Backpacking Light Podcast

Episode 148 | Rain Jackets for Mountain Minimalism

Learn why ultralight rain shells can be appropriate for mild trail conditions but inadequate in exposed mountain weather. Explore a decision framework based on exposure d

Episode 147 | Thermoregulatory Debt

Thermoregulatory debt describes the delayed cost of layering decisions made during movement in cold, wet, and windy conditions. A small delay in venting, changing layers,

Episode 146 | Dirtbag Rich with Blake Boles

Ryan Jordan interviews Blake Boles, author of Dirtbag Rich, about redefining wealth through time, purpose, flexibility, and outdoor freedom. They explore dirtbag culture,

Episode 145 | Backpacking at Altitude

Learn how altitude changes oxygen availability, hiking performance, sleep, recovery, appetite, and risk for acute mountain sickness. In this episode, we reframe altitude

Episode 144 | Trail Steepness vs. Difficulty

Hiking effort doesn't scale smoothly with slope. It shifts across physiological regimes driven by muscle contraction type, aerobic limits, gait mechanics, and safety regu

Episode 143 | Managing Fatigue

This episode presents an operational framework for fatigue management in backcountry travel grounded in a non-circular load–fatigue–capacity model. Load is defined as ext

Episode 142 | The 72 Hour Backcountry Reset

This episode explores why time in the backcountry can improve how we function beyond recreation. Ryan Jordan describes how modern life overloads attention through constan

Episode 141 | Hiking at Night in a Blizzard

What gear do you actually need to hike out safely through a winter blizzard at night, in sub-freezing temps and high winds, when stopping isn't an option? In this episode

Episode 140 | Winter Storm Decisions

Ryan walks through a structured, six-question framework for deciding whether to stay put or move when a winter storm deteriorates around you, using real backcountry examp

Episode 139 | Repair Kits

In this Field Notes episode, Ryan breaks down ultralight repair kits using a simple framework: context, consequence, and capability. He compares short-term overnights to

Episode 138 | Plan – Focus – Trust

  In this episode, Ryan introduces the Plan-Focus-Trust framework - a simple but powerful approach to managing hard, uncertain objectives in the wilderness and beyond. Dr

Episode 137 | The Risk Control Continuum

In this episode, we introduce the Risk Control Continuum - a practical, evidence-based framework for managing risk in the backcountry. He explores how environmental, psyc

Episode 136 | Fringe Season Layering

What is the difference in layering strategy from summertime to the fall-winter transition? In this episode, Ryan Jordan discusses how the environment of the fringe season

Episode 135 | Field Notes - The Metabolic Cost of Bushwhacking

In the Field Notes episode, we explore why bushwhacking miles aren't just harder but metabolically different. The Metabolic Energy Mile (MEM) framework breaks this down i

Episode 134 | Sleep Quality in the Backcountry

Backcountry sleep is fragile, and when it breaks down, recovery, judgment, and safety are at risk. In this episode, we examine the forces that fragment rest, including al

Episode 133 | Human Waste Management

In this episode, Ryan Jordan examines why traditional cathole practices often fail in alpine, desert, and high-use environments. Drawing on scientific research, policy ga

Episode 132 | Satellite Messenger Weather Forecasts

Today's episode of the Backpacking Light Podcast is sponsored by Vaer Watches. A Vaer watch is an expedition-worthy, made in the USA, reliable, rugged, and beautiful time

Episode 131 | Ultralight First Aid Kit Strategies

In this episode, we discuss how to design scalable, evidence-informed first aid kits for backcountry travel. Grounded in the principles of context, consequence, and capab

Episode 130 | Bivy Sack Camping

In this episode, Ryan shares his approach to bivy sack camping above treeline using a waterproof-breathable system built for stealth, weather protection, and minimal impa

Episode 129 | Field Notes - The Limits of Wilderness Minimalism

In this Field Notes episode, Ryan Jordan explores what happens when wilderness minimalism reaches its limits. Through real-world examples and the lenses of physiology, ps