental footprint. You possibly can study extra about these modifications on this Mild Toes weblog.
Overcrowding in parks can pressure native sources, resulting in delayed emergency response and different security considerations. It will probably additionally create disagreeable visitors and useful resource harm. Contemplating another choice to your travels when high-visitation parks are at their peak can each ease stress on land administration businesses and provides you a chance to journey someplace it’s possible you’ll not have in any other case identified about. That’s why we rounded up these 7 “park dupes” on the Mild Toes weblog to assist together with your 2025 journey planning!
Thank You and Comfortable New 12 months!
From all of us at Gossamer Gear, we wish to specific how a lot we respect you being part of our group. You made the journey an ideal one this yr and we’re excited to get to maintain climbing with you into the grand vistas of the longer term. As we shut out the yr, we want you all of the happiest of trails in 2025 and the years to come back!
Be certain to share your adventures with us by tagging tagging Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and utilizing the hashtag #takelessdomore. And you probably have an concept for a visitor weblog within the New 12 months, be happy to succeed in out to korrin@gossamergear.com!
