This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté explores outdoor etiquette, gear hot takes, and how to get creative outside without losing your mind or your tent floor.

On The Docket!

• The Permit Problem: A listener’s “asshole brother” hates paying for permits, but Shawnté lays out why those fees matter (from protecting wildlife to funding trail crews) and why caring for public lands means ponying up.
• The Ground Cloth Debate: Pup Tent Pat writes in to declare ground cloths “bullshit.” Shawnté disagrees (strongly), explaining how a cheap layer of Tyvek can save your $500 tent and your sanity.
• Painting in the Wild: Artist and outdoor educator Latasha Greene joins to share her minimalist plein-air setup, tips for letting go of perfectionism, and why getting dirt in your paint is basically a rite of passage.
• Bougie Hikers Unite: Shawnté and Colin field a question about U.S. hut-to-hut trails that scratch the luxury itch.

Click here for full Gear Abby Episode Companion including all of the bings (aka footnotes) and even more from this episode!

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