Recommendations you can check.
Backpacking guide, writer and endurance athlete who has hiked 30,000+ miles; author of The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide.
18 things
La Sportiva MutantHardware La Sportiva
The La Sportiva Mutant (men's, women's) is my overall pick for backpacking and light canyoneering, and my personal favorite.
His shortlist of desert and canyon backpacking footwear, based on ten years of guiding in southern Utah.
2024-03-21·andrewskurka.com ↗
The Adventurer's SonBook Roman Dial
Roman Dial is a master storyteller, and I've long awaited for a definitive book about these larger-than-life characters and only-in-Alaska events. But Roman's best lifetime work will probably stand as The Adventurer's Son, a story that he never would have wanted to write but that is more heartfelt, personal, and relevant than a book full of true but unbelievable tales.
Review of Roman Dial's memoir about the search for his missing son; Skurka notes Dial is a friend and mentor and that he received an advance media copy.
2020-02-25·andrewskurka.com ↗
Ultimate Direction FKT PolesHardware Ultimate Direction
or the niche Ultimate Direction FKT Poles (my review), which are the lightest and stiffest poles I've ever used.
Named inside the Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork review as the lightest, stiffest poles he has used.
2019-12-13·andrewskurka.com ↗
From the River to the SeaBook John Sedgewick
Sedgewick was more successful in developing his characters, and I also appreciated that he took regular tangents into other related and interesting matters like the Leadville mining boom, the growth of Los Angeles, and the business maneuvers of other railroad barons like Jay Gould and Collis Huntington.
Review of a history of the railroad rivalry that opened Colorado and the Southwest.
2021-08-11·andrewskurka.com ↗
Somewear Global HotspotHardware Somewear Labs
Conclusion: If you expect to regularly carry the device but not a smartphone, which is the case with very few people, the inReach is the better option. Otherwise, the Somewear is more attractive: its seamless messaging and cost-savings more than offset the 0.5-ounce weight penalty and its slightly larger size.
Field review of a 4-oz satellite messenger, compared head-to-head with the Garmin inReach Mini.
2021-05-28·andrewskurka.com ↗
Dreams of El DoradoBook H. W. Brands
My wife Amanda is the real reader in our house, and last month she came home from the library with Dreams of El Dorado: A history of the American West, by H. W. Brands. I moved quickly through its 480 pages (with an occasional photo), and thought it was one of my more enjoyable recent reads.
Skurka's book review of a one-volume history of the American West.
2020-02-06·andrewskurka.com ↗
Black Diamond Sprint 225Hardware Black Diamond
The Sprint 225 uses one TriplePower LED bulb. Its light pattern is wonderfully smooth, with no distracting rings; it seems almost perfectly optimized for night-running and night-hiking — it focuses most of the light ahead, but still manages to illuminate the periphery.
Review of the rechargeable headlamp that replaced Black Diamond's Iota.
2020-01-17·andrewskurka.com ↗
CalTopoSoftware CalTopo
My own platform-of-choice has become CalTopo, and I think it's now the clear winner for those who have similar needs.
Long-term review of the mapping and GPS platform he uses for trip planning and guiding; he discloses that CalTopo comps his Pro membership.
2021-08-09·andrewskurka.com ↗
Gaia GPSSoftware Gaia GPS
And for your mapping, I highly recommend instead the Gaia GPS or CalTopo apps.
Aside in his Somewear review steering readers away from the device's built-in maps.
2021-05-28·andrewskurka.com ↗
ZOLEO Satellite CommunicatorHardware ZOLEO
Here's a new one that's worth consideration: the ZOLEO Satellite Communicator ($200, 5.3 oz), which debuted in January. It's well priced, constructed, and engineered; and it offers a significantly improved messaging experience for both the owner and their contacts.
Review of a then-new satellite messenger positioned against Garmin's inReach line.
2020-05-18·andrewskurka.com ↗
Nothing Like It In The WorldBook Stephen Ambrose
For the full account, go with Nothing Like It In The World by Stephen Ambrose.
Supplemental reading he points to at the end of his Dreams of El Dorado review.
2020-02-06·andrewskurka.com ↗
Cadillac DesertBook Marc Reisner
Similarly, if you're intrigued by Powell's Report on the Lands of the Arid Region, then pick up Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner, which is the definitive history of water in the West.
Supplemental reading he points to at the end of his Dreams of El Dorado review.
2020-02-06·andrewskurka.com ↗
SAXX QuestOther SAXX
For hiking and backpacking, I'd now recommend the SAXX Quest, not the Kinetic HD.
Closing line of his Kinetic HD review, redirecting hikers to a different SAXX model.
2020-01-13·andrewskurka.com ↗
Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Trekking PolesHardware Black Diamond
At $180 MSRP, the Alpine Carbon Corks are among the most expensive poles in the market, and they will not be a trivial expense for most backpackers. But I still recommend them if you:
Nine-year review of trekking poles he used for about 450 days of backpacking.
2019-12-13·andrewskurka.com ↗
Cascade Mountain Tech Quick Lock PolesHardware Cascade Mountain Tech
For most backpackers, I typically recommend the Cascade Mountain Tech Quick Lock Poles (my review), which offer 75 percent of the performance for one-sixth the price;
His budget alternative, named inside the Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork review.
2019-12-13·andrewskurka.com ↗
Samsung Chromebook 3Hardware Samsung
For someone like Amanda, who has a normal 9-5 job, the Samsung Chromebook 3 ($220) is probably the only computer they need at home.
Five-year review of the cheap Chromebooks he uses for travel and business work.
2019-11-06·andrewskurka.com ↗
Garmin inReach Mini 2Hardware Garmin
I own an inReach Mini, used it for several years, and have no intention of upgrading to the Mini 2 because I don't see $400 of value in these improvements (or even $250, if I was able to sell my used Mini for $150).
Launch-day assessment arguing the Mini 2's upgrades don't justify an upgrade.
2022-02-02·andrewskurka.com ↗
SAXX Kinetic HD Boxer BriefsOther SAXX
Personally, I thought the original Kinetic was ideal for hiking, but a little light on support for running. The Kinetic HD is just the opposite: they've been comfortable on runs up to 12 miles, but intentionally I no longer wear them for, say, Nordic skiing or office work.
Review of the redesigned Kinetic boxer brief, which he judges better for running and worse for hiking than the original.
2020-01-13·andrewskurka.com ↗
Every entry is a verbatim quote and a link to the public post it came from. Nothing is paraphrased. If it is not on record somewhere public, it is not here.
The verdict is what they actually said: loved and liked are explicit; recommended means they told others to get it; uses means they only say they use it; read is a book on their public shelf with no verdict; mixed and disliked are kept too.
A dashed affiliate link, sponsored or their own label means the post disclosed a relationship. It is shown, never hidden.
The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is for its kind of thing.
The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is, for its kind of thing. Fully green is recent. It drains a quarter at a time as the post gets older, and is empty once it reads as dated.
What counts as old depends on the thing. A laptop praised four years ago has been replaced twice; a book loved twenty years ago is probably still loved. The shading is gone after about:
Stripes mean the post carries no date and the date shown is an estimate. No date at all, no shading.