Gear Abby: An Outdoor Advice Column For Your Ears

What would you do if someone (or something) started knocking on your backcountry cabin door in the middle of the night? What if you stumbled across a possible Sasquatch nest? And what's the creepiest thing that's ever happened to you outdoors?

It's the Gear Abby Halloween Special! Shawnté and Colin trade their usual outdoor advice for a collection of spooky stories from listeners, including haunted national park housing, mysterious knocking at a Sierra backcountry hut, and the sounds of children screaming where no children can be found.

Then Shawnté shares her own terrifying experience on the Colorado Trail, complete with bizarre stick structures, a massive mystery creature, and an abandoned Bible with a dangling key. Colin recounts a frightening solo run in Moab, and special guest Joe Armstrong joins the show to share his unsettling Mount Baldy adventure.

Plus: UFOs, fisher cats, ghost-hunting skepticism, Blair Witch vibes, questionable wilderness decisions, and the eternal debate over whether the truth is really out there.

Gear Abby: Advice that doesn't suck.

Send your questions to deargearabby.com

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Should you be afraid of visiting an active volcano? Is upgrading to ultralight tent stakes actually worth the money? And who are the women who helped shape America's love for the outdoors?

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté helps a volcano-phobic listener plan a trip to Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens without constantly fearing an eruption. Then she tackles the surprisingly complicated world of ultralight tent stakes, explaining why shaving a few grams off your pack might not be worth the investment.

Plus, journalist and author Heather Hansman joins the show to discuss her new book, Fierce Country: The Untold Story of Three Women Who Ignited America's Love for the Wild, and the complicated, groundbreaking lives of Georgie White, Anne LaBastille, and Dolores LaChapelle.

Also: Colin's war on overalls, hot underground action, gram weenies, an alarming amount of tube steak talk, and a Naked and Afraid survival-partner debate.

What's your question for Gear Abby? Send it to deargearabby@gmail.com.

Timestamps:

08:56 Question 1: Should you be afraid of volcanoes?

23:18 Question 2: Are ultralight tent stakes worth the money?

32:15 Our Time: Introducing Heather Hansman author of Fierce Country and three pioneering outdoor women

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What's the most haunted trail in America? What should you do if someone steals your backpack while you're using a backcountry privy? And does writing a personal comment actually make a difference when it comes to protecting public lands?

It's Spooky Season on Gear Abby, and Shawnté is exploring some of America's most haunted trails! From the Grand Canyon's Wailing Woman and the ghosts of Mammoth Cave to the Jersey Devil and the tragic history of Washington's Iron Goat Trail.

Then things get scary in a different way when a listener shares how his backpack was stolen mid-thru-hike. Shawnté offers advice on keeping your gear safe, while Colin questions the business model of stealing filthy backpacks.

Plus: a heated Roadless Rule debate, ghost-hunting park rangers, a suspiciously sharp portable bidet, and a proposed presidential ticket nobody asked for.

Gear Abby: Advice that doesn't suck.

Send your questions for Gear Abby to deargearabby@gmail.com.

Topics and time codes

04:07: Roadless Rule feedback: Do public comments matter?

10:08: Spooky Season: What's America's most haunted trail?

19:25: The Jersey Devil and the Batona Trail

24:49: Washington's haunted Iron Goat Trail

26:45: A backpack stolen during a bathroom break

28:41: How to keep your backpack safe on a thru-hike

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Should you dump your boyfriend if he criticizes your camping outfit? How the hell do you handle dirty diapers while backpacking with a baby? And can a bear canister actually shrink as you eat your way through your food?

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté tackles a camping relationship that's waving some serious red flags, shares advice for parents who want to take their diaper-wearing little ones into the backcountry, and puts an innovative bear canister to the test in another edition of What's In Your Pack?

Plus: the history of going commando, fake nails on trail, and one Baby Beefcake.

Gear Abby: Advice that doesn't suck.

Send your questions to Gear Abby by emailing us at deargearabby@gmail.com

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Is Bigfoot just a West Coast thing? What the hell is a Wood Booger? And why should outdoor lovers care about the Roadless Rule?

It's Spooky Season on Gear Abby, and Shawnté heads east in search of Bigfoot's lesser-known cousins: Florida's stinky Skunk Ape and Virginia's magnificently named Wood Booger. She digs into their lore, the gloriously terrible videos that supposedly captured them on film, and whether she and Colin actually believe any of this stuff. Spoiler: they want to believe.

Then Gear Abby debuts a new segment where Shawnté and Colin tackle the questions they want answered, starting with something genuinely scary: What is the Roadless Rule, why could it go away, and what can outdoor lovers do about it?

Plus: we're now an award-winning podcast, sexy Bigfoot, Shawnté's inability to understand acronyms, Colin's refusal to believe in cryptids, and the sentence “Skunk Ape is my safe word.”

Send your questions to Gear Abby! deargearabby@gmail.com

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC!

Who investigates a murder in a national park? How do you separate legitimate trail warnings from good old fashioned fear mongering? And for a month on the Appalachian Trail, should you carry a power bank or go solar?

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté investigates the National Park Service's unfortunately acronymed IBS (listen to find out what that means - it's not what you think), including the real-life murder case that shows how these backcountry detectives work. Then she tackles the fine line between useful trail intel and letting someone else's fears become your own because when it comes to risk, every hiker is their own little “risk management snowflake.”

Plus: power banks vs. solar chargers, why the sun is apparently a diva, gram weenies, Mountain Daddy, questionable and some unfortunate Australian accents.

Send Gear Abby your outdoor questions! deargearabby@gmail.com

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Who empties a toilet in the middle of the wilderness? Is there actually a benefit to hiking commando? And what finally turned technophobe Shawnté into an adventure-watch convert?

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté digs into the surprisingly fascinating history of toilets on Mount Whitney, from summit outhouses and solar composters to helicopters hauling away “honey buckets”, before tackling the pros and cons of letting it all hang out on trail.

Then What’s In Your Pack? returns with Shawnté’s new favorite adventure watch, the COROS Apex 4, and why its huge battery life, improved GPS and better maps have won her over.

Plus: fecal fairy godmothers, sweaty balls, Goonies trail names and more literal shit than Colin ever wanted to discuss.

Send your questions to Gear Abby! Email us at deargearabby@gmail.com.

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Where can you go to find real silence in the outdoors? Which lodge kicked off the grand tradition of national park lodging? And is buying an ultralight backpack actually worth the money?

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté searches for the quietest places in America including the famous “One Square Inch of Silence” in Olympic National Park, dives into the history of Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn, and explains why the lightest backpack isn't necessarily the best backpack.

Plus: Bluetooth-speaker rage, Colin's refusal to visit Yellowstone, backpack “mammary pouches,” and the disturbing realization that last week's tarantula sex conversation apparently isn't over yet.

Gear Abby can answer your questions! Send them to deargearabby@gmail.com.

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

How exactly do tarantulas mate? Is Walmart’s Ozark Trail camping gear actually good enough for beginners? And has Shawnté found a water filter she likes even more than the Platypus QuickDraw?

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté celebrates the show’s first anniversary by diving way too deep into tarantula mating season, explaining why inexpensive camping gear can be perfectly fine for casual car campers, and revealing her newest What’s In Your Pack? favorite: the LifeStraw Peak Solo water filter.

Plus: marmot slander, Glory Hole Falls, forgotten bidets, and more discussion of pedipalps than anyone asked for.

Send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com.

See all the Oboz has to offer by heading to www.obozfootwear.com

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté tackles three very different outdoor dilemmas:

• What should you actually do if a wildfire breaks out while you’re deep in the backcountry?
• Should you worry if your spouse takes off their wedding ring whenever they hike, climb or backpack?
• And which women-owned outdoor brands are doing great work around sustainability, accessibility and giving back?

Plus: marmot slander, sausage fingers, silicone wedding bands and a whole lot of sweating. Advice that doesn’t suck.

Send your questions and spooky stories to deargearabby@gmail.com!

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté digs into what happens when airplanes crash in national parks, including the absolutely wild story of Yosemite’s infamous Dope Lake, before settling an important outdoor relationship dispute: are fanny packs dorky overkill or ridiculously useful?

Then Shawnté and Colin face a truly devious question: if you could only eat one protein bar for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

Plane wrecks, waist packs, weed, snack fatigue and more outdoor advice that doesn’t suck.

Ask Gear Abby your burning outdoor question! Email the show at deargearabby@gmail.com

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What should you do if a ghost steals your Garmin on trail? Which of your favorite movies were actually filmed inside national parks? And just how desperate do you have to be before stale tortillas, canned chicken and sun-melted Kraft Singles qualify as a gourmet meal?

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté shares some haunted Sierra lore and offers up her best ghost etiquette, then takes a trip through national park movie history from Star Trek and Star Wars to Indiana Jones and The Shining.

Plus, she digs into the weirdest things she’s eaten while backpacking, the foods she’ll never touch again, and the one meal she still dreams about on trail: enchiladas.

And Gear Abby wants your outdoor ghost stories for October send them in now.

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Why does Leave No Trace tell backpackers to pee away from water but rafters to pee directly into the river? And why do so many hiking memoirs seem to require their authors to endure a dark night of the soul?

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté explains the surprisingly logical bathroom rules of river trips (and the origin of the wonderfully named groover), then digs into why trauma, suffering and misery have become such reliable ingredients in outdoor books.

Plus, What’s In Your Pack? returns as Shawnté reveals her new favorite backpacking pillow and somehow she and Colin turn that into something wildly inappropriate.

Send your burning outdoor questions to DearGearAbby@gmail.com.

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What do you drink after a night of passionate mountain romance? Is there actually reason to be hopeful about Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante? And are Crocs secretly the ultimate outdoor shoe?

This week, Shawnté tackles one of the most unforgettable hydration questions we've ever received, breaks down what's really happening with America's national monuments and welcomes thru-hiker, ultrarunner, and FKT legend Jeff Garmire to settle the Great Crocs Debate once and for all.

Plus: viral poop content, sexy marmots, and Colin's anti-Crocs rant.

As always, send your questions to DearGearAbby@gmail.com because no outdoor question is too weird for Gear Abby.

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

This week on Gear Abby: Should backpacking be about slowing down or moving as fast as possible? Shawnté and Colin debate FKTs, explain the difference between trail angels and trail service providers, and welcome Lloyd Vogel of Garage Grown Gear to talk about ultralight backpacking, base weight, and the gear that's actually worth carrying. Plus: bison, British accents, and frozen Snickers.

Got a question? Set an email FKT and send it to DearGearAbby@gmail.com.

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Gear Abby is back!

This week, Shawnté and Colin dive into the unwritten rules of the outdoors. First up: what's the proper etiquette for skinny dipping at alpine lakes and hot springs and how do you avoid becoming that naked person?

Then they explore whether Indigenous peoples climbed North America's highest peaks, how to respectfully visit culturally significant places, and why some sacred landscapes deserve a little more consideration from modern recreationists.

Finally, they settle a classic trail debate: who actually has the right of way hikers, mountain bikers, horses, runners...or snakes?

Along the way: a mysterious one-star review, marmots, vasculitis, trail stories from the Sierra, and enough butt cheek jokes to last at least until the next episode.

Got a question? Naked or not, we'll take your email. Send it to DearGearAbby@gmail.com.

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Come back next week on July 17 for all new episodes of Gear Abby! Until then enjoy this flashback Friday episode and leave us a written review on Apple Podcasts!

Do thru-hikers lose their trail cred if they car camp? What's the most responsible way to offload extra outdoor gear without sending it straight to a landfill? And how do you train for a spring trail race without freezing your ass off all winter?

This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté Salabert tackles outdoor gatekeeping, gear hoarding, and cold weather running!

Got a question? Send it to DearGearAbby@gmail.com... no trail cred required.

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Shawnté is on the trail and Colin is traveling for work. So it's time for another Flashback Friday! Mark your calendar for Gear Abby's return on July 17th and make Shawnté's birthday wishes come true by leaving a written review on Apple Podcasts.

This week on Gear Abby Shawnté and Colin tackle outdoor ethics, bear safety, true confessions, and real-food fueling you’ll actually eat. Here's the rundown:

• More Michelino: What should happen when athletes break trail rules (education > prosecution).
• Bear cans: When to carry them even if not required (+ quick gear picks).
• Confession booth: Gear Abby reveals her biggest on trail sin: A very real wag-bag fail on Whitney.
• Fuel without gels: Do you really need to eat power food when you're riding mountain bikes?

Got your own question for Gear Abby? Send it to deargearabby@gmail.com and it just might end up on the pod.

Thanks for listening! Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Shawnté is on the trail and Colin is traveling for work. So it's time for another Flashback Friday!

After a Gear Abby show update from Shawnté we revisit episode 12: Bougie Hikers, Dysentery Demons, and Busted Gut Feelings.

As always, there are no dumb questions—just smart advice.

Email your buring outdoor questions to Gear Abby! deargearabby@gmail.com

Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What is the purpose of an outdoor trade show beyond sales?

Live from the floor of Switchback in New Orleans, Eoin Comerford sits down with thru-hiking expert Shawnté Salabert (Gear Abby) to break down the hits, the misses, and the future of the outdoor tradeshow.

In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, Eoin and Shawnté dive deep into reactions of the exhibit hall. From the highly anticipated US Participation Report presented by Kelly Davis to navigating the timing clash with regional shows like GOA, they examine what it takes to build a true national show. Plus, the duo doesn’t hold back on their unfiltered booth reviews, praising the stunning blonde-wood aesthetics of Snow Peak, Fjällräven, and Teva, while calling out the underwhelming setups from other brands.

Tune in for an inside look at the latest gear innovations shaking up the market, including Dometic’s interchangeable tumbler system, GRAYL’s Carry Project pack line, Butt Napkins’ upcoming submarine bidet wand, Date Fix’s intense food culture mission, Rumpl’s clever cape clips, and the mouth-watering backpacking meals from Lux Fly. Whether you are a specialty retail buyer, a major outdoor brand, or a gear junkie, this episode is your ultimate backstage pass to the business and culture of the great outdoors.

Then later in the show, Eoin sits down with Switchback Event Director Sean Smith to share his impressions and break some news about a time change for next year.

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