Backpacking & Blisters: A Hiking, Backpacking, and Adventure Show

Backpacking & Blisters: A Hiking, Backpacking, and Adventure Show

Are you looking for adventure? We've got the best guests in the outdoor world, gear expertise, unbelievable stories...all lined with a sense of humor.

Episodes

July 28, 2025 47 mins

Derek and Carl discuss 8 life or death situations you will encounter if you go backpacking or hiking long enough. How would you handle them? How would Derek handle them?

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Backpacking mistakes

-Life or Death Backpacking Situations

-Backpacking Gear

Enlightened Equipment: Check out the best Ultralight Quilts on the market!

GET BONUS SEGMENTS & EPISODES ON PATREON: There are over 50 BONUS episodes of B&...

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It took a while but Derek and Carl finally convinced a Bigfoot expert to the join the show. Owner of the Sasquatch Outpost in Bailey, Colorado and cohost of the podcast "You Don't Know Squatch," Jim Myers discusses his personal experiences and fields all the questions Derek has ever wanted to ask. Derek also responds to some challenges of his own...particularly about the Osprey being a budget pack.

Enlightened Equipment: ...

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Ever wonder what big mistakes have been made by backpacking experts? Brad Felton from the ‘As the Crow Flies’ YouTube channel joins the show to discuss some common and horrific mistakes made by backpacking experts.

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Backpacking mistakes

-Strange Backpacking Stories

-Backpacking Gear

Follow Brad on his awesome YouTube Channel As the Crow Flies Hiking!

Enlightened Equipment: Check out the best Ultralight Q...

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Are you in the top 1% of backpackers? If you can reasonably answer the 10 questions posed by Derek and Carl you just might be!

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Backpacking Skills

-Strange Backpacking Tips

-Backpacking Gear

Check out the App We Mentioned: Knot IQ

Enlightened Equipment: Check out the best Ultralight Quilts on the market!

Get in prime time hiking shape with Rowan from Summit Strength so you can have your best hiking seaso...

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Swamp Tarzan joins the show to discuss all of the crazy animal encounters he has. How do you kiss an alligator on the mouth? How do you grab snakes? How do you move a rattler off the trail? All this and much more!

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Wild Animal Encounters

-Getting Your Hands on Wild Animals

-Animal skills and knowledge

Follow Swamp Tarzan on Instagram!

Enlightened Equipment: Check out the best Ultralight Quilts on the mar...

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Gordon Crum (AKA Grim Granite) joins the show and faces off with Carl in attempt to throw out the most offensive comments for ultralight backpacker and bush crafters. Who will win the faceoff for this good-natured verbal assault?

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Ultralight Backpacking

-Bushcraft skills and gear

-Making Fun of Everything We Do

Gordon Crum’s YouTube Channel

The Grim Granite YouTube Channel

Enlightened Equipment: Check ou...

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Derek and Carl discuss 7 ultralight backpacking strategies that will really lighten your load. But they are controversial. When is it okay to take calculated risks? And just how far are you willing to go in order to shave some ounces and grams? Are these good suggestions or dangerous nonsense?

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Ultralight Backpacking

-Backpacking Gear

-Backpacking tips

Cotopaxi Cielo Rain Jacket

Enlightened Equipment: Ch...

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On this Throwback Thursday episode, Derek and Carl discuss how to actually deal with trail villains. Don’t let them run, ride or plow right over you. Who are these villains and how do you stand up for yourself…B&B style?

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Trail Villains

-Trail Social Skills

-Backpacking tips

Check out the Nomad Unknown YouTube Channel for the full stories: https://www.youtube.com/@nomad_unknown

Enlightened Equipment:...

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Christine from Nomad Unknown joins the show to discuss the crazy encounters she’s had while out on her adventures. How do you handle a grizzly that gets 6 feet from you? What strange things are found on a remote, misty mountain road? Do you ever feel like you’re being watched only to discover you actually are?

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Aggressive grizzly bears

-How to avoid creepy people while backpacking

-Strange encounters in ...

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Did Baby Boomers lie to you? Derek and Carl discuss all of the ‘old wisdom’ that’s been shared, re-shared, and often times accepted…without question from the Boomers. Derek and Carl bet that there are some things you still believe!

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Backpacking Lies by the Baby Boomers

-Backpacking tips, hacks and clothing choices

-Backpacking Gear

Enlightened Equipment: Check out the best Ultralight Quilts on the market...

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In this Throwback Thursday episode, Derek and Carl cycle through all of the tough questions around going to the bathroom in the woods. Of all the questions they get, strangely, these are the most common. Going number two in the backcountry is one of the biggest obstacles people have in starting to go backpacking. Put your fears to rest by checking out this episode.

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Overcoming fears of going number 2

-Em...

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Justin Outdoors, Steven Smith from My Life Outdoors, Dan Durston, Chef Corso and many more guests give us their best trip planning tips. But can we really trust all of them? Ben and Carl evaluate each tip.

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Backpacking trip planning

-Backpacking Gear

-Good and terrible backpacking advice

Enlightened Equipment: Check out the best Ultralight Quilts on the market!

Get in prime time hiking shape with Rowan f...

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Derek and Carl have come up with the undisputed top 10 national park trails for hiking and backpacking. They dare you to disagree.

Some of the Topics Covered:

-National Park trails

-Backpacking trip ideas

-Shuttle Driver Bill

Enlightened Equipment: Check out the best Ultralight Quilts on the market!

Get in prime time hiking shape with Rowan from Summit Strength so you can have your best hiking season yet!

GET BONUS SEGMENTS & E...

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In this Throwback Thursday episode Darwin on the Trail covers a range of topics from hiking gear to the challenges of being a ‘famous’ backpacker. He also introduces his own line of gear which is very well established at this point.

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Backpacking gear

-Adventure Tips

-What happens when you become a famous backpacker

Enlightened Equipment: Check out the best Ultralight Quilts on the market!

Get in prime ti...

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What are some hiking and backpacking gear traps that you are falling for? Mowser joins the show – all the way from Tasmania – to discuss his observations as an experienced mountain guide. He also shares some of his biggest backpacking blunders. They are stories you won’t want to miss!

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Backpacking gear

-Useless backpacking gear that breaks

-Backpacking Mistakes Stories

Check out Mowser’s full video

Enlig...

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Derek and Carl discuss the dumb gear that they (mainly Carl) has been making fun of for years. On the most recent trip to Catalina, Carl brought 8 items that he thinks are downright terrible. He gave them all a fair shake. What actually changed his mind? And what crazy things happened along the way?

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Backpacking gear

-Useless backpacking gear

-Crazy Catalina Backpacking Gear Stories

Enlightened Equipment...

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Power rankings! Derek and Carl discuss the top two in each of the categories as well as item/company that’s on the bottom. Additionally, what do the masses say? When poled with these same topics, Derek and Carl share the results for what most people are thinking. And, does Derek share a luxury item that’s not really a luxury item?

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Backpacking gear

-Backpacking meals and freeze dried food options

-Backpa...

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On this Throwback Thursday episode, Derek and Carl discuss some of the crazy stories that have happened in the wilderness that are simply unexplained. In their light-hearted version of these intense stories, they will ask questions and consider circumstances that have never been done before (or likely ever again).

Enlightened Equipment: Check out the best Ultralight Quilts on the market!

Get in prime time hiking shape with Rowan fr...

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Kane Does Outdoors joins the show for a gear load-out! What are the best backpacking clothing gear options? Do any of them give you extra protection against bears? Kane seems to think so? There’s also a surprise guest to weigh in with the female clothing perspective.

Some of the Gear Covered:

-Mountain Hardwear Sunshield Sun Hoodie

-Lowa Amplux 2

-Eddie Bauer Solar Foil Pro Hoodie

-Mammut Ducan Light Rain Jacket

-Mammut Runbold IV ...

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Derek and Carl discuss 6 things that “every” backpacker does wrong…all the time. Or at least most of the time. Are there any strategies to minimize the impact of these mistakes? Are there any ways around them? Or should we simply suffer and cope? What do you think?

Some of the Topics Covered:

-Backpacking Gear

-Backpacking Food

-Backpacking Blunders

Check out the latest shoe inserts from Superfeet!

Enlightened Equipment: Check out ...

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