87Go It Alone
Heather Anderson, who goes by the trail name Anish, set
self-supported fastest known times on the Pacific Crest
Trail in 2013 and Appalachian Trail in 2015. She shares
what she loves about (and tips for) being alone outdoors.
Solo adventure in nature shows you a quieter space to dwell. Mindless entertainment
is gone; it’s just you. The initial shock of stepping into this private world can send
people right back to their cars because they only have themselves for company.
These trips don’t have to be epic. In fact, the less epic they are, the more likely
you’ll enjoy them. Start close to home. As you build your skill set and comfort level,
you can branch out. Carry the essentials, and share detailed plans with someone,
including your itinerary, trailhead location, campsites, and phone numbers of the
appropriate land management agencies in case you don’t arrive on schedule.- BEST THERMOS
Purist Mover
$50 with Union lid
This 18-ounce bottle
is handsome, simple to
fill, and easy to drink
from, especially when
you upgrade to the Union
straw lid. (And we highly
recommend you do.) The
Mover’s interior is glass-
lined, so we didn’t get any
metallic taste after fill-
ing and drinking from it a
few times. Although other
thermoses we’ve tested
boast better thermal per-
formance, this one kept
water cool enough for our
daily needs. - BEST JACKET
Arc’teryx Atom
LT $259
With excellent tempera-
ture regulation and a
lightweight design, this
14.6-ounce, slim-fitting
jacket quickly proved its
value during cold-weather
expeditions and casual
use. The 60-gram Core-
loft synthetic insulation
will keep you as warm
in 30-degree weather as
heavier coats, while the
fleece-lined uninsulated
side panels dump heat
when temperatures creep
up, or if you start to work
up a sweat. - BEST DAY PACK
Deuter Speed Lite
24L $105
What we prize most in
a day pack is comfort.
Deuter delivered that by
injecting plenty of sup-
port and cushion into the
1-pound, 11-ounce Speed
Lite. The padded hip
belt and U-shaped frame
within the back panel kept
most of the weight off our
shoulders and on our hips
to let our legs do the heavy
lifting. Cushioning on the
shoulder straps and a ven-
tilated foam back panel
kept the fully loaded pack
from digging in.
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