HIKER HACKS

TIPS TO MAKE YOUR OUTDOOR LIFE EASIER

- HILARY WHITE

If you've spent enough time in the backcountry (and chances are you have, Dear Reader), you're probably way past the big hurdles: a sleeping bag with the right rating, the lightest tent you can afford, a backpack that's both light enough and comfortable enough to accompany you for a stretch of miles. But what about the finer details, the little stuff that goes a long way in smoothing out the rough miles?

I'm talking the kind of tips only garnered through years in the field, through trial and error... those "if only" epiphanies you have on a thru-hike that don't make it back with you, lost to the backburners of your mind. I've done the legwork for you. Here are a few tricks to make you wonder "Why didn't I think of that?" on your next multi-day backpacking trip.

CREATURE COMFORTS

Bolster Your Straps. This is my biggest issue on longer hikes (though maybe I just have a bony clavicle). If you're not one for DIY, you can buy strap pads from manufacturers such as Florida-based cottage company, Zpacks, which sells pairs of closed-cell foam pads for $29.95, or you could make your own, even if you don't sew. If you do sew, you can use fleece or get fancier and use spacer mesh, which will maintain its cushion longer.