Guest Blog Post by Jamie Seibold founder of Wander Woman Gear

Global warming, the ever growing list of endangered species, a garbage patch in the ocean the size of Texas. Ugh, it's in your face and on your mind.

How about a break from it all? I know, I'll go backpacking. The simple life... all I need I can carry on my back. Little ole' me and my little ole' carbon footprint. 

I have the perfect loop in mind, now it's pack, load and go. I think I can tack on an extra 50 miles if I pack carefully. Lighter, farther, faster, right? Ok... If I repackage my food and really plan, I won't go hungry. Lighten up my toiletry kit with some travel size tubes, repackaged wet wipes, some biodegradable stuff, plastic liter water bottles, lots of zip locks for storage, and some other stuff I've been wanting to try and if I don't use it by my first resupply, I'll toss it. 

Sitting in my obligatory pile of essential gear... yes gear, maybe gear, let me check the weather gear, probably not going to use gear but will go in the car, needs to be put into smaller piles of gear gear, and the sad leftover pile of gear that permanently lives in storage that I know will never see adventure. 

My go to needs... zip locks, plastic tubes of stuff, plastic bottles, fuel canisters and more. Sigh, this is no little ole' footprint. It's JUST me, but I just made one huge pile of garbage and I'm not even at the end of my "escape from reality backpacking adventure".

I need to rethink a few things, and I know just the place to clear my head and make a plan. 

Fast forward to me walking down the trail, my mind spinning with the thoughts of how I come out here to be a part of nature, but how am I doing my part to protect it? This was a hard hitting subject for me on my trips this past year. Almost 1,000 miles of walking to think and rethink my options about sustainable backpacking. Thousands of miles with trailhead parking lots, trash cans and gallon zip lock bags full of waste. 

Fast forward to the present day where I've gathered, tested and researched some items that I feel will go the distance and produce less waste. Some are not ultra-lightweight, some are not cheaper, and some don't make my life easier. But how I feel walking through nature knowing I'm at least trying to do my part makes me feel freaking awesome.

* Also, just to clarify, you do what works for you. My gear list has taken years to perfect, change is hard, but new ideas can be a fun part of the process. These are ideas to share, not judge you if you don't use them.*

Here we go. A wee list of changes and exchanges. 

The main culprit - Zip lock bags. They are oh so convenient, but oh so permanent and single use. Two options I tried and loved are RUSSBE reusable snack bags from World Market and Lunch Skins compostable bags. The reusable snack bags are a game changer. They are durable and so easy to rinse out for reuse, they even have little holes in the corners to hang them. I literally stopped relying on zip locks because of these and they are still going strong at home. The Lunch Skins were perfect for anything that would leave behind a taste or smell. I had to pack out my dogs wet kibble in one and it stayed in tact, that's what won me over, and the fact that I threw it away and realized it was compostable. I tried the silicon bags and found I didn't love them, but they are still on my radar because I use them all the time at home. 

Plastic water bottles - Isn't it a teeny bit ironic that the bottle of choice is a "Smart Water" bottle. Unfortunately, this was hard for me. I mean, I keep the same Smart Water bottle for a LONG time, that’s sustainable, right? Peeling them from my hands and side pockets, I tried a reusable light weight, cheap, aluminum water bottle by Pathwater. Not much to say besides why the heck didn't I make this swap sooner? It's so light, recyclable, (dear reader, the option to recycle plastic bottles is coming to an end, it's not a solution or excuse to buy plastic water bottles, seriously, stop buying them), durable, and easy to refill with the wide mouth. Pair it with a water filter that fits on a reusable water bag like the Vecto from CNOC outdoors and you are a well hydrated hiking machine. 

Fuel canisters - There is a great option, but mind you, before I even begin to encourage a wood burning stove, please know that these come with an immense amount of responsibility and care. I purchased the TOAKS titanium wood burning stove. I'm a simple eater and just boil water to hydrate food and make hot drinks. The main spark of joy for me... abundant fuel. No shaking my canister and guessing whether I'll have hot coffee in two days, or maybe not. Ditching the canister was a great feeling. This stove took practice, my first fire was out of control and left my stove black and gross, but I enjoy learning the hard way and I eventually got it down to an art. Again, please use caution and responsibility with a wood burning stove. Learn how to use these properly and I really think you'll appreciate them. 

Toothpaste - Your travel size toothpaste made of forever plastic with the remaining paste that refuses to emerge regardless of super human squeezing, replace it with toothpaste tablets. I love "Miles of Smiles" Toothy Tabs by Lush Cosmetics. They are easy to use, just bite down and use your wet toothbrush and scrub. For the spreadsheet lovers, you can count out the tabs you need by days. Once you use these magic little tabs, you won't buy another tube of mystery mint paste. Store them in an aluminum pill canister and you just went zero waste!

Toothbrush - Easy swap, a bamboo toothbrush. Buy the kids version for an ultralight, small, antimicrobial, eco-friendly alternative. I love the ones by Zero Wast Cartel because they plant a tree for every purchase. 

Wet Wipes - This isn't like when we found out chocolate was bad for you, then found out it was actually good for you. Wet Wipes are bad news, not even the "biodegradable" ones. I know, this sucks for me too. They contain plastic and are just plain bad for the environment. They don't break down, all the wipes you have used are still around. But, for every problem there is a solution. Cut up a bar of soap or opt for soap leaves. Bring a couple of quick drying pack towels or lightweight bandana and soak them both with water. Next, add the soap to one, lather and scrub-a-dub, then "rinse" off with the other wet towel. I actually felt better after this wipe down than a sticky wet wipe wash. Keep the towels separate, one for washing an one for rinsing and dry them overnight or on your pack during the day. Pro tip - a natural loofah sponge makes a great ultralight and packable body scrubber. As you know, don't wash in or near a water source. 

Toilet paper - Of course, I recommend a reusable pee rag from Wander Woman Gear. These eliminate the need for toilet paper after you pee and the bamboo fabric keeps you fresh because its naturally antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, and anti-fungal. Bamboo fabric is also sustainably sourced. Wander Woman Gear has an up-cycled wipe option that uses remnant fabric from Purple Rain Adventure Skirts. For other business, use bamboo toilet paper or another sustainable option that’s readily available now a days. Pack it out! So called biodegradable toilet paper will still be dug up by animals and take years to break down.  

Sunscreen - Another easy swap. Say no to the little travel bottle of white chemical cocktail and opt for an aluminum pocket container of Dermatone SPF 36 Z-Cote Sunscreen. Refill that container from a larger one as needed.

Food packaging - Just be mindful of packaging. Companies like Fernweh Food Company are making some serious breakthroughs in sustainable backpacking food options. Think about nourishing your body that you are depending on to make miles, not just filling it with easy empty calorie filled snacks with wasteful foil packaging. Make some delish homemade trail mix with hand fulls of goodness that never gets old because you decided what goes in it. Bulk granola, nuts, homemade energy bars and consciously packaged bars are defiantly worth exploring. Search for DIY meals that you can soak in a silicone bag or reusable zip lock and become a gourmet backcountry chef. The options are fun and endless. That reminds me, cold soaking your food is a great way to green up your gear list too. I read a fantastic blog post on The Hiking Tree Blog about cold soaking. 

Take a good look at your gear set up and see what you can come up with! Once you make a few changes its fun to see how far you can go. Little changes can make a big difference and your connection with nature will grow knowing you are making an effort. 

Wander Woman Gear has a sample kit if you want to give some of these options a try. 

Be a conscious consumer - What you buy and where you buy it matters. So many companies are realizing their impact, from packaging to products. Do your research and go with companies you feel good about, not just the ones that make online shopping easy or save you 99 cents. We as consumers have control over the market by being conscious about what we buy. It's worth mentioning that used gear can be a great option. Shop around before you buy something new, there are a lot of resources online and stores that sell gear that’s still adventure ready. Reduce by reusing!

Here is a list of other products and companies I've come to appreciate:

Purple Rain Skirts consciously sources her fabric, Farm to Feet socks, BioLite rechargeable headlamps, Nike for their shoe recycling program, CNOC Outdoors is making a fully repairable pair of trekking poles, Outdoor Element has made a firebiner to eliminate lighters, Patagonia and their worn wear program, Mountain Hardware is making eco friendly sleeping bags, I'll try to keep this list updated...

Closing thoughts, 

Hike your own hike. This means do what works for you and make changes within your comfort level. I encourage you to tune into the changing market, new sustainable products are emerging with every season. The movement has started and I can't wait to see what’s next!

Happiest of trails,

Jamie