Gear tested over 17,000 miles.

I'm Jeff “Peaches” Kessler. I've been hiking for over 30 years; my first long trail was the Colorado Trail in 2014. Six named thru-hikes since (PCT, CDT, AZT, PNT, CT twice, Hayduke), plus thousands more miles on high routes, off-trail traverses and weekend trips. I review gear by wearing it out, then I tell you what broke.

Gear Reviews Trail Finder Trail Guides
17,000+Miles backpacking
2014Trail blogging since
FreePlanning tools
Tested on trail

Gear Reviews

Long-term reviews. Every piece here has real mileage on it.

All reviews →
T-Satellite for Backpacking
Gear Review

T-Satellite for Backpacking

My Prior Experience Last July I had been added to the open T-mobile Starlink (T-Satellite) Beta Test. This…

Jun 2026 · 6 min read
Gear Review: Good Shorts for Hiking (and Running)
Gear Review

Gear Review: Good Shorts for Hiking (and Running)

A good pair of shorts for hiking or running may sound like a daunting task. Honestly, though, you’ll…

Sep 2025 · 6 min read
Best Convertible Hiking Pants, Tested Over 15,000+ Miles (2026)
Gear Review

Best Convertible Hiking Pants, Tested Over 15,000+ Miles (2026)

I tested 5 pairs of men's convertible (zip-off) hiking pants over 15,000+ trail miles. The Outdoor Research Ferrosi…

May 2024 · 15 min read
Best Solar Panel Setup for Backpacking, Tested Over 2,000 Miles
Gear Review

Best Solar Panel Setup for Backpacking, Tested Over 2,000 Miles

After 2,000+ miles hiking with solar panels, here is my 7.2 oz backpacking solar setup — durable, field-tested,…

Jun 2023 · 11 min read
Columbia OutDry Ex Featherweight Jacket
Gear Review

Columbia OutDry Ex Featherweight Jacket

Update — 2026: Columbia has discontinued the OutDry Ex Featherweight (and Gore-Tex killed ShakeDry over PFAS), so this…

Feb 2020 · 7 min read
Smartphones for Backpacking: Phone Setup and Battery Strategy
Gear Review

Smartphones for Backpacking: Phone Setup and Battery Strategy

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I earn a small commission…

Feb 2020 · 13 min read
New to ultralight? Start with the gear guide. It's organized by what actually matters, not by what's fun to buy.
Read the guide →
Where I've walked

The Long Trails

The thru-hikes are the headline, not the whole story. Most of my miles are shorter trips, high routes and off-trail wandering. Hover a line to see a trail; click to read the guide.Tap a trail below to read the guide.

The Cascades Sierra Nevada Canyon Country Sonoran Desert Great Basin Rockies Grand Canyon Pacific N Pacific Crest Trail Continental Divide Trail Arizona Trail Pacific Northwest Trail Hayduke Trail Colorado Trail John Muir Trail Tahoe Rim Trail Collegiate Loop
17,000+ miles on foot since 2014

Eight long trails, plus a lot of backpacking that never made a map: high routes, off-trail traverses and weekend trips all over the West.

These are the long ones. For high routes, off-trail traverses and everything shorter, see Other Hiking and the journal.

Plan your hike

Other Guides

Shorter routes and starting points.

Collegiate Loop With a Nolan’s 14 twist Beginning Backpacking Start here if you’re new Big Sur Trail Network GPX + Gaia layers Navigation How I actually navigate
Free, no signup

Planning Tools

Things I built for my own hikes and gave away.

🧭

Trail Finder

79 long-distance trails matched to your experience, days available, and season. Covers all 11 National Scenic Trails plus routes in Europe, South America, and beyond. No signup.

 🌎

Big Sur Trail Network

A complete GPX of the Big Sur trail network for Gaia and Garmin. Covers the Ventana Wilderness and all the connector trails that aren't on most maps.

 🦝

Hayduke Trail App

iOS + Android app for the Hayduke Trail. Offline topo maps, real-time water reports, GPS navigation, and community conditions across 800 miles of Utah canyon country.
From the trail

Latest Dispatches

All posts →
May 1, 2026 Afterward to the Hayduke Trail HDT Apr 29, 2026 River Friends! HDT Apr 21, 2026 Across the River HDT Apr 15, 2026 Ride the Wave HDT Apr 7, 2026 On Roads HDT