Everyday Wisdom: 1001 Expert Tips for Hikers (Backpacker Magazine)

Gathering tips from outdoor experts is just as important as packing the right gear and bringing a map. In Everyday Wisdom, Karen Berger offers amateurs and experienced backpackers alike practical problem-solving advice that can lead to more enjoyable adventures in the backcountry--from preventing blisters to finding and patching an air-mattress hole to treating a case of poison ivy. Berger is also a strong proponent of trail improvisation, and shares ideas for improvising with items you might have packed or items found in the natural world: for example, a "cheese cloth can be used as a prefilter, bandage, mosquito netting, or coffee filter" and vegetation along the trail, such as "wild onions, dandelion leaves, Indian yamparoot and other wild edibles can liven up a one-pot meal." In other words, Everyday Wisdom is filled with the sort of information that every outdoors enthusiast can use. --Jenny Burritt