This guide explains how to watch 2025 IFSC Climbing World Championships live streams over the first round of the competition. There are free viewing options in the US and Canada, and we also explain how you can use a safe VPN to watch your usual coverage if you're away from home.

We're approaching the start of the 2025 IFSC Climbing World Championships, but there's still time to grab a free stream and catch the action ahead of lead climbing qualification on day one (Sept 21, 6am BST / 1 am ET).

The IFSC World Climbing Championships is different from the World Cup season. It’s a stand-alone event, held every two years, that crowns world champions in each discipline.

This week's 19th edition takes place in Seoul, South Korea, where the world's best boulderers, speed climbers, and lead climbers will compete against each other over 7 days of blister-inducing holds.

Multiple world champion and legend of the sport, Kim Jain will be in front of her home crowd alongside Seo Chaehyun.

Each discipline has separate medals. Unlike the Olympics, there’s no combined format here—so a climber can become world champion in one discipline without competing in the others.

Read on to find out how and where to watch the 2025 IFSC Climbing World Championships wherever you are in the world.

Our guide to rock climbing terms will help you keep up with any unfamiliar jargon in the commentary, and if you want to give this exciting sport a try for yourself, you can also read about getting started in climbing.

Watch the IFSC Climbing World Championships for free in the U.S. and Canada

Want to watch from the U.S. or Canada? Then you're in luck, as you'll be able to stream the entire 2025 competition for free on the IFSC YouTube channel. In addition to live coverage, you can find highlights, interviews, and other awesome content from the competition. Viewers outside of the States and Canada can also access this content, but live coverage will be blocked (hence why you might need a good quality VPN).

If you're lucky enough to be in the U.S. or Canada, your viewing options aren't limited either, as live coverage is also available on the Olympics channel via Olympics.com. Here, you'll have access to even more highlights, build-up, and reaction to competition.

Traveling outside the U.S or Canada? You can still watch live as usual by using a quality VPN like NordVPN, which allows you to access the streams as if you were sitting on your sofa back home. Find out more below.

Use a VPN to watch the Climbing World Championships Seoul from anywhere

If you’re traveling overseas during the 2025 World Championships, geo-blocking restrictions mean you probably won't be able to watch as you usually would back home.

That doesn't mean you have to miss out, however. All you need to do to watch as if you were back home is get yourself a VPN (Virtual Private Network) – assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, of course. A VPN creates a private connection between your device and the internet, meaning the service can’t work out where you are. As an added bonus, the info going back and forth is also entirely encrypted.

In a competitive field, our expert colleagues at TechRadar put NordVPN at the top of the podium for VPN services. Right now, you can snag up to 70% off NordVPN, but don't sleep on this deal - it ends on July 31.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Watch the IFSC World Championships from the UK and Europe

Thanks to a recently agreed rights deal, viewers in the United Kingdom and Europe can stream most of the 2025 IFSC sport climbing events exclusively on Warner Bros Discovery’s streaming services.

In the UK and Ireland that means TNT Sports, which you can access via a subscription to Discovery+ Premium. It will cost you £30.99 per month in the UK and you’ll also get access to Champions League (TechRadar) and Premier League football, Premiership rugby, cycling and loads more top sporting action. Alternatively, TNT Sports can be added to your Sky, BT, EE or Virgin Media TV package – costs vary by platform.

In Europe, you can watch 2025 Climbing World Championships live streams on Eurosport or via the Discovery+ platform.

And don’t forget, if you’re going to be traveling away from home during any of the Climbing World Championships events, you can use a VPN to watch your usual service as if you were back home.

About this week's event

he 19th edition of the IFSC Climbing World Championships will be held in Seoul, South Korea, from 21 to 28 September 2025 at the KSPO Dome. The event covers three main disciplines—Lead, Boulder, and Speed—as well as Para-Climbing.

In Lead, top climbers include Austria’s Jakob Schubert, the defending men’s world champion, and Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret, whose haul of world-championship medals is just below Schubert’s but whose recent form makes her a favourite. (per IFSC Climbing) In Speed, world record holders such as Sam Watson and Aleksandra Miroslaw will be among the favourites, though some previous champions (such as Veddriq Leonardo and Desak Dewi) will not compete (per IFSC Climbing)

In Boulder, France and Japan present deep lineups. Janja Garnbret will defend the women’s title; for the men, since Mickael Mawem (the 2023 men’s Boulder champ) is not competing, a new champion is assured. Rising climbers, new finalists and young talent also feature prominently in previews.

The competition schedule starts with qualifications in the early days, leading into finals for Speed and Boulder mid-week, and culminating with Lead finals toward the end.

IFSC World Championships Schedule

All times local (Korea Standard Time, UTC+9)

Sunday 21 September – 14:00 – Lead qualification rounds begin

Monday 22 September – 09:00 – More Lead qualification rounds

Tuesday 23 September – 09:00 – Boulder qualifications for men & women

Wednesday 24 September – 09:00 – Women’s Speed qualification

Wednesday 24 September – 20:00 – Women’s Speed final

Thursday 25 September – 09:00 – Men’s Speed qualification

Thursday 25 September – 20:00 – Men’s Speed final

Friday 26 September – 10:00 – Lead semi-finals (both men & women)

Friday 26 September – 20:00 – Lead finals for both genders

Saturday 27 September – 10:00 – Women’s Boulder semi-final

Saturday 27 September – 20:00 – Women’s Boulder final

Sunday 28 September – 10:00Men’s Boulder semi-final

Sunday 28 September – 20:00Men’s Boulder final

• Everything to know about climbing and mountaineering

When I first signed up to trek to Nepal’s Everest Base Camp, I was excited to see some of the planet’s most spectacular natural features, from giant glaciers to soaring peaks, but I was also a little apprehensive. In recent years, news stories of mountains of human waste, abandoned tents, and overcrowding on Everest have hijacked the social narrative surrounding the world’s tallest peak. Was I going to be hiking through pristine environments or picking my way through mountains of garbage?

If you have the same concerns, I’ll cut straight to the chase here and let you know that the trek to Everest Base Camp is not heaped with trash. Various sustainability initiatives have been put in place to improve the conditions on the mountain, from making it more difficult to join an expedition to banning many single-use plastics. And it’s important to remember that the trekking industry and route that takes people along the Khumbu Valley is a whole different story from the landscape between Base Camp and the Summit.

But that’s not to say that there’s nothing to worry about. For starters, during peak trekking season, as many as 50 flights a day land at Lukla airport, the usual starting point for trekkers. Helicopters constantly buzz overhead to ferry gear, summit teams and trekkers in and out. There are reports of unnerving sights: black rocks appearing where once there was snow, and plans to move Base Camp downhill to get it off the increasingly unstable Khumbu Glacier.

As a trekker, you'll need to acknowledge the realities of a changing climate and think about how your actions affect the environments you want to explore.

How can you make your trek to Base Camp more sustainable?

The most sustainable thing anyone can do is not to travel by air at all, but when I mention this to Andy Moore, founder of EverTrek, the company I went to Nepal with, he’s quick to point out that for this particular region, that spells a different kind of emergency.

“People not coming here is a killer, really,” says Moore, who saw the effects of a halt in travel on the Khumbu Valley during the pandemic, which has built a whole industry around supporting trekkers.

It’s also true that those who can make the biggest difference in the fight against climate change are giant corporations and not individual hikers, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t and shouldn’t each do our part.

“I suppose it’s all about education and getting people involved,” says Moore.

His company prides itself on responsible travel and treks to Base Camp now include a stop at the Sagarmatha Next hub, which aims to change perceptions around waste in the region through its learning center and waste management initiatives.

“We’re not perfect. People have to travel here on planes, but we’re always trying to help in some way," says Moore.

The good news is that there are actions you can take to check off your bucket list trek without leaving too big of a footprint.

Drink responsibly

On the trek to Everest Base Camp, you’ll typically walk for 80 miles and make your way up to nearly 17,600ft (5,364m), which means you need to drink a lot of water. That presents a sustainability issue, because the water on the trek isn’t potable.

You’re encouraged to drink at least three liters of water a day, so if you’re drinking bottled water that you buy from teahouses and shops along the trek, even a small group of six people could go through nearly 200 plastic bottles in one trip, and that’s not counting the water consumed by your guides and porters.

Those bottles can be packed out and recycled, but even that uses resources, and most importantly, Nepal doesn’t recycle bottle caps (though Sagarmatha Next recycles them into cool moulds of the Everest region that you can buy). So, responsible trekking organisations have increasingly been looking for solutions to cut down on plastics.

“We used to use chlorine tablets, but the fact was nobody liked it because it was like drinking a swimming pool,” recalls Moore.

In 2019, EverTrek became the first UK company to bring water filters along on treks. For my trek, I was instructed to bring either a hydration bladder or two water bottles (I brought my Contigo Cortland Autoseal which is easy to drink from and a Yeti Yonder water bottle which holds more water) and our guides would take them after each meal and fill them up with clean water for us.

If your guide doesn’t provide this service, you can bring your own, just remember that not all filters work against viruses. We recommend the Grayl Ultra Press, which we gave full marks in our guide to the best water filters to ensure you’re caring for your own health as well as that of the planet.

Pack it out

Even without disposable water bottles, your trek is likely to generate some waste, from wet wipes to electrolyte mix wrappers. A program between Sagarmatha Next and Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee has established regular trash cans and recycling bins along the way that have helped to clean up the trail, but that’s not the whole story.

According to data from Sagarmatha Next, in 2019, the Khumbu Valley saw more 60,000 tourists in addition to the guides and other workers. That generated about 790kg of waste per day during the trekking season, and historically, that’s trash that has been buried and burned in the Khumbu region, only consolidating the environmental harm.

When you’re entering any wild space, you can minimize your impact by planning ahead and reducing the amount of single-use anything that comes with you. That might mean thinking seriously about bringing loads of snacks (we ran into an American couple that had brought a couple of resealable bags of homemade beef jerky instead of tons of granola bars) and you should bring a small trash bag with you to pack out your own waste (old dry bags work well for this).

To take things a step further, you can join the Carry Me Back program where you pick up a 1kg bag of waste when you’re leaving Sagarmatha National Park, tie it to your backpack, and transport it back to Lukla. From there, Tara Airlines will fly it back to Kathmandu, where the social enterprise Blue Waste to Value collects it for recycling at their facility.

Skip the chopper ride

Despite its large visitor numbers, the Khumbu region is remote. Helicopters do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of getting supplies in and out of the region, and even if choppers have reduced emissions over the years, it’s still not a carbon-free process.

I was surprised to learn that many trekkers use helicopters to make their trek easier, bypassing the madness of Lukla airport, or cutting down on the amount of time spent away from home. For as little as $800, you might be able to fly from Gorak Shep, just a few kilometers from Base Camp, or from Namche, all the way back to Kathmandu and skip up to 40 miles of walking. But that comes at a cost to the environment.

The most sustainable approach is to leave the choppers for transporting goods and emergencies and do what you came here to do: trek. Invest in a good pair of hiking boots (I loved my Lowa Renegade Evo GTXs), break them in before you go, build in plenty of time for delays, and you’ll feel really good about yourself at the end of your adventure when you've done the trek both ways instead of one.

Support local

Meeting the local people is truly one of the best parts of trekking to Base Camp, and you should do everything you can to give back to them. Start by hiring a local guide (the Nepali government has introduced new legislation that requires trekkers to go with a guide) and you'll get the best knowledge about the area and support the economy of the place you’re visiting.

There are environmental reasons for hiring local guides, too, since they won’t have to travel as far to begin the trek. Our group had two guides and three porters, and all were Nepali. At the end of our trek, only one flew with us back to Kathmandu while the rest returned to their villages on foot or by bus.

While we’re on the subject of guides, remember that when you go with the cheapest option, it’s often the workers who suffer. Choose a reputable trekking company and inquire as to their practices and policies surrounding worker conditions and whether guides and porters are paid a fair wage. If you’re negotiating directly with a guide, don’t be tempted to try to undercut them to save a little money – they are humans with families doing a hard job that they deserve to be paid well for.

Also choose local food when you stop for meals at teahouses – and by that, I largely mean Dal Bhat, but also anything with potatoes. This is another way to cut down on your footprint, since it’s cooked with ingredients grown in the region, whereas that pizza or Snickers bar has to be flown in.

And bring a little cash for gifts along the trek. Yes, there are lots of shops back in Kathmandu, but a hand-knitted yak made by a local woman who has set up a trestle table along the trail has a personal touch, and your purchase could really help a local family.

Get right with gear

There’s no two ways around it: trekking to Everest Base Camp requires a lot of gear. I set off from Lukla in a T-shirt and by the time I reached Base Camp I was glad to be bundled up in my Fjallraven Expedition Pack Down Anorak. Believe it or not, all the kit you buy is likely to count for most of the carbon emissions of your entire trek.

According to a 2018 report published in Sport Management Review, outdoor enthusiasts have a 40 percent bigger carbon footprint than athletes from other individual sports, and participants in nature sports had the highest emission levels of all. This is down in part to all the gear we buy and how much of a beating it takes when we’re out battling the elements, but there are ways to cut down on your footprint here.

You definitely don’t want to skimp on gear – that down sleeping bag or waterproof jacket could save your life – but it is important to think carefully about everything on your list. Do you need to buy everything new, or can you shop second-hand? If it’s something you’re certain you’ll never use again, like gaiters or crampons, can you rent or borrow it?

If you get to the end of your trek and have gear you know you won’t use again, you may be able to donate it – our EverTrek guides collected anything we didn’t want to be distributed between them and the porters, which means they’re better protected for their next job. You can also donate to Keep Nepal’s Porters Welfare Program. No matter what you do with your gear, take good care of it to improve its lifespan and keep it out of the landfill.

Don’t follow the herd

Stepping off the side of the trail to let herds of donkeys and yaks pass is part and parcel of the trekking experience on the way to Base Camp. These animals are used to transport goods, materials, and waste up and down the valley. It’s a more sustainable option than a helicopter in terms of emissions, and these animals don’t have the devastating impact on the environment as livestock from large-scale agriculture, but it’s still a good idea to reduce your dependency on them.

They’re often not well-treated and it’s common to see them walking on broken hooves and being beaten by their owners. Animal welfare and sustainability go hand-in-hand, so when you’re choosing a trekking company or guide, inquire as to whether they use animals or porters to carry your gear. It’s a hard job for humans, but they can consent to the position and do get paid for it, while animals do not.

Thinking about trekking to Everest Base Camp?

Learn more in our articles on trekking to Base Camp with tips on making the experience more comfortable, plus what to expect on the trail and how to train for 11 days of hiking at high altitude.

• The best trekking poles: take the pressure off when you're out on the trails
• The best base layers: the foundation of your hiking garb

Season 12 of Alone, the hit US survival reality TV show, premieres on the History Channel on Thursday, June 12, 2025

After last year’s trip to the Arctic Circle, Alone season 12’s producers are sending the latest batch of survivalists on a very different adventure. This time out they’ll fend for themselves in South Africa’s semi-desert Great Karoo region, where water will be scarce, and elephants, giraffes, leopards and lions roam wild.

The location may have changed for Alone season 12 but the premise remains the same. Ten brave survivalists will be dropped in the middle of nowhere where they’ll have to survive in extremely hostile conditions. Armed with just their clothes and the 10 items they’ve selected from a pre-mandated list (items like toothpaste and fishing line hardly count as luxuries), the contestants have to use their wits to hunt, forage and protect themselves from the elements. The player who lasts the longest will take home a cash prize of $500,000.

To make things even harder, they won’t have any company on this most extreme of reality shows. They won’t even have a camera crew to interact with, as every one of Alone season 12’s survivalists will have to record their exploits using an assortment of cameras, GoPros and mounts.

You can stream the whole season online in the US and Australia. And don’t worry if you’re heading overseas at any time over the next couple of months. We’ll explain how you can use a VPN to unblock your usual streaming service and watch Alone season 12 wherever you are in the world.

How to watch Alone season 12 online in the US

US viewers can tune into Alone season 12 on the History Channel, with new episodes of the 10-part season debuting every Thursday. The latest episodes will also be available to stream on History.com the following day.

The 11 previous seasons of Alone are available to watch via the Hulu streaming service.

If you’re based in the US and don’t have cable you can stream the History Channel via Sling TV and Fubo.

If you’re heading off an overseas adventure of your own you'll need a powerful VPN to unblock your usual American streamer when overseas. Find out more below.

Watch Alone season 12 from anywhere in the world

Geo-blocking means you won’t be able to watch Alone season 12 from everywhere, but US viewers who are traveling overseas but can‘t survive without the latest episodes don’t have to miss out. With a good VPN (virtual private network), you can stream the shows you love from anywhere.

NordVPN is the best of the bunch as it offers superb speeds and excellent customer service.

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the US and want to view your usual American service, you'd select US from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to your platform of choice and stream Alone season 12 from anywhere on the planet!

Can I watch Alone US season 12 in the UK?

New seasons of the American version of Alone usually air on Sky History in the UK but they usually take a few months to arrive. We recommend keeping an eye on TV listings in August.

Don't forget: US fans visiting the UK can tap into their usual American streaming services and watch Alone season 12 from anywhere with NordVPN. Details above.

Watch Alone season 12 in Australia

Australian viewers can watch Alone season 12 on streaming service Stan, with new episodes debuting every Friday from June 13. Subscriptions start at $12 AUD per month.

If you want to catch up on most of the previous adventures, the first 10 seasons of Alone US are available for free via SBS on Demand, along with episodes of spin-off show Alone Australia.

Aussies traveling overseas can use one of the best VPN services to access their usual streaming service from abroad. We recommend NordVPN.

Alone season 12 trailer

Alone season 12 FAQs

Alone season 12 contestants

• Pablo Arguelles (55), video editor from Jacksonville, Florida
• Colton Gilman (35), carpenter from Red Lodge, Montana
• Will Lamb (34), exotic animal rancher/fabricator from Leakey, Texas
• Kelsey Loper (35), horse trainer from Winnett, Montana
• Baha Mahmutov (50), homesteader/railroad maintenance from Wharncliff, Ontario, Canada
• Douglas S Meyer (57), primitive technology instructor from Kannapolis, North Carolina
• Dug North (53), user experience designer from Nashua, New Hampshire
• Nathan Olsen (52), tech CEO from Buhl, Idaho
• Jit Patel (35), outdoor educator from Anakiwa, New Zealand
• Katie Rydge (46), survival skills instructor and mentor, Emerald Beach, NSW, Australia

Alone season 12 episode list

• Prologue (Thursday, June 12) – "Before the Drop"
• Episode 1 (Thursday, June 12) – "The Land of Great Thirst"
• Episode 2 (Thursday, June 19) – "Best Laid Plans"
• Episode 3 (Thursday, June 26) – "Thirst Trap"
• Episode 4 (Thursday, July 3) – "Finding a Foothold"
• Episode 5 (Thursday, July 10) – "The Tempest"
• Episode 6 (Thursday, July 17) – "Purpose"
• Episode 7 (Thursday, July 24) – "Echoes of Emptiness"
• Episode 8 (Thursday, July 31) – "Weak Spot"
• Episode 9 (Thursday, August 7) – "The Promised Land"
• Episode 10 (Thursday, August 14) – "No Regrets"

More from Advnture

• The best water purifiers and filters: clever devices for supplying fresh drinking water
• How to survive a night on a mountain
• We asked Leatherman for their top recommendations. Here’s what they said

VPN services are evaluated and tested by us in view of legal recreational use. For example:a) Access to services from other countries, (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).b) Safeguarding your online security and making your online privacy more robust when abroad.Future plc does not support nor condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. We do not endorse nor approve of consuming pirated content that is paid-for.

This guide explains how to watch 2025 IFSC Climbing World Cup live streams over the first round of the competition. There are free viewing options in the US and Canada, and we also explain how you can use a VPN to watch your usual coverage if you're away from home.

We're approaching the end of the 2025 IFSC Climbing World Cup, but there's still plenty to climb for, and loads of action to catch.

This week's round takes the world's best climbers to Madrid, Spain, for the penultimate lead climbing round of a thrilling competition.

The IFSC Climbing World Cup pits the world's best boulderers, speed climbers, and lead climbers against each other over 14 separate competitions held across the globe and throughout the year.

Points from each competition are tallied up, and climbers are ranked on a leaderboard that decides the eventual world champions, otherwise known as series winners.

Read on to find out how and where to watch the 2025 IFSC Climbing World Cup wherever you are in the world.

Our guide to rock climbing terms will help you keep up with any unfamiliar jargon in the commentary, and if you want to give this exciting sport a try for yourself, you can also read about getting started in climbing.

Watch the IFSC Climbing World Cup for free in the U.S. and Canada

Want to watch from the U.S. or Canada? Then you're in luck, as you'll be able to stream the entire 2025 competition for free on the IFSC YouTube channel. In addition to live coverage, you can find highlights, interviews, and other awesome content from the competition. Viewers outside of the States and Canada can also access this content, but live coverage will be blocked.

If you're lucky enough to be in the U.S. or Canada, your viewing options aren't limited either, as live coverage is also available on the Olympics channel via Olympics.com. Here, you'll have access to even more highlights, build-up, and reaction to competition.

Traveling outside the U.S or Canada? You can still watch live as usual by using a quality VPN like NordVPN, which allows you to access the streams as if you were sitting on your sofa back home. Find out more below.

Use a VPN to watch the Climbing World Cup from anywhere

If you’re traveling overseas during the 2025 World Cup, geo-blocking restrictions mean you probably won't be able to watch as you usually would back home.

That doesn't mean you have to miss out, however. All you need to do to watch as if you were back home is get yourself a VPN (Virtual Private Network) – assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, of course. A VPN creates a private connection between your device and the internet, meaning the service can’t work out where you are. As an added bonus, the info going back and forth is also entirely encrypted.

In a competitive field, our expert colleagues at TechRadar put NordVPN at the top of the podium for VPN services. Right now, you can snag up to 79% off NordVPN, get four months extra for free and get a free Amazon gift card on top, but don't sleep on this deal - it ends on July 31.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Watch the IFSC World Cup from the UK and Europe

Thanks to a recently agreed rights deal, viewers in the United Kingdom and Europe can stream the semi-finals and finals of every 2025 IFSC World Cup events exclusively on Warner Bros Discovery’s streaming services.

In the UK and Ireland that means TNT Sports, which you can access via a subscription to Discovery+ Premium. It will cost you £30.99 per month in the UK and you’ll also get access to Champions League and Premier League football, Premiership rugby, cycling and loads more top sporting action. Alternatively, TNT Sports can be added to your Sky, BT, EE or Virgin Media TV package – costs vary by platform.

In Europe, you can watch 2025 Climbing World Cup live streams on Eurosport or via the Discovery+ platform.

And don’t forget, if you’re going to be traveling away from home during any of the Climbing World Cup events, you can use a VPN to watch your usual service as if you were back home.

About this week's event

Climbing fanatics from across the globe will be eager to catch the men's lead competition to see whether Japan's Sorato Anraku can make history and clinch his second consecutive World Cup series win.

The 18-year-old stormed to victory in the bouldering series last month and looks odds-on to do the same in the lead climbing competition. The teenager currently sits atop the lead climbing leaderboard with two gold medals under his belt, and victory this week would all but assure the coveted double series gold.

Great Britain's Toby Roberts and Japanese duo Satone Yoshida and Neo Suzuki are also in with a shot. The former is the current Olympic champion, and the latter two are the only climbers aside from Anraku to have won a round of this year's competition.

The women's lead climbing competition is a close-run affair between two relatively unknown climbers. Despite having little pedigree before this year's competition, South Korea's Chaehyun Seo and Erin McNeice of Great Britain have been ever-present atop the lead climbing table.

The pair tied for gold in an extraordinary opening round back in April and have since traded positions atop the leaderboard with two gold medals each and several podium finishes.

This year's women's bouldering competition has been a little different from previous years as two of the world's best all-around climbers are missing. USA's Natalia Grossman is recovering from knee injuries, while 47-time World Cup winner Janja Garnbret has missed all but one competition as she takes time to rest.

Neither will be competing in Madrid this week, which opens up the competition for either McNeice or Seo to snag a maiden World Cup series victory.

IFSC World Cup Schedule

Lead Qualification

• 11.30pm PT (July 17) / 2.30am EST (July 18) / 9.30am BST (July 18) Men's and women's qualification

Lead finals

• 11.30am PT (July 18) / 2.30pm EST (July 19) / 9.30pm BST (July 18) Men's and women's semi-finals
• 11.30am PT (July 19) / 2.30pm EST (July 20) / 9.30pm BST (July 19) Men's final
• 12.30pm PT (July 19) / 3.30pm EST (July 20) / 10.30pm BST (July 19) Women's final

If you like to hit the trails, you'll know better than to buy white running shoes. That’s because keeping your running footwear clean and dirt-free is no easy feat. Even if you're a road runner, muddy puddles, dust, and inevitable sweat will make washing your shoes a necessity at some point, and while the convenience of the washing machine might beckon, you ought to think twice if you want your shoes to last.

Perhaps your shoes look a sorry sight at this very moment. Wet winter weather may have caked your best trail running shoes in mud, or maybe trapped dust and dirt have dulled the once-bright color of your best road running shoes. If you're wondering how to wash them safely, look no further. We've asked some experts how to properly clean running shoes so they look as good as new while still maintaining their shape and quality. (Spoiler alert: your washing machine probably isn't the answer.)

Is it safe to wash your running shoes in the washing machine?

Ask any of the best running shoe brands and they'll advise against cleaning sports footwear in the washing machine. Yes, there are plenty of instances where it's safe to wash shoes in your machine on a cool, delicate cycle, but running shoes are far more technical.

"Instead, we recommend hand washing to lessen the risk of damage to shoes," says Lee Procter, PR and communications manager at Inov8. From cushioning EVA foam which acts as a shock absorber, to carbon fiber plates in the midsoles for better running efficiency, lots of materials in your running shoes will degrade more quickly if put inside a washing machine.

If you have an older pair of running shoes without any specialist features that you just use for short, local runs, you can wash them in the machine if essential – just know that it's not advised. (Your favorite, most expensive pair should definitely be hand-washed.)

Zandy Mangold, a running coach at Trails & Roots, notes that there are precautions you should take if you decide to use the machine, too. "I toss shoes in the washing machine in a mesh bag so the treads don't rough up," he says. "You should also wash on cold to not affect the glue, and if only the soles are dirty, a gentle scrub with a sponge and warm dish soap is enough to make them sparkle."

How to wash running shoes

Handwashing your running shoes is always advised, but you still need to follow the right method for the best results. The guidance below applies to shoes made of synthetic fabric or mesh uppers; other materials like Gore-Tex or leather will need specialist cleaning formulas.

When it comes to trail running shoes vs road running shoes, you can follow the same steps, but you might need to spend more time cleaning mud from the lugs of trail shoes. "For best results, hand wash your shoes as close to the end of your run as possible," says Lee. This will make it easier to remove the mud.

What you'll need:

• A sink or basin
• Warm water
• Mild detergent or clothing-safe soap
• A toothbrush or soft-bristle brush

1. Remove as much mud as you can before washing

If your running shoes have taken a serious beating on the trails, make sure you remove as much mud as you can before washing them. "You can do this by rinsing them off, for example, with an outdoor water tap or in a stream," says a footwear representative at Salomon. "It also helps to knock the soles together, first while holding your shoes by the heels and then by the front."

2. Prepare your shoes

Since the insoles are made of foam, they should be washed and dried separately from the shoe itself. "Remove the insoles and loosen or remove the laces," says Lee.

3. Clean the insoles

Using a soft bristle brush, some warm water and mild detergent, give the insoles a clean. Scrub the surface but don’t soak them as this can damage the foam of the insole.

4. Wash the soles

Next, turn your attention to the soles of your shoes. "Rinse them under cold running water while brushing off any remaining mud or debris," Lee instructs. "An old toothbrush is perfect for this."

5. Scrub the uppers

Now you can focus on the mesh part of your shoes, using the same soapy water to gently scrub the surface. You can rinse the suds by passing your shoes under running water but don't submerge the shoe completely.

How to dry running shoes

Drying your running shoes properly is just as important as cleaning them. This is the stage where many of us go wrong, even if we've gone to great lengths to ensure we wash our shoes properly. Improper drying can cause irreversible damage by degrading the glue or ruining the shape of our shoes.

"To maximize the life of your running shoes, make sure you dry them fully between runs," says Lee. "Place your shoes in a warm room, an airing cupboard, or outside (but not in direct sunlight) to dry. Do not dry your shoes in a tumble drier, or next to heaters, fireplaces, or hot summer sunlight."

You can also speed up the drying process by stuffing the shoes with newspaper. (This also helps them to maintain their shape.) Make sure your shoes are completely dry before reinserting the insoles and relacing, if you removed your laces.

Even the best footwear won’t last forever, so you'll need to replace your running shoes (how long they last depends on a variety of factors including your gait and weight) to ensure they remain supportive enough to prevent injury. While regular cleaning can maintain the flexibility of the upper and its resistance to wear, no amount of cleaning will help preserve running shoes once they're worn out. At this point, it's time to treat yourself to a new pair!

Skiing is challenging enough without throwing extra obstacles into the mix. Turn a beautifully groomed run into choppy waves of hard-packed bumps, and you'll have to change your technique entirely. If you've mastered your turns on steep yet smooth runs, the next step is taking on this tougher terrain, but where do you start?

If you're not accustomed to them, trying to ski bumps – also known as moguls – is a humbling affair. You might be breezing down groomed blacks with ease, but try to take on an uneven surface and you'll likely find yourself tumbling at every other turn.

Navigating your way down moguls can be demoralizing for beginners or intermediate skiers, but the added challenge is hardly surprising. Your balance, coordination, and reaction times will all be put to the test as you flow through the peaks and troughs, continuously adjusting your body position to adapt to the terrain and maintain control. It's like riding a mountain bike down rocky outcrops after a lifetime of racing on paved roads.

If you want to learn how to make your way down a bumpy ski run, practice makes perfect. The best place to start is with a ski lesson from a qualified instructor, but it can also help to read up on the proper technique before you head out. Equipping yourself with these skiing tips will help you anticipate what's to come so you can start applying the best technique with more precision. Before you know it, you'll be ready to tackle moguls head-on.

What is the best way to ski bumps?

You've mastered groomed runs and powder skiing, the next level on your ski progression map is moguls. Like moving from your "pizza" to parallel "French fries" when learning to turn on skis, the best way to ski bumps will differ depending on your experience.

Before we dive into technical tips, Steffan Shaw, a Level 4 instructor at Banff Sunshine Village Ski Resort, talks us through three different methods for skiing bumps.

"Up and over"

This is the easiest way to control yourself while skiing bumps, making it the best choice for beginners. "You want to bend your knees and ski over the top of the bumps," Steffan explains. "When you find a bump you like you can turn on it, and begin to traverse the opposite way over the bumps."

"Around the bank"

Another type of fall line is known as "around the bank". This means skiing around the bumps, following the "grooves" or "valleys" around them. "When skiing around the bump you want to keep your weight centered," says Steffan. "This option can be paced nice and slow, planting your pole in the middle of the bump."

"Zipper line"

The most advanced option for skiing bumps is known as the zipper line. This is where a skier takes a direct line down the hill with minimal turns, "zipping" between the bumps with fast, agile movements. "For this technique, you need to center your weight and engage your core, keeping your stance narrow," says Steffan. "In the zipper line, you never fully turn around the bump. When planting your pole, do so on the top of the bump to help change the direction of your skis."

7 tips for skiing bumps

These three levels of skiing bumps are in chronological order. As a beginner, start with the "up and over" technique to get familiar with the feel of moguls and build your confidence. Eventually, you'll progress to the zipper line, but keep in mind this isn't the sort of advancement you can make in one ski season alone.

No matter what stage you're at when skiing bumps, there are some tips and tricks that can be applied across the board. From perfecting the pole plant to finding the form, here's what you need to know.

1. Choose the right gear

You don't necessarily need specific gear in order to ski bumps, but the right equipment will help. For example, you might be able to get away without choosing the right ski length on green runs, but ill-fitting skis will soon become clear when you take on moguls.

"When looking to go out and ski moguls, a thinner, shorter ski of around 88-90mm underfoot and a straighter side cut (not a lot of shape from tip to tail) will be easier to get on and off your edges and feel easier to control," explains Jonah Drescher, Manager at Christy Sports, Arvada. "Shorter poles will also help you reach the bumps and keep your core downhill, while a mid-flex or shorter boot will also help you stay up in a stacked position."

2. Plan your line of attack

Once you've gained experience on bumps you'll be able to ski freely down a run of moguls without much second thought. In the early days, however, it pays to pick a line of attack.

"First, take a couple of deep breaths and look at the run you are about to conquer. This helps us relax and get our mind and body ready," says Jonah. "Next, pick your line down the run. This is a big part of being confident in the moguls by knowing where we want to go. If we have a plan then our mind can let our body do the skiing." For beginners, Jonah suggests choosing a lower-pitch run with smaller or more spread-apart moguls. "This will take the pitch out of the equation and let you concentrate on your fall line and absorption," he says.

On the other hand, try not to overthink your fall line too much. If you don't feel in control, change course by traversing a bit further or using the top of a bump to slow you down.

3. Stay low

Skiing is a game of balance. Whatever terrain you're on, you're constantly having to adjust your weight to control your turns and make your way down the mountain. When it comes to form, a common mistake beginners make is taking a backseat by putting their weight too far back on their skis. Instead, the best way to guarantee control and prevent ski injuries is to stay low with your knees bent, ensuring your shins have contact with the front of your ski boots.

This is especially important when skiing bumps. The added undulation means your feet will typically be at different heights while the tips of your skis will rise over the moguls, meaning balancing becomes even more challenging. To help maintain control, you should stay low (probably even lower than feels necessary).

Jonah emphasizes the importance of this "stacked up" body position to move and absorb the terrain. "The body weight should be in the front of our boots, while the upper body is tall with the lower body bent at the knees," he says. "When done correctly, our shoulders, hips, and toes are all in line, with our core leading the way."

4. Remember to pole plant

You might not consciously use your poles on a smooth groomed run, but you certainly will when bumps are involved. Not only will it help with your balance (and help you to get up after falling on skis...) but pole planting forces you to make committed turns around (or on top of) the moguls.

To use your poles, focus on actively swinging them down the fall line to help release the edges of your skis between turns, making it easier to pivot around the bumps. Don't plant them too firmly though as some bumps and be soft on the top.

Learning how to pole plant doesn't only help with your balance and rhythm, but it's a great way to master good coordination, too. Jonah says a good mogul technique is all about following our hands and eyes. "Our bodies naturally follow our hands and eyes down the slope, so start in your stacked position and reach with your pole towards the top or backside of the mogul below," he says. "Keep your eyes a few turns ahead of you so that your brain knows where to go and your body can follow."

5. Start your turn early

When skiing bumps, you'll need to start your turns slightly earlier than you usually would. The trick is to anticipate the terrain, knowing that the carved-out shape of the valleys will propel you in a particular direction. This way, you utilize the natural rebound energy to propel you into the next turn, moving with more fluidity.

"Release the turn to start the next one under the ball of our foot (or front of our boot)," says Jonah. "As you approach the mogul, pull your feet up towards your chest to match the shape of the terrain (absorption). This is a way to be proactive and make skiing moguls smoother. Repeat until you get to where you planned on stopping."

6. Practice turns on groomed runs

It goes without saying, but the more control you have on groomed runs, the better your control will be on bumpy terrain. "If you're serious about taking on the bumps, you can practice all of the actions above on groomed runs," Jonah says. "Get into your stacked position, look down the hill, and practice reaching with your pole. Engage and release your turns as quickly as you can while keeping your core and shoulders down the fall line. Skiing in the bumps will be very much the same but with absorption added."

7. Have confidence!

Finally, be confident! Like most winter sports, skiing favors the brave. Bumps might be scary at first and a few falls are inevitable, but don't let that knock you back.

Remember that mastering moguls will also hugely improve your overall skiing ability. "When we start getting more comfortable skiing even small, low-pitch moguls, we become better skiers all over the mountain," says Jonah. "This is because when we become comfortable skiing through undulating or uneven snow, we allow our lower body to absorb unexpected terrain. This makes us stronger and more confident when things change under our feet on any type of run, from groomers to trees."

Like every other skill in skiing, practice makes perfect. "Start small, but get out there in the bumps," says Jonah. "Smile, breathe, and conquer!"

There’s no hiding place in winter. Well, there is, you could dig a snow hole or pull out your emergency shelter. But figuratively speaking, there’s no hiding place in winter. In summer, get lost and you might miss last orders at the pub. In winter, get lost and you might succumb to hypothermia or unknowingly step out onto a corniced edge.

Unfortunately, navigation errors lead to fatalities every winter on both sides of the Atlantic, so the ability to safely navigate through the white stuff is important to say the least. At the end of the day, the principles of navigation remain the same in winter as in summer, it’s just that the challenges of navigating in winter means your skills may need to be as sharp as your ice axe.

One of our mountaineering experts is here to reveal strategies on how to navigate in winter. While not exhaustive – we could write an entire book on the subject – the tips provided here will form the basis of best practice in the backcountry, but they’ll only take you so far. Due to the complexity and dangers of the mountains in winter, we’d stress that the best way to get skilled up is to get out there with a professional guide or an experienced friend, and learn by doing.

How to navigate in winter

Here are seven key factors to consider when navigating in winter. For detail each, click the links or scroll down the guide.

Preparation is key – study the forecasts and prepare your tools.

Use large scale features – smaller features get covered up by the snow and are difficult to navigate by. Contours are your friend here.

Constantly assess your location – use the 5 Ds to navigate

Know your pace – counting steps and estimations of timings will help keep you on track.

Do not rely on digital aids – if they fail and you have no back-up, you’re in big trouble.

But do use them in a fix – that said, confirming your location can be very useful.

Do not panic – there are many strategies you can use to find your way down.

Meet the expert

The challenges of navigating in winter

• Snow hides features that are obvious in summer conditions
• Daylight hours are shorter in winter
• Challenging conditions and whiteouts make navigation more taxing
• The potential for avalanches entails more intricate route finding
• Cornices make handrailing ridges more difficult

When winter conditions descend on the mountains, one of the main challenges is that snow often covers up the kind of features that are so useful in the warmer months, such as streams, walls, boulder fields or even entire lakes. It should go without saying that you can expect those handy mountain trails to also get completely hidden by snow, too. So, if you rely on these kinds of features when hiking in summer, full winter conditions can come as a shock.

That’s if you’ve got daylight. Winter means shorter days, so a bit of night-nav experience is essential. You’d be surprised how much light a full moon provides on a clear night in winter, ethereally lighting the snowy peaks all around. However, full moon or no, carrying a couple of fully charged headlamps is more than wise.

Trying to concentrate on tasks like taking a bearing or reading the map are somewhat more taxing while wearing ski goggles and feeling like you’re in a snow globe being shaken by an overzealous toddler. When it’s absolutely freezing or the wind is howling, straightforward tasks take much more effort and concentration. Challenging conditions are one thing, whiteouts are quite another. This unnerving phenomenon is what happens when the snowy terrain underneath you becomes indistinguishable from the sky in front. Perhaps the ultimate test of navigation.

Avalanches are a significant hazard in winter and they may add to your navigational woes too. After reading an avalanche forecast, you’ll often have to rethink how you get between A and B, taking a more intricate line that may involve more complex route finding.

Cornices represent a navigational challenge and another very real danger when winter ridge walking. A cornice is an overhanging mass of snow that builds up on the leeward (downwind) side of a ridge. They’re beautiful but deadly, as they can break away and their overhanging nature means there’s often nothing below them. From a navigational point of view, they make ‘handrailing’ the crest of a ridge more difficult.

Preparation is key

• Check weather and avalanche forecasts before planning safe route
• Fold or cut down your map and ensure it’s waterproof
• Attach your compass to your jacket and take a spare
• Wear a watch – crucial for timings

Given the many additional challenges that winter can bring, it’s crucial to be thoroughly prepared. In the days leading up to your adventure, you should study both mountain weather forecasts and the avalanche forecasts for your chosen area. This will provide the information you need to plan your route extremely carefully, avoiding avalanche prone slopes and giving you an idea of where cornices are likely to have formed. You’ll want to ensure much of your route is sheltered from the wind and that you’re not spending most of the time walking into the gusts when you’re up high. Your plan will allow you to visualize your journey and plan a rough timeframe, both of which will aid navigation once on the hill.

A proper, topographical map with clear contour lines is essential. When unfolded, topographical maps have a large surface area and it doesn’t take a particularly strong wind to make using them difficult. Fold or cut your map so that the area you’re going to be exploring is to hand as a compact, easy-to-use sheet. Unless your map is already waterproof, you’ll want to laminate it too or pop it in a map case.

A baseplate compass is the way to go. The best compasses always come with a cord that you can attach to your waterproof jacket’s zipper. Do this. It means you won’t have any chance of dropping it and you’ll have it quickly to hand. Don’t be tempted to put it around your neck or wrist. Always, always, always carry a spare too. Be aware that the compass needle can be affected by your smartphone and metal objects like your ice axe, so keep them apart.

You should wear a watch that’s easy to read, either a field watch or a GPS watch is fine and the decision comes down to personal preference. Just make sure the latter is fully charged before heading out. As well as keeping an eye on the clock, having a watch allows you to time individual legs of your journey – a key feature of effective navigation. An advantage of something like a Garmin watch is that you’ll be able to check your altitude too when relocating.

Use large scale features

• Contours are the most reliable navigation feature
• Study the contours of the map and think about how they apply to what's around you

Regardless of the time of year, you should get into the habit of using contours as your first port of call when reading the land and comparing it to your map. By assessing what the ground is doing immediately around you, and as long as you have enough visibility, you should be able to pinpoint your location on the map.

The reason contours should form the basis of your navigation is that they are, for all intents and purposed, fixed – though build-up of deep snow can alter even this. Other features, as mentioned, can be covered up by snow or change over time, especially when it comes to humanmade features. Closely stacked contour lines mean steep ground and spaced-out ones mean flatter terrain. Look for features like knolls, peaks, valleys, ridges, depressions and try to visualize how the terrain will look from the map.

As you journey through the landscape, you should be constantly checking in with the gradients below your feet and what you can see around you, checking them against what you’re expecting having studied the map. This brings us to...

Constantly assess your location

• Having a continual grasp of your location is key
• Use the 5 Ds (Distance, Duration, Direction, Description, Destination) to help
• Following a bearing can be more challenging but is still a crucial skill
• Know your average speed and get used to pacing shorter nav legs
• Consider what your destination will be like, as well as what to expect if you miss it

You should know how to read a map and how to use a compass before setting foot in the mountains. We’ll come onto digital aids – which definitely have a place too – in a little while, but putting your map and compass to use is key to staying safe in winter and in making you a more proficient navigator.

It's all about having a continual grasp of where you are in winter, as relocating (working out where you are on a map based on your surroundings) in low visibility can be very difficult indeed. So, continuous observations and assessments are required, which is where the 5 Ds come in. Before any leg of your journey, you should have these in mind:

Distance: how far is it to your next waypoint?

Duration: how long should it take to get there?

Direction: which way do you need to go?

Description: what will you expect along the way? Are there any dangers?

Destination: how will you know you’ve arrived?

By working out the distance, you can estimate the duration of the navigation leg based on your average speed and by considering the character of the terrain you’ll face (see know your pace for more). Topographical maps are usually split into 1 x 1km squares, making it relatively easy to gauge how far it will be from A to B. When building a description in your head of what to expect, consider what dangers there may be and plan how you’ll ensure you avoid them.

If you’re striding along a flat plateau to your next waypoint, estimating timings will be straightforward, though your direction and your sense of pace will have to be spot on, as there won’t be as many clues in the terrain to reassure you that you’re actually headed where you think you are.

On the other hand, if your next leg is undulating, with changes of direction along a ridge (for example), working out the duration will be a little trickier, but at least you’ll have a more vivid description in your head of what to expect along the way, so you can check this against your experience while moving through the leg.

As with summer navigation, taking a bearing between known points is the best way to ensure you head the right direction. Always estimate the bearing between A and B by looking at the map before measuring it precisely. This avoids you getting it wrong by 180° (which can happen when you line the compass up with the map) and venturing off in the opposite direction to what you intend.

In poor visibility, walking on a bearing can be extremely challenging if the features you would have otherwise used to sight on are hidden by snow. With a bit of experience, dead-reckoning (solely using the compass while walking on a bearing) will work up to a point, at least until a more suitable sighting point becomes visible, though it’s not ideal. You could also send another member of your party (who should also be walking on the bearing) ahead until they reach the edge of your visibility. Communication here is key and progress can be painfully slow. If alone, throw a snowball ahead in line with your bearing and repeat.

When it comes to arriving at your destination, you should have a clear picture in your mind’s eye of what it should look like. Catching features are useful here. These are features that stop you (hence catching) from heading the wrong way. When studying the map and choosing your destination, also think ‘what should I expect to see if I go too far?’. It could be anything from a significant change in gradient to a linear feature like a wall or stream. Again, bear in mind that such features could be hidden in winter, so an assessment of the contours is once again key.

Know your pace

• Naismith’s rule can be useful for estimating how long it'll take to cover a nav leg
• Shorter legs can be paced if you know how many double steps you do in 100 meters

Knowing your pace, the speed at which you cover terrain, allows you to continually assess where you are on the map. If you apply the 5 Ds and estimate your timings correctly, checking your watch to see how much time has elapsed between A and B should provide you with more confidence that you are where you think you are when arriving at your destination. Many British mountaineers use Naismith’s Rule: 1 hour for every 5km and 1 minute for every 10 meters of height gain. If you know you’re faster or slower than this, you can adapt it to your own purposes.

When it comes to short, intricate navigation legs, pacing is a vital skill. By knowing approximately how many double steps it takes you to cover 100 meters, you can pace out shorter distances with a good level of confidence. Anything from 25 meters to 400 meters can be estimated – though once you get to something like 500 meters, you’re probably better off estimating timings rather than pacing.

Do not rely on digital aids

• Digital devices can loose battery and signal
• They can be difficult to operate wearing thick gloves

There’s a strong argument that, in this day and age, digital aids and apps make navigation quicker and easier, removing much of the human error factor that could rear its head when using a map and compass. However, mountain rescue teams get called out all the time to aid lost winter hikers who were relying solely on their phone.

The main issues here are that digital devices can run out of battery, lose signal and that devices can deskill the user if they end up relying on them alone. Freezing temperatures drain a device’s battery quickly, so it’s often the case that people are left with no way to navigate. If you’re using your phone every 30 seconds to find your way and constantly using its data, your battery ain’t gonna last long. Operating a device also can be very tricky when wearing thick gloves, especially those with touchscreens.

However...

But do use them in a fix

• The ability to relocate with a device is great in a fix
• Adopt strategies to safeguard your device's operation

That you shouldn’t rely on digital aids doesn’t mean you should never use them. If all else fails, having a quick, convenient way to attain your exact location is very useful and there are a number of devices and phone apps that allow you to do this. And, of course, you’ll need your phone to call rescue services in an emergency. So, by all means, bring your digital devices but follow these tips:

Make sure your devices are fully charged – this is a no brainer.

Have a strategy to keep it that way – don’t use your phone too often and switch it to airplane mode to conserve battery – yes, GPS will still work. I also carry a power bank with my phone’s USB cable so that I can always recharge it if necessary.

Keep your devices dry and warm – storing your phone close to your body, somewhere that’s also waterproof, is ideal for protecting battery life and keeping it operational. I love the way the Berghaus MTN Guide GTX Pro Jacket has a little insulated inner pocket designed specifically for this.

Don’t rely on data – download all the maps you’ll need onto your device so that they can be used in offline mode.

Bring backups – the skills to use a map and compass will mean you’ll have a backup for navigation. However, carrying an additional way to communicate or seek help is a good idea, such as a GPS unit or a simple spare mobile phone.

Do not panic

If you think you’re lost, there are always strategies you can use to get back on track. If you’re in a group, use your survival shelter to temporarily escape the elements. Eat some food, have a hot drink and take stock of the situation – think about how to relocate. Check your location on a device or think about how you’re going to get back to your last known point. Come up with a plan and execute.

Crampons are essential tools for mountaineers and alpinists, providing the wearer with unbeatable traction on steep, icy terrain. However, as is the case with an ice axe, simply having crampons doesn’t make your wintry adventures any safer – you have to know how to use them properly. That all starts with how to put them on.

Over the years, we’ve seen plenty of people lose a crampon halfway into a mountaineering route. In these cases, it’s likely that the device wasn’t fitted correctly and, fortunately, it’s usually happened on relatively forgiving ground without serious consequences. While it’s true that we all learn from our mistakes, trust us when we say that you don’t want to lose a crampon on committing mountain ground. Knowing how to put crampons on properly from the get-go is the best way to stay safe.

In this step-by-step guide, one of our mountaineering experts takes us through the process – from selecting the right crampons in the first place to securely attaching them to your footwear.

How to put crampons on

Here are the 8 steps you should take when putting crampons on. For more about each step, click on the links below or scroll further down the guide.

1 Get the right crampons for your boots: crampons are only compatible with certain types of boot.

2 Practise putting them on before heading out: you don’t want to be faffing around too much while halfway up a snowy mountain.

3 Know when to put them on: you only really need crampons when venturing into steep, icy terrain.

4 Find a suitable spot: you’ll want a relatively flat area to put your crampons on.

5 Place crampons so that they’re easy to step into: open up the binding system and place the crampons slightly uphill of yourself.

6 Step into the crampon and clip in at the heel: the heel clip should snap into place at the back of the boot.

7 Thread the straps through the binding system and tidy it up: guide the straps through the slot in the front cage, through the double buckle and then back through a single loop of the buckle.

8 Do a visual inspection and give them a test: check everything looks correct or ask your buddy to do it for you, before testing that the fit is secure by stamping around.

Meet the expert

What are crampons?

Crampons are spikes attached to a metal frame and a binding system that can be secured to a mountaineering or winter hiking boot.

The spikes, known as points or teeth, provide excellent traction on steep, icy terrain. Between the front and the heel of the device is the linking bar, which can be adjusted to shorten or lengthen the crampon. As well as the points, the underside features rounded areas known as anti-balling plates. These are designed to stop snow from accumulating between the teeth.

The binding system comprises a front cage, a heel clip (or heel basket depending on type) and binding straps to pull everything together. The straps are secured with a double loop buckle.

Get the right crampons for your boots

Unlike other winter traction devices, such as Yaktrax or Microspikes, crampons won’t fit every kind of hiking shoe or boot.

Mountaineering and winter hiking boots – often called mountain boots – are specifically designed to be compatible with crampons, featuring a notably stiff outsole and often a heel welt for a crampon’s heel clip to snap onto. Boots that feature a heel welt are known as B2s or mountain boots.

There are also B1s, which don’t have a heel welt but will still fit some types of crampon. At the other end of the scale are B3s – boots used for technical mountaineering and ice climbing. These have both a heel welt and a ridge at the toes for an even more secure attachment.

You’ll struggle to attach crampons to other types of footwear. If you do manage it, they’re likely to come loose, as the shoe will be too flexible compared to a mountain boot.

As well as this, there’s the fact that different types of crampons suit different kinds of boot. C1 crampons, known as flexible or basket binding crampons, wrap around the boot using a heel basket, toe binding and straps. Standard C2 crampons are stiffer and feature a heel clip for a secure attachment to B2 boots. Finally, C3 crampons are the most technical tools of the lot, designed for winter climbing and high-altitude mountaineering. They’re the stiffest and clip into the boot at both the heel and the toe.

If all of this sounds a bit confusing, getting it right is a doddle, as the types match up. So, a C1 crampon is best for a B1 boot, a C2 crampon is best for a B2 boot and, surprise surprise, a C3 crampon is best for a B3 boot.

For the purposes of this guide, I’ll mainly be talking about standard C2 crampons, the kind that feature a heel clip for attaching to a B2 mountain boot, though the general principles are the same for C1 crampons too.

Practise putting them on before heading out

The length of a pair of crampons is adjustable, otherwise you’d have to buy a specific size. So, it should go without saying that you should fit your crampons to your boots at home or in the valley before heading out into the mountains. An adjustment clip is moved up and down the several numbered holes on the linking bar, allowing you to find the exact fit for your boots.

It may also be the case that, having fitted the crampons, you’re left with quite a lot of excess strap. Cut off this surplus length, as the only purpose it'll serve is as a trip hazard. You should leave just enough to give you a little to play with, basically enough to grab and tighten.

If you're using a C2 crampon, it may be that the heel clip needs some adjustment. Some crampons allow you to adjust the position of the bar that attaches the clip to the points. This may be necessary if getting the clip to snap into place is too much of a struggle.

As well as ensuring the fit is correct, it’s worth practising attaching your crampons several times at home anyway. When you’re in the thick of a mountain adventure, you want to be able to add your crampons with the minimum of fuss. Rehearse all of this while wearing your hiking gloves, as you won’t want to be taking them off while on the hill if it’s absolutely Baltic.

Know when to put them on

You don’t necessarily need crampons as soon as the mountains start wearing their white coat in winter, as you’ll be able to make plenty of progress by kicking steps in the snow with your winter boots, or cutting steps with your ice axe.

However, you may come to a point where these tactics prove either inefficient or the terrain becomes so icy that your boots are no longer providing enough purchase. It’s on steep, icy ground that crampons come into their own. It’s obviously worth fitting crampons on relatively kind terrain before you get to this stage – this is a judgement that comes with experience.

Find a suitable spot

Before you get your crampons out of your pack, you’ll want to find a relatively flat area – though a bit of a slope is useful for placing your crampons slightly uphill when stepping into them. You can always use your ice axe to create a level platform and don’t forget to flatten out some ground for your backpack too – you don’t want it sliding off and doing its best impression of a sledge while you’re busy fitting your spikes.

You'll also want to make sure you've got a crampon bag to protect the contents of your pack from the sharp points. Just don't forget to stash the bag back in the pack while you're fitting your crampons, otherwise it might blow away!

Place crampons so that they are easy to step into

Ideally, you’ll want to stay stood up when putting your crampons on. This avoids subjecting your waterproofs to wear and tear against the terrain below, saves your backside from getting thoroughly frozen and stops you sliding off down the mountain. Place the crampons in front of you so that they’re easy to step into, with the straps, front cage (also referred to as the toe binding) and heel clip out of the way.

If you’re on a slope, which is more than likely, place the crampons slightly uphill of where you’re stood. Do nothing in haste here, the last thing you want to do is mix up left and right – look for the curve in the linking bar. L and R are also often marked on the crampons themselves – but not always.

Step into the crampon and clip in at the heel

Step into the crampon, with your toes right up to the front cage and your heel snug to the lugs at the back. Once your foot’s in, lift the heel clip so that the bottom of the clip aligns with your boot’s heel welt. Next, push the top of the clip forward so that it snaps into place on the back of the boot.

Thread the straps through the binding system

Now, run the binding strap up through the slot on the front cage and back through both loops of the double buckle on the opposite side. Take time to ensure the straps don’t get twisted, as this could lead to them becoming loose later on. Then, feed the strap back through the buckle’s front loop and pull until tight. You should have already cut the strap down to size before being out on the mountain.

Do a visual inspection and give them a test

Check all is in order, before setting out into the sort of technical terrain you’ve put the crampons on for in the first place. You can do this on your own or ask a buddy to quickly assess your work. Things to keep an eye out for are your heel not being flush against the back lugs, the heel clip not sitting properly on the welt, twisted straps, excess straps that could cause a trip hazard and that you haven’t committed a cardinal sin by mixing up left and right.

Finally, stamp around on the ground around your fitting site to check the attachment is secure. You should quickly be able to feel if all is not well. Your crampon should not be loose in the slightest – it should feel as though it is a spiky extension of your boot.

And you're good to go! Have fun. Stomping around winter mountains wearing crampons and wielding an ice axe is one of life's great pleasures. Enjoy!

A cold Arctic blast descended on Britain in the first days of 2025, bringing freezing temperatures and transforming the hills and mountains into potentially dangerous environments. On Thursday, January 2, high pressure brought blue skies and clear air – the sort of conditions that are a siren song to avid hill goers. Many, myself included, headed for the fells of the Lake District on that day to blow away the winter cobwebs.

Around midday, members of the Keswick Mountain Rescue team were called out to an incident on the notorious Sharp Edge, a narrow crest of rock on Blencathra, a mountain in the national park's Northern Fells. This arête is a popular grade one scramble in summer and a serious mountaineering objective when covered in snow. The rock is well polished from the passage of countless hiking boots and is renowned for being dangerously slippery when wet or iced up, particularly a sloping section known as ‘the Bad Step’. The gully below this treacherous section is known to Mountain Rescue as ‘the Usual Gully’.

That day, when the rescuers arrived at Sharp Edge, they discovered that the casualty had tragically died, having fallen 230ft / 70 meters from the ridge. His body was airlifted from the scene by a coastguard helicopter.

According to Keswick Mountain Rescue there have been 11 recorded deaths on Sharp Edge between 1949 and 2018, not to mention the many incidents that didn’t end in a fatality. The popular Striding Edge on nearby Helvellyn is another notorious ridge that has been the scene of several deaths over the years.

So, it’s clear that there are serious risks involved when taking on narrow mountain ridges, even those that are perennially popular. As someone who has tackled my fair share down the years, including Sharp Edge on many occasions and in all kinds of conditions, here I share my top tips on how to stay safe on mountain ridges.

How to stay safe on mountain ridges

1. Do your research: Read up on the specifics of the ridge you plan to tackle.

2. Check the weather forecast: Find out what the conditions will be like and decide on the best course of action.

3. Avoid high winds: A strong gust has the potential to blow you off a narrow arête.

4. Choose the right footwear: Quality hiking or mountaineering footwear will provide better grip.

5. Never push your grade in challenging conditions: If you’re upping the difficulty, do so in kind conditions.

6. Don’t climb anything you wouldn’t be confident downclimbing: You could climb yourself into a trap.

7. Hire an instructor: A mountain guide will help you traverse ridges safely.

8. Know how to call for help: In case of an emergency, know how to call mountain rescue.

9. The mountains will be there another day: If in doubt, turn back and find another, safer way.

1. Do your research

Every mountain ridge is different, with varying levels of difficulty, often denoted by a scrambling or climbing grade. Some are relatively level, narrow and potentially unnerving, like the infamous Crib Goch in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. Some have more ups and downs than a rollercoaster, like Scotland’s legendary Aonach Eagach. Others are a much broader labyrinth of rock, like Eryri’s Tryfan North Ridge. Many require climbing skills and equipment, like the Isle of Skye’s classic Black Cuillin.

Adverse weather makes a traverse all the more challenging, though not all ridges are affected in the same way. Sharp Edge becomes much more dangerous when wet, yet other ridges only become slightly more challenging. A narrow tightrope like Crib Goch or the Aonach Eagach are an absolute no-go in gusty conditions, while others are relatively safe in moderately high winds.

Here's the thing: there’s no way you could know all of this without doing your research beforehand. Read up on your intended route, watch videos so that you know what to expect and speak to people who’ve done it before. Collect as much information as you can on the ridge to make informed decisions before heading out. Take a guidebook along with you or detailed notes and images on your phone.

2. Check the weather forecast

Once you have an idea of the character of your objective, you should check the weather forecast to see if it’s a goer or not. I’ve had my eyes on certain ridges only to turn to Plan B because of high winds or rain in the forecast. Make sure to consult a dedicated mountain weather forecast as it will have much more relevant detail than a standard forecast.

Your decision on whether or not to go for your objective will depend on your level of experience (see never push your grade in challenging conditions). A load of snow and freezing conditions will attract seasoned mountaineers to certain ridges but those without the necessary skills and equipment should avoid the more challenging ridges like the plague.

3. Avoid high winds

As mentioned, a strong, sudden gust can blow a hiker straight off a mountain ridge, with devastating consequences. These arêtes tend to be exposed places, so it’s likely that they’ll receive the full brunt of the prevailing winds. I’d always advise waiting for calm days with wind speeds of 25mph or less for taking on a narrow ridge. Pay attention to the stated speed of gusts in the forecast.

4. Choose the right footwear

Sturdy hiking boots, approach shoes and mountaineering boots are all designed to grip scrambling terrain with aplomb and are the ideal footwear for ridge traverses. They tend to have a stiffer sole than other forms of outdoor footwear, providing a better hold when edging – a climbing term that describes the action of having only a small part of the shoe in contact with the rock. Meanwhile, their grippy rubber outsoles provide traction when smearing. Cheaper hiking shoes and trail running shoes won’t provide the same security and performance on rock but will be fine on ridges that involve nothing more challenging than standard hiking.

It should go without saying that mountaineering equipment is probably required in winter conditions. Mountain ridges that are serious enough to pose a risk of falling from pretty much always require an ice axe and crampons, with the skills and knowledge of how to use them. Microspikes and similar traction devices are better than nothing but are unlikely to be up to the task of the steep ground often faced on these sorts of traverses.

5. Never push your grade in challenging conditions

There’s no mountain police: you can go where you like. No one is going to stop you heading out to attempt an ambitious route and pushing your grade in the process. That's a personal decision. It's in this way that we expand our personal comfort zones, allowing us to consider ever more exciting and demanding routes in the mountains.

However, one piece of advice that I’d always give is not to up the ante when the conditions are against you.

As an example, if you’re eying up a grade 3 route having successfully completed a grade 2, wait for conditions to be on your side. I once had a bit of an epic on a route in Wales’ Eryri National Park on a route that was a summer grade 1 but became a winter grade 2/3 under snow and ice. Don’t underestimate the jump in difficulty that adverse conditions can bring.

6. Do not climb anything you would not be confident downclimbing

Mountain Rescue are often called out to people who climb themselves into a trap, too afraid to continue and daunted by the prospect of downclimbing a tricky section they’ve just come up. After all, climbing downwards is generally more difficult than climbing upwards. On some ridges, it’s possible to stray off the easiest route and end up on something much harder.

With this in mind, never climb a section that you wouldn’t be confident downclimbing, especially if you’re unsure of whether or not you’re following the correct line. Again, this is where researching your route beforehand comes into play. It’s better to make committing moves when safe in the knowledge that you’re on the right track. This is one of the reasons why having details of the route with you in guidebook form is a good idea.

7. Hire an instructor

If there’s a route that you’re hankering to take on but you’re worried you don’t have the experience, skills or equipment to tackle it safely, hiring a mountaineering instructor is the way to go. Not only will they see you safely across, but they’ll be also able to teach you the advanced skills you’ll need to be more independent next time around.

Instructors and guides are absolute fonts of knowledge on their local mountains and you’ll likely learn loads that you wouldn’t have simply by heading into the hills on your own or with friends. Having a guide at your side also removes the stress of route finding, allowing you to fully concentrate on the enjoyment of the traverse.

8. Know how to call for help

Should the worst happen and an emergency occur, knowing how to call Mountain Rescue is key. See the link in the previous sentence for specifics on how to do this in different parts of the world, but generally when you get through to Mountain Rescue they’ll ask for the following details:

• Location (ideally with a grid reference). On high mountains, you will also be asked to give an approximate altitude.
• Name, gender and age of the casualty.
• The details of the emergency and suspected injuries sustained.
• What the weather conditions are like.
• The number of people in your group.
• Your contact details.

If you’re unable to get a signal, there are several other ways to call for help in the mountains. Every first aid kit should have a whistle and many backpacks have an integrated one these days. You can also use your headlamp or flashlight to signal SOS with three short flashes, followed by three long flashes and other three short flashes.

9. The mountains will be there another day

If in doubt – maybe you’re just not feeling it on the day or the weather looks like it’s about to make a turn for the worse – remember that the mountains will be there another day. Don’t hesitate to shift to a Plan B if necessary. As legendary British mountaineer Edward Whymper once said: “Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.”

Whether you're new to racing or a seasoned pro, I can safely bet that you've slept badly before a race at least once. Pre-race nerves affect us all, and one of the most common manifestations is the inability to sleep the night before you compete, something that's especially frustrating knowing just how important sleep is for our performance.

Performance anxiety and heightened stress before the big day is normal, but trying to sleep when you're anxious can be far more difficult than any training plan. It goes against everything our body tells us; when your fight or flight mode is triggered, your brain tells your body not to relax.

Fortunately, though, you can implement some helpful strategies in the run-up to your race to help you get better sleep the night before and feel rested enough to take on the challenge – many of them are even used by elite athletes and Olympians. Here, experts share their best tips on how to improve sleep when those pre-race jitters take ahold.

1. Adjust your bedtime in the run up to race day

Sleep and exercise go hand-in-hand, but to boost your chances of good sleep the night before a race, it's better to look at the bigger picture than rely on short-term "sticking plaster" solutions. For example, adjusting your sleep routine in the weeks running up to your race is the best way to ensure you drift off easily the night before.

"Gradually adjusting your bedtime can help your body get into a rhythm," explains Dr. Shelby Harris, Director of Sleep Health at Sleepopolis. "It’s all about consistency – keeping a regular sleep schedule in the week leading up to the race will be helpful."

Many experts even claim that the night's rest before a race has little bearing on your performance the next day. Professional sports sleep coach Nick Littlehales, author of Sleep (on Amazon), recommends the R90 technique which looks at sleep through a lens of 90-minute cycles over the course of a week, rather than hours per night, taking the pressure off sleep the night before race day.

"Think of it like nutrition; it's the long game that is more important," says neurologist and sleep specialist Chris Winter, author of The Sleep Solution (available at Amazon). "Whether or not you had a good serving of vegetables the night before the race means little."

2. Adopt good sleep hygiene

It goes without saying, but paying attention to general sleep hygiene is crucial the night before a competition and will be the simplest way to prepare for your first race. Think of these as your shorter-term solutions that produce a better sleep environment.

"Avoid screen time at least 90 minutes before shut-eye, dim the lights as soon as possible in the evening, and cool the room," recommends Zandy Mangold, running coach at Trails & Roots. "You can level up by wearing an eye mask, earplugs, or by taking a natural sleep aid like a CBD supplement or sipping an herbal tea."

3. Avoid big meals before bed

Fuelling up before a race is undeniably important, but besides knowing what to eat before running, you should also pay attention to when you eat. Many runners fall into the trap of overloading on carbs with their evening meal to make sure they have plenty of energy, but this mistake can really hinder sleep.

"If you’ve had a meal that's bigger than normal or drank more fluid than you usually would in an evening, you’re not going to sleep as well because your body's digesting the food or you're up to the toilet through the night," says Andy Brooks, Head Coach at Peak Running. "Don’t eat anything you’re not used to either, and have your meal relatively early so that your food's mostly digested before you go to bed."

4. Get plenty of morning light

A good night's rest starts when you wake up. That's because the habits you perform in the first few hours of the day can hugely affect your sleep, one of the being receiving morning sunlight, which is crucial to your health.

"Expose yourself to blue light – or daylight – at least to the levels of 10,000 lux within the first 90-minute cycle of your day," says Nick. "This stimulates the hormone serotonin and other mood-boosting chemicals."

Natural light will also help to regulate your circadian rhythm and trigger the production of melatonin throughout the latter part of the day, helping you to feel more tired by the evening.

5. Pack your race essentials before bed

One tip everyone should add to their list of race day hacks to guarantee better sleep is pre-planning your arrangements, rather than leaving them until the last minute. The simple act of preparing your kit and any travel plans before you hit the hay will streamline your morning and minimize those stressful thoughts when your head hits the pillow.

Organizing your essentials is so easy but so effective when it comes to a good night's rest, especially if you're the type of person who finds it hard to get to sleep. The simple ritual of laying out your kit, race number, and your bag will give you instant peace of mind. "You want to be able to get up and go rather than worry about where your favorite pair of socks are," says Andy.

6. Avoid long runs the day before a race

Ever found that you can't sleep after a long run? It's a common problem for many runners, so don't put yourself at risk before race day by heading out on a long trail run the day prior.

This isn't to say you can't train at all, but it's best to avoid anything too intensive. "Some people find that a light jog helps get the legs moving and ease pre-race nerves, so that can be helpful depending on your routine," says Dr Shelby. Since you will have finished tapering your run or gym session can be short and sweet, plus they're best done in the morning, rather than later in the day.

7. Try sleep aids or supplements if necessary

There are so many natural methods to improve your chances of good sleep, but if you feel like you're fighting a losing battle, you might want to consider sleep aids or supplements.

Melatonin – a hormone your brain naturally produces in response to darkness – is often advised by medical professionals, but it's only available with a prescription in certain countries. "I generally recommend trying it only if you really need it," says Dr Shelby. "If you choose to take it, don't do so for the first time the night before the race, and avoid exceeding 3mg."

Other sleeping pills can be used to treat chronic insomnia, or you can try natural sleep aids like valerian root, CBD, or magnesium instead. Generally, though, adopting some positive habits and a good sleep routine is enough to ensure you sleep soundly and wake-up fresh faced before that all-important race.

When it comes to choosing climbing shoes, it’s not a decision you want to get wrong. A well-chosen shoe is your ally on the wall – a protective and grippy extension of your own foot that enables you to push up the grades with a smile. An ill-considered choice could be woefully uncomfortable, unsuited to the kind of climbing you’re doing and detract from the overall experience.

With this in mind, we asked one of our climbing and mountaineering experts to reveal how to choose climbing shoes that’ll match your ambitions and climbing style.

How to choose climbing shoes

When choosing climbing shoes, follow these steps:

Consider whether climbing shoes are what you need: it may be that approach shoes would be better suited to your aspirations.

Consider the type of climbing shoes you need: neutral, moderate or aggressive shoes each have different qualities.

Get closure: choose between versatile lace-ups, convenient straps or low profile slip-ons, again based on the kind of climbing you intend to do most.

Size down to get the right fit: it’s likely your climbing shoes will be a smaller size than your other footwear, as you’re looking for a tight fit.

Try at least a few different pairs: every foot is different and climbing shoes come in different shapes to match – try at least a few to find your best fit.

Comfort is key: At the end of the day comfort is the be all and end all. You won’t want to climb in shoes that are painfully uncomfortable.

Remember, your shoes should be comfortable yet tight fitting, your toes should be touching the end (ideally with a slight curl), your heel should also fit snugly and the type of climbing shoe should match the kind of climbing you’ll be doing. You should be able to stand on your toes without the heel being uncomfortable against your Achilles tendon.

Meet the expert

What is a climbing shoe?

A climbing shoe is a type of footwear designed specifically for rock or indoor climbing. They’re intended to fit snugly, matching the shape of the foot, and feature flat, sticky rubber outsoles that provide maximum traction on the wall. Unlike hiking shoes or running shoes, they’re not designed to be comfortable to walk in.

Consider whether climbing shoes are what you need

If you’re racking up a fortune in hire costs at your local bouldering wall, you need climbing shoes. If you're into sport climbing, you need climbing shoes. If you’re looking to seriously push up through the trad grades, you need climbing shoes.

If you’re more of a scrambler or mountaineer looking to add easier climbs into the experience, you’ll probably be more comfortable in a pair of approach shoes. These are designed as a halfway house between hiking shoes and climbing shoes and are suitable for less technical climbs. Some big wall climbers even use them, especially if there’s a lot of aid climbing involved.

Work out what type of climbing shoe you need

There are broadly three types of modern climbing shoe: neutral, moderate and aggressive. 

Neutral climbing shoes: These feature a flat profile and are much more comfortable than more aggressive climbing shoes on long-multi-pitch climbs.

Moderate climbing shoes: These have a moderately downturned profile and a thinner sole than neutral shoes. Not quite as comfortable on long routes, they are, nevertheless, a good all-rounder that can be used on pretty much all kinds of climbs.

Aggressive climbing shoes: These have an aggressively downturned profile and a thin sole, which gives them power, precision and sensitivity on difficult routes. They're the least comfortable and the least durable too, but also the highest performing.

The best type of shoes for you will depend on the style and difficulty of the climbing you intend to take on and the length of time you’ll be wearing the shoe.

For example, if you’re looking to do crack climbing, a neutral shoe with a stiffer sole will allow you to effectively jam your foot into cracks. Other reasons you might want a neutral shoe is that they’re more comfortable for extended wear. So, if you’re mostly going to be taking on long, multi-pitch routes or spending long days at the gym, neutral shoes are best. The Black Diamond Momentum is a good beginner choice.

Or, if you’re a newcomer to climbing or haven’t discovered a niche that you prefer, a moderate shoe may make sense, as it’ll be a good all-rounder.

Whereas you’ll want an aggressive pair if you’re taking on really challenging, single-pitch sport climbing routes that involves precise and tiny toe placements.

Get closure

There are generally three types of closure to choose from: laces, strap and slip-on. Each have their own pros and cons, as well as different situations that they excel in.

The most versatile closure type – and therefore a good choice for beginner climbers – is laces. You can bring everything in tight for precision on the crux and then loosen when your feet start to moan, swell up or when it’s time to shuffle off the crag.

A strap closure usually uses Velcro and is a convenient option if you’re going to be taking your shoes on and off repeatedly during sessions. This makes them popular with gym goers and boulderers.

Slip-on shoes have no fastening, instead employing elastic around the ankle to seal everything in tight. This makes them ideal for wedging into thin cracks, as they have a lower profile than shoes with laces or straps. They also tend to have less rugged soles and midsoles, providing enhanced sensitivity.

Size down to get the right fit

Climbing shoes don’t need to be massively uncomfortable, but they do need to provide a very snug fit, with no dead space between the shoe and the foot, as well as a slight curl at the toes.

I found that I had to size down from my usual shoe size to achieve this fit when I bought my first pair of climbing shoes. In fact, La Sportiva recommend ‘buying a climbing shoe that is 2 sizes smaller than the size used for other types of footwear’. Of course, there’s no one size fits all, so it’s important to test the fit before fully committing to a purchase. If you’re buying from a climbing store, ask an attendant for some assistance. If you’re buying online, make sure there’s a returns option so that you’re not fully committed to the first pair you try.

One other thing to mention when finding the right size is that the volume of your feet changes during the day. As an extreme example, if you’ve ever been on a long-haul flight you’ll know that they can absolutely balloon in size. However, as there’s not much scope for climbing on a 737, you don’t need to consider this amount of bloating. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to try new pairs on after midday, ideally after something like a hike or a run.

Try at least a few different pairs

The foundation of all quality pairs of footwear is the last. The last is basically a foot-shaped mould that footwear manufacturers use to shape their designs around. Just as every foot is slightly different, so too is every last and you’ll find that some simply don’t fit your foot as well as others. With this in mind, try a few different pairs to find a fit that’s right for you. Remember, the shoe should be tight but not painful, without any dead space inside. Your toes should reach the end of the shoe but not be absolutely crammed in like sardines in a tin.

The shape of the last also effects the performance and shape of the shoe. For example, most neutral shoes are straight lasted, which gives them their flatter profile. Asymmetric lasts, usually used in moderate or aggressive shoes, are more performance orientated and provide more power on the inside edge. Meanwhile, a downturned last, again used in moderate and aggressive shoes, curves towards the toes, enabling advanced techniques like toe and heel hooking.

Comfort is key

If you’re just getting into rock climbing, comfort is your number one priority. Don’t let people tell you that climbing shoes should be painfully uncomfortable to enable you to take on challenging routes. The truth is that painful shoes will probably put you off climbing altogether, or you’ll end up having to splash out all over again on a pair that don’t feel like foot torture. In the worst-case scenario, you might end up doing permanent damage to your toes. Comfort is key.

Do you have a boundless love for getting out there in your hiking boots, but a busy life brimming with deadlines and school pick-ups? If you don’t have endless time at your disposal to spend on the trail, you might be looking for ways to get the most out of your hikes. 

Over the years, I’ve run the gamut from freelancer with practically unlimited time to hike to full-time desk jobs where I'm hard-pressed to get enough time on the trail to keep me sane. I've come up with a few creative ways to maximize my time on the trail when that time isn't as long as I'd like.

There are obviously practical things you can do, like picking trails close to home to cut down on travel time, and in the summer months you can hike much earlier in the morning and later in the evening. But if you've only got an hour or two, try these four hacks to get the most out of your time on the hiking trail.

1. Try rucking 

If you’ve ever gone hiking with a friend who’s bigger than you and then compared your calorie expenditures on your GPS watches afterward, you’ll have noticed that they burned more calories than you did doing the exact same activity. Annoying, but as it turns out, all you need to do to reap more reward from your own hike is to weigh more yourself.

Rucking is a term for hiking with a weighted backpack. It’s a common military training tool, but at first, I was a little skeptical. There is research that shows that the way it’s implemented in the military can be injurious, and I primarily hike to enjoy the outdoors and get away from the grind. So adding unnecessary weight – meaning that which is outside of the typical hiking essentials I always pack – somehow felt a little too gym-oriented for my liking.

But once I tried it on a short hike in England’s Lake District, I got it. If you make yourself heavier and resist the urge to slow down, you’ll improve your cardiovascular endurance and work your leg muscles more. And as long as you adjust your backpack properly, it's really not uncomfortable.

Contrary to what you might think, you don’t need to add a ton of weight to make a difference. In the beginning, you can add just five or ten pounds to your backpack using a filled water bladder or sandbags (I’ve even carried a boulder as an experiment). Just remember that adding load of any kind places new stress on your soft tissues, so make sure you increase the weight slowly to give your body time to adapt.

2. Take on steeper slopes 

I love a long day on the trail and I have to admit that I can get a little grumpy when I don’t have much time to enjoy the outdoors. If my time is limited, I’ll pick a short but steep lung buster instead of just settling for a shorter section of a meandering trail and turning back early and unsatisfied.

A 2015 study in the Journal of Biomechanics found that those who walked at a 10 percent incline burned 30 percent more calories than those who walked on the level. Any time I’m climbing up a steeper slope, my sports watch shows greater calorie burn, my heart rate increases and I can feel my leg muscles working harder. Even half an hour of a sustained pace on a slope that’s 30 percent or more feels like a great workout compared to a couple of hours of mellow walking.

Wondering how to determine how steep a trail is? My Coros Pace 3 watch tells me that, but you can also look at topographical maps to get a feel for how steep a slope you’re in for, or use navigational apps to determine how much climbing is involved. In general, a trail that gains over 500 feet per mile is going to be tougher. 

One of my tricks is to check the route profile which I do with AllTrails+ and if most of the elevation gain is in the first mile or two, I know I can easily get some good return by just doing the first part of the hike. With it being a quick climb I can usually rely on some nice views, too.

3. Pick up the pace 

If weighted backpacks and steep slopes just don’t sound like your thing, there is another possibility, and that’s to go faster. Among other benefits, a 2023 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that lower mortality risk among walkers increases when you move at a moderate to fast pace.

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with being a slow hiker. In fact, there’s a lot to be said for taking your time and enjoying the journey. But if you know you could go a little faster and take fewer breaks, you’ll not only ask your cardiovascular system to work harder, you’ll see more of the trail in the same amount of time.

You also don’t have to run – although I’ll admit that I do sometimes opt for an adventure in my trail running shoes when I’m short on time – but trying to hike in the 2.5 to 3.5 per mile zone will help. 

This is another one you need to approach with care, so find a pace that still feels sustainable, and see if you can keep it up for half an hour without pausing. Getting a GPS watch to track your pace, shortening your stride and paying attention to your posture may help – get more ideas in our article on how to walk faster.

4. Use trekking poles 

I hiked for years without trekking poles, not because I thought there was anything wrong with them. I just didn’t think I needed them. Then I had a couple of knee surgeries and got a pair of Leki poles to suoport my knee for downhills. I quickly discovered how much they improved my hiking technique and now I use them all the time.

You might think trekking poles are mainly to help you keep your balance, take the strain off your knees or signal to others that you’re a serious hiker, but there’s actually research to suggest they have other benefits.

A 2023 scientific review published in Bioengineering found that using poles leads to higher oxygen consumption (VO2 max) without increasing your rate of perceived exertion. Basically, it means you work harder, but you don’t feel as though you do. Furthermore, your heart rate will be higher climbing up a slope with poles than without, most likely because you’re getting your arms involved, so you’re getting a better cardiovascular workout.

I have hiked the same mountains with and without poles and personally find they make me move more efficiently, so I tend to be faster, but don’t feel as though I’ve put in more effort (in fact, I now feel it’s harder to hike without poles). If walking with poles doesn’t come naturally to you, check out our guide to how to use trekking poles.

• What makes a good hiking trail?

There’s no two ways about it: if you’re adventuring anywhere but the most arid climates, you need a waterproof jacket. Waterproof jackets are an essential year-round piece of kit that protect you against the worst of the elements and a good one can easily be rolled up and packed away in your backpack when the weather is on your side.

As waterproof jackets have become more technical, they’ve grown more expensive and when you’re buying a new one, you want to make sure you buy right the first time. It needs to be robust enough to hold off whatever nature hurls your way, but the most technical hardshells can be far too much for more casual adventures and milder climates.

Trying to decipher terms like membrane, DWR and hook-and-loop fasteners can leave your head spinning, never mind the choice between 2-layer and 3-layer jackets, so we take all the work out of things and help you decode the label on your waterproof jacket. Read on to understand know exactly what you’re getting for your money, and make sure it’s the best choice for your upcoming adventures.

Face fabric

The face fabric is the fabric on the outside of your jacket. It’s typically made from either nylon or polyester and it can be made thicker or thinner depending on the jacket. A thicker face fabric with a higher denier (50 - 75) is usually more durable and will be found in hardshell jackets like The North Face Stolemberg 3L Dryvent while a thinner face fabric with a lower denier of 20 - 30 is best for lighter and more flexible jackets such as the Kathmandu Trailhead Stretch. 

Membrane 

In a technical waterproof jacket built for hiking, the membrane is the part that keeps you dry. This is a very thin, flexible piece of fabric made from plastic which keeps water out but also cleverly lets water vapor (AKA sweat) escape. Typically, this is bonded to the inside of the face fabric, so you can’t see it very well, but in Columbia’s OutDry Extreme line, it’s worn on the outside, which arguably works even better.

The most ubiquitous membrane used by outdoor brands is Gore-Tex, but there are many other Gore-Tex alternatives and some outdoor brands such as Montane are devising their own, more environmentally friendly membranes. Responding to environmental concerns, Gore-Tex has also switched to a PFAS-free approach to make waterproof membranes and in general, it’s a good idea to look for that term on the label.

2-layer, 3-layer

Technical waterproof jackets built for adventure are made by bonding together to two layers described above, while some have an additional third layer. A 2-layer jacket has an outer face fabric bonded to a breathable waterproof membrane with no lining, so the membrane is the layer closest to your body. 

A 3-layer jacket also has an inner lining that protects the membrane and helps make your jacket less noisy when you’re walking. As you might guess, 2-layer jackets are a bit lighter and more breathable but can be less durable than their 3-layer counterparts, which are better built for harsher conditions and a bit tougher. You can learn more about this distinction in our article on the differences between two-layer and three-layer jackets.

DWR 

In addition to a waterproof membrane, the face fabric of your jacket will be treated with DWR, which stands for Durable Water Repellency. DWR coatings are chemical treatments applied to the face fabric of your jacket to make it hydrophobic – it’s what causes the rainwater to bead on your jacket and it’s often described as your first line of defense in wet weather. 

There are two things to know about DWR as a consumer. First, these have historically been made using harmful chemicals, but brands are now embracing more environmentally friendly versions, so when you’re buying a new jacket, look for one with PFC-free DWR on the label.

Second, DWR wears off through wear and washing and needs to be reactivated. You can do this with gentle, dry heat, such as with a tumble dryer or placing a towel over your jacket and using an iron. If this doesn’t work, you may need to reapply the DWR. Learn more in our article on how to wash a Gore-Tex jacket.

Pit zips

A universal feature of waterproof jacket is that, no matter how breathable the membrane is, they’re by nature not the most breathable item in your wardrobe. In fact, they’re the least breathable. If you’re planning on working up a sweat in your waterproof jacket – say, you’re hiking up a steep mountain – you’re going to want to look for one with ventilation, and that basically means pit zips.

Pit zips are zips under the armpits that you can unzip on a hike to dump heat from a warm, sweaty area of your body without the rain getting in.

Two-way zipper

Two-way zippers are exactly what they sound like – zippers that you can unzip from the bottom as well as the top. These aren’t that important on mid layers like your fleece jacket, but they add a lot of value to a waterproof jacket, because it means you can access things in the pockets of your mid layer without unzipping your entire jacket in torrential rain.

Zipper garages

A waterproof zipper will provide a lot of protection, but there’s still a crack where rain can leak through and that’s at the very top of the zipper, especially if it’s not completely closed. Enter the zipper garage, which is a tiny pocket where you can stash the pull tab when your zipper is zipped all the way so no moisture can leak through.

Storm flap

A storm flap is a pretty standard detail on most jackets, but it’s still helpful to know why it’s there. This is the piece of waterproof fabric that either sits behind or overlays your front zipper. This forms a secondary protective barrier so that if any moisture does breach your zipper, it won’t reach your mid layer. It’s helpful if it’s at least one inch wide.

Chinguard

A chinguard is waterproof jacket speak for the collar, really, and it’s the part of the jacket that protects the lower part of your face when you zip it all the way up. This can help protect sensitive skin from wind and icy rain when you don’t have a neck gaiter and also keeps rain from going down the front of your jacket. Because this part touches your face, it’s nice when it’s lined with a little microfleece to avoid chafing.

Helmet compatible hood

Helmet compatible hoods are becoming more common on waterproof jackets like the Helly Hansen Odin 1 World Infinity Shell so that they can be worn for skiing and snowboarding. Thse are obviously bigger than regular hoods to fit over your helmet, but they can be tightened. However, if you only want a jacket for dryland activities this isn’t something you need to look for, and a regular hood will privde a more snug fit which is helpful on a windy day.

Hook-and-loop fasteners

Hook-and-loop is the generic name for the technology we usually refer to as “velcro,” however Velcro is actually a brand name so can’t be used ubiquitously. Anyway, this means that part of your jacket – usually the cuffs – can be cinched together by two pieces of material that stick together. These help to keep out the wet by making your cuffs tighter, and are easy to adjust when you’re wearing bulky hiking gloves.

• The best rain pants: stride out in confidence, whatever the weather

If you like getting out on the trails, the best running sunglasses should be one of your most important items of kit – and this is the case year-round, not just in the summer. Experts advise that anyone who spends time outdoors, whether running, hiking or cycling, needs to take care to protect their eyes from damaging ultra violet (UV) light emitted by the sun.

Sharon Copeland, an optician at Feel Good Contacts, explains that there are three types of UV rays that the sun emits: UVA, UVB and UVC.

She says: “UVC rays are the most damaging but they are absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere before they reach us and are not a direct threat.

“Meanwhile, UVA and UVB rays can have serious long and short-term effects on the eyes and our vision.”

Why runners need sunglasses for UV protection

There are different health risks caused by exposure to UV light including: 

• UV light can speed up the process of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This happens as we age but exposure to UV light can speed up the condition where the retina becomes damaged, resulting in central vision loss.
• Cataracts take the form of clouds that form on the lens of the eyes. These cause your vision to be “clouded”. There is a greater risk of cataracts due to exposure to UVB rays. Cataracts require surgery for removal.
• Pterygium can be the result of exposure to UV light and takes the form of a benign growth on the conjunctiva of your eye.
• Photokeratitis is usually caused by UVB light reflecting off snow and can lead to sunburning of the eye. This mostly takes the form of blurred vision or temporary sight loss.

The best way to protect your eyes is to stay away from bright sunlight but this is not always possible, especially if you are a runner. Also, sunlight does have health some benefits, such as being a natural source of Vitamin D and boosting feel-good hormones. This means, you should wear good quality sunglasses.

Sunglasses for runners: what to look for

This most important factor when choosing sunglasses is to ensure they will protect your eyes from UV radiation. Ideally, this means buying sunglasses with a UV 400 protection. 

UV 400 ensures the dark lenses filter out almost 100% of harmful ultraviolet light rays. The more technical explanation is the UV 400 blocks wavelengths up to 400 nanometers, including UVA and UVB rays. 

When looking at different types of sunglasses, check they are labelled with a CE or UV 400 mark, which confirms they conform with the EU standards of eye protection.

Copeland reveals other factors to consider when purchasing sunglasses for running. She says: “The sunglasses with the most protection from the sun’s rays are often those with a darker lens.

“Wrap-around style frames and frames that sit close to the face offer a fuller coverage of your eyes from different angles around the lenses. 

“Polarized sunglasses provide further protection against glare and halos from reflected rays if you are near water or snow.” 

It’s important to consider the size of the fames and lenses, too. The larger the lenses, the greater the protection for the eyes and also the eyelids and the skin around the eyes. Choosing frames with wider arms (also caled "temples") aids protection, too.

There will be many runners who also require prescription lenses. You can choose to wear contact lenses and then off-the-peg sunglasses, or purchase sunglasses with prescription lenses. Always check with the dispensing optician that the lenses include adequate UV filters.

As an extra precaution, if you wear everyday prescription glasses, ensure they have UV filters as standard in the lenses.

What lenses should runners choose for sunglasses?

There are all kinds of lenses with different colors, tints and coatings. While darker lenses can provide good protection from UV rays, on cloudier days you might not be able to see so well. This is why there are different colors and shades of lenses. 

Dr Elizabeth Hawkes, who is an oculoplastic surgeon, said: “The type of lenses that you choose for your sunglasses depends on what you will be using them for. 

“For example, tinted lenses are good for certain sports, because they reduce the light intensity and cut the glare, which helps to reduce eye strain. 

“Another consideration is whether or not the lenses are polarized. Polarized lenses reduce the glare from horizontal surfaces such as water, the road and snow. They can be more expensive but they are ideal if you’re doing lots of driving or spending time by water.”

Categories of lenses

Regardless of the color of the lens, whether dark brown, grey or red, it's vital you assess the the category number of lenses. The category of the lens for sunglasses equates to a percentage of the VLT (Visible Light Transmission), which details how much light the lens lets through.

• Category 0: 80 to 100% VLT
• Category 1: 46 to 79% VLT
• Category 2: 18 to 45% VLT
• Category 3: 8 to 17% VLT
• Category 4: 3 to 8% VLT. 

As a guide, for sunny weather and especially when spending time outdoors such as when running, you should look for “category 3” lenses as a minimum.

Lens coatings

When buying good quality sunglasses, including prescription sunglasses, you might be able to choose to pay for extra coatings. These may include mirrored coatings or anti-scratch coatings and mirrored coatings, although the best way to look after your sun spectacles is to keep them in a case or pouch when not in use.  

The best frames for running sunglasses

There are many different shapes and styles of sunglasses, so choosing the right look will be dependent runners trying on the sunglasses. For example, some frames shapes suit different shapes of faces. 

While the look of the sunglasses will be important, fit is even more vital.  As a runner, you will not want the glasses to keep on slipping down your face.

Many companies make sunglasses to fit different sized heads. You will want the sunglasses to stay put on your nose and also your ears so you should check the size of the frame and your head shape.

Check the the frames and lenses provide good coverage of the eye and skin around the eye for the best protection. Choose wider arms at the side of sunglasses for more protection from the sun. 

The sunglasses need to stay in place while you run. One way to check this is to put on the sunglasses and then move your head down, back and side to side. If the specs move at all, you know it is likely thy will slip around in your face when you run. 

Rubber or silicone-tipped arms and comfort nose pieces can be helpful for making sure the frame stays in place on your face. 

Regardless of the shape of the frame, whether wraparound or more traditional, you should look for lightweight sunglasses. Plastic frames and lenses made of polycarbonate, rather than glass, keep the weight to a minimum. 

Look for hinges that are likely to be more durable. Hinges that open inwards and also outwards are more likely to be long lasting, especially if you are constantly taking them on and off. 

The verdict on sunglasses for running

Eye experts recommend that when running it is important to have protection from the sun's harmful UV rays – and all year round. The best solution is a pair of comfortable and high quality of sunglasses. Adding a sun hat for running will improve your protection from the sun.

Want to know how to watch women's Olympic marathon live streams at Paris 2024? This guide will tell you everything you need to know, wherever you are in the world today. There are free viewing options in Australia, Canada and the UK, and we also explain how you can use a VPN to watch your usual coverage if you're away from home when the starting gun fires.

The marathon has been on the Olympic calendar since the very first modern Games in 1896, but the Paris route has to be among the most iconic in the event's history – especially as it recognizes the historic women's march on Versailles in 1789, during the French Revolution. The 26-and-a-bit-mile route starts at the Hôtel de Ville, passes the Louvre and the banks the River Seine, before crossing the city to the famous palace at Versailles. It then heads back across town via the Eiffel Tower before finishing at Esplanade Des Invalides. Beyond the numerous tourist-friendly landmarks – not that the runners will be stopping to take any snaps – it's a surprisingly hilly course, with 1430 feet (436 meters) of uphill to negotiate.

The women's race starts early in the Parisian morning, bringing the curtain down on the athletics program. The reigning champion and 2024 London Marathon winner, Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir, will be out to regain her title, but she's sure to face stiff competition from the Ethiopian contingent, Megertu Alemu, 2023 world champion Amane Beriso Shankule, and world record holder Tigst Assefa.

Scroll down for all the information you need to watch a women's Olympic marathon live stream on the final weekend of the 2024 Games. And if all this talk of going the distance has got you in the mood to hit the road for yourself, check out our guides to starting marathon running and the best road running shoes 2026. 

Watch free women's Olympics marathon live streams in Australia

When it comes to watching the Olympics, Aussies have it better than pretty much everyone. That's because Down Under, Channel 9 and its 9Now streaming service host the most comprehensive free-to-air Paris 2024 coverage anywhere in the world. That means that almost every session from the Games is available live via Channel 9's various platforms.

Your viewing options aren't limited to Channel 9, either, because subscription service Stan is also covering Paris 2024 ad-free, live and in 4K resolution. You can add Stan Sport to your Stan subscription for $15 per month. (Stan is also home to numerous other sports, including Champions League football and rugby union.)

Don't worry if you're adventuring overseas during the Olympics. Fans of distance running can watch women's Olympics marathon live stream as they would back home. All you need is a quality VPN, such as NordVPN, to watch your usual free stream when overseas. Find out more below.

Use a VPN to watch the women's Olympics marathon from anywhere

If you’re traveling abroad during the Olympics, geo-blocking restrictions mean you probably won't be able to watch your usual TV service as you would in your front room.

That doesn't mean you have to miss out on the Olympics marathon, however. All you need to do to watch as if you were back home is get yourself a VPN (Virtual Private Network) – assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, of course.  A VPN creates a private connection between your device and the internet, meaning the service can’t work out where you are. As an added bonus, the info going back and forth is also entirely encrypted.

In a competitive field, the knowledgeable people at TechRadar put NordVPN at the top of the podium. 

How to watch the women's Olympics marathon for free in Canada

There's loads of free Olympics coverage available on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service. And if you have an issue with watching commercials, you can ditch the adds by paying $5.99 per month for CBC's Premium service. (You can take advantage of a seven-day free trial before you buy.)

Subscription services Sportsnet and TSN are also showing Olympics coverage.

How to watch women's Olympic marathon live streams in the US

NBCUniversal has a massive Olympics offering for US viewers, with coverage spread across broadcast and cable channels (including NBC, CNBC, the USA Network and the Golf Channel), and the Peacock streaming service.

A Peacock Premium subscription costs $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. If you want to go ad-free, Peacock Premium Plus will cost you $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year. 

You'll be able to watch women's Olympics marathon live streams on Peacock and the USA Network.

Don't have cable? It doesn't have to be a problem. Sling is a smart TV service that allows viewers based in the US to watch cable channels on their TV, laptop or tablet without actually having to subscribe to an annual cable TV package. USA Network is available on Sling with the Sling Blue package, which costs $40 per month ($20 for the first month).

How to watch women's Olympic 2024 marathon live streams in the UK

The BBC has long been synonymous with the Olympics, and the UK's national broadcaster is delivering loads of free-to-air Olympics action throughout the duration of the Games. Terrestrial channels, the Red Button and the BBC iPlayer streaming service will all be part of the Beeb's offering, but remember that you will need a valid TV Licence to tune in.

But you won't be able to watch every moment of the games in the company of the BBC, as the broadcaster only has rights to air two live streams at any time. In other words, if the BBC overlords aren't pointing their cameras at the marathon course then you'll have to look elsewhere.

If you want to guarantee you get to watch an Olympics 2024 women's marathon live stream, the most comprehensive service is provided by subscription services Eurosport and Discovery Plus. They're offering a whopping 3,800 hours of live coverage across 55 streams.

A Discovery Plus Standard plan would usually set you back £6.99 a month but if you subscribe before August 11, the fee is reduced to £3.99 a month – and new subscribers will be able to take advantage of that discounted rate until the end of 2024.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Want to know how to watch men's Olympics marathon swimming live streams at Paris 2024? This guide has got you sorted, wherever you are in the world right now. There are free viewing options in Australia, Canada and the UK, and we also explain how you can use a VPN to watch your usual coverage if you're away from home when the open water events get underway.

The women's race was won by the Netherlands' Sharon van Rouwendaal, regaining a title she won at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Australia's Moesha Johnson won silver, while Italy's Ginevra Taddeucci grabbed silver. Now it's the turn of the men to dive into the Seine to swim a 10km course, which follows a 1.6km loop between the Ponte Alexandre III and the Pont de l'Alma. Read on how to watch men's Olympic marathon swimming live streams, the final swimming event of the Games.

If you're inspired by the Olympic open water swimming events, here's how to get started. And you can also check out our guides to staying safe in open water, choosing a wetsuit, and 7 things we wish we'd known before our first open water swim event.

Watch free men's Olympics marathon swimming live streams in Australia

When it comes to watching the Olympics, Aussies have it better than pretty much everyone. That's because Down Under, Channel 9 and its 9Now streaming service host the most comprehensive free-to-air Paris 2024 coverage anywhere in the world. That means that almost every session from the Games is available live via Channel 9's various platforms.

Your viewing options aren't limited, either, because subscription service Stan is also covering Paris 2024 ad-free, live and in 4K resolution. You can add Stan Sport to your Stan subscription for $15 per month. (Stan is also home to numerous other sports, including Champions League football and rugby union.)

Don't worry if you're adventuring overseas during the Olympics. Fans of open water races can watch a men's Olympics marathon swimming live stream as they would back home. All you need is a quality VPN, such as NordVPN, to watch your usual free stream when overseas. Find out more below.

Use a VPN to watch men's Olympics marathon swimming from anywhere

If you’re traveling abroad during the Olympics, geo-blocking restrictions mean you probably won't be able to watch your usual TV service as you would in your front room.

That doesn't mean you have to miss out on the Olympics open water swimming, however. All you need to do to watch as if you were back home is get yourself a VPN (Virtual Private Network) – assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, of course.  A VPN creates a private connection between your device and the internet, meaning the service can’t work out where you are. As an added bonus, the info going back and forth is also entirely encrypted.

In a competitive field, the knowledgeable people at TechRadar put NordVPN at the top of the podium. 

How to watch men's Olympics marathon swimming for free in Canada

There's loads of free Olympics coverage available on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service. And if you have an issue with watching commercials, you can ditch the adds by paying $5.99 per month for CBC's Premium service. (You can take advantage of a seven-day free trial before you buy.)

Subscription services Sportsnet and TSN are also showing Olympics coverage.

How to watch men's Olympics marathon swimming live streams in the US

NBCUniversal has a massive Olympics offering for US viewers, with coverage spread across broadcast and cable channels (including NBC, CNBC, the USA Network and the Golf Channel), and the Peacock streaming service.

A Peacock Premium subscription costs $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. If you want to go ad-free, Peacock Premium Plus will cost you $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year. 

You'll be able to watch Olympics marathon swimming live streams on Peacock and the USA Network.

Don't have cable? It doesn't have to be a problem. Sling is a smart TV service that allows viewers based in the US to watch cable channels on their TV, laptop or tablet without actually having to subscribe to an annual cable TV package. USA Network is available on Sling with the Sling Blue package, which costs $40 per month ($20 for the first month).

How to watch men's Olympics 2024 marathon swimming live streams in the UK

The BBC has long been synonymous with the Olympics, and the UK's national broadcaster is delivering loads of free-to-air Olympics action throughout the duration of the Games. Terrestrial channels, the Red Button and the BBC iPlayer streaming service will all be part of the Beeb's offering, but remember that you will need a valid TV Licence to tune in.

But you won't be able to watch every moment of the games in the company of the BBC, as the broadcaster only has rights to air two live streams at any time. In other words, if the BBC overlords aren't pointing their cameras at the Seine then you'll have to look elsewhere.

If you want to guarantee you get to watch an Olympics 2024 marathon swimming live stream, the most comprehensive service is provided by subscription services Eurosport and Discovery Plus. They're offering a whopping 3,800 hours of live coverage across 55 streams.

A Discovery Plus Standard plan would usually set you back £6.99 a month but if you subscribe before August 11, the fee is reduced to £3.99 a month – and new subscribers will be able to take advantage of that discounted rate until the end of 2024.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

This guide explains how to watch Olympics 2024 sport climbing live streams on the final day of the competition. There are free viewing options in Australia, Canada and the UK, and we also explain how you can use a VPN to watch your usual coverage if you're away from home today.

The Paris 2024 Olympics sport climbing events take place at Le Bourget, a purpose-built climbing facility on the outskirts of Paris. There are two separate events – speed climbing, and bouldering and lead climbing combined – for both men and women.

The medals in the women's boulder and lead competition will be decided today. Who will follow in the footsteps – and handholds – of British teenager Toby Roberts, who won the men's competition yesterday?

Read on how to find out how to watch Olympics sport climbing live streams wherever you are in the world – you'll find today's schedule below. Our guide to rock climbing terms will help you keep up with any unfamiliar jargon in the commentary, and if you want to give this exciting sport a try for yourself, you can also read about getting started in climbing. 

Olympics sport climbing: Saturday schedule

All times PT / ET / BST / AEST

• 1.15am / 6.15am / 9.15am / 6.15pm Women's boulder and lead, final boulder
• 3.35am / 6.35am / 11.35am / 8.35pm Women's boulder and lead, final lead MEDAL

Watch Olympics sport climbing for free in Australia

When it comes to watching the Olympics, Aussies have it better than pretty much everyone. That's because Down Under, Channel 9 and its 9Now streaming service host the most comprehensive free-to-air Paris 2024 coverage anywhere in the world. That means that almost every session from the Games is available live via Channel 9's various platforms.

Your viewing options aren't limited, either, because subscription service Stan is also covering Paris 2024 ad-free, live and in 4K resolution. You can add Stan Sport to your Stan subscription for $15 per month. (Stan is also home to numerous other sports, including Champions League football and rugby union.)

Don't worry if you're adventuring overseas during the Olympics. Fans of steep ascents can watch an Olympics sport climbing live stream as they would back home. All you need is a quality VPN, such as NordVPN, to watch your usual free stream when overseas. Find out more below.

Use a VPN to watch Olympics sport climbing from anywhere

If you’re traveling abroad during the Olympics, geo-blocking restrictions mean you probably won't be able to watch your usual TV service as you would in your front room.

That doesn't mean you have to miss out, however. All you need to do to watch as if you were back home is get yourself a VPN (Virtual Private Network) – assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, of course.  A VPN creates a private connection between your device and the internet, meaning the service can’t work out where you are. As an added bonus, the info going back and forth is also entirely encrypted.

In a competitive field, the knowledgeable people at TechRadar put NordVPN at the top of the podium. 

Watch Olympics sport climbing for free in Canada

There's loads of free Olympics coverage available on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service. And if you have an issue with watching commercials, you can ditch the adds by paying $5.99 per month for CBC's Premium service. (You can take advantage of a seven-day free trial before you buy.)

Subscription services Sportsnet and TSN are also showing Olympics coverage.

Olympics 2024 sport climbing live streams in the UK

The BBC has long been synonymous with the Olympics, and the UK's national broadcaster is delivering loads of free-to-air Olympics action throughout the duration of the Games. Terrestrial channels, the Red Button and the BBC iPlayer streaming service will all be part of the Beeb's offering, but remember that you will need a valid TV Licence to tune in.

But you won't be able to watch every moment of the games in the company of the BBC, as the broadcaster only has rights to air two live streams at any time. In other words, if the BBC overlords aren't pointing their cameras at the climbing walls then you'll have to look elsewhere.

If you want to make sure you get to watch an Olympics 2024 sport climbing live stream, the most comprehensive service is provided by subscription services Eurosport and Discovery Plus. They're offering a whopping 3,800 hours of live coverage across 55 streams.

A Discovery Plus Standard plan would usually set you back £6.99 a month but if you subscribe before August 11, the fee is reduced to £3.99 a month – and new subscribers will be able to take advantage of that discounted rate until the end of 2024.

Olympics 2024 sport climbing live streams in the US

NBCUniversal has a massive Olympics spread for US viewers, with coverage spread across broadcast and cable channels (including NBC, CNBC, the USA Network and the Golf Channel), and the Peacock streaming service.

A Peacock Premium subscription costs $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. If you want to go ad-free, Peacock Premium Plus will cost you $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year. 

Much of the competition will only be available digitally (in other words, you'll need Peacock) but you'll also be able to watch Olympics sport climbing live streams on USA Network and E!. 

Don't have cable? It doesn't have to be a problem. Sling is a smart TV service that allows viewers based in the US to watch cable channels on their TV, laptop or tablet without actually having to subscribe to an annual cable TV package. USA Network and E! are available on Sling with the Sling Blue package, which costs $40 per month ($20 for the first month).

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Camping for me usually means trotting into the wilderness with everything I need in my backpack, but recently I returned from my first car camping trip in several years. The novelty of giant tents with extra rooms and grilling steaks on the hot plate wasn’t lost on me, but at the end of the weekend, I was astonished to see all the overflowing trash cans strewn around the campground.

The problem wasn’t that people were being careless; there just seems to be an enormous amount of waste generated by car camping. Of course there are beer cans and wine bottles but there are also paper plates, empty fuel canisters and plastic bags, not to mention the odd broken camping chair.

Bring an environmentally-conscious bunch, we’d kept our own waste to a minimum, despite there being 10 of us including five kids, so I wanted to share some tips with you here to help you cut down on waste when car camping. I hope it goes without saying that any waste you do generate should be properly disposed of or carried home with you, but with a little extra thought you can leave a smaller footprint.

1. Make a meal plan

Let’s be honest, it’s the eating, not the camping, that generates most of our waste, and this problem is compounded by stopping off at the grocery store to load up on supplies on your way to camp. This usually results in piles of convenience food wrapped in plastic and in my experience, usually means buying far more food than is needed.

To cut down on waste, make a plan for the meals you’re going to have at camp. You can pre-cook some or all of your meals (or at least prep the ingredients) and transport them in reusable containers inside your camping cooler. This means you can buy ingredients in bulk and save the rest at home to cut down on packaging, or better yet use what you already have in the pantry.

You may not be able to eliminate single-use plastics, but you can certainly cut down on them (and food waste) and make sure any recyclable packaging goes in the correct container before you leave the house.

2. Invest in reusable utensils

It’s easier to bring paper plates and plastic cutlery that don’t need washed, but these cheap, single-use items are a huge source of camping waste. These days, you can find some great reusable, lightweight utensils like sporks as well as lightweight bowls and plates that don’t take up much room and are easy to clean. 

Check out our article on the best camping utensils for some ideas, and if you really don’t want to lug a lot of gear, consider preparing food you can eat with your hands like sandwiches and homemade granola bars instead of stews and eggs. If you’re feeling minimalist, your frisbee can double as your dinner plate and then you’ve got some entertainment afterward.

3. Ditch the kitchen roll

Kitchen roll is a staple at most camps for quickly wiping up spills and wiping clean plates for another use. It’s recyclable, so it can seem harmless, but it’s also unnecessary. Whether you’re at camp or at home, you can just as easily use a rag to mop up messes. Bring a handful with you to camp then carry them home and throw them in the laundry for another use.

4. Make your own ice

Stopping off at the gas station for a couple of bags of ice on the way to camp is practically an American tradition, but it means even more single-use plastics. You have a freezer at home, so with a little planning you can freeze water bottles ahead of time to keep your food and drinks cold or look for non-toxic gel packs that come home with you.

5. Rethink fuel

Cooking food requires fuel, and what fuel you require comes down to what type of camping stove you have. Some camping stoves require gas canisters that can’t easily be recycled, which adds to your waste pile at the end of the day.

If you’re updating your camp kitchen, there are options that don’t generate waste. Wood-burning stoves such as the Solo Stove Lite use twigs and pine cones that you can gather from around the campsite. There are also liquid fuel stoves including the MSR WhisperLite International Stove which use a refillable bottle (just don’t throw it away when it’s empty). 

If you’re old school like me, bring along a classic Trangia or you can cook over the fire with a hot plate or Dutch oven. Of course, campfires have their own environmental implications, but that’s another article. 

• The best camping tables 2024: for backcountry vacations and garden BBQs

There’s no doubt that sea cliffs have a unique charm, one that draws climbers and mountaineers back time and time again. The drama of battling your way up a sea cliff, while crashing waves thunder below, is spectacular. Coastal cliffs are dynamic places; the setting is never quite the same from one day to the next thanks to the ebb and flow of the tides and the weather. They’re often remote and difficult to reach too, which only adds to the sense of adventure. It’s an arena of substantial allure for the vertically inclined.

However, knowing how to start sea cliff climbing can be tricky for the uninitiated. The pursuit has a number of additional challenges piled – like the rock layers of a towering sea stack – on top of the already involved world of trad climbing. The last thing you want to do is bite off more than you can chew and end up having an epic.

To guide you on your way, we asked our mountaineering expert to reveal how to start sea cliff climbing, while also detailing the challenges it entails and the equipment you'll require.

How to start sea cliff climbing

Here's 7 steps to take in order to start sea cliff climbing. For more detail on each, scroll further down this guide.

• Get plenty of trad experience – additional challenges make sea cliff climbing that bit more involved
• Learn to rappel – many routes are only accessible via a rappel (abseil)
• Lean how to ascend a rope with prusiks – this will enable you to escape a route in an emergency
• Climb with a more experienced partner – learn the ropes and avoid the hazards
• Start with grades you’re comfortable with – introduce yourself to the new environment slowly
• Learn to read the tides – you don’t want to be belaying with the fishes
• Check access restrictions – sea cliffs can have seasonal restrictions that mean you can’t climb there

Meet the expert

What is sea cliff climbing?

Sea cliff climbing is exactly what it sounds like, the pursuit of climbing sea cliffs. It’s a form of trad climbing that’s adored by rock climbers for its dramatic settings and the additional challenges they bring. Coastal cliffs and dramatic sea stacks provide the playground and there are loads of incredible places to practise, from mainland coastlines to remote islands.

There are a number of challenges involved in sea cliff climbing that other forms of trad may not have to contend with. Due to this, routes can often be quite committing and it's normal for the top of the route to be the safest place, rather than the bottom.

What are some of the additional challenges sea cliff climbers face?

• The tides have to be carefully considered, as you don’t want to lose your gear, or worse, at high tide.  
• The weather can be changeable on the coast and cliff faces are often very exposed to the elements.
• The noise from crashing waves and the wind can make hearing your climbing partner more difficult than on most crags.
• Finding your chosen route can be tricky, as you may not be able to back away from the cliff enough to properly assess the intricacies of the face.
• Your safe haven is often at the top of the route, rather than the bottom, so the ability to get up to the top by any means is paramount for safety.
• Topping out can be difficult when the rock makes way to earthen terrain that can be very loose.
• Access to cliffs can be restricted at certain times, often due to the conservation of native wildlife or military training exercises.

How to start sea cliff climbing

Here, I reveal the 7 steps you'll need to take in order to start sea cliff climbing:

Get plenty of trad experience

As sea cliff climbing poses additional challenges to trad climbing, it’s worth getting plenty of trad experience under your belt. This way, you won’t be juggling learning to place gear, how to build an anchor and effective verbal communication with all the extra difficulties the sea cliffs can throw at you.

The best way to build up your trad experience is by first booking a rock climbing instructor to learn the appropriate techniques in the correct way and then to join more experienced climbers on the crag. If you don’t know any climbers, join a climbing or mountaineering club. Not only will this advance your skills but you’ll also meet lots of like-minded people and you’ll undoubtedly have some rollicking adventures too. It’d also be very likely that such a club will have sea cliff climbing meets in their calendar once you’re ready to take your skills to the cliffs.

Learn to rappel

Unlike a roadside cliff, a moorland escarpment, mountain crag or a former quarry, there are many sea cliffs that you simply can’t walk to the bottom of, even when the tide is fully out. This means that to access many routes, you’re going to have to rappel (abseil) from the top. It’s likely that if you’re some way into your climbing journey, you’ll have already mastered the skill. Having a separate rappel rope, as well as your main climbing rope, is an excellent idea, as it gives you an emergency escape option…

Learn how to ascend a rope with prusiks

As the top of a route is your safe place – rather than the bottom as is the case with many trad climbing scenarios – it’s wise to have an emergency method of ascending your rappel rope.

Prusiking is a method whereby you can climb a rope using two loops, one attached to your harness and another as a foot loop. The loops are attached to the rappel rope with a prusik knot, a friction hitch that can be slid up the rope when unweighted, but grips tight when weight is applied. It allows the climber to literally climb up the rope, moving the prusik loops upwards. It’s quite a slow and laborious process, but most climbers agree that it’s preferable to drowning.

The same technique is used in mountaineering as a way of escaping the jaws of a crevasse, so if you are an aspiring alpinist, it’s all good practice. I used a tree in a London park (see above image) to introduce myself to the technique.

Climb with a more experienced partner

It’s definitely worth climbing with a more experienced partner, one who’s done plenty of sea cliff climbing before. They’ll be able to show you the tricks of the trade and how to deal with some of the unique challenges the sea cliffs provide, such as how to karate chop an aggressive seagull mid-pitch. More likely, they’ll introduce things like how to build bombproof belays to rappel from, some non-verbal communication techniques to overcome the noise of the crashing waves and they’ll take the lead on choosing routes with the tide and potential escape routes in mind.

Start with grades you are comfortable with

As ever with a new environment that poses fresh challenges, get into the swing of things by climbing at a grade you are comfortable with first. It's the additional challenges involved with sea cliff climbing that should occupy your attention to begin with, before you start worrying about pushing on to the next grade. 

If you end up on something you can't climb, you may not be able to descend to safety. Hopefully, you'll have thought about escape routes or have the means to ascend the rope. Remember, it's the top of the route that's the safest place on a sea cliff climb. So, the last thing you want to do is jump in at the deep end, as you may actually find yourself in the deep end – of the open ocean.

Learn to read a tide chart

An additional complication, and one of the things that makes sea cliff climbing so alluring for many, is the tides. Routes can be completely cut off by high tides, meaning you can’t even start them. Even worse would be to be halfway through a difficult pitch before realising that in a few minutes your belaying partner is going to be underwater.

So, learning how to read a tide chart is essential for burgeoning sea cliff climbers. Good practice is to select non-tidal routes when the tide is coming in and to opt for tidal routes when the tide is receding. An improving situation is always preferable to avoid catastrophe’s like getting cut off by the swirling waters.

Check access restrictions

Many cliffs in protected coastal regions have seasonal restrictions put in place to protect the local birdlife. It may be that you won’t be able to climb there during the nesting season, so it’s worth doing your research beforehand. Another reason a section of coast may be off limits is military use. In the UK, for example, there are many stretches of coast where the land is owned by the Army.

What equipment do you need?

The climbing gear list for sea cliff climbing is pretty much the same as standard trad climbing kit, with the exception of an additional rope for rappelling and some prusik cords.

• Helmet – Protects your head in the event of a fall and from tumbling rocks. Should be replaced immediately if damaged.
• Harness – A padded climbing harness is most comfortable and a model with at least four gear loops and a central belay loop is recommended.
• Rock boots – Tight fitting with sticky rubber soles that allow maximum precision and grip on the cliff. Scrambling routes and easier climbs could also be done in approach shoes, which offer some of the grip and precision of climbing shoes with the comfort of hiking shoes.
• Rope – For sea cliff climbing, you should be looking for at least 50 meters, while you’ll want a second dedicated rope for rappelling.
• Belay device – Either a manual breaking device or an assisted braking device that the rope is fed through the create friction
• Carabiners – Oval or D-shaped metal hooks close with a gate – some have snap-gates, while others have screwgates.
• Quickdraws – Usually between 10 and 25 cm in length, these consist of two snap-link carabiners linked by a tape sling.
• Slings / webbing – Useful for making use of rock spikes as runners or anchors.
• Chocks – The different sized and shaped nuts and hexes that can be placed into the rock to create runners or anchors.
• Camming devices – Known as cams, these are spring-loaded mechanical devices that can be fitted into cracks in the rock as runners or anchors.
• Nut key – a superb piece of kit that makes removing awkwardly placed protection much less troublesome.
• Prusik cords – these are what enable you to climb up the emergency rope.

You may not need all of this to get started, as it’s like you’ll be climbing with a more experienced partner who’ll undoubtedly already have a suitable rope, slings, quickdraws, cams, nuts and hexes.

Do you love to cook up a hot backpacking meal at the end of a long day on the trail? Or start your day with a steaming cup of coffee sipped with mountain views? If so, you’ll need a good camping stove for your adventures.

Choosing the right camping stove can be an adventure in itself, however, with so many different types to choose from. If you’re backpacking, you want something light and easy to use, but not so light that it topples over in the wind. If you’re car camping, you might love the romanticism of a wood-burning stove, but you need to be sure you can find firewood.

Trying to figure out what all the specifications on a camping stove label mean can be a little mind-bending. What is a canister stove? Are there advantages to lugging along a bottle of liquid fuel? And what’s the difference between burn time and boil time? 

Let us take all the work out of things and help you decode the label on your camping stove, so you know exactly what you’re getting for your money, and make sure it’s the best choice for your upcoming adventures.

Fuel type

This designation tells you both what type of fuel your camping stove uses, and what kind of camping stove it is. You can roughly break camping stoves down into three categories:

• Canister
• Liquid fuel
• Alternative fuel

Canister stoves screw onto a fuel canister that contains either propane or butane. The stove itself has legs that extend out so the setup can be balanced on uneven ground and is easy to operate. These stoves can be extremely compact and lightweight, such as the SOTO Windmaster which weighs only 3.5 ounces and fits in the palm of your hand, so these are a great choice for backpacking adventures. There are, however, some downsides to this style of stove, such as the higher cost of fuel and some difficulty recycling the empty canisters. 

You can also find remote canister camping stoves such as the Coleman FyreStorm PCS where the stove connects to the fuel canister via a hose rather than screwing directly together. These systems weigh slightly more but are more stable on the ground for rocky or windy camping adventures. 

Then there are integrated canister camping stoves, which operate on the same system but have an integrated pot, such as the Jetboil. These systems boil water quickly but weigh more.

Liquid fuel camping stoves connect to a bottle containing white gas. This style of camping stove is a little bulkier and heavier, and the stove requires pumping and priming before use, which adds a little extra effort. Advocates of this design like that the fuel burns clean and is cheaper to buy than canister fuel, and doesn’t come with recycling woes. It works well at high altitudes and in cold weather too, so it’s a popular choice for mountaineering and winter camping.

Finally, you’ve got your alternative fuel camping stoves – typically wood-burning stoves and stoves that use pellets. These aren’t really a substitute for backpacking stoves as they’re much bigger and heavier, but they’re great for car camping and can be a good substitute for a campfire if there’s a fire ban or you’re concerned about the environmental implications of campfires.

The Solo Stove is a wood-burning stove that’s actually pretty light and packable, but the challenge with any wood-burning stove is that if it’s been raining, it will be hard to source kindling and some fire bans prohibit the use of these stoves. If it’s soggy fuel you’re worried about, look into pellet-burning stoves or alcohol stoves such as the classic Trangia.

Burn time

Both canister and liquid fuel stoves should indicate their burn time in minutes or hours on the label and this refers to how long you can expect to get out of one unit of fuel. 

For a canister stove, the burn time usually applies to how long you’ll get out of a single canister when using the stove on maximum flame. It’s helpful to compare this to the stove’s boil time (see below) to understand how many boils you’re likely to get out of your canister, and therefore how many you need to bring for a longer trip. 

If you’re looking at a liquid fuel stove, the burn time will usually be given as minutes per 20 ounces of gas, and will most likely be a lot longer than you’ll get out of a single canister.

Average boil time

Boil time is given in minutes and refers to how long it takes a pot of water to come to the boil, taking into account the fact that pots vary in size, you can put more or less water into them and the total time will be affected by whether or not you’re using the maximum flame and even how cold the water is to begin with. 

That said, nowadays you can expect most camping stoves to bring water to a boil in under five minutes, while the Jetboil Flash claims to boil water in under two minutes. A faster boil time is more convenient, and it can also mean better fuel efficiency. Canister fuel stoves are the most fuel-efficient and integrated systems are the best for boiling quickly and using a small amount of fuel. 

• Best camping coffee makers: brew on the move

Picture the scene. You’re driving through Lamar Valley in beautiful Yellowstone National Park when suddenly, a dark moving figure off to the side of the road catches your attention. A bear and her cubs!

There’s nowhere to pull off, but no way you’re missing out on this wildlife viewing opportunity, plus the two cars ahead have already pulled over. So you pull as close to the side of the road as you can and jump out without even lacing up your hiking boots to get a closer look.

Only a few minutes go by before there are dozens of cars half-parked on the road, their owners and passengers milling about trying to get the best shot, and a queue of gridlocked cars snaking a half mile in either direction. You’ve successfully created your first bear jam. And that’s a problem.

What is a bear jam?

Sadly, a bear jam doesn’t involve a bunch of bears shucking and jiving to some sweet tunes, though that would be cool. A non-technical term, “bear jam” is now frequently used by the National Parks Service to describe the increasingly common phenomenon of traffic jams forming around bears on the side of the road.

Now naturally, you should be driving through any National Park with caution, and if you see a bear on the side of the road, or a moose, bighorn sheep or any other big mammal for that matter, you should slow down. 

A bear jam occurs when the flow of traffic becomes so slow as to impede other drivers, and often involves multiple cars stopping or illegally parking on the roadside in order to watch – or photograph – a bear. 

Bear jams have become such a problem that some spots like Canada’s Yoho National Park have enacted temporary laws restricting stopping or slowing to view wildlife.

What's the problem with bear jams?

Obviously no one wants to hit a bear with their car. Though there are no national figures on bear deaths caused by vehicles, the state of Pennsylvania alone reports between 400 and 500 bear deaths caused by cars each year, and the National Parks Service blames speeding. And for what it’s worth, your car won’t do so well in that kind of situation either. 

So you slow down when you see a bear. But doesn’t that just make everything safer?

The problem arises when drivers start to crawl at a rate where other cars might attempt to pass them, or pull over illegally, often on stretches of road where there is nowhere safe to do so. Then they might roll down their windows or, worse still, get out of their cars and start wandering around trying to take photographs of the bears, crowding bears and even chasing them. Meanwhile, other drivers are trying to continue through the area but are being forced over the median line, obstructing oncoming traffic. 

Add to all this the presence of a bear and maybe a couple of cubs scurrying around the road and before you know it, you’ve got yourself a bear jam. Bear jams almost always take place in areas where your line of sight is restricted and they pose a hazard for other drivers and endanger the lives of people and bears on the road. The rare white bear that Yoho enacted temporary laws to protect was sadly killed by a car on the same day her cubs were struck in a separate incident.

In a video about bear jams created by the NPS, Yellowstone rangers explain that large numbers of humans stopping on the roadside to watch bears frolicking in meadows also means bears get habituated to humans and may associate them with food, if you’re foolish enough to feed them. When bears lose their fear of humans, it can mean they end up being euthanized, and that’s a needless tragedy.

Furthermore, causing a bear jam could land you with huge fines. When Yoho imposed temporary speed limits, penalties ranged from a $115 ticket to a mandatory court appearance and a maximum fine of $25,000, while down in Grand Teton National Park, a wildlife photographer just racked up $20,000 worth of legal fees fighting a speeding ticket he incurred when photographing an injured grizzly bear. Bear jams can be costly and dangerous to everyone around.

How to avoid bear jams

No one expects you to not observe, or even photograph, a bear when you see one from your car. Bears are incredible creatures and parks like Yellowstone are set up to maximize your wildlife opportunities. 

However, that leaves the burden of responsibility on you to not create a dangerous situation, which if nothing else might cause you to be publicly shamed on Instagram. 

The good news is that there are steps you can take to avoid causing a bear jam. The following is official advice from Yellowstone rangers on avoiding bear jams:

1. Obey all traffic laws and posted speed limits at all times.
2. If you see a bear on the side of the road, slow down and put your hazard lights on to alert the driver behind you.
3. Only stop if there is a designated pull-out where you can legally and safely do so.
4. If you are safely parked, do not exit your vehicle. Standing in the road increases the danger to everybody. Photograph the bear from inside your car, or enjoy it from a distance using your binoculars.
5. Let animals decide where they’re going to go, and give them the right of way. Stay at least 100 yards away from bears. If they move closer to you, it’s your job to back off.

• 6 wildlife photography tips from a pro

Season 11 of Alone – the hit US survival reality TV show – premieres on the History channel on Thursday, June 13. The show's producers promise "the most remote" season ever – and you can stream it all online in the US and Canada. Venturing overseas? You'll need to use a VPN to unblock your usual service and watch Alone S11 (2024) from abroad.

• Release date: June 13, 2024
• Start time: 9 pm ET/PT
• Episodes: 1-12
• US stream: History Channel (via Sling TV / Philo / Hulu)
• Watch Alone S11 from anywhere with NordVPN

Alone season 11 preview

Alone puts "the survival of the fittest" to the test in a remote location – typically indigenous lands in and around the Arctic Circle. Season 11 of the original, American version of the show drops ten brave souls in the brutal landscape of Inuvik, Canada, where temperatures can drop to -4°F (-20°C). Ouch!

Season 11 will be one of the longest-running seasons in Alone history (12 episodes, plus a pre-season 'Before the Drop' special). As ever, contestants are allowed to pick 10 essential items (fishing line, bow, chocolate bar) before they head off into the wilderness to record themselves hunting for salmon, fending off bears and moose, building shelters and grappling with loneliness. Last one standing wins a cool $500,000.

The tap out starts soon... very soon. So this is going to be a tough season. The show is available first in the States and Canada, but we'll show Americans and Canadians traveling abroad how to watch Alone season 11 from anywhere below.

How to watch Alone season 11 online in the US

Alone season 11 airs first on the History Channel from June 13, which is also home to Alone UK and Alone Australia. Episode 1 is preceded by pre-season special, 'Before the Drop'.

Don't have cable? Americans can stream the History Channel via Sling TV and Philo (7-day free trial).

Viewers can also stream new episodes of Alone season 11 the next day on Hulu. 

Heading off on an adventure of your own? You'll need a powerful VPN to unblock your usual American streamer when overseas and thus watch Alone from anywhere outside the USA. Details below...

Watch Alone S11 from anywhere in the world

Just because the History Channel isn't available everywhere doesn't mean you can't watch Alone season 11 if you're away from home. With a good VPN (virtual private network), you can stream the shows you love from anywhere. 

NordVPN  is the pick of the litter as it offers superb speeds and excellent customer service.

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.K. and want to view an American service, you'd select U.S. from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to your platform of choice and stream Alone season 11 from anywhere on the planet!

Can I watch Alone US season 11 in Canada?

Good news: Alone season 11 will be broadcast on Global TV in Canada, starting 10 pm ET/PT on June 13.

Canadians can stream Alone via the STACKTV add-on with Prime Video. Plans cost from $12.99 a month after a free trial.

Traveling outside Canada at the moment? Download NordVPN to watch your usual Canadian streaming service when overseas.

Can I watch Alone US season 11 in the UK?

New seasons of the American version of Alone usually show up on the History Channel in the UK, but there's no confirmation of that yet, or indeed of the UK release date.

Don't forget: US fans visiting the UK can tap into their usual American streaming services and watch Alone S11 from anywhere with NordVPN. Details above.  

Can I watch Alone season 11 in Australia?

Again, there's no official release date as yet. Previous seasons of Alone USA have streamed on Binge, although season 2 of the Aussie version of Alone has just dropped on SBS on Demand.

For now, anybody currently visiting Australia from the U.S. or Canada can use one of the best VPN services to access their usual streaming service. We recommend NordVPN. Step-by-step instructions just above!

Alone S11 breakdown

Alone season 11 contestants

• Cubby Hoover (33), bowyer/homesteader from Seligman, MO
• Dub Paetz (44), wilderness skills practitioner from Frederic, MI
• Peter Albano (42), librarian from Castlegar, BC
• Dusty Blake (36), welder from Fifty-Six, AR
• Michele Carriere (34), adventure guide from Cumberland House, SK
• Timber Cleghorn (35), humanitarian aid worker from Salem, IN
• William Larkham Jr. (49), fisherman from Happy Valley Goose Bay, NL
• Jake Messinger (42), professional falconer from Fremont County, ID
• Sarah Poynter (48), fishing lodge owner from Skwentna, AK
• Isaiah Tuck (36), game warden from Ghent, WV

Alone season 11 episode guide

Alone S11 E01 – Enter the Circle, June 13, 2024 (94 mins)
In Alone's most remote location, ten new survivalists must survive north of the Arctic Circle as they face the cold and dwindling sun for a chance to win $500,000.

Alone S11 E02 – Opportunity Cost, June 20, 2024 (94 mins)
As five new survivalists begin their first days in the Mackenzie River Delta they are met with an abundance of challenges in the uncharted Arctic terrain. When opportunity presents itself to the participants, will they be able to capitalize on the moment? One participant loses a critical item while another embarks on the hunt of a lifetime.

Alone S11 E03 – Fortune, 27 Jun 2024

Alone S11 E04 – TBA, 4 Jul 2024

Alone S11 E05 – TBA, 11 Jul 2024

Alone S11 E06 – TBA, 18 Jul 2024

Alone S11 E07 – TBA, 25 Jul 2024

Alone S11 E08 – TBA, 1 Aug 2024

Alone S11 E09 – TBA, 8 Aug 2024

Alone S11 E10 – TBA, 15 Aug 2024

Alone S11 E11 – TBA, 22 Aug 2024

Alone S11 E12 – TBA, 29 Aug 2024

Q&A with Dub Paetz from Alone season 11

Wilderness expert and season 11 contestant Dub Paetz has commented on his recent Alone experience on Reddit. Here's what he had to say...

How many times did you try out for the show?
I applied two times. The first was trying to get on season 4. Honestly I’m glad it didn’t happen the first time. I learned a lot of skills in the last few years. I was probably not really ready the first time.

How much did you study the previous seasons to do better, and can you share anything you learned from previous seasons that you used on this season?
Yes! I watched every season more than one time. It is impossible to prepare for the first few days. They sort of just happen. Drop shock is a real deal. I was able to look back on so many amazing contestants and perhaps finally fall back on my survival skills and push through that.

Weird question – do you ever really feel at ease at night? 
Slept like a baby out there mostly.

Are you currently watching Alone Australia S2?
I haven’t seen any of this season yet. I did see last year's AUS season and enjoyed it.

Does everyone get a bow outside of their 10 items now? 
A bow is one of the ten items. Could be valuable, or not.

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With camping season well and truly upon us, you might be in the process of perfecting your camping sleep system so that every night out in the wild can be filled with more dreams and less tossing and turning. One of the most important items in your sleep system when it comes to warmth and comfort is your sleeping pad.

Choosing the right sleeping pad the first time is crucial for getting a good night’s sleep at camp. It needs to be comfortable, warm enough and big enough, but depending on what type of camping you’re doing may also need to be light, packable and durable.

When you start shopping around for a new pad, the labels can be a little confusing. What is a closed-cell sleeping pad? Do self-inflating pads really work? And what does R-value stand for? Let us take all the work out of things and help you decode the label on your sleeping pad, so you know exactly what you’re getting for your money, and make sure it’s the best choice for your overnight adventures.

Closed-cell

If you’ve been wondering what on earth a closed-cell camping mat is, it’s honestly a pretty complicated term to describe what you might know better as a foam camping mat. Before Therm-A-Rest came along and revolutionized things with air pads, sleeping pads were all those cheap, lightweight foam mats that roll up but don’t compress (or inflate).

Clearly, these pads are less technical, and there are drawbacks: namely, they’re not as comfortable and they don’t pack down small. However, they do still have a place, after all, they’re affordable, very durable, and you don’t need to worry about them springing a leak and leaving you sleeping on the cold hard ground. While they won’t fit inside your backpack, you can roll them up and attach them to the outside, and it doesn't matter if they get wet.

Closed-cell mats can also make a great additional layer underneath your inflating mat for car camping when pack size isn’t an issue.

Air 

Air pads are the ones with no foam, that come with a valve to inflate by mouth or pump, and deflate completely when you’re finished using them. This means they are light and really packable compared to foam pads.

Air pads were first devised by Therm-A-Rest and they range from ultralight backpacking versions to much plusher pads that you could take glamping. They can be quite expensive and take more effort (and breath) to set up, but offer a much more comfortable night under the stars compared to foam mats. However they can also be punctured so you’ll want to know how to patch them in the field.

Because you’re just sleeping on air, these pads can move around a bit with you, and some are quite noisy, so it’s important to shop around and make sure you like yours before you invest.

Self-inflating

Just as “closed-cell” isn’t a very helpful term in understanding the perks of your sleeping pad, self-inflating is a bit of a misleading phrase. In fact, it might lead you to believe that all you need to do it unroll your sleeping pad, watch it magically fill with air then drift off into the land of nod. Sadly, this is not the case.

Self-inflating sleeping pads combine closed-cell foam insulation with air and have a valve that you can open when you’ve unrolled your mat. It will draw some air in automatically, but realistically you will also have to blow into the valve to properly inflate your mat.

These mats are heavier and pricier then closed-cell mats, but they do also have some advantages. They’re more comfortable, a bit more packable and more versatile, because you can release air to make it softer and add air to make it firmer. They’re also more durable than air pads.

R-value

Any sleeping pad should list its R-value and this is an important term to understand because it explains how warm your sleeping pad will be at night. Even though you might associate warmth more with your sleeping bag than your pad, it’s actually your pad which insulates you from the cold ground.

Sleeping pad R-values are listed from 1 - 7 with 7 being the warmest. R-values of 6 and above are best for winter camping, while cold sleepers should look for pads between 4 and 6. If you’re planning to camp in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall then look for an R-value between 2.5 and 4 while anything lower is suitable for summer camping only. Learn more in our article explaining what R-value means.

Length 

Sleeping pads might just seem like they’re all one big rectangle, but there are differences in dimensions that can really help, or hinder, your comfort. Most of us want to be entirely on a sleeping pad at all times, so you should know that a regular length pad will typically be 72 inches long. That’s six feet so most adults will fit on it, but the closer your are to six feet tall, the more likely it is that your feet or head might end up on, you guessed it, the cold hard ground. For you, it’s worth the extra six inches that a long mat typically delivers.

If you’re on the short side, however, don’t go for a short mat unless you’re prepared for your legs and feet to be off the mat. Short, or 3/4 length sleeping pads are designed for ultralight backpackers who really want to trim weight. They’re only about four feet long and you’re supposed to use other items like your empty backpack or a fleece for your feet. If you’re really keen on saving weight and room in your backpack, they’re worth checking out.

Width 

Almost all standard sleeping pads are 20 inches wide, and for most people that means that when you’re lying on your back, your shoulders will be comfortably on the mat. If you’re wide around the shoulders, you might want to grab yourself another five inches or so with a wide mat so that your arms and hands don’t end up cold. Some long mats are wider by default.

Remember, however, that a wide mat takes up more room in a tent. This is no issue if you’re camping alone, but if you’re camping with a partner and you both want to use a wide mat, make sure your tent is big enough for them both side by side.

• The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

Hiking safety begins at home. When you’re planning a hike, you want to make thorough preparations, from researching your route to packing the 10 essentials and wearing good hiking boots to help you tackle tough terrain. 

But even the best-laid plans can result in a sprained ankle, falling rock or taking a wrong turn, and if you find yourself in a situation requiring mountain rescue, don’t think it’s as simple as firing off an alert using the Apple Emergency SOS feature and then making yourself comfortable until the cavalry arrives. 

One of the biggest challenges that rescue teams face is locating parties who have gone missing or sent out a distress call. Even with your GPS coordinates, searching for you on a boulder field is a lot like looking for a needle in a haystack. 

For that reason, Colorado’s Alpine Rescue Team recently sent out a series of helpful tips for mountain users on making themselves searchable. The ART is a group of highly trained volunteer rescue mountaineers and this simple advice is easy to execute and might save your life. 

1. Tell someone where you’re going

As we’ve previously explained, leaving a detailed trip plan with someone else is a simple act that could save your life if you find yourself in hot (or very cold) water on an adventure. If you fail to make it back to the trailhead, someone who knows exactly what trail you were planning to be on and what time you left can really speed up the time it takes for your rescuers to narrow down your location.

Learn exactly what details you should provide in our article on leaving a trip plan, pick a responsible person, and make sure they know when and how to call for help if you need it.

2. Have what you need to signal for help

There’s a good chance that mountain rescue might not reach you until night time, in adverse conditions, or that you’ll be off-trail and in a hard-to-reach spot. For this reason, it’s vital that you carry a whistle to alert rescuers to your location when they get close (All Osprey backpacks like the Talon Earth 22 are fitted with one) and either a flashlight or headlamp that you can flash for night signaling. Learn more in our article on how to call for help.

Additionally, ART recommends you wear clothing or carry gear with reflective details. This can be especially helpful if you’re hurt and unable to signal for help of your own accord. Reflective details are more commonly found on road running gear than hiking gear, for obvious reasons perhaps, but you can still find it on hiking clothes like the Columbia Hazy Trail Waterproof Walking Trousers. 

While we’re on this topic, clothing and backpacks already fitted with a RECCO reflector such as the Helly Hansen Odin 1 World Infinity Shell Jacket are similarly helpful as a backup if you’re venturing into alpine areas with avalanche risk.

3. Embrace tech (mentally and physically)

We know, you go hiking to get away from screens and unplug, but mountain rescuers are unequivocal on this – tech can save your life. The ART advises carrying an avalanche beacon in winter (and in winter conditions in any season) as well as enabling the location transmitting function on your phone.

For heading into the backcountry where cell service tends to be non-existent, you can still call for help if you have a satellite communicator such as the Garmin InReach. If you have an Apple Watch or an iPhone 14 or newer, the Emergency SOS function will work when you’re out of service and has been saving lives including that of a snowmobiler stranded in the Alaskan wilderness.

Furthermore, it’s important that you don’t just pack these items away in your backpack in case you need them. Just last month, a professional avalanche forecaster in Colorado was swept up in a slide and pinned against a tree where he was unable to reach his phone and summon help. The best place for your electronic device is the chest pocket or hand-warming pocket on your jacket, not the thigh pocket of your hiking pants or inside your backpack where you might be unable to reach it.

4. Brighten up

As we’ve mentioned in our article on what color clothes to wear hiking, there’s a certain contingent of mountaineers that believe hiking in a bright yellow fleece flies in the face of Leave No Trace, but as ART says, “In a pinch, which is more important?”

It’s true that a lot of hiking gear comes in more muted colors, like brown hiking boots and grey pants, and while they’re definitely easier on the eye, it does mean that you blend into the landscape – and that’s something you really don’t want if rescuers are trying to spot you.

Dark and muted colors will naturally make it much harder for others to see you, something that has been pointed to as an explanation for why it took over six months to find the remains of missing actor Julian Sands on Mount Baldy. As ART explains, it’s important to dress in bright colors like the Montane Protium Lite Pull On which comes in a fire engine red and a brightly colored waterproof jacket and not just carry them in your backpack in case you become incapacitated. 

• When should you not go hiking?

Are you considering ditching the tarmac for the trail? Welcome to the great outdoors. I took up trail running in Colorado as a way to uplevel my outdoor workouts in the spring when the trails were too muddy for long hikes. Now that I live in the city again and the mountains are a little further away, it allows me to get more out of my time in the hills without having to sacrifice half a day, or longer. And I love it.

Whether you’ve been tempted by other runners’ Instagram posts or you’re just seeking a different challenge from your running routine, there are loads of great reasons to try trail running, but it’s important to keep in mind that the switch isn’t as simple as just getting off road with the same old kit, pace and attitude. Read on for our top tips for switching from road running to trail running to make sure you stay safe, and stick with it.

1. Get some new shoes 

Wearing road running shoes for trail running is a bit like trying to drive a Ferrari down a Jeep trail. 

Whereas your road shoes are built for flat surfaces and straight roads, will be lightweight and have a decent amount of cushion to help you bounce off the tarmac (or a lot if you favor maximalist shoes with a rocker sole), these shoes can be problematic on the trail. The lack of grip won’t do you much good when you meet with mud, crumbly rock or wet grass and a high stack sole can make it easier to turn an ankle when you land on a rock. Meanwhile, the light uppers offer your toes zero protection from a bashing when you come up against a tree root.

Trail running shoes provide traction and protection against trail hazards, and will often have a lower drop, firmer mid sole and allow for some trail feel so you can better respond to the rough, uneven ground beneath you.

Your road running shoes might be okay for the occasional jog along a gravel road or in the grass, but if you’re truly planning on heading into the backcountry, you’ll want to upgrade your footwear quickly.

2. And gear up

The beauty of road running is that it’s a relatively low-apparatus sport. Get yourself a decent pair of shoes, pull on whatever gym gear you already own and you’re good to go. Trail running, on the other hand, requires a bit more gear, especially if you’re heading into more remote areas.

The further you are from civilization, the more you’ll want to think about protection from the elements, so it’s worth investing in a lightweight running jacket in case it starts to rain (remember that in higher elevation areas, that rain can quickly turn to hail and snow). You’ll want running gloves and a skull cap for the same reason. 

You may not carry any water for road running, but it’s essential to bring either a water bottle or hydration pack for longer trail runs, or a LifeStraw if there are natural water sources nearby. 

Other items you may want to have include safety gear like a running headlamp, emergency blanket and whistle to call for help. Read our article on trail running kit for more ideas on what you need to stay safe.

3. Learn to navigate 

Not to say that road running never requires any navigation, but Google Maps is typically reasonably accurate in town and you can rely on markers like street signs to get you where you’re going. If you do get lost, you can always call an Uber to get home.

If you’re heading out into the backcountry, however, you should not rely on Google Maps and it should be clear that there won’t be any taxis to assist you. While you can use navigation apps like AllTrails and you may indeed be able to find well-marked trails such as those in National Parks where it would take effort to get lost, out in the backcountry, you’re going to need some navigation skills in case you run out of phone battery.

Trail running in the wilderness requires you to have a topo map of the area, a compass, and the ability to use both tools. You can certainly use modern tech, such as GPX maps that you’ve downloaded to your phone or your GPS watch, but you should still have analog tools for backup. If you do get lost in the backcountry, there’s a good chance you’ll have to self-rescue or have a long wait for mountain rescue.

4. Start small  

When you finally hit the trail for the first time, chances are you’ll be surprised to discover just how different it feels. Even if you’re a seasoned road runner, you might feel, well, surprisingly out of shape. The softer ground absorbs more energy compared to the hard tarmac which rebounds your energy back to you, and your legs will feel heavier and slower. Pushing off takes more muscular energy while uneven terrain requires a different gait. All of this means that there’s no point setting off and expecting to run your usual time or distance.

Consider trail running to be a whole new activity and start out with shorter runs than you’re used to while you get the hang of it, and to allow your muscles and tendons time to adapt to the new strain you’re putting on them. If you typically run for an hour, try running on the trails for 30 - 40 minutes and remember that while it might not feel as impressive, your body is actually working harder so you’re getting just as much, if not more, out of each workout.

5. Slow down 

When you start trail running, it’s best to forget all about your usual pace. Trying to run at your road pace won’t just be harder on your heart and lungs, it could make you more prone to injury as your likelihood of tripping and falling will increase. Let the terrain guide your pace and don’t even look at your running watch. 

6. Shorten your stride 

This one goes hand in hand with slowing down of course, since when you’re on the roads, running faster means you probably lengthen your stride. On the trail, smaller steps will make it easier for you to negotiate obstacles and respond to the changing terrain. It also means that when you suddenly realize you have to take a longer step or jump over something, you'll have the power to do so. 

7. Build up gradually 

Trail running places a whole new level of load on your soft tissue. There’s the softer surface absorbing the impact of each step, uneven ground demanding micro stabilizations from your leg and feet muscles and most likely, more uphills and downhills. Expecting to run as frequently and for as long as you do on the roads would be a bit like going to the gym and whacking on another 50 lbs at the barbell. It doesn’t give your soft tissue time to adapt and this can mean you’re more likely to get injured.

Building up gradually might mean adding in one 30-minute trail run a week, then increasing your time in 10 minutes increments. By the end of the month you’ll be running for an hour, and you might add a second run to the week the following month, at the same time decreasing your time spent on the roads, so you slowly phase out the tarmac and in the trails.

8. Stay aware 

One of the most compelling features of road running for many of us is the ability to zone out. If you have a route that isn’t too congested with people or traffic, you can put on your favorite tunes and practically forget you’re even running for miles.

On the trail, however, you’ll need to kiss that aspect of running goodbye, because if you get distracted by your surroundings, you might quickly find yourself eating dirt. It’s recommended that you lose the headphones altogether for trail running, enjoy the sounds of nature, and keep your mind focused and eyes on the trail.

9. Adjust your cross training 

Like cycling, running moves your joints through a short range of motion on repeat, so it’s a good idea to do regular cross training to keep your body in balance. For trail running, you might want to shift the focus of your strength workouts and focus more on ankle strength and balance to counteract the risk and effort that uneven surfaces present.

For some ideas, check out our guides to ankle strengthening exercises and balance exercises for runners. And don’t forget to do some yoga stretches for runners when you get home because your legs are going to be a lot more tired.

• Best trail running shorts

If your vacations look a lot more like hitting the trails at dawn than lounging on the beach till sunset, there’s a good chance you want to stretch it out from time to time to balance all that time in your trail running shoes or hiking boots.

Yoga for runners and hikers is a great way to keep an active body mobile and pain-free, especially when you’re traveling, which can also involve hours spent cramped on a plane and nights sleeping in uncomfortable hotel beds.

I travel a lot and I’ve been teaching yoga for 15 years so my practice comes with me everywhere I go. While I’ve done it directly on carpeted hotel room floors more times than I care to count, there’s a lot to be said for being ready to flow anywhere you go with a travel yoga mat. 

The right mat means slippery hotel floors and gross carpets are no problem, and it can also mean you can easily hop in on that beach yoga class or drop into any yoga studio without using a stinky mat when you’re traveling. These days, there are tons of travel yoga mats out there, and choosing the wrong one can mean you end up more annoyed than zen. In this article, I’ll walk you how to choose a travel yoga mat based on your needs.

Types of travel yoga mat 

When you’re shopping for travel yoga mats, you’ll soon discover that there are various types available. Some look pretty much like a standard studio mat made from PVC foam, only thinner and are designed to be rolled up and carried over your shoulder with a strap. However, you can also find foldable foam mats and towel designs, which have a microfiber surface and sometimes a grippy underneath usually made from rubber. 

Which type you choose depends on your personal preference as well as your travel needs. Do you mind carrying your mat rolled up as a separate item from your carry-on? Do you want it to fold up and fit inside a suitcase? Or are you backpacking between huts and hostels and need something that can fit rolled up in the side pocket of your backpack?

To help you narrow down your choices, there are five main areas to consider:

1. Weight 

Unless you’re traveling everywhere by vehicle, if you’re going to bring your mat with you on planes and trains, the first factor you’ll want to consider is how heavy it is. All yoga mats meant for travel should be lighter than their regular counterparts, but you should know that weight is all relative. For example, my Liforme Classic Travel Yoga mat is roughly half the weight of the brand’s regular mat, but it still weighs a healthy 2.7 lbs, which might surprise you when you first pick it up.

In truth, the lightest yoga mats are either yoga towels with no rubber grip, which provide little padding and don’t always grip to the surface they’re on, or are made from PVC foam. 

The foam ones tend to be less packable because they’re thicker and don’t fold as easily, but we did find some foldable ones as light as 2lbs, such as this Gaiam Yoga Mat on Amazon. Most of the really good travel yoga mats are within the 2 - 4 lb range, and lighter ones may not offer the same quality, so you’ll need to weigh up whether shedding pounds is the most important criterion, or if you want a better experience during your practice. 

2. Thickness 

Hand in hand with the weight of your mat is how thick it is. Needless to say, travel yoga mats are thinner than regular mats and with that, you should expect to sacrifice a bit of padding under your knees.

Not every yoga practitioner experiences discomfort when using a thin mat, but a thin mat on a soft wooden yoga studio floor may be different to using one on a hard tiled floor in a hotel room. If you’re planning to take your practice outside onto grassy lookouts, hiking trails and beaches, a thicker mat might provide more protection from rocks and pinecones, and may even provide more stability.

For most travel yoga mats, you’re looking at something in the realm of 1.5 - 2.5 mm of thickness, which isn’t a ton, but remember that you can always use a towel or folded fleece jacket for extra padding under any bony parts. 

Sticky mats will always be thicker than towel-style versions and if you really want a thicker mat, something like the Amazon Basics mat delivers a half inch of padding for only 2 lbs of weight, while the Lululemon Lightweight Mat gives you 5mm for 3.3 lbs. These mats are not particularly portable, but they are light so may work in some travel scenarios.

3. Packability 

Next up, a good travel yoga mat should be easy to carry. A more traditional approach is a mat that simply rolls up can be carried with a strap or bag, which ideally comes included. Many airlines allow you to bring this on board in addition to your carry-on without an extra charge, but you should certainly check before you fly. 

If you’re traveling with a suitcase, mats like the Lifeorme will fit rolled up inside larger suitcases, but can also be unrolled and folded to carry in smaller cases – just unroll it when you arrive so it doesn’t get creased.

The most packable options, however, are the towel-style yoga mats like my Mikkoa Travel Yoga Mat. This mat offers many of the benefits of a regular mat, with good grip and stability, but folds up so you can carry it in a suitcase or backpack.

A thinner and lighter option still would be a yoga towel such as this one by Gaiam on Amazon, which is actually designed to go on top of your regular mat. You can use it on it’s own, though it will be thin, a little stretchy and some models have grippy dots that can be a little painful on your knees. It’s not ideal, but it is your most packable option, and might even double as a micro towel for wild swimming. 

4. Grip 

Nobody likes slipping and sliding around on a yoga mat, and when you’re traveling, you may well encounter sweatier conditions with heat and humidity combined with sunscreen and insect repellent, all of which can make staying put a real challenge.

However, choosing a mat based on grip is a surprisingly personal experience. We’ve found both the Liforme and Mikkoa mats to be great for grip, but others might feel their hands sliding forward on them in Downward Dog. Cheaper foam mats are often the most slippery options out there, and many mats work better if you spray them – or your hands and feet – with water before using them. 

Another factor to consider is how well your mat grips to the surface you’re practicing on. Anything with a rubber underside should grip to both carpet and hard floors, while foam also does an okay job, but a straight yoga towel with no grippy underside is likely to work best for mellow stretching only.

5. Maintenance 

Finally, a mat that’s coming on the road with you is more likely to see sand, salt, sunscreen and grass, and for that reason it might need extra washing. Your mat should come with instructions on how to care for it, and these should be followed to prolong the life span on your mat. 

However, some instructions are more complicated than others. Are you willing to spend time mixing up a non-toxic cleanser solution to spray and wipe down your mat after each use or do you want a towel-style mat that you can chuck in the washing machine when you get home?

If you don’t want to put a lot of time and effort into keeping your mat fresh, read the care instructions before you buy.

• The yoga of trail running – how ancient philosophy can make you a better runner
  

Hiking boots that fall apart too soon are the cause of much consternation among trailgoers. If it happens to you, you might find yourself swearing off an entire brand for life. Hiking boots are expensive, it can take a while to find the perfect pair and they play a big role in keeping you protected and comfortable on the hill, so it’s understandable that you’d feel short-changed in this scenario.

Sometimes, hiking boots really are faulty or the design just isn’t up to the demands of the activity they’re intended for. But it’s also possible that you’re accidentally damaging your hiking boots. If you find that your boots tend to develop defects quite quickly over and over again, you might be causing their unfortunate demise without meaning to.

Read on for six things you're doing that might be ruining your hiking boots, and what to do instead.

1. Buying the wrong size

You’ve hopefully heard that you should size up when you buy hiking boots to give your feet room to swell while you’re walking for miles and avoid blisters, and while that’s solid advice, it’s not the whole story.

Feet comes in all shapes and sizes, besides length, and boot design varies from model to model and brand to brand. Some boots are wider than others, some leave more room in the toe box and others still leave more room in the upper between your sole and the top of your foot. 

While a very roomy boot can feel great, and extra space can be remedied with thicker hiking socks, if your boot creases around the base of your toes with every step you take, it‘s probably going to break down the material of the upper faster, especially if you wear leather hiking boots while will experience cracking. 

While buying boots online is easier, there’s a good argument for going analog, heading to the outdoor gear store and trying on a few different boots to make sure you pick the right pair for your feet. You might feel like a wally walking round the shop but it will save you money in the long run. Check out our guide to how to fit hiking boots for more details.

2. Wearing them around town

Hiking boots are built for the trail, but we can’t blame you for wanting to wear yours around town too. After all, they’re sturdy, offer great weather protection and if you own a pair like the Danner Mountain Pass, are just plain beautiful. 

Wearing your boots as everyday shoes, however, is a big mistake. Not only does it add extra mileage to them, but the hard surfaces you’re probably walking on most of the time, like tarmac sidewalks, will help to wear down your soles – and all that handy traction – much faster than if you save them for hiking.

If you’ve just realized this mistake too late, you might be able to get your hiking boots resoled, but going forward, it’s best to save your boots for the soft stuff. If you are firmly attached to the hiking boots and jeans look for daily life, why not buy two pairs and keep one for the mountains?

3. Not cleaning them after each use

It should go without saying that hiking boots are meant to get dirty, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t clean them between hikes. 

When you’re out on a hike, they're bound to get covered in mud, sand, grit and even tree sap. If you don’t take the time to clean this off regularly, it will work its way deeper into the fabric of your boots each time they flex under every step. This can cause your boots to degrade faster.

It can also mean your boots lose their precious waterproofing capabilities for traipsing through bogs and if your hiking boots are made of leather, these substances will also dry out the fabric, causing it to crack.

Believe it or not, you should clean your hiking boots after every use, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend half an hour scrubbing them. At the end of each hike, if possible walk through wet grass or wade through a puddle or shallow stream – this may be enough to take care of any grime without having to even pull out the boot brush. 

If your boots are only lightly soiled when you get home, you can usually give them a quick wipe with a damp cloth and set them out to dry away from heat sources. If they are more heavily soiled, however, or you’ve been using them a lot lately, it’s time to give them their monthly maintenance clean. Learn how in our guide to how to clean hiking boots.

4. Not performing regular maintenance 

Just like other outdoor gear – your waterproof jacket, skis, bike – your hiking boots need a little TLC from time to time to ensure they perform optimally. In addition to regularly cleaning them, which we’ve already mentioned, you might need to perform seasonal care routines. Skipping these routines can mean your boots break down faster.

If your boots are waterproof, without care they will start to let water in. How to reproof them varies according to whether they are synthetic, Nubuck or full-grain leather, so read carefully through our guide to waterproofing your hiking boots to make sure you’re following the correct procedures and applying the right treatment. 

If you wear full-grain leather boots, yours will also need a regular conditioning treatment, which we outline in our article on how to care for your leather hiking boots.

5. Using heat to dry them 

If you’ve just got home from a wet hike with soggy feet and you want to hike again tomorrow, it’s tempting to use a heat source to dry them quickly so you don't have to jam your feet right back into squelchy boots in the morning. 

Many hikers will place their boots on a radiator, close to the campfire or even get creative with a hairdryer to speed up the drying process, but this is a bad idea. Heat can damage the glue that holds the uppers together and even the fabric itself, meaning your boots are faster to spring a leak.

Don’t be tempted to use a boot dryer, which again uses heat and will break down the uppers of your boots over time. If your boots are waterlogged, remove the insoles and stuff the boots with old newspaper or kitchen roll, then set both the boots and inserts somewhere warm and dry, away from direct sunlight.

If you’re worried your boots aren’t going to be dry in time, you can set them in front of a (non-heated) fan to speed things up. 

6. Storing them in the wrong place

When you’re finished with your boots for the time being, where and how you store them can drastically affect their lifespan. Packing them away wet and dirty and in the wrong place is a sure way to get mold and mildew in your boots.

Don’t just stash your boots in the trunk of your car or leave them on the front porch. Sure, it means they’re handy for next time you need them, but it also means they’re more likely to be exposed to high or low temperatures, which isn’t good for the health of your boots. 

While we’re at it, avoid hot attics and damp basements. Indoors is the correct place for your boots, but they should be in a space that’s around room temperature, with as little humidity as possible, and away from direct sunlight.

• Are you accidentally ruining your running shoes? What the experts say

A new team of 14 brave new trekkers have traveled to New Zealand's South Island for an adventure in the Southern Alps – every one of them hoping to win a share of a $1 million cash prize. Here's how to watch The Summit season 2 – including information on how Aussies can use a VPN to watch the high-altitude reality show from overseas.

• Release date: Episodes 7, 8 and 9 of The Summit season 2 will be available at 7.30pm AEST on Monday, May 27, Tuesday, May 28, and Wednesday May 29, respectively. All previous episodes are available on 9Now. 
• Australia stream: 9Now
• US stream: TBC
• UK stream: TBC
• Watch The Summit season 2 from anywhere with NordVPN

The Summit season 2: the story so far

In 2023, 14 strangers – all newbie climbers – were sent on an expedition to scale Mount Head in the New Zealand's Southern Alps. Three members of the team ultimately made it to the summit after surviving 200 kilometers of challenging terrain, each taking home a share of the prize money. 

Now Channel 9 and 9Now have organized a follow-up adventure, as The Summit season 2 invited 14 more brave trekkers to scale an 8,000-foot peak in 15 days – taking in vertigo-inducing climbs and icy conditions along the way. 

This year's line-up of contestants features a midwife, a farmer and an actual NASA rocket scientist, while there's also a few famous faces, including former Neighbours star Olympia Valance, and rugby league legend Mat Rogers. Hollywood star Jai Courtney (Terminator Genisys, Suicide Squad) hosts again. 

As before, each contestant will be carrying a share of that prize money in their backpack. That's crucial, because if a trekker falls behind, their money is removed from the cash pot shared between the trekkers who make it to the summit. While teamwork is undoubtedly important, politics will also come into play on the mountain as trekkers can also vote rivals off the show when they reach checkpoints en route.

After ballet director David was voted off in episode 1, Jai Courtney showed up to introduce a new twist. An extra $250,000 was added to the prize pot, but it came with a caveat. The bonus cash has to be carried by a single trekker, and – if they make it to the end – they can decide whether to share the money with the group, or keep it for themselves. The group elected to give Phil the responsibility of carrying the money.

Since then, Theo has left the group on doctor's orders, Ros, Lochie and Olympia have been voted off the mountain, and professional poker player Sharksey has quit after claiming the game is rigged. 

Season 1's "most capable player" Sam has also returned as "The Chaser". Although the trekkers had several days' head start on him, he took just three days to catch up with them and earn the opportunity to steal someone's money. He's not been the only threat to the overall jackpot, however, seeing as one terrifying high rope obstacle in cost the team a whopping $100,000. At least there have been rounds of duffle bag roulette for the trekkers to try and win some of that cash back...

Who will come out on top in this expedition to the roof of the world? You'll have to watch The Summit season 2 to find out. Read on to learn how.

How to watch The Summit season 2 for free in Australia

The Summit season 2 is free-to-air in Australia on Channel 9 and its 9Now streaming service. You can also watch all 10 episodes of season 1 on the platform.

If you're an Aussie heading off on an adventure of your own, you'll need to use a VPN to follow the climbers' progress. Find out how below.

Watch The Summit season 2 from anywhere in the world

A VPN, or virtual private network, is a nifty app that unblocks geo-restricted websites, allowing you to tune into your usual home coverage even if you're traveling abroad. It's a fantastic piece of software with many uses, so if you're an Aussie fan of The Summit overseas during the season 2 run, you'll want to add one to your kit bag.

Our favorite VPN is NordVPN thanks to its combination of superb speed, great customer service and affordable price. 

We find that it unblocks almost any restricted website and streaming service you can think of...

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're an Australian resident in the US and want to view your usual 9Now service, you'd select Australia from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to 9Now and stream The Summit season 2.

Can I watch The Summit season 2 in the US or UK?

At present, there's no US or UK broadcaster confirmed for The Summit season 2. However, as Deadline reported earlier this year, a US version of the show is coming to CBS this fall, hosted by New Zealand actor Manu Bennett. 

But don't forget, if you're an Australian resident in the US or UK when The Summit airs, you can still use a VPN to tune into your usual 9Now service.

Who are this year's trekkers?

Here are the 14 contestants competing for the $1 million prize. Find out more about them on the official Channel 9 website.

• Simone, 51, a business owner and actress (best known for McLeod's Daughters) from New South Wales
• Mat, 48, a former international rugby star from Queensland
• Tiffany, 46, a singer from New South Wales
• Olympia, 31, an actress (best known for Neighbours) from Victoria LEFT IN EPISODE 5
• Glen 'Sharksey', 30, an unprofessional poker player from Queensland LEFT IN EPISODE 3
• David, 59, technical director for the West Australian ballet, from Western Australia LEFT IN EPISODE 1
• Lochie, 31, a farmer and councillor from Tasmania LEFT IN EPISODE 4
• Taylor, 28, a stevedore from Victoria
• Phil, 43, a martial artist and motivational speaker from Western Australia
• Theo, 49, a stay-at-home dad from Victoria LEFT IN EPISODE 2
• Trisha, 44, a personal trainer from South Australia
• Charlotte, 35, a nurse and midwife from New South Wales
• Ros, 41, a horse trainer and farmer from Queensland LEFT IN EPISODE 2
• Ava, 29, an aerospace engineer from Los Angeles and Western Australia

More from Advnture

• The best down jackets: stay warm and toasty in the wilderness
• The best hiking boots we've tested so far
• How to use an ice axe: wield your ice tool with confidence

Connecting two camping tents together can give you tons more liveable space – something which is especially useful when camping in inclement weather. If you’re camping with friends, it can also give you a seamless way to remain social, even after you’ve retired to bed after a long day on the trails. But how do you go about doing it?

Connecting two tents together

If you want to connect two tents together, you’ve only really got two options. The one you pick will most likely depend on the type of tents you’re trying to connect, and the type of environments you’re taking your tents into. If you’re a committed ultralight backpacker, for example, then the additional kit you’ll need might render the whole thing unattractive. But if you’re a social camper who cares more about comfort and spending time with friends than racking up big miles out on the trails, then connecting two tents together might be achievable by adding minimal extra gear to your setup. So let’s take a look at the two options.

Option 1: pack a tarp

The easiest and leanest way to connect two tents together is to not connect them at all. Hanging a tarp over the entrances of two tents creates additional liveable space outside of each shelter. With a tarp overhead, you’re left with a weatherproof terrace in front of each shelter, which is ideal for cooking, hanging out in or as a place to store soaking wet gear.

The benefit of this approach is that it’s also decidedly simple: all you need to do is pitch your tents close enough together that each entrance is covered by the tarp, then hang your tarp overhead. This can be best achieved by either guying out the tie-out points to overhanging branches or by packing some extra long tent tarp poles. To maximize the liveable space – and to ensure you don’t need to pitch your tents uncomfortably close together – we’d recommend a tarp with a size of around 3x3m/3x3yds. Something like the Nortent Bivuakk works very well in my experience, coming with long support poles out of the box, and even the option to add a camping stove for those colder nights. The Nortent Bivuakk also packs down to a small size (considering the area of the tarp when unpacked), is very durable for its weight, and has been designed to also work as its own standalone tent.

Whichever tarp you decide to use to connect two tents together, the true benefit of this approach is in its versatility. It works with any two tents, no matter their size, season or model – and it means you only need to buy (and pack) minimal extra kit for the purpose of connecting two tents together. Which isn’t something that can be said for option number 2.

Option 2: modular tents

Modular tents – or pod tents – have grown in popularity in recent years, especially when it comes to festival camping or extended stays on campsites. They allow you to connect multiple shelters together using a modular door system, so you can literally just zip them into place. Tents sold by the likes of Qube, Pod or Coleman are very roomy and easy to put up – just bear in mind that these are not designed to be carried out into the backcountry. They are large and cumbersome and not built for backpacking, so you’re going to be very limited in where you can pitch these things. What’s more, modular tents only work with equivalent models, meaning you’ll both need the same tent – or the same type of tent – to effectively connect two tents together.

The good news, however, is that you can often just keep adding shelters until you run out of friends. In the case of Pod Tents, for example, you can keep joining them up like a canvas ant colony – resulting in a rather futuristic-looking web of interconnected shelters that offer enhanced livability and good performance in poor weather.

Why is it that despite knowing how beneficial strength work is to injury prevention, better running economy and quicker recovery, most trail and ultra runners prefer to do an extra run rather than stop to lift heavy things up and down? Maybe it’s because it can often feel a little bit, well, boring – but get your favorite upbeat music on and dig out your dumbbells because podiatrist Nick Knight from NK Active says, “The further and more frequently you want to run, the more vital strength work becomes as the foundation from which trail and ultra runners can build.”

Better still, Nick says you only have to do three key strength moves for better performance and injury risk reduction. “If you only find time to do these three moves – just one per day without any weights – that’s a great deal better than doing nothing,” says Nick. “Finding regular time slots that fit in with your life helps. Whether you are new to trail running or an experienced ultra runner, you will see positive benefits from strength training. These include running for longer without feeling tired, reducing your risk of injury and enjoying running even more.”

Every runner’s personal needs will differ, but here are Nick’s three essential strength moves.

1. Straight and bent leg calf raises

When: Getting ready in the morning

Works: Soleus and gastrocnemius (calf muscles)

Stand with the ball of one foot on the edge of a stair or step. Keep the leg straight, then raise the foot up and down, lightly holding the banister for balance. Repeat on the other leg. Then isolate the smaller but very important soleus muscle by bending the knee to perform the same move. To help you bend the knee more towards 90 degrees during this move you can use a towel around a banister to lean further back into the squat. Make this move harder by wearing a backpack with weights in.

2. Bulgarian split squat

When: Watching TV

Works: All the leg muscles and core stability

Place one foot on a sofa or chair, the other foot further forward, squat down until the knee makes a right angle, then push back up. This works the whole posterior chain including your glutes, hamstrings, quads and gives you a bonus hip flexor stretch too. Make it harder by wearing a backpack or holding a couple of heavy-duty carrier bags loaded with weighty kitchen items. You might even have a compliant baby or toddler you can use as a weight – mine is way too wriggly! Placing a cushion underneath the foot on the floor also makes it harder because of the unstable surface.

3. Crab walk

When: While the kettle boils

Works: Glutes (bum muscles)

Put a resistance band around your feet, bend your knees slightly, keep your feet shoulder width apart and walk sideways up and down your kitchen and hall. It will feel easy at first but soon your glutes will be on fire. This is also a great warm-up exercise to activate your glutes before you go for a run. When it gets easy, use a stronger resistance band. If you don’t have a resistance band, try clam shells: lie down on one side with knees bent at a right angle. Lift the upper knee, keeping the feet together, making sure you use the glutes (bum muscles) to facilitate the movement rather than your quads (thigh muscles).

Important questions about strength work

Why is strength work important?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its weekly exercise recommendation to include 3 x 18 minutes of strength work in addition to the 3 x 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity because strength work has such a fantastic impact later on in your life, leading to lower risk of falls and a longer life expectancy.

How many reps and how heavy?

To start with, just get used to fitting these exercises into your life – doing one per day is better than none per day. Then, for maximum strength-building efficiency, you want to use a weight that gives you an RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) of seven, where zero is no effort at all and 10 is maximal effort. Do no more than five sets of five-to-eight reps. Doing 20 of these moves at an RPE of five will build endurance but not strength so, once you can do the move with correct form, it’s more efficient strength work to up the weight and do fewer reps.

Help! I’m a runner! I don’t have any dumbbells!

Don’t worry, they’re handy, but you don’t actually need dumbbells or a gym when you first introduce strength work into your life. Start by filling your running pack or a hiking backpack with filled water bottles and other heavy things like bricks, books, flour and tins of baked beans. Nick says, “We have strength-tested Tesco bags for life and found that they can carry 65kg!” So with a couple of those, you can easily achieve the weight you need for these moves. A set of resistance bands, however, is a very useful investment and they don’t take up much space at all in your home.

Will I bulk up lifting heavy weights?

Short answer, no. Longer answer: you won’t look like a bodybuilder without a great deal of targeted effort, dedicating many, many hours in the gym, and eating the perfect balance of nutrition. Doing one or two short heavy lifting sessions per week alongside several runs is great for building a toned, strong running body, not a bulky gym-bunny body.

• How to avoid Dead Butt Syndrome

Your muscles are a bit like modeling clay. Imagine taking some clay straight from the fridge and trying to stretch it. What happens? It snaps. Now mold it in your hands, letting it get warm and pliable, then stretch it. Now it stretches like a dream! No snapping. 

Think of your muscles in the same way and you will never again miss your warm-up – something that both reduces your risk of injury and preps your body to perform at its best. A warm-up is less necessary before your longer, easy-paced runs because the steady start will allow you to ease into the run naturally, but for fast sessions like hill reps and tempo runs, it’s essential. 

Ellie Greenwood, ultra athlete and coach at Sharman Ultra Endurance Coaching says, “A dynamic warm-up is key to help prevent injury and also ensure you start your run feeling more mobile and fluid. With even a short warm-up you’ll run more smoothly and feel better.”

Eight-minute warm-up routine

Start raising your pulse and mobilizing the joints and muscles you will be using on your run with around 30 seconds each of the following mobility drills, interspersed with approximately 30 seconds of jogging on the spot. If you’re in a group prior to a club run or speed session, gathering in a circle and following the leader is a fun way to warm up with the heel kicks, knee raises, elbow to knees, and jumps. You can then line up in relay teams for the skipping and bounding, then spread out to work on ankle circles and clockwork ankles. 

Finally, finishing on fast feet makes everyone feel ready to run. You can also incorporate these five-minute mobility moves into a longer warm-up, combining them with a steady one-two mile jog to the bottom of a slope for hill reps, around a track before a speed session or before parkrun to get ready for a PB effort. 

1. Heel kicks

Place the backs of your hands on your bum cheeks and kick alternate heels back and upwards to meet them, hopping up and down on the spot or traveling forwards as you wish. 

2. Knee raises

Put your hands out in front, palms down and raise alternate knees up high, to 90 degrees if you can, to meet them. Again, you can do this on the spot or moving forwards.

3. Elbow to opposite knee

Wake up the brain as well as the limbs with some coordination and mobilize the core with a twist in this move. Lift alternate knees to meet their opposite elbow, on the spot first to get the hang of the movement, then walking forwards, then jumping forwards as well if you can manage it! Be careful to only make gentle contact between the knee and elbow, otherwise you risk bashing your funny bone on your knee cap. 

4. Random jumps

While jogging along, jump up as high as you can, then touch the ground, then jump left as far as you can, then touch the ground, then jump right as far as you can, then touch the ground. This is fun for a group in a big circle with one person calling out which way to jump, mixing up the jumps and ground touches like a kids’ party game, then trying to catch people out. Just watch out for jumping into each other!  

5. Skipping

You might have done this as a kid and this one is easier while traveling forwards. Enjoy bouncing upwards as high as you can with each skip and drive with opposite arm to leg to boost your bounce. Try not to think too much about which arm goes with which leg and the swing will come naturally. 

6. Bounding

A little like skipping, but this time try to leap forwards horizontally as far as you can with the leading leg stretched out in front to really wake up those legs and test their elastic rebound. Again, it’s opposite arm to leg as you drive the arms to support the move – but don’t overthink it, to allow the swing to fall naturally. 

7. Clockwork ankles

Imagine you are standing in the center of a clock face on the ground with 12 at the top, three to the right, six at the bottom and nine to the left. With feet together at first, jump around the clock in these four positions, three times clockwise, three times anti-clockwise. If you don’t have any ankle issues, you can do this move on the left foot, then the right foot. This not only warms you up but is also great for building ankle strength and stability for trail running. It can be used as part of a strength workout, too.

8. Fast feet

Run on the spot quickly with quick, light, fast feet. Start at a moderate speed for 10 seconds, speed up slightly for 10 seconds, then count down from 10 seconds while doing an all-out sprint as fast as your feet can go. Now you’re raring to go for your run!

• How to avoid Dead Butt Syndrome

Sometimes, there just aren’t enough hours in the day for all the adventures you want to have, and that’s why you might find yourself hiking, trail running or even pitching your tent in the dark. Fortunately, the outdoors market is teeming with increasingly lightweight and high-powered headlamps for hiking and running these days that make it easy for you to travel or set up camp with both hands free.

If you’re choosing a headlamp for camping, nocturnal hiking and night running, there are some obvious things you’re going to want to consider such as weight, whether it requires batteries or is rechargeable and the price tag. Beyond that though, technical headlamps can have a whole host of other features that might leave you scratching your head.

What’s the difference between lumens and beam distance? How is run time measured? And do you need red light mode? In this article, we help you decode the label on your headlamp and illuminate what it all means, what you need and how to make the best choice.

Beam type 

Headlamps will provide either a flood (wide) beam, spot (focused) beam or both. The flood beam is best for general camping tasks and reading in your tent, while switching to spot is great if you want to be able to see farther into the distance and is usually advised for running headlamps or cycling in the dark. A headlamp with both options is obviously the most versatile, but if you know you just want something to aid you on those midnight bathroom breaks when you’re camping, you can probably save money with a flood beam only.

Red light mode 

The red light function doesn’t come on every headlamp, but it has some real benefits. First, it helps preserve your night vision so you don’t go blind the second you turn your headlamp off, which means you can better enjoy some stargazing. It also helps prevent you from dazzling your friends and attracting bugs to camp, so you’ll be a more popular camper. Finally, it uses less battery life, so if you do find yourself in an emergency, switch to red light mode and give your eyes a few minutes to adjust while you take a few deep breaths and make a plan. 

Lumens 

When you’re buying a headlamp for nocturnal adventures, you want to be sure that it’s going to be bright enough that you can see what you’re doing, whether you’re adding a little air to your sleeping pad after dark or you don’t quite make it to the trailhead by sunset and don’t want to turn an ankle on those tree roots. 

Brightness in headlamps is quoted in lumens and the higher the lumens, the brighter the beam. Anything above 200 lumens should be fine for those looking for a reliable light source for camping or setting out at night in their best hiking boots, though trail runners and anyone else picking up the pace may want more than 300 lumens.

That said, it’s important to know that the higher the lumens, the quicker your battery will run out (though LED technology has vastly improved this predicament) so your best option is a headlamp with multiple settings so that you can choose a good high lumen level when you really need it, but have several other settings to choose from if you want to preserve battery life.

Beam distance 

While lumens tell you how bright a light shines at its source, beam distance gives you an idea of how far your headlamp can project usable light. Beam distance is usually listed in meters. Most standard headlamps have a beam distance of 80 - 100 meters which should be more than enough for camping and hiking, but if you’re planning on doing a lot of night running, you might seek out a model with a longer beam distance, such as the Ledlenser MH8 which illuminates the path up to 200 meters in front of you. 

Run time (burn time) 

Run time gauges how long your headlamp will produce usable light, but this metric isn’t quite as straightforward as it sounds. The old measurement system listed run time as the point where a headlamp could no longer produce usable light at a beam distance of two meters, but the new system measures run time as the point where the headlamp reaches 10 percent of its original brightness. 

Run time also applies only to the maximum output of a headlamp, while lower settings and red light mode will add many hours to your battery life. It’s worth checking the run time of a headlamp before you buy to get a ballpark figure, especially if you’re planning on using it for a nocturnal trek or run, but be aware that they usually last much longer than the run time suggests (though we always recommend carrying backup batteries or a portable charger).

Strobe 

Sadly, this function isn’t for having a spontaneous dance party in the woods; rather, the strobe function on many headlamps is a good way to signal for help if you find yourself in an emergency situation. If you’re lost on a mountain, the strobe function can help rescuers locate you and can signal to other hikers that you’re in need of assistance. 

Regulated output 

Regulated output means that your headlamp won’t slowly dim as the battery runs down, which is great when you’re using it constantly. However, the downside is that it can suddenly go dark on your without warning, so always carry extra batteries. 

• Why you should try running with a headlamp

Are you excited about spending nights out in the wild? You’re going to want to make sure you have all the best gear now camping season is here. First, a tent that can protect you against wind and rain but is easy to pitch. Next, a sleeping pad that inflates easily and keeps you comfortable even though you’re lying on the hard ground. Finally, you want to unroll a soft, cozy sleeping bag that provides warmth and breathability while you sleep.

Choosing the right sleeping bag is essential for spending a blissful night under the stars. It needs to be the right shape and size, warm enough but not too warm, packable and light, and there are so many great bags to choose from these days.

When you start shopping for a new sleeping bag, however, you might find the amount of information on the label a little overwhelming. What is fill power? Compressed volume? And what’s the difference between temperature, comfort, and lower limit ratings? Let us take all the work out of things and help you decode the label on your sleeping bag, so you know exactly what you’re getting for your money, and make sure it’s the best choice for your upcoming adventures.

Gender

Most sleeping bags will indicate whether they are designed for men, women or are unisex. You don’t have to shop by your gender, but it is helpful to understand that between men’s and women’s bags, there are some differences. Men’s sleeping bags are usually a bit longer, while women’s are often warmer, which assumes that women are cold sleepers. Learn more in our article on women’s vs men’s sleeping bags.

Shell/lining

The shell of your sleeping bag is the outer material and the lining is the inner material, and together this is what your skin comes into contact with while you’re sleeping. These are nearly always the same material, though you can find bags with synthetic shells and cotton lining, so it’s worth checking. There are flannel sleeping bags, which can be great for car camping, but for light backpacking gear, you’re almost always going to see that the shell and lining is made using either nylon or polyester. 

These two fabrics share a lot of the same properties and are both good options. Nylon, however, has that really silky feeling whereas polyester can be slightly rougher to the touch. Nylon can be constructed to be more lightweight than polyester and has better resistance to fungi and mildew. Polyester, meanwhile, is extremely durable against abrasion and heat, and dries a little faster than nylon if it gets wet on your adventures.

Both of these fabrics can be pretty breathable, but if you’re looking for something that’s ultra-breathable and soft against your skin, and weight is no object, cotton is actually the best choice – just don’t let it get wet.

Fill 

Fill refers to the type of insulation inside your sleeping bag, and it will either be down or synthetic. Down, usually goose or duck, offers the best warmth-to-weight ratio and is really light and packable, however it’s not as durable and won’t insulate well when wet. Meanwhile, synthetic down is heavier and bulkier (though it’s getting lighter every day) but will keep you warm if it gets wet and is hardier. There are also ethical concerns between the two, which you can learn more about in our article on down vs synthetic insulation, and it’s important to look for ethically sourced down or recycled synthetic fill.

Fill power

You’ll typically see a fill power rating on your sleeping bag between 300 and 900. Fill power is a little complicated, which is why we wrote a whole article on it, but in short, fill power describes down’s ability to fluff back up after being compressed – the more it can fluff up, the more air it’s able to trap which means more heat provided for your body. That said, how warm a bag is also depends on the quantity of down, which isn’t often on the label, and to understand that, you’ll want to read on for temperature, comfort and lower limit ratings.

Temperature rating

Not all sleeping bags will show a temperature rating, but if yours has an  “ISO” or “En” temperature rating, it refers to the temperature range at which the bag will work best. It’s important to know that this is calculated in a lab setting, and should be considered a guesstimate at best. To determine the temperature rating of a bag, it is tested with a dummy in standard conditions, such as wearing the same base layers and at the same temperature. 

This scenario doesn’t account for all the possible variables, such as what clothes you’re actually wearing, the R-value of your sleeping pad, the outside temperature and whether you’re a warm or cold sleeper, so you’ll want to make sure you also check the comfort rating. 

Still, if you’re looking for a bag for specific conditions, such as summer or winter, it’s a good idea to check the temperature rating as a baseline, so you don’t end up camping in zero-degree weather in a bag rated for 30F conditions.

Comfort rating 

The comfort rating on a sleeping bag is the rating that’s more commonly used on women’s sleeping bags and it indicates the temperature at which you’re likely to be the most comfortable, rather than the minimum or maximum temperature at which the bag should be used. This can be quite different to the temperature rating – for example, when we tested the Therm-a-Rest Parsec 0F/-18C, we discovered that while its temperature rating is 0F, its comfort rating is actually 14F. 

If you’re planning on camping outside of summer or at higher elevations, it’s vital to research what the lowest temperature you might sleeping in could be, then make sure the comfort rating of your bag is a little higher than that for safety.

Lower limit

Complicating matters further, your sleeping bag may also display a lower limit rating, which is a little more common on men’s and unisex sleeping bags. This indicates the lowest temperature at which the user might still be comfortable, and you’ll notice this is usually a lower temperature than the comfort rating on a women’s bag.

Compressed volume

If you’re hiking to your campsite, your sleeping bag is going to be stuffed inside a compression sack so that you can carry it, and you’re going to want to know just how much space it will take up. Most sleeping bags will display their compressed volume, in liters, which might not sound too intuitive, but it’s actually quite simple. 

If your bag has a 5-liter compressed volume and you’re hiking with a 50-liter backpack, it’s going to take up around a tenth of your available space, but only in theory. In practice, your backpack volume does include all pockets and compartments, so it’s not quite that precise, but it gives you a starting point to work from.

Shape

There are various shapes of sleeping bags available, with the primary two being rectangular and mummy bags, followed by sub-types such as double, quilts and zipless. Mummy-style bags are the most popular these days, because they’re lighter and draft-resistant, while rectangular bags are less restrictive and great for side sleepers. Learn more in our article on the different types of sleeping bags.

Zipper location

You probably don’t need us to explain what this means, but you may not understand the significance of whether your sleeping bag zipper is on the left or right side. As we explain in our article on sleeping bag zippers, your choice probably has less to do with your dominant hand and more to do with how ambidextrous you are and whether your sleeping bag shape, your body mass and your general level of contortionism give you room to move. Choosing the wrong one could be really annoying, so consider trying a few before you splurge.

• Best sleeping bag liners: cozy inserts

With warmer days on the horizon, you’re likely to be looking forward to losing the mid layer and getting some much-needed sun on your skin when you hit the hiking trail or head out for a run. After so many months of covering up with fleece jackets and long hiking pants, it can be easy to forget about sun protection on those first few outings, but it’s crucial to protect your skin from damage.

Even if it’s still cold where you are, remember that you can get sunburn at any time of year and lots of the terrain that you like to adventure on or near – such as water and snow – reflect the sun’s UV rays, making them even more harmful to your skin and eyes. 

But when you pick up a bottle of sunscreen at the grocery store, it can be tricky to decipher what all the terms and codes mean. We take all the work out of it for you with our guide to decoding the label on your sunscreen, so you know what you’re getting for your money, and how to choose the best sunscreen for you.

Broad-spectrum

Broad spectrum means that your sunscreen will protect your skin against both UVA and UVB rays. This has become standard in recent years, but it’s still a good idea to check the bottle for this label before you buy.

UVA 

UV stands for Ultraviolet and UVA rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation from the sun that are responsible for the skin damage that causes tanning, as well as wrinkles and aging. These rays can also contribute to sunburn and it’s important to ensure your sunscreen protects against UVA rays as well as UVB rays. UVA ratings are sometimes denoted with a star rating, and the higher the better, while in Europe the terms will be inside a circle to confirm it is EU-approved.

UVB 

UVB rays are the rays that are the rays that are responsible for sunburn and play a key role in skin cancer. All sunscreens should offer some protection against UVB rays unless they have passed their expiry date.

SPF 

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and refers to the amount of UVB protection offered and the recommended amount of time your sunscreen will protect you from UV rays. As the Skin Cancer Foundation explains, understanding SPF is a little complicated, but basically, if you wear sunscreen with SPF 30 (and apply it properly according to directions), it should take your skin 30 times longer to burn than with no sunscreen. 

In lab tests, a higher SPF equals longer protection. Still, the Foundation advises that this can create a false sense of security among users, and it’s more important to apply sunscreen thoroughly 30 minutes before going outside and reapply vigilantly. They recommend always using sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

Mineral 

Also called physical sunscreens, mineral sunscreens use titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to deflect the sun’s rays, creating a physical barrier between your skin and the UV light. These types of sunscreen don’t absorb into your skin so they leave that white, chalky look and not everyone likes them, but according to the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas, they offer better protection than their chemical counterparts. This is partly because you can see when it’s time to reapply. If you don’t love the chalky aesthetic but want the added protection, they recommend getting a tinted version that blends into your skin, such as this one on Amazon.

Chemical 

Chemical sunscreens use active ingredients that absorb and change the chemistry of the sun’s harmful rays to reduce damage. They tend to use at least one ingredient such as oxybenzone, octinoxate, dioxybenzone, homosalate or octocrylen and are easy to apply, coming in both cream and spray forms. However they wear off quickly and need to be reapplied frequently, and it’s harder to tell when they’ve worn off.

Furthermore, if you’re planning on getting into the sea, a lake or river while wearing sunscreen, it’s important to know that chemicals like oxybenzone have toxic effects on marine life. A mineral sunscreen is the more environmentally friendly option for eco-conscious hikers.

Hybrid 

Hybrid sunscreens contain both mineral and chemical ingredients to offer some of the protection of mineral sunscreens in an easier-to-apply formula. Your sunscreen may not use the word “hybrid” on the label, but if you read the ingredients you’ll be able to decipher if it contains titanium dioxide and zinc oxide plus other ingredients. Make sure you read the instructions so you know how often to reapply this sunscreen.

PA+

PA ratings are another way of rating the UVA protection offered by your sunscreen, and it’s not commonly used in the US, UK or Europe as there’s not yet a consensus on how reliable it is. However, if you’re buying sunscreen online or when you’re traveling, you may see this rating, and the more plus signs the better. Look for an additional SPF rating to understand the protection of your sunscreen before you buy it.

Sensitive 

If you have sensitive skin, you’ll be looking for this word on the label, but what does it actually mean? Often, it just means the sunscreen is fragrance-free, which might be appealing to those who don’t have sensitive skin too, however the Skin Cancer Foundation does advise that mineral sunscreens, such as Aveeno’s Positively Mineral, are usually kinder to those with sensitive skin than chemical sunscreens.

Sport

Sport sunscreen has added water-resistance to prevent it from washing off the minute you jump into the lake or start sweating. There is no such thing as waterproof sunscreen, so you’ll still need to reapply regularly, but this type of sunscreen is a good shout if you’re not just going to be lazing around in your hammock. 

Sport sunscreen is also oilier, which means it doesn’t come off with sweat or water, and that gives it an added eco-friendly advantage since it doesn’t all simply wash into the sea the moment you dive in.

Expiration date

Finally, some sunscreens will be stamped with an expiration date, while others aren’t, and while you might not worry about the expiry date on that can of tomatoes sitting in your pantry, the Mayo Clinic does advise you to throw out sunscreen that is past its date. 

In the US, the FDA requires all sunscreen to retain its original strength for at least three years, so if yours doesn’t come with an expiration date, the Mayo folks suggest you write the date you bought it on the bottle with a Sharpie, then throw it out if three years pass before you’ve finished it.

• The best trail running sunglasses

Running offers a wide range of health benefits, but it also comes with a risk of different injuries, including the potential for cuts and scrapes if you happen to trip over. Whether you're a seasoned runner or just starting out, knowing how to treat minor injuries during a run is key for staying safe and healthy.

It's always sensible to carry a basic first aid kit when you're running, and you can easily put together one that's small enough to fit in a running backpack or even tuck into a hydration pack. Our guide to running first aid kits will help you get started.

Once you've got your kit, you need to know how to use it, so we've spoken to several experts for their advice on treating cuts and grazes during runs, whether you're the one who's taken a tumble or it's someone else in your group.

Stop and assess the injury

You should not delay looking at n injury if you fall or scrape yourself while running. IIt’s a good idea to attend to it as soon as you can, says Dr Luke Powles, an associate clinical director at Bupa Health Clinics.  You should stop and take a look at how deep, or not, the injury is.

He adds: “If you know that you have a cut or a scrape, you should stop running and assess the severity of the injury. Try to gauge how deep the cut is and decide whether it requires immediate medical attention. 

“If the cut is minor and you have clean drinking water to hand, you can use it to remove any blood, dirt or debris that may have entered the wound. 

“Then, if it’s only a minor cut or scratch, there is no need to cover it unless it’s in a place where clothing may rub against it. It is deeper cuts that will require a dressing or a plaster.”

Take the right medical action 

If the cut continues to bleed you should take further action. Dr Powles says: “Cuts on your head or hands may bleed more due to the number of blood vessels in those areas. 

"If you have a clean cloth or gauze, apply gentle pressure for 10 minutes to control the bleeding. Try elevating your affected area to reduce blood flow while keeping pressure on the wound to avoid re-bleeding.”

Carolina Goncalves, superintendent pharmacist at Pharmica, also warns: “In some instances, you may see something stuck in the wound after cleaning it with water, such as a rock or a piece of wood. If this is the case, do not attempt to take the object out or press down on the area around the wound.”

She makes an important point that if the wound has something stuck in it, or if it is a substantial cut that may require stitches, it’s vital to call for help immediately if possible.

She says: “For this purpose, I recommend carrying your phone with you on your run, either in a small running backpack or an arm attachment that holds the phone. Alternatively,  if you own one, you can use a smartwatch that can make calls.”

Take a first aid kit

If you are heading out for a longer run and somewhere on trails or more remote, medics suggest you carry a simple first aid kit. As a basic kit list, you might include alcohol-free wipes, waterproof plasters, sterile dressing pads and also a list of emergency phone numbers.

Goncalves also suggests pocket-sized first aid pouch with clean cotton wool balls, and a small plastic bottle of iodine whenever you go for a run to disinfect wounds should you cut yourself while running.

She says: “Iodine is very useful. Pour the iodine on to a cotton ball and gently wipe the wound and the surrounding area to remove pathogens that may cause an infection. This may hurt, but it is a vital step because iodine penetrates the cell walls of bacteria, viruses and fungi, disrupting the protein and nucleic acid structure to eliminate them from the wound and significantly reducing the risk of infection."

Look after the injury 

Once you’re home and can assess the injury thoroughly, Dr Powles offers further advice on care of the cut or scrape. He says: “You need to check how deep the wound is, whether there is any dirt in it and whether it’s still bleeding or weeping. 

“If it all looks healthy and clean, apply a fresh dressing to the wound and change this once daily or whenever the covering becomes damaged or wet.

“Keeping wounds clean is very important. If you leave any mud or dirt in a wound, it’s less likely to heal by itself. This is because mud can get trapped inside the wound and cause infection. 

“If left untreated, infected wounds may need a tetanus booster. They can lead to bacterial infections and, in the worst of cases, sepsis.

“Keep a close eye on the cut and check for infection inside or on the skin surrounding the wound, such as the skin changing colour or temperature, weeping or swelling. If you start to experience any of these symptoms, you should seek professional help.”

• Trail running injuries and how to avoid them

Despite a few predictable false starts, spring is slowly springing and winter stubbornly retreating. Now that your bank account has recovered from Christmas, you might be thinking about booking your summer vacation – but why wait? Have you considered taking an active spring vacation right now to shed your winter coat?

When you were in school, you were no doubt used to taking a few weeks off each spring and if you have kids, hopefully you get away during the school break, but spring vacations are a good idea for everybody. My years of living at a ski resort reignited my passion for getting out of town during shoulder season and the spring always brought a special thrill when the heavy layers started to come off and the trails began to reveal themselves once again. 

For years, I made an annual spring pilgrimage to places like the deserts of Utah or Yosemite National Park and these days I head to Europe or even take spring staycations in Scotland. No matter where I end up, it always feels like coming alive again after the long, cold winter.

With the days increasing and temperatures rising, spring can be a great time to take a mini break and it’s an especially good time to enjoy an active vacation before the weather gets too warm. Read on to discover what’s so great about active spring vacations and get some ideas for how to spend your time, from the beach to the ski resort. By the time you’re finished reading, you’re bound to be planning your next spring escape.

Why take an active vacation in the spring?

The main reason to take an active vacation in the spring is because you’re probably tired of the cold. Winter can be long and arouses seasonal depression in many of us, and the stretch between Christmas and summer vacation can seem practically interminable without something to break it up. 

In many places, you can take advantage of milder temperatures which are ideal for active pursuits and boost your mood, plus you won’t have to fork out for summer prices on flights and lodging. Furthermore, if you want to keep the cold season going with a late-season ski trip, prices will also be much lower than during peak season.

Are there any downsides to an active spring vacation?

There are a few things to watch out for when it comes to planning a vacation in the spring. First off, you’ll probably want to avoid spring break in the US and the Easter holidays in Europe, when prices will be higher and everywhere will be busier. 

If you have your heart set on spring skiing, you might be sorely disappointed by the snow conditions if it’s been a warm start to the season, but equally, hiking trails could still be muddy or snow-covered if you’re planning to go walking and some National Parks may still be restricted.

Finally, the weather is likely to be variable – I’ve shivered in my tent in sub-zero temperatures in Yosemite and missed out on canyoneering due to rain in Utah during some of my April adventures – so there can be a bit of a risk if you’re planning on weather-specific activities.

All that said, there are steps you can take to reduce disappointment when planning an active spring vacation:

• Get good travel insurance.
• Book your trip last minute so you can see the long-term weather forecast.
• Pack for variable conditions (more below)
• Go somewhere with multiple activity options.
• Head south for guaranteed warm weather.

Active spring vacations: what to do?

Though not everything will be possible in the springtime, and not everywhere is open yet, there is a surprising diversity of possible activities available in the spring. In most places, you’re unlikely to encounter stifling heat which means that you can really pick up the pace. Here are a few ideas for your active spring vacation:

1. Warm up in the desert

Probably the best idea for an active spring vacation is to head to the desert, where the daytime temperatures shouldn’t be unbearable yet and you won’t have to worry about snow or mud. Areas around Moab, Las Vegas, Death Valley National Park and loads of parts of Arizona such as Sedona, Tucson and the Grand Canyon make ideal locations for anyone who wants to get outdoors and there’s zero chance of encountering any mud.

With pleasant daytime highs, you can hit the desert trails in a short-sleeved base layer and hiking shorts, but bring extra layers for overnights if you’re camping in the desert as it can get cold. Outside of hiking, the desert can provide incredible opportunities for rock climbing and cany

2. Hit the beach

You might think that beach vacations are only for those who like lounging around and sipping cocktails, but the beach makes for excellent active vacations too. You can pack your trail running shoes and run along the shore, explore coastal walks and if it’s warm enough, enjoy wild swimming and water sports. 

Some of the best US beaches for active vacations can be found in Hawaii, around Cape Cod, Redwood National Park, the Olympic Peninsula, Everglades National Park and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan.

3. Fly south by southeast

If you’ve spent the winter shivering away at northern climes, there’s a good chance you’re ready for some heat in your bones and even though we tend to focus on the western states and Rockies for hiking, there are loads of great, lower-lying trails in the warmer southeastern states at this time of year. You could head to Georgia and section hike part of the Appalachian Trail, hit the mountains of North Carolina or Tennessee for some backpacking or explore the Florida Trail all before it gets too swampy in the region.

4. Visit a National Park

National Parks do begin to get busier at this time of year, but outside of the spring school holidays, the true crowds don’t arrive until summer and if you pick your park wisely, you can find great conditions. Places like Glacier and Rocky Mountain National Park will still be in the vice grip of winter, but others are splendid in the spring, with abundant waterfalls thanks to spring runoff, awakening wildlife and blossoming wildflowers. 

Our picks for the best National Parks to visit in the spring include Big Bend, Zion, Joshua Tree and Yosemite where you can usually enjoy pleasant weather and few crowds, if you avoid the weekends. 

5. Keep skiing

If you live to ski or reside in a warmer climate, why not see if you can get some late-season skiing in before you pack your ski jacket away again? Though northeast and lower elevation resorts can be out of snow and shut up shop by now, lifts at higher elevation resorts in the Rockies can keep spinning well into April, with Colorado’s A-Basin famous for staying open into June. Resorts will be quieter, but if you are happy with some casual spring skiing and a laidback vibe, it’s a great way to get some turns in without going bankrupt.

What should you pack for an active spring vacation?

Clearly, what you pack for an active spring vacation all depends on what you’ll be doing and where you’ll be, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Spring can mean warm days and cold nights, so it’s usually important to pack layers, bringing shorts and T-shirts for daytime adventures but a fleece or puffy jacket and beanie hat for chilly evenings.

Spring can also bring more moisture in certain areas, so if you’re planning on hiking, you may need a waterproof jacket and rain pants as well as boots or shoes with grippy Vibram soles. In low lying areas, you may want to be prepared for hiking in mud, and in higher elevation areas, it’s advised to bring winter traction devices for shady areas where snow and ice may persist. 

If you’re going skiing, you might want to ditch the mid layer and find you’re comfortable in a softshell jacket and if you’re heading to the beach, don’t forget your water shoes.

• How to rent outdoor gear for your next active vacation

Whether you’ve signed up for your first 10k or an ultra marathon this year, there’s a ton of kudos in just putting your intention onto the goal of spending all that time in your road or trail running shoes. Make it to the starting line and you’re a success story and getting to the finish line is a bonus.

When you’re putting in all that hard effort, it can make things really special to dedicate it all to a worthy cause – just ask “Marathon Man” Gary McKee who famously raised £1.3 million (that’s about $1.6 million) for charity by running a marathon every day in 2022.

“There were days when no donations came in at all, but I didn’t let that bother me because I knew that the longer I went on, the more chance I would have of raising the magic million. It just goes to show, always believe in yourself,” says McKee of the remarkable feat, which saw him logging a total of 9,563 marathon miles on his GPS watch in one year.

Now you certainly don’t have to commit to that level of performance to make a difference, but if you’re already planning on taking part in a race, or similar event, this year, why not use it as an opportunity to raise some funds for a worthy cause? Chances are your friends and family will love the opportunity to find a way to support you. McKee recently reached out to us with the following tips for turning your race into a successful fundraiser.

1. Choose your cause 

There are thousands of charities to choose from, from men’s health and children’s charities to animal wellbeing, but if you want to be successful, it helps to start with something near and dear to your heart – that way you’ll be more motivated to spread the word.

In McKee’s case, he initially started with a personal cause – his first fundraiser over 20 years ago arose after he lost his father to cancer.

“I remember how we felt as a family,” he says, “I became a fundraiser knowing that the money I was raising would help so many people who were in the same situation as me and my family.” 

A cause that’s personally affected you or someone in your life is a great place to start, but if you’re lucky enough not to have been impacted by a certain illness or condition, JustGiving’s charity search engine is a great place to search for ideas, covering charities in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

2. Plan your fundraiser 

Since you already know what type of event you’re going to use to raise money, once you’ve chosen your charity you’re halfway there. You can simply spread the word about your event and encourage people to sponsor you. 

That said, you can also spice things up a little – in January of this year, we reported on the fridge-carrying marathon runner who is attempting to break the world record for fastest marathon carrying a household good, all to try to raise £10,000 ($12,600) for Diabetes UK in support of his best friend, who is a Type 1 diabetic. Some people set specific goals to reach a personal best in the hopes of increasing donations.

3. Create a fundraising page 

Using your race or event as a fundraiser means setting up a page where you can accept donations, and managing it. It’s best to set up your page through a reputable organization like JustGiving, rather than gathering the funds somewhere like a personal Venmo or PayPal account, so everything is handled correctly.

Start by figuring out how much money you’d like to try to raise – JustGiving reports that those who set a target raise 17 percent more than those who don’t – and McKee recommends not getting too carried away with your initial goal.

“I would say keep your target realistic, have regular check in points to see if things are going in the right direction and involve as many people as possible to spread the word.”

If you have the time and energy, it helps to add photos of your training runs and workouts on your page (this raises donations by 13 percent) and consider writing an essay explaining why you are doing what you’re doing. And remember, if you get close to your event and you’re nowhere near your target, don’t be discouraged – every donation helps.

“If things aren’t going to plan don’t be afraid to change things to get to where you want to be,” says McKee.

“On the very last day of my challenge to run 365 marathons in 365 days, I was £450K short of my £1 million target, but I knew with the right final push we could get there.” 

4. Spread the word 

 Finally, you need to get the word out about your intentions so people know what you are doing and where they can make their donations. Social media is a brilliant tool for this and though it can feel a little awkward to ask people to part with their hard-earned cash, McKee reminds you that sharing your fundraiser has other benefits, too. 

“Remember, it isn’t just about the fundraising – it’s also about signposting the charities and showing people what can be achieved with self-belief.”

Realistically, not everyone who sees your posts will donate, but they might learn about a cause or charity they were unaware of, or even be inspired to do their own fundraiser down the line.

"My advice would be to set up your page and get it out there on all the social media platforms and ask people to share it.”  

According to JustGiving, on average, every share on social media is worth $73 (£58) in donations to a charity. If you’re not a fan of social media, use good old-fashioned word of mouth telling your friends and family and posting your news on community boards at work and local grocery stores and community centers.

• Best hydration packs: on the go refuelling for you runs

Bouldering’s popularity has exploded in recent years, particularly in our cities. Thought to be one of the fastest growing sports on the planet, it evenly recently became an Olympic event. The sight of someone gymnastically stretching towards a multicolored hold has become common on our Instagram feeds. Supply has kept pace with demand, with a surge of new urban climbing gyms offering bouldering problems with various levels of difficulty.

Of course, there’s also the thrill of outdoor bouldering, the sport’s purest form. From classic venues like Yosemite and Red Rocks in the US, and Fontainebleau and the Peak District in Europe, to lesser-known gems, there are almost endless possibilities in terms of places to go bouldering outdoors.

So, whether you’re looking to smash through the Vs at your local climbing gym or you’re keen to progress on actual boulders – or both – knowing how to train for bouldering will help you achieve your ambitions. 

It’s a sport that requires explosive strength one moment and delicate balance the next. You’ll need endurance, a strong core, ironclad grip and plenty of flexibility and balance too. Knowing how to train for all of this can be tricky. We’re here with our straightforward guide and top tips to make those boulder problems less… problematic.

Meet the expert

What is bouldering?

• Bouldering is rock climbing on often difficult, low height objectives
• It's done without ropes, with protection provided by a crash mat
• Bouldering can be done both outdoors and indoors at climbing gyms

Bouldering is a form of rock climbing without ropes and harnesses that focusses on often difficult, low-height objectives, with safety provided by a crash mat. As it requires much less equipment than some forms of climbing, coupled with the low height of the objectives, bouldering is very accessible. Don’t confuse accessibility with a lack of challenge though, the difficulties posed by boulder problems can often be much more technical than those found on a sport or trad climb.

In its purest form, bouldering takes place on… you guessed it: a boulder. However, bouldering is the type of climbing that lends itself best to artificial indoor climbing centers, as there’s no need for rope skills and equipment. So, you can’t go mountaineering in New York, you can’t go trad climbing in London and you can’t go ice climbing in Paris. However, most big cities have indoor bouldering facilities these days.

Climb! Climb! Climb!

• The most effective way to train for bouldering is to go bouldering
• Regular bouldering workouts will strengthen the muscles required and hone your technique
• However, it's important not to overdo it, as you run the risk of injury

As we stated in our guide on how to train for climbing, the best way to train for any form of climbing is… to go climbing. This is known as the principle of specificity. Regular visits to your indoor wall or a nearby outdoor bouldering site will see you reap rewards, as you’ll be working and strengthening all the muscles required, while getting your mind adept at solving the problems.

However, it’s important not to overdo it as you’ll run the risk of injury. This is where conditioning, strength training and workouts to improve flexibility and balance come into play, enabling you to safely build on your bouldering foundations.

When at the wall, don’t try to jump ahead too much in terms of climbing grades either, as you could risk injury and repeated failings can have a bearing on motivation. Build up gradually, taking the time to master your technique. Speaking of which…

Study correct technique

• Study, utilize and perfect the techniques of experienced boulderers
• This means you won't be practising the wrong thing

In sport, occasionally someone will do something never seen before and leave all the spectators completely in awe. Think Dick Fosbury, the American high jumper whose technique led him to gold at the 1968 Summer Olympics and has become the standard technique used by high jumpers ever since. Or Johan Cryuff, the Dutch footballer who, during the 1974 World Cup, turned Swedish defender Jan Olsson inside out by dragging the ball behind his standing leg and rapidly switching direction with a move that has since become known as the Cryuff turn. 

However, for the most part, the elite athletes of the world have studied, utilized and perfected the techniques of those who’ve come before them. The same goes for effective climbing techniques, so it’s worth learning from the best and imitating them, so that you’re not practising the wrong thing. So, learn from those who are more advanced and study the elites to ensure your technique is as efficient and effective as it can be. Once you're elite yourself, you could maybe try something radical and, who knows, maybe add a new chapter to the story of bouldering.

Identify and train your weaknesses

When it comes to an individual training plan, the plan should be exactly that, individualized. So, while we can recommend certain types of exercise to help you with your bouldering in general, the amount of time and energy you put into each kind will depend on which ones you need to work on. Your overall approach should be holistic, paying attention to strength, flexibility, balance and stamina, but paying particular attention to the areas you need to improve on most.

So, if your weakness is balance, exercises that help to improve your balance and core strength will be the most profitable. Whereas, if you’re having endurance issues, you’ll need to focus on cardiovascular exercises. Try to choose approaches you know you’ll enjoy, as you’ll be more likely to stick at them.

Strength training

There are loads of exercises out there that are designed to improve muscle power and strengthen the core, so I won’t go into all of them here. However, it’s important to remember that bouldering is a full-body workout and that your legs are just as, if not more, important than your arms.

With this in mind, one of the very best exercises when it comes to training for bouldering is squats. Squats not only strengthen the legs, buttocks and core, they also improve balance. They require a hefty amount of body tension to maintain, which is good training for bouldering, when you’ll want to keep your body in as close to the wall as possible.

In terms of upper body strength, regular repetitions of the classic pull-up are hugely beneficial for developing our back and bicep muscles in particular. You don’t even need to head to the nearest gym to practise pull-up either – all you need is a bar that can support your own body weight.

While pull-ups are great for building strength you’ll need for dynamic action, simply hanging from the bar for an extended period is a great way to develop strength endurance. As you progress, you can increase the hang time, or reduce the number of fingers used. Which brings us to…

Fingerboard fun?

• Fingerboards should be used only once you've reached an advanced level
• They will increase finger strength and core strength, allowing for marginal gains
• Time spent on a fingerboard isn't a substitute for time spent on the wall

Finger strength is vital once you journey up through the bouldering grades. Exercises using fingerboards, resin or wooden training devices that feature myriad holds and grips, can be the answer. You’ll find them installed at the climbing gym, or there’s the option of purchasing one for use at home.

The first thing to state here is that time spent on the fingerboard is no substitute for climbing outdoors or at the wall. A fingerboard will, if used correctly, improve your finger strength and core strength but it won’t enhance your climbing technique. Only climbing will do this. The second, and most important thing, is that fingerboards aren’t well suited to beginners. They’re best for those who’ve progressed to the point where they’ve hit a bit of a ceiling in their bouldering, perhaps climbing at around V4 or V5 and the marginal gains made by being able to grip intricate holds are going to make the difference.

Yoga for bouldering

• Yoga enhances flexibility, balance and relieves the muscles used on the wall
• It trains you control your breathing during exercise, which is also important when bouldering

Flexibility and balance are just as important as strength when it comes to the more demanding boulder problems. Exercises that improve these are therefore important. Yoga is a very good shout, as it not only enhances your flexibility and balance, but it also relieves the muscles you use most on the wall.

Many rock climbers extoll the virtues of yoga and practise it on their rest days. If you were to go bouldering every day, you’d end up with some pretty achy limbs and sore hands. Yoga is a much gentler exercise that still develops the body in key areas. As well as the flexibility and balance benefits, the ability to control your breathing is very much the cornerstone of yoga, while also being a highly beneficial skill when bouldering.

The importance of cardio

• Bouldering can be the most physically intense form of climbing
• Make sure you do plenty of aerobic exercise to improve stamina

Due to the challenging nature of the problems, bouldering can be the most physically intense form of climbing, particularly if you’re looking to smash out loads of climbs in a day. While the exertion may not be as necessarily continuous as on a multi-pitch trad climb, boulderers don’t have the excuse of belaying to stop.

The point here is that cardio workouts are up there with strength, balance and flexibility workouts when training for bouldering. Running, hiking, swimming, skipping, cycling, aerobic dancing – the choice is yours, but try to get out a few times a week for decent cardio workouts in order to improve your stamina, muscle tone and general cardiovascular health.

It was a London Mountaineering Club meet in early February and Eryri National Park’s stunning Glyderau range were blanketed in snow. We’d set our sights on two of the UK’s classic mountaineering ridges: Tryfan’s North Ridge and Glyder Fach’s Bristly Ridge. These are two spectacular yet relatively easy Grade 1 scrambles in summer. In winter conditions, however, they really bare their icy teeth and become much more challenging Grade 2 winter climbs.

My friends Will and Andrew had decided to bring their harnesses and ropes. I didn’t. I didn’t even own a harness. I’ve done them in summer, no problem, I thought. How much harder can they be under snow and ice? Making this kind of judgement is what’s known as falling into a heuristic trap. I’d made my decision based on familiarity and without considering the wider picture and the nature of the conditions. Neverthless, Tryfan was marvellous fun. But, on Bristly Ridge there were admittedly a few spicy moments. With daytime waning, we ended up having to escape the ridge with a rappel.

Will sent his harness up to me on the rope after he’d already rappelled down to safer ground. I wasn’t at all sure how to put on a climbing harness, as it had been a while since I’d worn one. With all its loops, straps and buckles, it wasn’t immediately obvious how to go about it. Fortunately, I had an expert in Andrew alongside me and before long it was on, checked, and I was ready begin my rappel.

“Tomorrow, Alex, you’re buying a harness,” Will said to me, as our hiking boots crunched through the headlamp-lit snow on the descent to the car. “You’re a climber, not a hiker.” Can't I be both? Anyway, the next day, in an outdoor gear shop in North Welsh adventure capital Llanberis, I was trying on my brand-new climbing harness and many exciting days lay ahead.

Meet the expert

The climbing harness

• A climbing harness is a padded belt with two thigh loops
• It has attachment points for climbing ropes and gear
• It's the harness that's attached to the rope that holds you in the event of a fall

A climbing harness is an essential bit of safety kit that, when used correctly, opens up many exciting adventure types, such as indoor climbing, sport, trad, mountaineering, ice climbing and canyoneering, to name a few. They’re basically padded belts with thigh loops that tighten around the waist and thighs of the climber. They have various attachment points for ropes and climbing gear. If you were to fall while on a route, it's the harness that's attached to the rope that holds you. Needless to say, knowing how to put on a climbing harness is important.

If you’re getting into climbing or if, like I had on Bristly Ridge, you’ve hit the ceiling of what’s manageable for you without ropes in terms of your outdoor adventures, it’s time to choose a climbing harness and make the investment.

Learning how to put on a climbing harness is very straightforward and once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll be an expert yourself. Here’s how to do it:

1: Loosen the waist and thigh buckles

Start by loosening the waistbelt straps and thigh loop straps fully using their buckles. A climbing harness is much easier to put on if these are as loose as possible to begin with.

2: Check everything is in order

Before stepping into it, hold the harness up in front of you to inspect that nothing is twisted and that everything is broadly in line. Correct it if not. The padded part of the waistbelt should be facing the same way as the padded part of the leg loops and all the straps should be straight.

This is also an opportunity to check for any potential damage or defects. The other important time to do this is at the end of a day’s climbing, as you’ll have time to sort it, rather than being stood at the bottom of the crag with a faulty bit of gear.

3: Lay the harness out

Lay the harness out on the ground with the thigh loops below and within the waist loop. Remember that the padded sections are for your back and the back of your thighs. Once you're well practised, you may not need to lay the harness out like this but it's a good method for beginners to get used to putting it on.

4: Step in and pull up

Step in through the loops with both feet and pull the waistbelt up so that it sits above your hip, bringing the thigh loops with it, which should sit nicely around your upper thighs. Basically, it’s a bit like pulling up your boxers or briefs.

Before tightening the loops and belt, take time to sort out and straighten any garments the harness now sits on top of. The last thing you want is your down jacket getting in the way when you’re reaching for quickdraws and the like.

5: Tighten things up

Now, tighten up the thigh loops and the waistbelt. It doesn’t need to be uncomfortably tight, but you mustn't be able to pull the harness down below your hips. A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to slide a flat hand under the straps.

Modern harnesses tend to feature pre-threaded buckles that are configured in a double-back manner and stay this way when loosened and tightened. However, other harnesses require the user to thread the strap back through the buckle in order to properly secure it. Every harness is different, so it’s important to study the instruction manual before use.

6: Final checks

You’re almost set to “climb when ready!” But first, it’s good practice to both check your own harness and your climbing partner’s harness before the climb begins, just as you do with each others’ figure 8 knots. Again, check for any defects, any twists in the straps and check each buckle closely.

All done? Now it’s time to tie in.

7: After the climb

When your climb is done and it’s time to pack away, don’t forget to take the opportunity to check your harness over once again for damage. Try to pack it away neatly and, if it gets particularly dirty, it might be worth cleaning your harness when you get home.

In an age where most of us are tied to desks, thru-hiking has become the stuff of dreams. The mere idea of shedding your work flats and spending months in your hiking boots, sleeping under the stars, and completely disconnecting from technology sends people in their thousands to America’s backcountry each year – but while most of those drawn to thru-hiking are lured by the appeal of solitude, a journey like this actually requires a ton of support.

Behind every thru-hiker are generous people willing to house cars, mail and belongings, drive hundreds of miles to run shuttles, and send re-supply boxes, and let’s face it, not everyone has a large network of support. Though it’s possible to organize a thru-hike without support, it’s certainly not easy and thru-hikers can usually use all the help they can get. 

There are lots of reasons why you might want to support a thru-hiker – perhaps you know someone who is planning a hike or maybe you want to donate your time to a good cause and you love the outdoors. If you’ve completed a thru-hike yourself, you might want to lend your expertise to other hikers. You might even just happen to live near a long distance trail and want to help those hikers you see passing through.

In this article, we share six ideas for how you can support a thru-hiker, from logistics and travel to trail maintenance and magic.

1. Logistics

Thru-hiking sure seems simple – you hit the trail with nothing but your backpack full of camping gear and put one foot in front of the other. While daily life on the trail typically is simpler than that in regular life, getting to the trail is anything but. Finances, gear, rest days and transportation all need to be coordinated, and planning a long distance thru-hike takes many months of research and effort.

A thru-hiker needs to figure out how they’re going to get to the trail, what they need for their entire journey, and how to get it to the right locations. They’ll need to estimate how far they’ll have to walk each day if they’re on a schedule or trying to beat winter and they’ll probably want to make a plan of how often they’ll take a break and stay in town, then budget for that. When they’ve finished their hike, they also need to make a plan for how to get to an airport, train station or bus station to return home.

If you happen to have a lot of knowledge of a long distance trail, or even just be a person who loves planning and spreadsheets, logistics could be a great way to help someone with their thru-hike. You could sit down with them and help them draft out what they’re going to need for the entire hike and make a schedule of when each re-supply box should get shipped, or help them figure out how to get to and from the trailhead at the beginning and end of their hike. 

This planning process is all part and parcel of a thru-hike and many hikers will enjoy doing it by themselves, but for others, it can seem overwhelming and another person to help craft a plan would be very welcome indeed. 

2. Re-supply

Unless a hiker wants to rely on local towns for re-supply, which can be a pricey way to do things, each person ideally needs to receive a box of food (and sometimes gear like new hiking socks) about once every week. These will be mailed to a drop point such as a post office or store along the trail and held until the hiker arrives. As you can imagine, arriving to discover your re-supply box hasn’t made it would be disastrous, so it’s really important that a thru-hiker has someone they trust in charge of this job.

If you want to make yourself extremely useful to a thru-hiker while they’re on the trail, you could volunteer to be in charge of mailing their re-supply boxes. If the hiker takes charge of packing and addressing them, this isn’t as big of a commitment as it sounds, except for the fact that you can’t easily pop off on a two-week cruise without making sure you have reliable cover. You’ll need a space in your home that you don’t mind being filled with boxes and make sure to set a reminder each week to take the right package to be mailed with plenty of time to arrive before its owner.

3. Transportation

When it comes time for a hiker to start or end their hike, they’re usually going to need a bit of help getting to and from the trail, since driving themselves isn’t going to work. The trailheads for long distance hikes are often in remote areas, so a hiker may need to rely on someone to give them a long ride to the start point and then pick them up at the end, which can in itself be a big commitment. Remember, some popular trails are over 2,000 miles long, so even if you live near one end, you won’t live anywhere near the other, but any help is greatly appreciated.

4. Trail magic

If you happen to live near a stretch of a long distance trail, one of the warm-and-fuzziest things you can do to support a thru-hiker is perform an act of what’s called “trail magic.” Trail magic is basically just the thru-hiking version of random acts of kindness and usually entails providing hikers on the trail with something they’ll appreciate, and perhaps can’t typically enjoy while they’re hiking. 

As a trail angel, you can perform your act anonymously and leave a camping cooler full of lemonade and soda on the trail, or set up a table with food like home-cooked brownies or fresh fruit (don’t leave food unsupervised as wildlife like bears might be drawn to it). You might also offer hikers rides into town, buy them dinner, or even offer them a bed and a warm meal for the night if you live nearby. These offerings should be made as acts of service, with nothing expected in return, and will make memories that hikers cherish forever. 

5. Visit them

If you know someone who is heading out on a thru-hike, one of the best ways to support them might be with a little company. Even though hikers on long distance trails often meet other hikers every day, they might still appreciate having a friendly face show up. If you’re not a hiker, you can plan to meet them in town during one of their rest days, but you might also like joining them for a day hike, an overnight or even a section hike over a few days to keep them company.

6. Trail crew

All but the most intrepid thru-hikers rely on there being a well-maintained trail upon which to live out their hiking fantasies, and these trails don’t just handle themselves. It takes an army to build water diversion dams, cut back willows, clear trees and replace signage, and most of that work is performed by volunteers. 

You can donate your time (or funds) to help maintain a section of a long distance trail, which could be a one-off commitment or an annual role. This work can be physically demanding and usually requires you to be there for a week or two, but it entails lots of time outdoors with like-minded people and can be very rewarding – which is why these opportunities are usually in quite high demand. 

If you land yourself a volunteer position, you’ll get to chat with hikers on the trail who will be bursting with appreciation for your hard work. Most popular trails such as the network of National Scenic Trails will have a website where you can go to find out about volunteer and donation opportunities.

• “Anyone else feel like life is a bit of a let down?” – thru-hikers open up about Post Trail Depression

Been skiing hard this season? Your gear might be starting to get a little ripe. While your ski jacket and ski pants aren’t the type of clothing that requires as frequent washing as your running shorts or fleece jacket, with heavy use they’ll eventually need freshening up to remove those snow and beer stains from fun days on the hill.

Unlike some outdoor gear, your ski gear isn’t all that difficult to wash, but you will want to follow certain procedures to make sure it doesn’t end up damaged by the machine or losing its waterproofing capabilities.

Keeping your outdoor gear clean helps it perform optimally, so whether you just want a fresh set of clothes for your next ski day or you’re packing your kit up for the season, read on for an easy guide to washing your ski jacket and pants.

How to wash your ski jacket and pants 

Before you get started, please note that the following instructions are general guidelines for synthetic waterproof ski jackets and pants. If you’re wearing down clothing for skiing, you’ll want to follow our guide to how to wash a down jacket. 

1. Read the labels 

Before you get started, if your ski clothes still have the care labels (or you can find instructions online), read them and follow them to a T. This will ensure the optimal care for your garment. If you’re not able to find this information, the following should get your gear spruced up without causing any harm. 

2. Prepare your jacket and pants 

Ski pants and jackets are generally heavy in pockets, zips, buckles and velcro straps. Those pockets are usually filled with items like your ski pass, headphones, ski gloves and granola bars – you know, things you don’t want to wash – while fasteners can damage your clothes if they’re not fasteners. 

Before washing anything, empty all pockets, fasten all zips, straps and buckles and turn your clothing inside out.

3. Machine wash 

You’ll be pleased to know that you can usually machine wash your ski gear, but don’t just throw your gear in with all your other clothing and towels on a hot wash. Wash your ski clothes separately on a synthetic cycle (30°C with a low spin around 800). You can probably use normal or gentle detergent, but don’t use fabric softener as it’s bad for the waterproofing treatment on your clothing. 

4. Dry your clothes 

Take your clothes out of the machine as soon as the wash cycle has finished and leave them inside out to dry them. If you have a dryer, you can use a gentle setting (no more than 40°C) to dry them and reactivate the DWR treatment. If your clothes aren’t fully dry at the end of one cycle, hang them up to finish drying them. 

If you don’t have a dryer, hang up and air dry your clothes then use a warm (not hot) iron, without any steam, on your clothes to reactivate the waterproof treatment. Your ski gear is now ready for another day on the mountain, or to be packed away until next season. 

• How to wash ski gloves

Are you signed up for your first running race this year? If so, you might be wondering what to do next. Many of us register for a 10k or half marathon in the hopes that doing so will simply motivate (or pressure) us to get to the finish line, and sometimes, it does. But let’s face it, Forrest Gump was just a movie. In real life, without proper preparation, you could wind up injured, unable to finish, or not even make it to the starting blocks, all of which would be really disappointing, to say the least.

Preparing for your first race requires careful planning, from training and getting the right kit to goal-setting and pre-race fuelling. Proper preparation ensures you’re physically ready for the race, have the energy to keep going and can overcome race day nerves, all of which will mean you have a more enjoyable race, and are likely to make it the first of many.

1. Set a goal

Once you’ve chosen a race and signed up, it can be smart to set an achievable goal. This can give you something to focus on during both your training and your race, and that can help you stay motivated, while achieving your goal can also give you a greater sense of satisfaction (for this reason, it’s a good idea to set a secondary goal in case you don’t make your primary goal.

Your goal could be something ambitious, like running a sub three-hour marathon, but it can easily be as simple as just finishing the race. When I did my first triathlon in 2012, I simply wanted to finish and I wanted to do so without walking during any of the running section. I didn’t finish anywhere near the podium, but I managed to achieve my goals and I was really happy with myself.

2. Make a training plan

For injury prevention, it’s obviously vital to make a smart training plan, and to leave yourself enough time before race day to actually execute it. There is no one way to train, and your plan will depend on where you’re starting and where you want to get to, but just as a rough idea, in our first marathon training plan we recommend 12 weeks for seasoned runners, but a full year for novices. 

The most important aspect of training to remember is to build up gradually to give your body time to adapt to each increase in load, make ample room for rest and recovery and if possible, work with a coach and train in conditions similar to those you’ll be racing in.

3. Gear up

As you get closer to the big day, you’ll need to start to consider your gear. You’ll need to choose trail running shoes or road running shoes and have trained in them for a while to be sure they’re right for you. If you’ve already put in a ton of miles of them, you may need to replace them with an identical pair a few weeks before the race, and break them in. Once you’ve found the perfect pair of running socks, have a new or nearly new pair set aside for race day.

Use your training months to figure out what clothing you’re most comfortable in, taking into account the expected climate and conditions. Are you happiest in a pair of running shorts or do you prefer running tights? You’ll need a well-fitting running top that’s breathable and doesn’t chafe, and consider whether you want to run with a headband or running hat if you're expecting sunny conditions.

Remember, the general rule for running is light, breathable clothing that wicks moisture, but everyone is different. Reigning UTMB champ Courtney Dauwalter is well-known for running in baggy men’s running shorts and shorts, which isn’t common, but it definitely works for her.

4. Rest up

You’ll spend months slowly ramping up your mileage in order to reach your race distance, but once you get there, you’ll want to start to reduce both your distance and intensity in the final couple of weeks before your race, a practice known as tapering. During this time, you’ll focus on easy runs. 

In the final two days before your race, get complete rest and lots of sleep. If you’re not a great sleeper, read our article getting better sleep for some tips on improving your sleep hygiene and routine.

5. Recce your route

Ultra runner Renee McGregor has ranked highly in some pretty rugged races, from Snowdonia to the Himalayas, and when I heard her talk about her accomplishments, she described making the podium in a gnarly race where the majority of participants took a wrong turn. Her advantage? She wasn’t necessarily the fastest runner, but she had checked out the race course ahead of time and knew where to go.

Understanding your route before you take off, if possible, can help you plan for when you’re going to want to slow down, or walk, where you can gain back some time, when and if you’ll need running poles and any tricky sections in a trail race where there’s the possibility of getting off-route.

6. Get in the right headspace

In addition to your physical training, it’s advisable to give your mental state some attention. Running a race can be exhilarating and empowering but it can also be nerve wracking and daunting. In the months leading up to your race, it can be worthwhile practicing mindfulness or meditation, which a 2020 study published in the journal Neural Plasticity found improved coordination, endurance and cognitive function. This could help you in the lead up to the race and in combating race-day nerves.

Know yourself and understand what you’ll need the day before your race and morning of to ensure you’re in the best head space possible. It might be good to minimize social contact and give yourself some quiet time to focus and get in the right headspace.

7. Fuel up

Just like filling up the tank of your car before you set off on a long drive, you’re going to want to make sure your body has plenty of energy stored before a race. For a race that’s not likely to take much more than an hour, you can simply make sure you eat well in the couple of preceding days, but fueling for endurance races can take careful fine-tuning. Following his second-place win at the 2023 UTMB, Zach Miller revealed that for him, managing his sodium levels with salt tablets was the secret to success.

For longer distances, you might want to consider increasing your carbohydrate intake – a practice known as carb loading – to increase your body’s glycogen stores. The best nutritional advice is to focus on well-balanced meals with protein and carbohydrates and not going overboard on refined carbs or fiber, which might wreak havoc on your gut. Learn more in our article on carb loading.

Though you should definitely eat well in the days leading up to your race, if you’re going to be able to eat during the race and are loading your hydration vest up with running gels, then you don’t necessarily need to carb load, but you will want to make sure your stomach can handle gels and take them with plenty of water to avoid the dreaded “runners' trots.”

Ultimately, for longer endurance races, working with a dietician will give you an advantage, since every athlete and every race is different. This will help you avoid the pitfalls of low energy availability and might help you figure out your unique nutritional needs faster. 

8. Pre-hydrate

As we explain in our article on hydration tips for runners, hydration for a race doesn’t begin with filling up your hydration pack. Your behavior in the days before a long run can really affect your hydration levels on the big day, so avoid dehydrating foods like caffeine and alcohol.

According to Susan Kitchen, registered dietitian and USA Triathlon Level II and IRONMAN certified endurance coach, if you’re training for a big race, you want to avoid being in the heat unnecessarily in the days leading up to it, unless you're just doing a training run, but sitting outside on the beach sweating, or in a sauna, is not a good idea. Sip plenty of water in the days before your race, too.

9. Make a recovery plan

Chances are, all of your energy and efforts will be focused on that finish line, but the longer the race, the more you’ll want to make a recovery plan, otherwise it’s all too easy to end up having too many celebratory beers, which after a long run can be a bad idea. 

Try to plan for at least a couple of days off work following your race to recuperate, hydrate and nourish your body, schedule a massage and engage in some of your favorite recovery activities to reward your body for all its hard work.

10. Set your alarm

The night before race day, make sure you set your alarm nice and early so you have plenty of time to prepare. Chiefly, you’ll want to have time to sip water, eat and give yourself enough digestion time before the starting gun goes. 

In our article on what to eat before a half marathon, we explain that nutrition experts recommend runners eat a familiar breakfast around three to four hours before the race start, or a large snack 90 minutes to two hours beforehand. When deciding what time to get up, factor in that meal as well as how much time you need to get to the race plus any other pre-race rituals you want to observe.

• The best GPS watches tested

If you like taking a hike with your tent and sleeping bag in tow, there’s a good chance you’ll come up against some rain at some point. Whether you’re backpacking through the lush rainforest of Olympic National Park or just encountering a passing afternoon rain shower in Colorado, it’s difficult to dodge moisture entirely when you’re out on the trail for prolonged periods. 

If you’re unprepared and get soaked through, this can definitely put a literal damper on your adventure, but rain in the forecast doesn’t mean you can’t still go backpacking. Knowing how to go backpacking in the rain is simply another outdoor skill – like using a compass and calling for help – and mastering it won’t change the weather, but it can make your travels more fun.

1. Dress to stay dry

On pretty much any backpacking trip or hike, it’s a good idea to assume you’ll encounter some rain and dress accordingly. In addition to wearing quick drying hiking layers, always carry a waterproof jacket and rain pants. If you think you’ll be experiencing really wet weather, consider waterproof hiking boots and even gaiters to keep your feet dry when crossing streams and bogs.

You’ll also want to bring a spare set of dry clothes – hiking socks, hiking pants, base layer – packed inside a dry bag inside your backpack that you can change into if you get drenched.

2. Pack properly

Opening your backpack as little as possible when it’s raining is really helpful, so when you’re packing your backpack, make sure anything you’re likely to need on the trail is easy to reach. Think: map and compass, lunch, water bottle, hiking gloves and first aid kit in the lid compartment so you don’t have to root around for ages.

3. Protect your pack

Your hiking backpack holds your home for the night, or possibly several nights, and you want to avoid a soggy sleeping bag and spare clothes at all costs. Though your pack is probably treated with DWR and will hold off a light rain, it won't be completely waterproof if you’re anticipating sustained or heavy rain.

Annoyingly, most backpacks don’t come with a built-in rain cover (though the Berghaus Trailhead 65 does) so you’re going to need to purchase a separate rain cover that fits your pack, or learn how to waterproof your backpack. As soon as the skies start to look grey, cover up your backpack and keep your gear dry. 

4. Watch for wet weather hazards

While you’re walking, you’ll want to take extra care on the trail as rain can make the conditions extra challenging. You might encounter sloppy, muddy slopes or even find yourself crossing streams that aren’t usually there and can dislodge rocks and other debris, while rock surfaces can become extra slick when wet. 

Ensure your hiking boots have soles with really good traction such as Vibram soles with deep lugs. When you’re crossing slick or sloppy areas, consider using your trekking poles to keep your balance and read up on how to cross a river safely.

5. Choose a safe campsite

If you’re in a prolonged downpour, pitching a tent isn’t going to be a huge amount of fun, but you don’t want to make matters any worse. Seek sheltered spots and look for higher ground rather than camping down low in areas that might flood. Keep away from rivers that can break their banks and avoid dead trees which might fall. If it’s also windy, position your tent so that your doors face away from the wind. 

6. Pitch like a pro

It adds extra weight to your pack, but a camping tarp can go a long way in conditions like this and you can set it up first then pitch your tent underneath it. Some tents, like my MSY Hubba Hubba NX, are designed so that you can pitch the rainfly first, then pitch the inner and these are ideal for rainy days. 

Without these options, your best bet is to simply pop up your tent as quickly as possible, so make sure it’s not your first go around. Use tent footprint for more protection against waterlogged ground, and open any vents to help prevent condensation build up.

7. Dry out

Drying out on the trail isn’t easy, but once your tent is up, get your wet clothes off and your dry clothes on, then if and when the sun comes out, you can spread out any wet gear to dry. You can sleep with wet socks inside your sleeping bag to dry them out faster, or hang them off your backpack while you hike, assuming it’s stopped raining.

8. Stay positive

Finally, though backpacking in the rain can dampen your spirits if you let it, try to stay positive. Any time in the wild is time worth spent and rainy landscapes can be beautiful. Make sure you have provisions to make a tasty hot brew like hot chocolate over your camping stove, and bring cards or reading material in case you’re ensconced in your tent for a long time.

• Why are flash floods so dangerous?

Backcountry camping is a whole different world to frontcountry camping. Instead of driving into a designated pitch and praying you’re not close to the toilets, you can select any spot you like with the most stunning views nature has to offer – except that there’s more to it than that. When you’re backpacking, you may need to put a little extra effort into finding a site that’s safe, sheltered and comfortable and when pitching your tent, you’ll need to ensure you minimize your footprint and observe the principles of Leave No Trace.

Backpacking and backcountry camping are some of the best adventures you’ll ever have, but you want a good night’s sleep, especially if you have a long day of hiking ahead of you. That means choosing the right tent and the best sleeping bag and sleeping pad, but it also requires picking a great campsite to ensure you don’t end up rolling downhill, soaking wet or, if possible, hiding in your tent from the mosquitoes all night long. 

Read on for our top seven tips for how to choose a five star backcountry campsite to avoid common hazards and faux pas, and find spots that are comfortable and safe.

1. Plan ahead

Whether you’re walking a stretch of a long distance trail, exploring a National Park or heading out on BLM land, it’s a good idea to do your research in advance and find out what camping is available. Some wilderness areas are quiet and most responsible camping is fair game, whereas others may require backcountry permits and advance campsite reservations. Find out ahead of time if you’re likely to be met with restrictions and how much camping is likely to be available. 

2. Start looking in daylight

If you haven’t secured a campsite ahead of time, don’t wait until dusk to start looking for a site or you might end up pitching in the dark, which isn’t impossible, but isn’t fun. What time you start looking all depends on the time of year and how much daylight is available, but as a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to start keeping an eye out at least a couple of hours before sunset. That way if it takes a while, you won’t run out of light before you find a spot and get settled (but bring a headlamp just in case).

3. Seek out existing pitches

When you’re camping in the backcountry, one of the best things you can do to support local vegetation and wildlife is to use existing pitches. Basically, look for spots where the earth is bare and largely free of plants because others have pitched there. There will often be a fire pit indicating that it’s a previously used site. These sites have two advantages: first, they are likely to be in the best spots – on flat ground and relatively sheltered from the wind – and second, camping here means you won’t cause further damage to the ecosystem.

4. Consider the conditions

When deciding exactly where to pitch your tent, consider the conditions in terms of terrain, season, weather and even bugs. If it’s windy, seek a natural wind block like a boulder, if it’s a hot summer, look for shade. If it’s buggy, try to find an exposed area where you’ll get a nice breeze and if none of the above is an issue, seek out a spot with a beautiful view. Alpine lake basins can provide perfect camping areas with some shelter, fresh water and natural beauty.

5. Give other campers space

It’s not always possible to have the backcountry to yourself, but try not to pitch right next to other campers, unless you’re invited to do so. If you arrive in the area where you plan to spend the night and other campers are already set up, give them a nod but also give them some space and privacy.

6. Pitch near a water source – but not too near

If possible, pitch near a water source so that you have water to make your meals, refill your water bottle and wash up. That said, don’t pitch too close to a water source either. Doing so could place you in danger during a flash flood, and may also mean bugs are a pest.

7. Know where not to pitch a tent

Finally, and most importantly, you should know where not to pitch a tent. Unlike frontcountry camping, campsites may not have been scouted by park rangers to ensure their safety and there are lots of hazards you want to make sure to avoid, like dead trees that can fall on your tent, exposed areas above treeline, in desert washes that can flood and on boggy ground. Read our article on where not to camp for some tips to keep you safe and ensure a comfortable night.

• Best camping stoves

We all know that your phone has probably become about as constant a presence on your outdoor adventures as your hiking boots and trekking poles. Few of us even consider leaving the house without our trusty devices in this day and age, and the hiking trail – with all its risks of getting lost, peckish mountain lions and sprained ankles  – seems like an especially important place to be able to phone a friend from.

Hiking’s hazards, however, pose a unique challenge for your phone. When you’re dealing with rocky surfaces, moisture, grit and numb fingers, there’s just ample opportunity to fumble your phone on the trail and end up with a cracked screen or dead battery, all of which can make for a very expensive hike indeed. Read on for our tips on how to protect your phone in the outdoors and learn how to keep yours safe on your next hike.

Why do you need a phone in the backcountry?

Is it true that humans hiked for a long time without cell phones and managed just fine? Absolutely it is. But had any of those adventurers had been offered a small rectangle that allowed them to navigate, take beautiful pictures, store books to read at night in their tents and potentially call for help if they got into hot water, we're betting some of them might have said yes.

You’re not required to bring your phone into the backcountry; in fact, we recommend learning navigation and always bringing a map and compass, as well as carrying a backup like a satellite communicator for emergencies. But we also understand that, in this day and age, there are lots of reasons you might want to bring yours on the trail, and with the rising cost of smartphones, you’ll no doubt be keen to avoid damaging yours due to a fall, drop, rain, heat or cold.

Of course, you could look into getting a really rugged smartphone like this waterproof, drop proof Motorola Defy which we did our best to break on the trail. But if you’re quite happy with your iPhone, it’s a good idea to secure it before a hike, lest it meets a sticky end on a rocky trail or during a stream crossing. Here are our top recommendations to protect your phone in the outdoors.

1. Sealable plastic bags

A really easy and economical way to protect your phone from harmful moisture is with a simple household tool you probably already have in your kitchen drawer, and that’s a sealable plastic bag. If you get decent quality baggies, these can last a long time (and be recycled for your sandwiches) and will do a good job of keeping water away from your phone if they’re properly sealed. They won’t, however, provide any protection against drops so keep reading if that’s your main concern…

2. Protective cases

If dropping your phone is a worry, you’re going to want to arm it with a hard, protective case, even if it’s just during your hike. Though your phone might have survived multiple dives into your carpeted (or even hardwood) floor at home, a rocky trail can be considerably less forgiving, leaving you with a shattered screen. OtterBox phone cases are the gold standard for phone protection, keeping your phone safe from fumbles on the trail, while this version on Amazon is also waterproof to protect against moisture as well as impact.

3. Waterproof pouch

If you’re planning on encountering a lot of water on the trail, whether that be from torrential rain, stream crossings or wild swimming, a soft, waterproof pouch is like a step up from a plastic baggie and provides a little dry bag for your phone. Pouches like this Hiearcool one on Amazon are actually designed for swimming and kayaking, so they’re able to withstand more water than you’re likely to meet on the trail, and they allow you to still use your phone while sealed. For hiking in wet weather, that means you can continue to use yours for navigation.

4. Stow it safely

Regardless of what kind of protection you use, it’s a good idea to either pack your phone away safely, or attach it to your person. If you’re not planning on using it much (and hopefully you’re not on a hike), then you should place it in a secure zipped pocket on your jacket or even pack it away in your backpack. If you do want to use it frequently, you increase your chances of dropping it each time you pull it out, so consider placing it in a waterproof pouch then wearing it on a lanyard around your neck, or clipping it to your clothing or backpack using a carabiner.

5. Protect it from extremes

Regardless of what kind of protective case you use, you’ll want to take extra care when hiking in extreme cold or extreme heat, which can damage your phone battery permanently. For hiking in cold weather, read our tips for how to keep your phone from dying on a winter hike. If you’re hiking in the heat, it’s important to keep your phone in the shade when it's out, and to pack it away in your backpack bundled up in your gear while you're moving.

6. Know how to rescue it

Finally, if your best efforts fail and your phone does get exposed to moisture, know how to rescue it. Take it out of its case, turn it off immediately and keep it off. Give it a wipe with a camping towel or some dry clothing then pack it away and keep it dry. 

When you get home, you can leave it out to dry or go for the bag of rice if that’s your jam, but don’t try to turn it on while it’s still wet. If you drop it somewhere dangerous, like into Mount Vesuvius, don’t try and chase it. Thank it for its service and let it go.

• Best solar chargers: for keeping your tech juiced up

We’ve all been there. After a day-long hike, there’s nothing better than saddling up to the bar and toasting your epic adventure with a cold brew, or three. The problem with this approach to recovery, however, is that your muscles can tense up as you sit, you can get more dehydrated as a result of drinking alcohol, and despite how tired you are, may suffer from a poor night’s sleep as a result. The next day can be a total wash.

You might think that feeling rotten after a long hike is just part and parcel of spending five hours or more in your hiking boots, but while you’re bound to be tired, there are steps you can take to make recovery easier when you’ve been putting in serious miles.

How to cut reduce muscle soreness on a long hike

Whether you’re hiking, running or lifting weights, you might suffer from what’s known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) which explains those sore legs when you’ve been out on the trail. It is possible to cut down on DOMS (and therefore the time it takes to recover) by fine tuning a few details before you head out on the trail.

In general, make sure that your hiking shoes or boots fit well and are laced properly. If you’re backpacking or thru-hiking, you want your backpack to be sized and adjusted correctly to stay close to your body and transfer the weight of your camping gear onto your legs. If your route involves a lot of steep descents, consider using trekking poles to take some of the pressure off your quads and knees and of course, make sure you hike within your ability, bring lots of hiking snacks and take regular breaks.

How to recover after a long hike

When you get home after a long hike, you can fully expect to be tired and maybe even a little sore, but instead of suffering for the next three days, try the following recovery protocols to help you get back to full speed.

1. Hydrate well

Though the science on some recovery tools like stretching may be lacking, there is plenty of science to show that hydration can and does play an important role in your recovery. Even with a full hydration bladder or water bottle at the trailhead, you’re likely to become a little dehydrated on a long hike, and obviously having a beer or two afterwards only makes matters worse.

The more dehydrated you get the more difficult your recovery is likely to be according to a 2021 study published in the Journal of Human Kinetics which found a significant difference in the performance and recovery of athletes who consume less fluid than recommended. To aid recovery, start your hike hydrated, sip frequently during your hike and drink more water than usual afterwards. Ideally, avoid alcohol altogether. 

2. Stretch it out

You may have heard that so far, studies haven’t found stretching to have any physical effects on recovery speed, and that may be true – but remember that just because something hasn’t been proven in a lab, doesn’t mean that it isn’t real. If you’re one of the many people who do find stretching therapeutic when dealing with sore muscles, it might be because stretching can stimulate the production of endorphins, according to Harvard Health, or even because it encourages the release of muscle tension, as indicated by Colorado State University researchers. 

It may also be placebo effect or the fact that we simply don’t yet totally understand how and why stretching works – but if it works for you, don’t worry that you have to head straight to a 90 minute yoga class as soon as you’re off the trail. Try our short yoga for hiking sequence to target your feet, ankles, quads, hips and spine after a long day on the trail.

3. Elevate your feet

If your feet are especially sore and swollen after a hike, getting off that barstool and raising your legs higher than your heart is standard advice for swollen feet and may relieve symptoms of soreness. Prop your feet up on the wall, a boulder or a few pillows, set a timer on your GPS watch and relax, letting the fluid in your feet return to the center of your body to be redistributed.

4. Find fuel

Another problem with the beer-for-recovery approach is that it can temporarily suppress your appetite when you need to be eating. It’s no secret that proper fuelling plays an important role in performance, with the consumption of protein and amino acids indicated for helping to rebuild the muscles that you’ve damaged over many miles of walking while carbs and fat are required as energy sources. 

Sadly, there’s no magic protein bar that’s going to see you instantly recovering from a trek, and while athletes have very specific dietary protocols to help them reach optimal performance, the key tips for hiking recovery are more general. Avoid going to town on junk food, eat enough, eat healthily and get a good mix of protein, carbs, fat and fiber while avoiding foods that cause inflammation.

5. Soak it up

Though a cold beer with good friends really is a nice way to wind down after a long hike, what your body probably craves is a nice hot bath. Studies suggest that localized heat therapy may help to aid recovery, though as is often the case, more research on active humans is needed to fully understand why and how. 

Unlike some recovery tools, however, it does seem likely to help and not hinder your recovery, so hop in a hot bath, jacuzzi or sauna when you get home – just make sure not to stay in too long and keep hydrating or you'll end up with a new set of problems.

6. Take the plunge

Though scientists might not understand exactly why it helps, as we explain in our article on cold water therapy, there is evidence to suggest that post-exercise cooling can help aid muscle recovery. Try taking a wild dip in a river or lake near the trailhead, run yourself a cold bath at home or ice locally to reduce soreness (note that plunging into cold water can seem much more palatable when you mix it up with heat sessions, in the Scandinavian tradition).

7. Head for bed

Though many of us may be looking for that magic pill or perfect yoga pose to speed up recovery, the best medicine is most likely a good night’s sleep, which the Sleep Foundation cites in aiding athletic recovery. A 2019 scientific review argues that sleep may actually be the single most important factor in recovery, and promotes healing in your mind as well as your muscles. Read our tips for how to get a better night’s sleep.

8. Book a massage

If you know you’re going to be out on the trail all day, it may be worth booking a massage for the following day. While research on stretching might be inconclusive, a 2005 study did find a 30 percent reduction in DOMS with massage. If you’re feeling stiff, you might want to skip the vigorous sport massage, however, and go for a lighter touch focusing on relaxation. To save money, invest in a massage gun and do it yourself (or find a willing partner).

• Best hiking pants

Walking for miles through beautiful scenery is any hiker’s idea of heaven, but if you’re prone to uncomfortable swelling in your feet when you get out in the hills, you might be having second thoughts.

Swelling, medically known as oedema, is an accumulation of fluid. It is a pretty normal part of hiking where you spend hours on your feet, and it usually resolves quickly, but when it becomes uncomfortable, you’re going to want to take action. If you’re suffering from extreme swelling or swelling that doesn’t go down, consult a doctor, but if you’re just keen to cut down on normal swelling on your next long hike or backpacking trip, there are a few measures you can take that may be helpful. 

1. Wear boots that allow a wiggle 

It’s definitely possible that your shoes are the problem. Unlike your everyday shoes, you’ll want hiking boots (or hiking shoes) that are a little bigger than your normal size. Hikers typically go up by a half or whole size so their feet have room to swell and any swelling doesn’t cause other problems like blisters. It’s also worth looking into styles that are wide-fitting, and don't have a tapered toe box, or even barefoot shoes for feet that really don’t like conventional shoes.

A good rule of thumb is that once you’re wearing your boots with hiking socks, you can comfortably wiggle your toes (and you should make a point of wiggling your toes at each break you take).

2. Laces taut but not tight

Once you’ve selected a good pair of walking shoes, make sure that you’re lacing them properly to help cut down on swelling as lacing that’s too tight or inconsistent may be placing undue pressure on your feet. As we explain in our article on how to tie hiking boots, there are different ways to lace your shoes and you may want to try different techniques. The Window Lacing technique may help to relieve your foot swelling, but in general, remember the gold rule that lacing should always be taut but not tight.

3. Consider compression

You’ll often hear that you should avoid tight-fitting clothing that cuts off the circulation to avoid swelling, and while that’s generally true, your socks may be a bit of an exception. If you’re dealing with a lot of swelling on your hikes, you might want to try compression socks, which some research suggests can cut down on swelling (though the science is mixed).

4. Free your feet

When you’ve finished walking, as soon as you can, get out of your hiking boots. If you’re on a day hike, bring a comfortable pair of trainers or even sandals for the drive home and if you’re backpacking, get your shoes off when you reach camp (in warm weather, you can clip some flip flops to your backpack to wear as camp shoes). 

5. Prop up

 Elevating your feet is standard advice for anyone dealing with swelling and might be effective when you finish your hike. If you’re home, it’s easy to lie down and either bring your legs up against the wall or up onto a chair or stack of cushions. If you’re camping, find a boulder, a tree, use your backpack or hop in your hammock to raise your legs. Make sure your feet are higher than your heart to assist gravity in pulling fluid out of your feet and set a timer on your GPS watch for 10 minutes.

6. Soak (or plunge) your tooties

Soaking your feet might also help reduce swelling after a hike, and obviously you can achieve this with a nice bath when you get home. If you’re still out in the woods, however, don’t worry – find a nice cold river or lake and dip your feet for a few minutes to help take care of swelling. If you fancy taking a plunge, make sure you read up on wild swimming safety first.

• Why do your fingers swell when you go hiking?

If you've just got a new Garmin watch, it might take you a little while to familiarize yourself with its controls. You'll soon get the hang of browsing through glances (little snippets of information about your day, such as your current step count, calories burned, and last night's sleep) by scrolling with the touchscreen or buttons, and it's easy to start tracking a workout, but it's also important to learn how to pause it so you're not left scrabbling at the controls during a run or gym session.

Pausing an activity will temporarily stop the timer, and suspend heart rate tracking. Any movement while your watch is paused will not be recorded. It can be helpful if you're waiting at a crosswalk, you need to refuel, or you're waiting for a piece of equipment at the gym.

When it comes to pausing activities, not all Garmin watches are the same. All devices allow you to pause tracking manually, some can pause certain activities automatically if you stop moving, and some let you pause a workout for an extended time and resume it much later.

Manual pause

If you have a Garmin watch with five buttons (like the Fenix, Forerunner, Epix, and Instinct series), you can pause an activity by pressing the top right button. Pressing this button a second time will resume tracking, or you can scroll down from the 'pause' screen to save or discard the activity. You'll be asked to confirm your choice, so it's unlikely you'll delete your workout accidentally.

If you have a Garmin Vivomove or Lily, you can pause and resume tracking by double-tapping the screen.

Auto pause

Some Garmin watches can pause tracking automatically when you've stopped moving for a certain period of time. These include ones in the Descent, Epix, Enduro, Fenix, Forerunner, Instinct, Tactix, Quatix, and Marq series. You can find a full list on Garmin's website.

To configure auto pause, select an activity, then hit the menu button (center left) and scroll down to More Settings. Scroll down to Auto Pause and you'll be able to toggle it on or off, or enable it when you drop below a certain speed.

Auto pause isn't available for all activities, but can be very useful for running, cycling, walking, and hiking.

Resume later

If you pause an activity for a long period of time (typically between 15 and 30 minutes), your watch will end the activity and save it automatically so it's not lost. This stops your watch's GPS running in the background, which could drain the battery, and is helpful if you paused your watch at the end of a workout and forgot to select the save option. However, it's not always what you want, particularly if you're hiking and want to stop for lunch, or are taking a well-earned coffee break during a bike ride.

Some Garmin watches give you the option of pausing a workout, the returning to the main watch face and resuming the activity much later. This option will turn off GPS until you're ready to start again. To use it, pause your watch manually, then scroll down to the option Resume Later. When you're ready to restart tracking, just select the activity type from the menu as usual, and your watch will pick up where you left off.

You should find this feature on all watches that have the auto pause function.

• The best GPS watches: all the latest models tested and rated

Do you have big outdoor dreams but a tiny apartment? Perhaps you want to trek across Acadia National Park in winter, but you live in Southern California where snowshoes are hardly a must-have accessory? Getting outdoors requires a lot of gear (unless you’re a trail runner) and owning a lot of gear might be inconvenient for many reasons such as expense, storage and transportation, never mind the fact that some adventures you only plan to do once.

Whether you’re camping in Yosemite, skiing in Vail or hiking in Olympic National Park, you’re going to need good gear, but in many cases, renting gear makes a lot more sense than buying it. Though I own a lot of outdoor gear for camping, skiing, hiking and rock climbing, I've been known to rent items I don't own, such as crampons for glacier trekking in the Alps and a dry suit for canyoneering in Zion. 

If you’re wondering whether you really need that 4-person tent, pair of skis or avalanche beacon, read on to discover the benefits of outdoor gear rentals, and how to go about it for your next adventure.

What are the benefits of renting outdoor gear? 

There are tons of great benefits to renting outdoor gear. For every piece of gear you buy, you have to find a place to store it, which is why I have tents and sleeping bags taking up every corner of my apartment. Then you have to transport it for trips which can be a costly hassle if you’re flying. Throughout the year, you also need to maintain it, clean it after use and of course replace it when it wears out. That all requires energy and more money, but with renting you basically don’t have to worry about any of that.

When you cut down on the amount of gear you buy, it also reduces the market demand which ultimately cuts down on how much gear needs to be produced. Lower production is better for the planet, which makes gear rentals the more environmentally friendly option over buying a sleeping pad that’s only going to gather dust in your garage anyway.

Then you’ve got the fact that, if you don’t have a huge interest in a particular activity and are just doing it once, you probably can’t justify making the purchases or the commitment it takes to take care of the gear.

But there's another great reason to rent gear over buying it according to David Diehl, Director of Gear and Delivery Services at RightOn Trek gear rentals right outside Glacier National Park, and that’s because different adventures require different gear, and what you have might not suit the conditions you’re going to be experiencing.

“The sizing and selection options are where the benefits of renting really stand out. Many people own a sleeping bag, but do they own a sleeping bag rated for the temperatures they’re going to be camping in?”

When I lived in Colorado and only camped between June and October, my trusty GoLite sleeping bag was suitable for every adventure. It was always cold at night, but always dry. Now that I’ve moved to Scotland, I can camp year-round but need several sleeping bags depending on the conditions. When you don’t have that option, Diehl explains, you might end up making poor decisions. 

“Many of us have rationalized just going with what you’ve got and having a less enjoyable experience. We’ve lugged stoves that were too large, sleeping bags too cold, skipped out on having a GPS navigation and communication device, brought family size tents for a party of one”. 

In other words, when you own gear that doesn’t quite fit your adventures, oftentimes you’ll just take it with you anyway, and that could be uncomfortable, or even dangerous if your sleeping bag temperature rating isn’t warm enough for where you’re going.

Finally, whether it’s skis or backpacks, gear rental shops always have top-of-the-line gear in great condition, which they replace frequently, so you might get better quality gear than what you’re prepared to pay for, and gear that’s in better condition than your raggedy old kit. Despite this, you’ll save money renting gear for the occasional expedition, and by that, I mean a lot of money – the 18-item backpacking all-inclusive set from RightOnTrek costs $56 a day, but Diehl says would run you nearly $3,000 if you were to buy it new.

What to rent, what to buy 

It’s possible that you’re only ever planning on having one outdoor adventure in your life, in which case you’ll want to rent as much gear as you can, but for most other people, you may want to buy some items and rent others. What you choose to rent versus buy comes down to your personal values and the degree to which you’re committed to your activity, according to Diehl. 

“The more frequently you expect to use an item, the more cost effective it is to purchase it rather than rent.”

For example, having your own sleeping bag can come in handy in a number of circumstances, from backpacking to crashing at a friend’s house, so it’s common for people to want to own one. Less used items, such as cross country skis, a backpacking backpack, snowshoes, GPS navigation and satellite communicators can be more convenient to rent, while you might find that your 2-person tent is the wrong size for a specific adventure and want to rent a smaller or larger one rather than buy a second tent. 

For Mike Pescod of Abacus Mountain Guides who provides skills training and mountain guiding in Scotland and the Alps, an emergency shelter (otherwise known as a bothy bag), is something no one should head into the mountains without.

“An emergency shelter totally changes your experience if something goes wrong, but they're quite nice to have your lunch in as well. Or if somebody’s laces have come undone and they need to spend ten minutes sorting that out? Get inside your shelter if it’s raining and it’s good. You might not want to get out again.”

That said, he highly recommends renting one for a nominal fee rather than owning one, especially if you’re heading out on a one-off expedition.

How to rent outdoor gear for your next active vacation 

Ready to rent gear but don’t know where to start? Just follow these steps and you can hit the mountains with every tool in your belt, but without the expense or added hassle. 

1. Plan your trip 

Start by planning your trip, which will tell you not only what activities you're going to do, but also the season during which you’ll be traveling and how you’re going to get there. Summer camping will require different gear to winter camping, while a road trip might change what you rent and how much you carry compared to a trip where you’re traveling by plane or on foot. Once you know where you’re going, you can start researching gear rental shops in the area, too. 

2. Find out what gear you need 

Once you have your trip booked, you’ll need to find out exactly what gear you need, and subtract what you already own to figure out what remains to be rented. If you’re experienced in the outdoors, this will be as simple as making a list, but if not, remember that gear rental shops are staffed by experts who will be happy to assist you or speak to a more experienced friend or guide to make your gear list. 

3. Choose between pickup or delivery 

Much like ordering takeout, there are two ways to get your gear: go and pick it up, or have it delivered to you. The most straightforward is probably to find a rental store near where you’re going, reserve your gear online or over the phone in advance, then head there when you land. This route means you’ll be able to ask questions about your gear when you pick it up, or make substitutions if something doesn’t fit.

The second option is to do everything online and have it shipped to you. Companies like Kitlender let you reserve your gear on their website, then they deliver it to you, you pack it up and travel with it. The downside to this is that you have to fly with it, which may cost extra, but you may feel more comfortable knowing you have everything you need when you set off. You may also be able to have your kit delivered to your destination, such as a friend’s house or a hotel, which means you skip the visit to the gear shop and don’t have to travel with it.

RightOn Trek manages to marry these two approaches, depositing your pre-booked gear into a storage locker so that you can pick it up on your way into the park, and it will be interesting to see if this ultra-convenient method catches hold.

4. Have fun – and take care of your gear 

Once you’ve got your gear, it’s time to have a great adventure. In doing so, you’ll want to take good care of your gear – something some of us are guilty of forgetting about when it’s not our gear. Normal wear and tear is expected when it comes to outdoor gear, and you won’t be penalized for returning a tent that doesn’t look brand new or a sleeping bag that smells of campfire smoke, but you will be charged for more serious damage that’s obviously been caused by recklessness. 

Caring for your gear largely depends on what kind of gear it is, but in general, handle it with care and try not to pack things away wet for starters.

5. Return your gear   

When your adventure is over, it’s time to return your gear, either by swinging by the gear store or packing it up in prepaid envelopes and boxes and sending it back. Make sure you do this in a timely fashion to avoid extra charges, and do an inventory beforehand to make sure everything is present. Gear places will clean your gear for the next user, though if something is mud caked you might give it a hose down out of courtesy. 

• Adventure travel hacks: pack for an active vacation without checking a bag

Summer might be the traditional time to travel and get outdoors, and if you love hot weather and overpriced flights, then you might be happy using winter to hibernate. But those of us who refuse to let the weather get between us and the outdoors know that winter can be a fabulous time to get away. 

I’ll admit, growing up, winter vacations weren’t necessarily on my radar, but as the years have gone by, it’s become one of my favorite times of year to travel. From cozy cabins in the Colorado mountains to Swiss ski trips and jungle trekking in Central America, active winter vacations have formed some of my most memorable moments.

Basically, if you love the outdoors, you can find loads to do in winter, and a vacation can be a good way to break up the monotony at home. Read on to discover what’s so great about active winter vacations and some ideas for how to spend your time – and no, it doesn’t have to be a ski trip. By the time you’re finished reading, you’re bound to be planning your next winter escape.

Why take an active vacation in the winter?

No, the weather probably isn’t the best at this time of year, but if you’re living someplace where the days are short and the weather dreary, it’s all the more reason to take a break and beat those winter blues. In fact, if you think about it, it’s crazy that we tend to get away in the summer when most of us are experiencing our best weather at home. And anyway, summer travel can mean oppressive heat, overcrowded National Parks and inflated prices on lodging, gas and flights.

Wait until winter to book your trip and, outside of ski resorts, crowds will have cleared out, there are no mosquitos to contend with and best of all, you can choose between winter sports or flying south to find drier trails.

Are there any downsides to a winter vacation?

Any time you plan to travel any significant distance by road or air in the winter, you are taking a gamble with the weather. A major snowstorm or a cold snap can ground flights and mean missed connections, and close roads or just make driving very stressful. I won’t lie – it is common for people to miss a day of vacation (or a whole trip) due to inclement weather and if you are planning on winter sports, not enough cold weather can pose a whole new set of problems.

Then you’ve got the fact that while winter is obviously peak season for snow sports areas, in other parts of the country you might find that amenities like lodging and dining close for the season.

Furthermore, while a summer vacation to a warm weather destination can require little planning or packing, active winter trips often require a lot of planning and gear. 

All that said, there are steps you can take to reduce the hassle when planning an active winter vacation:

• Get good travel insurance.
• Stay closer to home.
• Book your trip last minute so you can see the long term weather forecast.
• Get snow tires and understand traction laws if you’re driving in ski country.
• Use a shuttle bus to get from the airport to the resort if you’re skiing and let someone else worry about the driving.
• Rent gear at your destination instead of flying with it.

Active winter vacations: what to do?

If you’re going on an active vacation, you’re going to want to get moving – but how? Summer’s warm temperatures make it feel as though the door to adventure is wide open, but tell that to folks trying to visit Death Valley National Park in July. Between winter sports and desert adventures, winter can actually be a lot more versatile when it comes to active vacations. Here are a few ideas:

1. Hit the resort

Obviously, a ski or snowboarding trip is probably the first thing that jumps to mind when you think of an active vacation, and while this is probably the most expensive option, it’s fairly straightforward since once you arrive, there’s a whole infrastructure in place to support your active vacation, from getting on the lifts to recovering afterwards. 

Your best approach is to start investigating which resorts have seen lots of snow if it’s midway through the season, or which tend to be snow sure if you’re planning way in advance. Read our article on how to plan a ski trip for more tips.

Remember that many resorts offer other winter sports, like snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snow biking, sledging and tubing, so a resort can provide fun for the whole family.

2. Winter trekking

For a slower pace, and to get away from the resort, you can explore the backcountry in winter hiking boots, on snowshoes or cross country skis. These activities can take place on or near a ski resort, in any mountainous area, ta National Park or even in the plains of the Midwest and Great Lakes region. Find yourself a cozy cabin or yurt with access to wild spaces (and ideally a hot tub) and you can organize a wonderful, and more budget-friendly hiking or touring holiday. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, try a hut trip where you can ski or hike in the backcountry or even hike between huts for a longer trek.

3. Visit a National Park

Speaking of National Parks, let’s be honest – they’re a mecca for any outdoor adventurer, but these days they’re just so busy. It’s best to stay away from all but the least crowded National Parks in the summer months, but the crowds do thin out substantially in the winter, even in popular spots like Yosemite. 

Some parks, like Glacier, might not be the most accessible in winter if you’re not already a ski mountaineer, but many, like Big Bend and Everglades, are actually better in winter because they’re cooler, while some of the busier parks like Yosemite can be great in winter, and far quieter. 

If there’s a popular National Park you’ve always wanted to visit, like Great Smoky Mountains or Joshua Tree, go now. You might actually be able to make a reservation at a cabin and the trails will be far less congested. Check out our guide to the best National Parks to visit in winter for ideas.

4. Fly south

If winter just feels like it gets in the way of hiking and running for you, then you need to head south or to the desert, where the normally hot temperatures down south aren’t quite so brutal. 

You can go hiking and trail running in any of the National Parks in Arizona or Texas, where the daytime temperatures should be perfect – check the forecast and be prepared for cold evening temperatures if you’re camping, however. If you want a more tropical feel to warm those cold bones, visit one of Florida’s National Parks or take a walk on the wild side with a stretch of the Florida Trail.

What should you pack for an active winter vacation?

Your kit list depends a bit on what activities you’re doing, but basically any time you’re heading outdoors in the cold you’ll want to bring winter hiking layers for getting outside and probably comfortable clothes for the evening. Since you’re likely to be tired after a day in the snow, you probably won’t want to get dressed up, so bring warm, stretchy clothes you can relax in. If you’re trying to travel light, remember that stretchy base layers can keep you warm during the day and double up as clothes to travel, relax or do yoga in later. 

Bring the following for any active trip where you’ll be experiencing cold weather and snow:

• Base layers and thermal leggings made from merino wool.
• Extra hiking socks.
• Hat and gloves.
• Cozy mid layers like a fleece jacket or gilet.
• A down jacket for chilly evenings.
• Footwear with traction for walking around town.
• Slippers for padding around your condo or cabin.

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