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 the place the world-renowned Gentle Ft weblog has taken us over these final 12 months.
Our objective is to make Gentle Ft our neighborhood’s go-to vacation spot for uplifting interviews with out of doors fans, helpful suggestions and methods for the path, adventuresome tales from the backcountry, useful gear highlights, and all issues light-weight backpacking. Because of visitor contributors, skilled interviews, and our top-shelf, in-house inventive brainstorming staff, we’ve revealed some fairly enjoyable content material this 12 months, if we do say so ourselves.
To find out one of the best Gentle Ft blogs from the previous 12 months, we used a extremely scientific course of that concerned trying on the variety of views every of our articles acquired this 12 months and mixing that with an general vibe verify. Following this thorough assessment, we’re excited to current you with the highest 15 Gentle Ft weblog posts from 2024!
We kicked off the 12 months with some recommendations on organising your favourite Gossamer Gear shelter when it’s windy out. Pitching your tent within the wind could be a irritating course of, however with insights from our weblog, we hope you’ve been capable of 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 comfortable as a bug.
With the launch of some new and up to date merchandise this 12 months, our neighborhood was hungry for extra content material about how one can put our gear to make use of and select which pack is finest 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 on your first thru-hike could be a daunting activity. One in every of our favourite methods to prepare for a brand new journey is to study from those that have traveled the path earlier than us. One in every of our hottest blogs this 12 months was a roundup of recommendation from our model ambassadors on errors they made throughout their first thru-hikes. We hope you’re capable of glean some good suggestions from their experiences to make your subsequent trek a smoother one!
Have you ever ever felt like you possibly can’t ask a query as a result of it looks as if the reply ought to be apparent? Effectively, this weblog proves you’re not alone. One in every of our most-read articles this 12 months was about how one can use trekking poles. We get it! For those who’re new to them, it’s straightforward to really feel like a foolish giraffe tromping by means of the woods. We hope the following tips from the Gentle Ft weblog make it easier to use your trekking poles with extra confidence on path going ahead. Your knees will thanks!
We’re fairly pleased 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—which means she hiked all three trails throughout the similar 12 months. 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 make it easier to select the place to start out 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 stuffed 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 have the ability to enthusiastically share the knowledge!
This 12 months, our Gorilla 50 and Mariposa 60 backpacks acquired a serious glow up. We excitedly launched our new patent-pending PVT Body+Belt system. This pivoting backpack system presents a extra comfy expertise as a result of it routinely adapts together with your altering actions on path. We all know this function is new to many, so we wished to share all the small print on the way it goals to make your path expertise additional comfortable. If you wish to study extra, this weblog is a superb place to start out!
This 12 months we launched the Gentle Ft weblog’s Journey Shakedown Sequence. We all know our neighborhood 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 an enormous hit with our viewers. We will’t wait to see your whole CT pictures in 2025!
We additionally launched our Backpacking Baseweight Sequence this 12 months 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 variety of different backpackers. Glen’s baseweight runs round 5 kilos and is usually as little as 2.89 kilos! We get that this isn’t everybody’s model, although, so make sure that to verify the weblog in 2025 for extra contributions to this sequence that present a variety of backpacking types.
Significantly for these of us who hike within the West, wildfire is one thing we’d like to remember when mapping out a visit within the backcountry. Sure, we are able to plan journeys for earlier in summer time and through shoulder seasons when it is smart, however smoke season has additionally been lasting longer in recent times, nicely into fall. To have the ability to benefit from the open air whereas retaining protected in the course of the wildfire months, we’ve 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 an enormous journey or having a big life transition? You’re not alone! Our weblog editor (me!) shared suggestions this 12 months on how she acquired again right into a rhythm with the outside after a cross-country transfer and ending a big climbing objective. Revisit this learn if you happen to’re seeking to jumpstart your 2025 resolutions with extra time exterior!
For those who’re visiting the Pacific Northwest, it’s best to undoubtedly go chasing waterfalls. This inexperienced, mossy slice of the world is rewarded with stunning waterfalls in beautiful evergreen forests in trade for its seemingly limitless rain within the winter. For those who haven’t visited these waterfalls but, make this weblog your PNW journey bucket listing for 2025.
The nice open air is a magical place for all ages! For those who’re a brand new dad or mum planning your first hike together with your youngsters or a dad or mum merely searching for new concepts for partaking your youngsters within the open air, we wrote this weblog for you. It consists of suggestions and methods for getting youngsters 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 Gentle Ft weblog.
Overcrowding in parks can pressure native assets, resulting in delayed emergency response and different security issues. It may possibly additionally create disagreeable visitors and useful resource harm. Contemplating another choice on 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 you might not have in any other case identified about. That’s why we rounded up these 7 “park dupes” on the Gentle Ft weblog to assist together with your 2025 journey planning!
Thank You and Completely satisfied New Yr!
From all of us at Gossamer Gear, we wish to specific how a lot we recognize you being part of our neighborhood. You made the journey an ideal one this 12 months and we’re excited to get to maintain climbing with you into the grand vistas of the longer term. As we shut out the 12 months, we want you all of the happiest of trails in 2025 and the years to come back!
Be sure that to share your adventures with us by tagging tagging Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and utilizing the hashtag #takelessdomore. And if in case you have an concept for a visitor weblog within the New Yr, be happy to achieve out to korrin@gossamergear.com!