HOB-blog
The Top 10 Things Every American Trekker Should Know Before Their First Overseas Adventure
So, you’ve decided to take your trekking skills international and travel overseas — or to a new country — for the very first time with Hobnail (or some other, less-cool trekking company). Good for...
10 Reason why you should hike Ecuador’s Quilotoa Loop as soon as possible
If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path trek with breathtaking views, charming Andean villages, and just the right amount of challenge, then the Quilotoa Loop should be at the top of your list....
The Science Behind Trekking Poles: How They Make Every Step Smarter
If you’ve ever hiked with trekking poles, you know they’re more than just fancy walking sticks or something to fight off mean dogs with. But did you know that there’s actual science behind why they...
Five things to consider when choosing a rain shell for trekking
When you’re trekking in the great outdoors, rain isn’t a question of if—it’s a question of when and how much. Whether you’re trudging through the misty Scottish Highlands, dodging downpours in the...
Top 8 considerations when buying hiking boots
I've written about hiking boots before, but decided to go a little more in-depth this time. After all, what's more important to trekking than boots? Not much. The right hiking boots can literally...
My Top 6 Travel Hacks
Everybody loves hacks, no matter what the topic is. It's just cool to learn some little thing that makes life a bit easier, right? There are a million travel hacks. (I haven't counted them, but I'm...
Why is Nepal’s time 15 minutes off?
If you've had a chance to look at the world clock to figure out the time difference between your local time and Nepal time, you've probably noticed something really unusual. Nepal is "off" by 45...
10 ways to prepare for an overseas trek
You've finally pulled the trigger and booked that overseas trek — woo hoo! Chances are, your departure is at least three months away, and more likely, at least six. Whatever that block of time is,...
Why itineraries come and go
As you might imagine, running treks in a dozen foreign countries can be challenging at times, like herding cats or trying to get a teenager to empty the kitchen trash can without constant prompting....
Get busy livin’
I'm writing you tonight (Aug. 14, 2024) via a most wonderful thing: my MacBook laptop featuring a brand-new keyboard, touchpad, and battery. In some kind of miracle of nature, I dropped the laptop...
Why Mt. Toubkal in Morocco? Here’s why.
Alright, adventure seekers, gather ‘round! If you’re on the hunt for your next epic trekking experience — and why wouldn't you be? — I've got you covered. Let’s talk about Morocco’s Mt. Toubkal, the...
Kuhl Hiking Pants go on Safari
The kind folks at Kuhl reached out to us shortly before, back in May, I headed to Tanzania on safari while Mark headed to Ecuador for some high-altitude trekking. They offered to provide us with...
Three simple tips for a happy Camino de Santiago trek
So, you’ve decided to take on our Camino de Santiago abbreviated trek, the Camino Classic. Congratulations! You've just committed to walking 81 miles, which is roughly equivalent to trekking across...
The Kuhl Engineered™ Hoody stood up to Ecuador’s Quilotoa Loop
When Holly and I were contacted by a team member of the outdoor clothing company Kuhl back in April, 2024, we were thrilled. As it turned out, Kuhl wanted to send us some trekking gear to try out,...
Adventure travel: It’s not only for ‘those other people’
Do you ever feel like overseas adventure travel is too "fancy," complicated, or scary for you? Does it seem reserved for "those other people" who have mysteriously acquired travel knowledge...
Trekking with total strangers
When it comes to overseas adventure travel, everybody starts somewhere. For some first-timers, the idea of being put together with a group of total strangers for a week or two can seem daunting —...
About our scottish Three Lochs way trek
Hey, folks! Today, I want to give you a little more info about our upcoming Three Lochs Way trek, set to depart on September 15, 2024. If you've been dreaming of exploring Scotland’s breathtaking...
Don’t be a slave to your bucket list
A few days ago, I was out hiking alone and thinking (always dangerous) and I had a bit of an epiphany: I believe that we, as a travel community, sometimes limit ourselves by adhering to the concept...
The allure of adventure travel
Adventure travel offers an exhilarating escape from the ordinary, taking us to new places and pushing our physical limits. Whether it's trekking through the Himalayas, hiking the Peruvian Andes, or...
A day in the life of the EBC trail
When Holly and I do our "Everest Base Camp Trek Experience" presentation, we always have one slide that covers a typical day on trek — and it's really fun. So today, I've decided to provide you the...
