One retired PE teacher's full-season notes on the TETON Sports Explorer 65L: fit, weight on the hips, and two honest complaints.
I carried the TETON Sports Explorer 65L for a full season of weekend trips in Kentucky and Tennessee. Here is what held up, what did not, and who should buy it.
I carried the TETON for a season and tried a hiking buddy's Osprey on the same trails. Here's where the TETON Sports Explorer 65L wins, where the Osprey Atmos AG 65 wins, and which one I reach for now.
Ten reasons the TETON Sports Explorer 65L earns its place on every two and three night trip, from a guy who spent years carrying a pack that fought back.
One retired PE teacher's full-season notes on the TETON Sports Explorer 65L: fit, weight on the hips, and two honest complaints.
Wes Harlan, 54, a retired PE teacher from Kentucky, walks through the five-step fit routine he uses on the TETON Sports Explorer 65L, and the mistakes that made his back and knee hurt for years.
Wes Harlan put the TETON Sports Explorer 65L through a full season of Kentucky and Tennessee trails. Here is what he liked, what he would change, and who should buy it.
Twenty-plus nights across Kentucky and Tennessee in the Naturehike Cloud-Up 2. Honest notes on weight, setup, condensation, and what I gave up to get this light.
Wes Harlan put the Naturehike Cloud-Up 2 and the Kelty Grand Mesa 2 through a season of Kentucky and Tennessee trips. Here's which one you should carry.
Wes Harlan, a retired PE teacher from Kentucky, spent a season with the Naturehike Cloud-Up 2. Here are ten reasons a freestanding backpacking tent is worth the extra ounces.
A retired PE teacher from Kentucky on the night a three-and-a-half-pound tent earned its place in his pack.
Real trail notes from a retired PE teacher who has wrestled the Naturehike Cloud-Up 2 on windy ridgelines from Red River Gorge to the Smokies.
A full season of honest notes on the Naturehike Cloud-Up 2: the real weight, the real floor plan, and the condensation nobody mentions.
One retired PE teacher, one cranky back, one foam pad. What a full season on the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol actually taught me.
Two seasons on the Z Lite Sol, and one honest look at what you give up when you leave the air mattress at home.
A retired PE teacher from Kentucky on why he switched from air to foam, and why he hasn't looked back.
Wes Harlan, a retired PE teacher from Kentucky, on the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol: real trail notes on weight, comfort, and the mornings it fixed.
Five steps I use to stay warm on cold ground with the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol, from campsite choice to morning pack-up.
A full season of nights on the Z Lite Sol: what I love, what annoys me, and who should actually buy it.
A full season of Kentucky and Tennessee trails with the Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles. Wes Harlan on weight, fit, durability, and what he'd change.
A retired PE teacher's honest comparison of the BLACK DIAMOND Trail poles and classic cork-grip trekking poles after a full season on Kentucky and Tennessee trails.
Wes Harlan, retired PE teacher from Kentucky, on the ten ways the BLACK DIAMOND Trail poles took the load off his knees over a full season of hiking.
A retired PE teacher from Kentucky on why the Black Diamond Trail Poles earned a permanent spot in his pack.
Wes Harlan, a retired PE teacher from Kentucky, on the Black Diamond Trail Poles: Real trail notes on downhill adjustments, knee pain, and the two-second habit that fixed his descents.
Wes Harlan, a retired PE teacher from Kentucky, on the Black Diamond Trail Poles: Straight Talk on Weight, Locks and Grips. Real trail notes on weight, fit and locks after a full season of use.
A full season of trail water, backflushing, and honest notes on the Sawyer Squeeze from a Kentucky weekend backpacker.
Wes Harlan, a retired PE teacher from Kentucky, compares the Sawyer Squeeze and Katadyn BeFree after a full season of backpacking in the Red River Gorge, the Sheltowee Trace, and the Smokies.
Ten reasons the Sawyer Squeeze earns a permanent spot in my pack, from a full season of trips in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Real trail notes on weight, fit and value from a weekend backpacker who stopped treating creek water like a math problem.
A plain-spoken trail guide to filtering creek water with the Sawyer Squeeze, from a retired PE teacher who drinks from Kentucky creeks.
A full season of Kentucky and Tennessee water, and here's what nobody tells you about the Sawyer Squeeze: the flow rate, the pouches, and whether it's actually worth your money.
I carried the TETON Sports Explorer 65L for a full season of weekend trips in Kentucky and Tennessee. Here is what held up, what did not, and who should buy it.
Wes Harlan put the TETON Sports Explorer 65L through a full season of Kentucky and Tennessee trails. Here is what he liked, what he would change, and who should buy it.
Twenty-plus nights across Kentucky and Tennessee in the Naturehike Cloud-Up 2. Honest notes on weight, setup, condensation, and what I gave up to get this light.
A full season of honest notes on the Naturehike Cloud-Up 2: the real weight, the real floor plan, and the condensation nobody mentions.
One retired PE teacher, one cranky back, one foam pad. What a full season on the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol actually taught me.
A full season of nights on the Z Lite Sol: what I love, what annoys me, and who should actually buy it.
A full season of Kentucky and Tennessee trails with the Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles. Wes Harlan on weight, fit, durability, and what he'd change.
Wes Harlan, a retired PE teacher from Kentucky, on the Black Diamond Trail Poles: Straight Talk on Weight, Locks and Grips. Real trail notes on weight, fit and locks after a full season of use.
A full season of trail water, backflushing, and honest notes on the Sawyer Squeeze from a Kentucky weekend backpacker.
A full season of Kentucky and Tennessee water, and here's what nobody tells you about the Sawyer Squeeze: the flow rate, the pouches, and whether it's actually worth your money.
