Gear Abby: An Outdoor Advice Column For Your Ears

Just in time for fal Shawnté and Colin dive into listener questions about some of the most peculiar, practical, controversial outdoor dilemmas and whole bunch of mating tarantulas.This week’s questions:Naming Peaks – Can the average hiker name a mountain? Shawnté breaks down the tangled history of U.S. place names and what it takes to get one officially recognized.Thru-Hiking & Trash – Do long trails make us garbage monsters? Sustainability journalist and backpacking expert Kristin Hostetter joins the show to share practical tips for cutting down waste, rethinking packaging, and embracing a zero-waste trail ethos.TP & Leave No Trace – Should you bury toilet paper or pack it out? Shawnté explores the official LNT rules, the gray areas, and why personal ethics matter when it comes to backcountry bathroom breaks.Gravel Shoes – Do we really need another shoe category? Shawnté and Colin debate whether gravel running shoes are brilliant crossover tools or just another gimmick.Click here for full Gear Abby Episode Companion including all of the bings (aka footnotes) and even more from this episode!Got your own question for Gear Abby? Send it to deargearabby@gmail.com and it just might end up on the pod.Send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com and they might make it onto a future episode!Thanks for listening! Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.Please follow and subscribe to Gear Abby and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

HELLOOOOO THERE, outdoorsy friends! Shawnté Salabert and Colin “Partner In Gear” True are back with another wild ride of Gear Abby! The podcast where we answer your burning, weird, and sometimes awkward outdoor questions with advice that doesn’t suck.This week’s questions include:Trail Running 101 – Angry Rae wants tips for new trail runners. Shawnté shares why dirt > pavement, when to walk the uphills, and why biffing it is basically a rite of passage.$100 at REI – If you had a gift card, would you blow it on chocolate bars, Hokas, or apocalypse prep? Shawnté and Colin reveal what they’d do with Daddy Warbucks’ generosity.Backpacking With Your Boo – Sam wants to get her boyfriend hooked on backpacking. Shawnté breaks down how to plan, pack, and make it magical.Climbing in Yosemite – Not Honnold is nervous about joining experienced friends in the Valley. Abby’s advice: say yes, manage expectations, and soak it all in.Got your own question for Gear Abby? Send it to deargearabby@gmail.com and it just might end up on the pod.Click here for full Gear Abby Episode Companion including all of the bings (aka footnotes) and even more from this episode!Send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com and they might make it onto a future episode!Thanks for listening! Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.Please follow and subscribe to Gear Abby and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin “P.I.G.” True return with another round of outdoor gear confessions and advice in Gear Abby! The podcast where no question is too weird, petty, or controversial.This week’s questions include:Solo Female Hiking – How do you get past the fear of hiking alone, especially when your brain is full of true crime podcasts? Abby shares stories, strategies, and a reminder to “fuck politeness.”Whitewater Raft Pack List – Backpacking and rafting trips are not the same. Abby explains what’s different when your whole life is strapped into a boat (hint: dry bags, Croakies, and maybe a watercolor kit).Traction Devices – Microspikes vs. crampons: the Facebook debate that will never die. Abby lays out what actually works for different snowy conditions.Remaining Optimistic – With climate change and industrialization shaping our future, how do we stay hopeful about the outdoors? Abby offers a mix of realism, action steps, and stubborn optimism.As always, you’ll get equal parts useful advice, oversharing, and outdoor comedy gold.Click here for full Gear Abby Episode Companion including all of the bings (aka footnotes) and even more from this episode!Send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com and they might make it onto a future episode!Thanks for listening! Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.Please follow and subscribe to Gear Abby and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin “P.I.G.” True are back with another round of Gear Abby, where the gear questions get real... and sometimes a little gross.This week’s adventures include:The Triple Crown of Hiking – Do you really need to hike the AT, PCT, and CDT to earn your stripes, or is the whole “Triple Crowner” thing kind of overrated?Chafing in the Wild – From sticky thighs to “fire crotch,” Shawnté breaks down how to prevent, treat, and laugh about the outdoor chafe life.Strava Love & Hate – Is tracking your runs and hikes inspiring, or just another way to feed the ego monster? Shawnté shares her thoughts on “Kudos culture.”Cutting Switchbacks – The eternal debate: is it really that bad if you shave a little distance? Abby has some strong words for the shortcut crowd.This episode is for anyone who’s ever chafed, bragged on Strava, questioned the Triple Crown mystique, or been tempted by a too-good-to-ignore shortcut.Click here for Gear Abby's footnotes and even more from this episode!Send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com and they might make it onto a future episode!Thanks for listening! Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.Please follow and subscribe to Gear Abby and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Gear Abby is back! Host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin “P.I.G.” True tackle another round of listener questions about the gear and decisions that make (or break) your time outside.This week’s lineup includes:Boots vs Trail Runners – Abby helps settle the debate over whether “real hikers” wear boots, and why trail runners may or may not be the superior option.Pee Funnels – What works, what doesn’t, and why Shawnté thinks practice makes perfect (but beware of splashback).Running Watches – Listener Jeff wants to know: are GPS watches worth it, or just a fancy distraction from the trail? Shawnté’s answer might surprise you.Cowboy Camping – To tent or not to tent? Shawnté shares the pros, cons, and creepy-crawly considerations of sleeping under the stars.It’s another round of honesty and hard-earned outdoor wisdom from Gear Abby.Send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com and they might make it onto a future episode!Thanks for listening! Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.Please follow and subscribe to Gear Abby and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to the very first episode of Gear Abby! Host Shawnté Salabert and producer/partner-in-gear Colin “P.I.G.” True dive straight into the big outdoor questions you didn’t even know you needed answered.This week’s burning topics include:Best & Worst Places to Poop Outdoors – from Leave No Trace rules to Shawnté’s personal tales of unfortunate slopes, bracing trees, and run-ins with bears.Running Vests vs. Handhelds – Jason R. from Tahoe wants to know: does wearing a running vest for shorter trail runs make you “look stupid”? Spoiler: no, but Shawnté’s love affair with sweet potato tots might make you rethink your fueling strategy.Favorite Outdoor Books – Shawnté and Colin trade picks that go way beyond Wild, from Steinbeck to Blair Braverman to The Last Season.Biodegradable Soap & Leave No Trace – Is soap in the backcountry really “LNT-approved”? Shawnté breaks down myths, greenwashing, and why she only uses soap for one thing (hint: it’s butt-related).This episode is equal parts hilarious, gross, and surprisingly useful. If you’ve ever worried about where to poop, what to carry, what to read, or how not to ruin pristine places with soap bubbles this is your show.Click here for Gear Abby's footnotes and even more from this episode!Send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com and they might make it onto a future episode!Thanks for listening! Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.Please follow and subscribe to Gear Abby and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Get to know Gear Abby hosted by Shawnté Salabert!Are you sick of the outdoor establishment old guard who think their way is the only way? Do you crave honest, no-holds-barred gear talk that’s not tied to affiliate links, influencer dollars, or editorial bias? Do you wish you had an outdoor bestie who could answer your deepest, darkest questions about everything from outdoor sex to outdoor tech, pooping outside to perfecting your backpacking setup?Well - you’re in the right place! Welcome to Gear Abby, where we tackle the controversial, weird, obscure, and taboo topics that other outdoor podcasts refuse to touch.Because remember, my outdoor loving pals, there are no dumb questions - just smart advice.Are you looking for some advice or would like your question answered by Gear Abby? Send your questions, comments, and conundrums to myrockfight@gmail.com.Thanks for listening! Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Please follow Gear Abby on your favorite podcast app.Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.Please follow and subscribe to Open Container and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.