I was keen on learning more about Ultra-Light backpacking and stumbled upon a whole new world when researching on YouTube. As some of you may know, I am small. Only 5ft 2″ and I weigh around 8.5 stone 120 lbs. The recommended weight for any backpacker to carry is 10% of your body weight. With Nellie (my pack) weighing a constant 20llbs + I was keen to learn how I can reduce that weight and ultimately reduce any risk of injury to my body when on a longer hike.
I have watched endless videos on YouTube, but the one channel that I am addicted too is Darwin on The Trail. His passion for the outdoors is infectious and he explains things in an easy to understand way. I have binge-watched most of his gear review videos and I am now waiting each week for the release of his new trail videos (as he is currently walking the PCT – Pacific Crest Trail).
Here is an example of one of his videos.
His wife (known as Snuggles) is also a hiker but prefers smaller hikes. She is an avid reader and her “Snuggles Diaries” are a good reference to many books that I have devoured over the last few months.