HOB-blog
What makes it an ‘adventure’?
The word “adventure” gets thrown around a lot in our industry. It’s even in the name — “adventure travel.” We must be careful not to lose sight of what adventure actually is. Merriam Webster defines...
Featured Hobnailer: Kip Newton
Our "Featured Hobnailers" series spotlights past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. In this episode, we interview Kip Newton of Asheville, N.C. Kip tackled the Everest Base Camp Classic trek back in...
The Science Behind Moisture-Wicking Clothing: Why Cotton is a No-Go for Trekkers
If you’ve ever gone on a hike wearing a basic cotton T-shirt, you probably learned the hard way that not all fabrics are created equal — especially when, after a long uphill slog, your sweat-soaked...
Featured Hobnailer: Luis Prieto
Our "Featured Hobnailers" series spotlights past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. In this episode, we interview Luis Prieto of Palm Beach, Florida. Luis tackled the Everest Base Camp Classic trek as...
Whisky, Weather, and Wild Peaks: Trekking Scotland’s Northwest Highlands
Most locals would probably admit that there's something wonderfully unhinged about Scotland's Northwest Highlands. It's like the landscape couldn't decide whether to go all in on the majestic...
Featured Hobnailer: Luanne Brogna
Our "Featured Hobnailers" series spotlights past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. In this episode, we interview Luanne Brogna of New Jersey. Luanne will be tackling a custom version of our Peruvian...
Featured Hobnailer: Robert Tretsch
Our "Featured Hobnailers" series spotlights past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. In this episode, we interview Robert Tretsch of Atlanta, Georgia. Robert completed our Everest Base Camp + Gokyo Lakes...
Featured Hobnailer: Ed Leist
Our "Featured Hobnailers" series spotlights past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. In this episode, we interview Ed Leist of Bel Air, Maryland. Along with his wife, Samantha, and their daughter and...
The Physics of a Perfect Backpack: How to Pack for Maximum Comfort
When you’re headed into the mountains on a trek, your gear becomes part of your body. Your backpack isn’t just a container—it’s a critical tool for comfort, efficiency, and injury prevention....
Featured Hobnailers: Jeff & Patricia Stewart
Our "Featured Hobnailers" series spotlights past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. In this episode, we interview Jeff and Patricia Stewart of Monteagle, Tennessee. The Stewarts completed our Peruvian...
Adventure Travel for Retirees: 10 Reasons to Embrace the Journey After 50
Speaking as someone who is perfectly in the middle of this age range, I feel that I can make this statement with confidence: Adventure travel is the perfect reward for professionals and retirees...
Don’t over-complicate it: Hiking is just walking with boots and a backpack
Sometimes, we over-complicate things. It’s just human nature, I guess. Cooking? Over-complicated. Throw it in a pan and cook it over medium heat until it’s done. Politics? Over-complicated. Use the...
Featured Hobnailer: Christanne Kurtz
Our "Featured Hobnailers" series spotlights past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. In this episode, we interview Christanne Kurtz of San Diego, California. Christanne is tackling Nepal's Everest Base...
Discovering the Balkans: A Hidden Gem for Adventure Seekers
When most people think of international trekking destinations, they tend to conjure the high-altitude routes of the Himalayas, the rugged Alps of Central Europe, or the Inca foot trails of the...
The Science of Staying Hydrated at Altitude: Why Water Alone Isn’t Enough
When embarking on a high-altitude trek, you’ll hear the same advice over and over from those in the know: “Drink plenty of water!” And while that’s solid guidance, it’s a bit like advising someone...
Featured Hobnailer: Larry Kintner
Our "Featured Hobnailers" series spotlights past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. In this episode, we interview Larry Kintner of Oakland, Tennessee. Larry is tackling Nepal's Everest Base Camp + Gokyo...
Featured Hobnailers: Terry & Rhonda Gilbert
Our "Featured Hobnailers" series spotlights past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. In this episode, we interview Terry and Rhonda Gilbert of Whitwell, Tennessee. The Gilberts are undertaking their...
Out of the cubicle and onto the trail
Scrolling through LinkedIn? Chances are fairly good you’re sitting at a desk, staring at a screen, sipping your third (or fifth) cup of coffee, and wondering where your productivity has gone. It's...
Top 5 Reasons Why an Overseas Trek is the Perfect Team-Building Experience
Picture this: Your team is stuck in another windowless conference room, sipping stale coffee with powdered cream, and repeatedly checking their mobile phones while pretending to enjoy an awkward...
Featured Hobnailers: Russ & Susan Moore
Our "Featured Hobnailers" series spotlights past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. In this episode, we interview Russ and Susan Moore of Buhl, Alabama. The Moores are Hobnail's most tenured trekkers,...
Featured Hobnailers: Paul & Linne McGowan
We are excited to begin a new "Featured Hobnailer" series that profiles past and upcoming Hobnail trekkers. Our first Hobnailers are Paul and Linne McGowan, who are embarking on our Croatian...
Why an overseas trek costs what it does
If you've ever looked at the price of an overseas trekking adventure and thought, "Why the heck does it cost that much?", you're not alone. We get it and we've had the exact same reactions...
Diamox: What it is and why you should consider taking it
When planning a high-altitude trek with Hobnail Trekking — whether it’s Everest Base Camp, Kilimanjaro, the Inca Trail, or one of our other epic destinations — you’ll likely hear about Diamox...
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 minutes. If it’s 10am in Nashville, it’s 4pm in London — and it’s 9:45 pm in Nepal. Where’d that other 15 minutes go?
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 — even a little off-putting. I get it. But don’t let that stop you.
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...
