Choosing a backpack for your outdoor adventures can be difficult. In this post I will go over some of the different brands you will encounter while shopping around. And the steps you need to take to decide on a backpack. What kind of backpack do you need? That depends, what are you going to do exactly? Do you want to take short weekend hikes? Or do you want to go on long distance hiking trails? For the first categorie you can pick up a small 20 to 30 liter backpack and call it a day. But for longer distance hikes where your planning to take camping gear and more equipment,…

My domain name choice or website name is not without its reasons. Along my life I have made several mistakes, hiking when needed is not one of them. Join me in this article to explore why we hike and my thoughts about it. Oldest mode of transport Not surprisingly it is the oldest method of going from A to B. Sure you can count the monkey walk, but then we were not really people back then. Since the very dawn of man and to after the zombies come it is the mode of transportation. In large metropolitan cities it is the way to get around town and for many other…

In the Netherlands there are a lot of different hiking trails. Some longer than others. Veluwe is the green belt of the Netherlands and a popular destination for day hikers. All over the Veluwe you can find day hikes and Klompenpaden or clog trails. Lets dive in with some of the best walks to take! Right in the center of the country in the Province of Gelderland is the Veluwe. Popular by both Dutch people and Tourists from all over the world for its rich history, museums, old towns and the forests. You can easily explore a good chunk of this area using public transport and of course, hiking! Wildlife…

Coffee is something that should not be taken lightly. Not in normal life and not while hiking long distance trails. I have not found the perfect cup of coffee yet, when I do I may have found my purpose in life. Different ways of making coffee on trail There are a lot of ways to make a decent cup of coffee while on trail. I have tried a lot of them and have my favorite ways to do it. In this article I will go over a couple of options that I have personally used and like. Feel free to add any success stories that you have had on trail…

There are a number of ways to cook your food while out on trail. When you walk a couple of long distance trails you will see a lot of different options that people use. Everybody has there own point of view for which is better. You should decide for yourself which stove to carry, in this article I will do my best to explain the differences and in my opinion the pros and cons for each system. Lets get to it! Gas / Cartridge stoves Gas and Cartridge style stoves are the most used by hikers and campers alike. The ease of use and highly controllable flame of cartridge gas…

Of course depending on where you are but you can find hiking trails all over the place. Lets dive in what I always use to find hiking trails near me in the Netherlands and beyond. When starting out hiking you go to the trails that are familiar. The ones that your grandparents and parents started out with, or the ones that you like to walk. But after walking a same route a couple of times you start looking for other trails near and close. The Klompenpaden Where I live in the Netherlands there is a abundance of hiking trails around me on the Veluwe. It just takes a short walk…

There has been a change in the hiking industrie concerning boots. It used to be until very recently that you went for the big heavy boots like the Meindl Borneo boots for hiking. I started out with them when I first got into backpacking and hiking. Sinds then I have moved away from the heavier pieces of gear and lightened my backpacking load from 15 kilograms to 8 kilo’s. This change in my loadout also makes that I don’t really need the big boots anymore. When your loadout is lighter then the heavy shoes don’t make sense anymore. But there is still a use for them. I concentrate on long…

If you are going camping and hiking your are going to sleep in your sleeping bag. With a sleeping bag there are a few tips to stay warmer during the night. In this blog post I will give you the tips that have always worked for me. Go to the bathroom before bed. Wear a warm beanie hat Wear a nice fluffy pair of wool socks Make sure there is no draft sucking warm air out of the tent Sleep in your comfortable clothing If your sleeping bag has a higher temperature rating than needed, bring a sleeping bag liner Buy a good sleeping pad Going to the bathroom before…

The Veluwe is a green belt in the Netherlands where a lot of the forests are, this is a popular destination to go camping and spending time in nature. While plenty of people live in the Randstad in the Netherlands they often seek escape or go visit family in the Veluwe. Hiking on the Veluwe is a popular activity and there are a lot of different hiking trails there. Summer is always a good time of year to go hiking on the Veluwe. You can escape most of the heat of summer underneath the trees and you can see all the greenery from the forests in full bloom. Be wary…