More than 20 years ago, Glen Van Peski began a quest to take less and do more, founding the company that is Gossamer Gear today. Like many of us who have spent time on trail, he learned about more than just gear choices and route planning along the way. His outdoor experiences taught him powerful life lessons—ones that may go against the grain of popular thought, but that have been proven to change lives for the better. And those tips are now available in book form. Glen’s new memoir, take less. do more: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpac ..read more

In case you missed it, several of our beloved packs got a spring glow up. You’ll find our new patent-pending PVT Frame + Belt and upgraded load lifters on the Mariposa 60 and Gorilla 50. You’ll also notice new colorways and design choices on the Kumo 36, G4-20, Loris 25, and Minimalist 19. Our team has worked hard to craft these packs to be as light and as functional as possible. As a result, some of the fun features these packs boast end up a little hidden without taking a closer look. Just like a discussion board analyzing the latest Taylor Swift album, below, we’ll help you uncover all the ..read more

Traditional backpacking frames and belts transfer weight away from your shoulders and onto your hips for an easier carry. They provide some structure for your pack to keep it aligned with your body. However, since they’re more rigid and fixed in place, they can also cause chafing and throw off your center of gravity if they don’t fit well or seamlessly adjust with your movements. The solution? A backpacking frame and belt system that pivots. A pivoting system on a backpack offers a more comfortable experience because it automatically adapts with your changing movements on trail. That’s why we ..read more

It’s hard to not have something go a little awry when planning your first multi-week or multi-month backpacking trip. Going on your first thru-hike involves many details, from route planning to selecting the best camera. Similar to how you’ll likely make a mistake or two on your first backpacking trip, you’ll probably experience some mishaps on your first thru-hike. The key is to learn how to use those mistakes to improve your future trips—as well as to get more comfortable along the way on your thru-hike. We asked our team of brand ambassadors to share their biggest “whoopsies” from their fir ..read more

By: Rochelle “Ruby” Altman --- The wonders of nature and the personal growth it fosters draw many to hiking. Yet, what is often understated is the strong sense of camaraderie that exists among hikers that significantly enriches our outdoor experience. This is exemplified by our community’s willingness to uplift others, whether it’s offering help to a first-time hiker, lending a hand on a challenging trail section, or sharing resources and knowledge. By embracing and sharing our experiences, we strengthen our collective sense of belonging and promote equity in outdoor spaces. Many of us can rec ..read more

If there’s one thing that can be guaranteed for your first backpacking trip, it’s that you’ll inevitably make at least one “mistake.” By the end of a first trip into the backcountry, we all usually leave with some new knowledge and thoughts on what we would do differently next time. Even our brand ambassadors, who have logged thousands of miles through the wilderness, had to start somewhere. It’s near impossible to completely ace your first trip. In reality, you’ll likely keep picking up new tips and tricks on each trek you take. However, one way to mitigate risks and prepare the best you can ..read more

If you’re new to using trekking poles, you might have some hesitations. People avoid using trekking poles on their hikes for a variety of reasons: They don’t know how to use them. They think they’ll look funny. They don’t think they need them. They don’t want to carry extra weight. But the reality is that trekking poles can be a truly fantastic trail companion for just about anyone.  If you’ve been curious about them or are simply looking for some tips to improve your trekking pole game, we’ve got you covered below. We’ll discuss everything you need to know, including: What are trekking ..read more

At Gossamer Gear, “do more” goes beyond a slogan or hashtag. It serves as a reminder to maintain our relentless drive to eliminate the unnecessary in life and focus on what’s important and worthy of “doing” to serve our customers, our community, and our wild places. Our brand ambassadors are an extension of this commitment. If you haven’t gotten to know our intrepid band of brand ambassadors yet, make sure to check out their profiles on our website to learn more about them, read past blogs they’ve written for Light Feet, and find links to their social media accounts. They’re an impressive bunc ..read more

Windy conditions are bound to find you in the backcountry at some point. Especially when you’re camping above treeline, it can be hard to find places to pitch a tent that are fully protected from the wind. However, you don’t have to let windy conditions or rainstorms prevent you from having a secure night’s sleep in the wilderness. There are steps you can take to perfect your backcountry shelter’s storm mode. Below, we highlight six tips you can follow for faster, easier tent set-up when you have to deal with wind or storms. We hope they help you minimize frustration, get cozy faster, and main ..read more

As we prepare to welcome in 2024, we’re taking time to look back at where we’ve traveled. Specifically, we’re looking at where the world-renowned Light Feet blog has taken us over these last 12 months.  Our goal is to make Light Feet our community’s go-to destination for inspiring interviews with outdoor enthusiasts, useful tips and tricks for the trail, adventuresome tales from the backcountry, helpful gear highlights, and all things lightweight backpacking. Thanks to guest contributors, expert interviews, and our top-shelf, in-house creative brainstorming team, we’ve published some pret ..read more