Merino wool comes from sheep of the Merino genus. This type of sheep has wool fibers that are usually less than 24 microns thin. These thin threads ensure that sweat filled with bacteria is absorbed from the body. The fibers bind the bacteria of the sweat or trap them between the strands, preventing them from thriving and thus smelling bad. The bacteria are later washed out with the washing machine. Therefore, it can smell stronger during the washing process than when washing synthetics. It is…

Some swear by them others think they are unnecessary ballast. They come in all sorts of variations and weight classes. Nobody likes a leaking tent floor. On the other hand, not many ultralight hikers are willing to spend 100-200g+ on a tent pad.

Gaiters serve as protection from pebbles, sticks and other annoying companions while hiking. These range from Ultralight Gaiters that rise just above the ankle to the extreme heavy-duty gaiters that are knee high. In most cases, the short thin gaiters should suffice for thru-hikes. The purpose of the gaiters is to keep small debris from entering the shoes. Pebbles, sand and more cause increased friction on the feet which in turn leads to more blisters. More frequent stops to clean the shoes is…

Different drinking systems all have their advantages and disadvantages. On longer hikes most people use a generic 1.5-2 L PET bottle from the supermarket. Even if the Nalgene drinking bottle is highly stable, it is almost as difficult to destroy a standard PET bottle.