Andrew Skurka
American backpacking guide, writer and endurance athlete who has hiked more than 30,000 miles; author of The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide and publisher of gear reviews and trip-planning tutorials at andrewskurka.com.
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Recommends rcmnd
rcmnd What they recommend 18 things — each backed by an exact quote.
Compiled by rcmnd.app, not by them: the quotes are theirs, and each links to the post it was copied from.
Recent
Loved La Sportiva Mutant
The La Sportiva Mutant (men's, women's) is my overall pick for backpacking and light canyoneering, and my personal favorite.
andrewskurka.com 21 Mar 2024
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Mixed on Garmin inReach Mini 2
I own an inReach Mini, used it for several years, and have no intention of upgrading to the Mini 2 because I don't see $400 of value in these improvements (or even $250, if I was able to sell my used Mini for $150).
andrewskurka.com 2 Feb 2022
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Liked From the River to the Sea
Sedgewick was more successful in developing his characters, and I also appreciated that he took regular tangents into other related and interesting matters like the Leadville mining boom, the growth of Los Angeles, and the business maneuvers of other railroad barons like Jay Gould and Collis Huntington.
andrewskurka.com 11 Aug 2021
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Recommends CalTopo
My own platform-of-choice has become CalTopo, and I think it's now the clear winner for those who have similar needs.
andrewskurka.com 9 Aug 2021
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Recommends Gaia GPS
And for your mapping, I highly recommend instead the Gaia GPS or CalTopo apps.
andrewskurka.com 28 May 2021
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Liked Somewear Global Hotspot
Conclusion: If you expect to regularly carry the device but not a smartphone, which is the case with very few people, the inReach is the better option. Otherwise, the Somewear is more attractive: its seamless messaging and cost-savings more than offset the 0.5-ounce weight penalty and its slightly larger size.
andrewskurka.com 28 May 2021
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Recommends ZOLEO Satellite Communicator
Here's a new one that's worth consideration: the ZOLEO Satellite Communicator ($200, 5.3 oz), which debuted in January. It's well priced, constructed, and engineered; and it offers a significantly improved messaging experience for both the owner and their contacts.
andrewskurka.com 18 May 2020
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Loved The Adventurer's Son
Roman Dial is a master storyteller, and I've long awaited for a definitive book about these larger-than-life characters and only-in-Alaska events. But Roman's best lifetime work will probably stand as The Adventurer's Son, a story that he never would have wanted to write but that is more heartfelt, personal, and relevant than a book full of true but unbelievable tales.
andrewskurka.com 25 Feb 2020
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Recommends Cadillac Desert
Similarly, if you're intrigued by Powell's Report on the Lands of the Arid Region, then pick up Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner, which is the definitive history of water in the West.
andrewskurka.com 6 Feb 2020
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Recommends Nothing Like It In The World
For the full account, go with Nothing Like It In The World by Stephen Ambrose.
andrewskurka.com 6 Feb 2020
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Liked Dreams of El Dorado
My wife Amanda is the real reader in our house, and last month she came home from the library with Dreams of El Dorado: A history of the American West, by H. W. Brands. I moved quickly through its 480 pages (with an occasional photo), and thought it was one of my more enjoyable recent reads.
andrewskurka.com 6 Feb 2020
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Liked Black Diamond Sprint 225
The Sprint 225 uses one TriplePower LED bulb. Its light pattern is wonderfully smooth, with no distracting rings; it seems almost perfectly optimized for night-running and night-hiking — it focuses most of the light ahead, but still manages to illuminate the periphery.
andrewskurka.com 17 Jan 2020
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Recommends SAXX Quest
For hiking and backpacking, I'd now recommend the SAXX Quest, not the Kinetic HD.
andrewskurka.com 13 Jan 2020
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Mixed on SAXX Kinetic HD Boxer Briefs
Personally, I thought the original Kinetic was ideal for hiking, but a little light on support for running. The Kinetic HD is just the opposite: they've been comfortable on runs up to 12 miles, but intentionally I no longer wear them for, say, Nordic skiing or office work.
andrewskurka.com 13 Jan 2020
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Loved Ultimate Direction FKT Poles
or the niche Ultimate Direction FKT Poles (my review), which are the lightest and stiffest poles I've ever used.
andrewskurka.com 13 Dec 2019
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Recommends Cascade Mountain Tech Quick Lock Poles
For most backpackers, I typically recommend the Cascade Mountain Tech Quick Lock Poles (my review), which offer 75 percent of the performance for one-sixth the price;
andrewskurka.com 13 Dec 2019
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What others say about Cascade Mountain Tech Quick Lock Poles →
Recommends Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Trekking Poles
At $180 MSRP, the Alpine Carbon Corks are among the most expensive poles in the market, and they will not be a trivial expense for most backpackers. But I still recommend them if you:
andrewskurka.com 13 Dec 2019
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What others say about Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Trekking Poles →
Recommends Samsung Chromebook 3
For someone like Amanda, who has a normal 9-5 job, the Samsung Chromebook 3 ($220) is probably the only computer they need at home.
andrewskurka.com 6 Nov 2019
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Where they publish
Site andrewskurka.com Gear reviews, trip-planning tutorials and his guided-trip program.
Recent
- Livestream with the legendary Steve Allen, Jan 21 16 Jan 2026 Until last year, I knew of Steve Allen only through his definitive guidebook for the Escalante canyons of southern Utah, Canyoneering 3, which often reads like a scavenger hunt and which I consider to be a gold standard…
- 114 testimonials from our 2025 season 10 Oct 2025 For twelve seasons I’ve asked our clients to complete a post-trip survey to gather feedback about our guides, locations, meals, and curriculum, plus their overall satisfaction. Reviewing the results is a time commitment…
Link verified 5 Sept 2026. Recent items update automatically from the channel.
x.com @andrewskurka His X account.
Link verified 5 Sept 2026.
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