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My loyal audience is accustomed to tuning in to my interviews with hiking and backpacking guides.  But today, I'm taking a detour to speak with an interesting guy named Nathan (Nate) Pipenberg. I was reading an article titled "The Best Backpacking Packs for Any Adventure" on the Outside app.  At the bottom of the article, it reads, "Meet our testers." Nate Pipenberg was listed as a tester, so I decided to approach meeting him literally and interview him for you today. 

Nate writes a biweekly column for Backpacker Magazine and is the category manager for sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and trekking poles at Outside Magazine. Below is a sampling of some discussion topics:

- What’s the day in the life of a gear tester?

- Make your pitch about why new backpackers should go ultralight.

- Nate discusses an anecdote about Glen Van Peski, a pioneer in ultralight backpacking and founder of Gossamer Gear, a functional ultralight backpacking and hiking gear company.

- What inspired you to embrace ultralight backpacking?

- Define what base weight means.

- Comment on an anecdote from John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods, in the foreword to Glen's book "take less. do more.".

- What is the price someone would need to spend to achieve an ultralight base weight compared to a conventional backpack packing approach?

- What are some beginning steps someone can take to lighten their load?

- What are the most essential pieces of gear for someone transitioning to ultralight backpacking?

- Explain the Big 4 in the realm of backpacking: 1 - Backpack, 2 - Tent (or shelter), 3 - Sleeping Bag or Quilt, 4 - Sleeping Pad

- What are the initial ultralight gear items to invest in?

- What are some ultralight gear company brand names you recommend?

- What does ‘packing your fears’ mean?

- What common gear mistakes do beginners make when trying to go ultralight?

- In general, what are some unnecessary items people bring backpacking?

- Is there one item you always bring that you’d coach someone not to carry but you do anyway despite the extra weight?

- Discuss getting in shape for backpacking, especially ascending and elevation gain.

- Glen Van Peski mentioned that according to John Mackey, the third day of a backpacking trip is the most challenging, but it gets easier after that. How long does it take to get in shape just by hiking on the Appalachian Trail, for example?

- Hikers rarely have a point of reference to appreciate what goes into building hiking trails.  Explain more so they can understand the process.

- What is the difference between East Coast trails and West Coast trails?

- What is your Musical Trekking recommendation?

Nathan Pipenberg
https://pipenberg.com/

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