Gear Abby: An Outdoor Advice Column For Your Ears

Should you be afraid of visiting an active volcano? Is upgrading to ultralight tent stakes actually worth the money? And who are the women who helped shape America's love for the outdoors?This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté helps a volcano-phobic listener plan a trip to Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens without constantly fearing an eruption. Then she tackles the surprisingly complicated world of ultralight tent stakes, explaining why shaving a few grams off your pack might not be worth the investment.Plus, journalist and author Heather Hansman joins the show to discuss her new book, Fierce Country: The Untold Story of Three Women Who Ignited America's Love for the Wild, and the complicated, groundbreaking lives of Georgie White, Anne LaBastille, and Dolores LaChapelle.Also: Colin's war on overalls, hot underground action, gram weenies, an alarming amount of tube steak talk, and a Naked and Afraid survival-partner debate.What's your question for Gear Abby? Send it to [email protected]:08:56 Question 1: Should you be afraid of volcanoes?23:18 Question 2: Are ultralight tent stakes worth the money?32:15 Our Time: Introducing Heather Hansman author of Fierce Country and three pioneering outdoor womenGear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What's the most haunted trail in America? What should you do if someone steals your backpack while you're using a backcountry privy? And does writing a personal comment actually make a difference when it comes to protecting public lands?It's Spooky Season on Gear Abby, and Shawnté is exploring some of America's most haunted trails! From the Grand Canyon's Wailing Woman and the ghosts of Mammoth Cave to the Jersey Devil and the tragic history of Washington's Iron Goat Trail.Then things get scary in a different way when a listener shares how his backpack was stolen mid-thru-hike. Shawnté offers advice on keeping your gear safe, while Colin questions the business model of stealing filthy backpacks.Plus: a heated Roadless Rule debate, ghost-hunting park rangers, a suspiciously sharp portable bidet, and a proposed presidential ticket nobody asked for.Gear Abby: Advice that doesn't suck.Send your questions for Gear Abby to [email protected] and time codes04:07: Roadless Rule feedback: Do public comments matter?10:08: Spooky Season: What's America's most haunted trail?19:25: The Jersey Devil and the Batona Trail24:49: Washington's haunted Iron Goat Trail26:45: A backpack stolen during a bathroom break28:41: How to keep your backpack safe on a thru-hikeGear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Should you dump your boyfriend if he criticizes your camping outfit? How the hell do you handle dirty diapers while backpacking with a baby? And can a bear canister actually shrink as you eat your way through your food?This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté tackles a camping relationship that's waving some serious red flags, shares advice for parents who want to take their diaper-wearing little ones into the backcountry, and puts an innovative bear canister to the test in another edition of What's In Your Pack?Plus: the history of going commando, fake nails on trail, and one Baby Beefcake.Gear Abby: Advice that doesn't suck.Send your questions to Gear Abby by emailing us at [email protected] Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Is Bigfoot just a West Coast thing? What the hell is a Wood Booger? And why should outdoor lovers care about the Roadless Rule?It's Spooky Season on Gear Abby, and Shawnté heads east in search of Bigfoot's lesser-known cousins: Florida's stinky Skunk Ape and Virginia's magnificently named Wood Booger. She digs into their lore, the gloriously terrible videos that supposedly captured them on film, and whether she and Colin actually believe any of this stuff. Spoiler: they want to believe. Then Gear Abby debuts a new segment where Shawnté and Colin tackle the questions they want answered, starting with something genuinely scary: What is the Roadless Rule, why could it go away, and what can outdoor lovers do about it? Plus: we're now an award-winning podcast, sexy Bigfoot, Shawnté's inability to understand acronyms, Colin's refusal to believe in cryptids, and the sentence “Skunk Ape is my safe word.” Send your questions to Gear Abby! [email protected] Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC!

Who investigates a murder in a national park? How do you separate legitimate trail warnings from good old fashioned fear mongering? And for a month on the Appalachian Trail, should you carry a power bank or go solar?This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté investigates the National Park Service's unfortunately acronymed IBS (listen to find out what that means - it's not what you think), including the real-life murder case that shows how these backcountry detectives work. Then she tackles the fine line between useful trail intel and letting someone else's fears become your own because when it comes to risk, every hiker is their own little “risk management snowflake.” Plus: power banks vs. solar chargers, why the sun is apparently a diva, gram weenies, Mountain Daddy, questionable and some unfortunate Australian accents.Send Gear Abby your outdoor questions! [email protected] Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.