People who section hike the Appalachian Trail, hike it a segment at a time, on weekends or whenever it's convenient for them to get away for a few days. There's no need to quit your job or school. While it's not as glamorous or social as a thru-hike, you can still relish in the joy of hiking the trail and face many of the same challenges that thru-hikers face.
Section Hiking has many advantages who have families they can't abandon for the 6 months required to complete a thru-hike. You can hike the trail in whatever direction you want, mixing northbound and southbound sections as needed. You can day hike portions and backpack others. You can hike sections out of sequence or hike the trail during the times of year when its less crowded and the weather is better. The only requirement is that you complete hiking the 2000 miles of trail required by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (click for application) to be recognized as an AT finisher.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best section of the Appalachian Trail to hike first?
The best section is the one that's easiest for you to get to. If you're still trying to decide whether section hiking the Appalachian Trail is a good idea or you're a beginner backpacker, ease into it by planning a few short one or two night backpacking trips covering 10-15 miles to try it out and get used to using your camping gear before you tackle a big section hike. Planning a long trip to a distant but scenic section of the Appalachian Trail puts too much pressure on yourself. Plan a section hike you can drive to or that's located near your extended members, so you can bail out without financial ruin if things don't go as planned.
How expensive is it to section hike the Appalachian Trail?
The biggest expense for section hikers are shuttle driver fees when you drop a car at one end of a section and take a shuttle to the other end so you can hike back. After that, hostel and motel fees will probably be your next biggest expense depending on how frequently you go to town for a shower and a clean bed.
How do you find shuttle drivers and how much do shuttles cost?
The best place to find the shuttle drivers and their phone numbers/email addresses is in David Miller's AT Guide. Different drivers charge different fees so it's best to ask how much the fare will be before you get in their vehicle. Some charge $1 a mile, some $2 a mile, but it varies.
Is it safe to park at Appalachian Trail Head parking lots?
It used to be safer. Your best bet is to stay with a hostel or B&B in town and ask them if you can leave you car there for a few days while you go hike your section. You might have to pay them for shuttles at both ends, but it's one way to keep your car safe. You can also park in municipal lots and garages if towns have them or in Walmarts and grocery store lots, although it's best to ask permission to avoid getting towed. Wherever you do park, don't leave anything valuable in your car and don't make it obvious that you're a hiker by plastering bumperstickers all over it.
How much advance planning is required to hike a section of trail?
Some people take planning to an extreme and chart out a day by day itinerary when section hiking the trail. But the trail and the weather have a tendency to derail rigid schedules. Your best bet to to plan out your travel arrangements to and from the trail including shuttles and to make sure you know where and when you need to visit towns to resupply. Other than that you can largely wing it when hiking the trail and take it as it comes. (See also – Different Styles of Section Hiking.)
Can you day hike the Appalachian Trail?
Absolutely. You can day hike sections or mix and match, day hiking some and backpacking others.
Do you need maps to hike the Appalachian Trail?
Most thru-hikers and section hikers don't carry maps on the Appalachian Trail anymore because the trail is so well blazed and signed. Navigating trail towns to find grocery stores, hostels, and restaurants that are hiker friendly is a different matter entirely. Everyone carries pages torn from David Miller's AT Guide with them (not the entire book), which lists all of the services, campsites, shelters, water sources and road crossings mile-by-mile on the trail. If you want to carry a map, your best bet is to use Guthook's AT Guide which is a GPS cell phone app that runs on iPhone and Android phones.
Do you need a tent to hike the Appalachian Trail?
It's a good idea to bring a tent, hammock, or tarp shelter when hiking the AT, just in case the shelters are full or they're full of snoring obnoxious people you'd rather not sleep with. Bringing your own shelter also means you can stop when you want and set up camp without having to hike to the next shelter or when you're tired and want to rest. The best shelter for the AT is probably a hammock because you can sent it up just about anywhere, especially when all of the campsites at shelters are already taken. See What is the Best Tent for the Appalachian Trail for a discussion about the pros and cons of each tent and shelter type.
How many days of food do you need to carry on the Appalachian Trail?
It varies, but most people carry three or four days max to keep their pack weight comfortable, popping into town more frequently to resupply. There are some longer sections like the 100 mile Wilderness where you have to pack more food, but the Appalachian Trail is close to many towns so you need to carry less food than you would for a true wilderness hike.
How prevalent is Lyme Disease on the Appalachian Trail?
Do you have to worry about bears and snakes on the Appalachian Trail?
Black bears are quite active on the trail and while human attacks are rare, it's best to hang your food at night or store it in the bear boxes that many shelters have to prevent bears from stealing it. If a bear approaches you, wave your arms and scream at it and it should run away (See Eastern Black bears and Safety.) There are poisonous snakes including copperheads and rattlesnakes on the trail from Georgia thru Massachusetts, but they're shy and easily avoided if you stay away from their habitat. If you encounter a snake, don't aggravate it to try to pick it up. This results in more snakebite incidents than any other cause.
Can you get a cell phone signal on the Appalachian Trail?
You can get a cell phone signal almost everywhere on the trail at this point, even in Maine's 100 mile Wilderness. Verizon, by far, has the best network connectivity (See The Appalachian Trail Cell Phone Guide). People who carry cell phones keep them charged up by carrying battery rechargers.
Do you need a gun to hike the Appalachian Trail?
No. You don't need to hunt animals to obtain food on the Appalachian Trail and there's very little danger that wildlife will attack you. The people you meet are generally very friendly and you shouldn't fear for your personal safety. If you'd still feel safer carrying a gun, be sure to check each state's local gun laws in advance to make sure you're properly licensed and permitted before carrying a weapon across state lines.
How crowded is the Appalachian Trail?
The trail can get crowded when the wave of northbound thru-hikers passes through an area or on weekends when local day hikers and backpackers share the resource, particularly in popular recreation areas. Other than that, you're likely to see other hikers every day and at shelters, but they won't be crowded.
Should you hike with a partner on the Appalachian Trail?
While hiking with a partner can make shuttle logistics easier, provided you both drive your own vehicles, it's not strictly necessary. You'll meet plenty of people on the trail and you may end up hiking with them informally for a few days. If you're looking for a partner to hike the Appalachian Trail with, your best bet is to meet them on local trail club hikes or backpacking trips where you can assess your backpacking partner compatibility in less trying circumstances.
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Located at the corner of Lougheed and Blue Mountain in the historical French Canadian neighbourhood of Maillardville, comes Mont Bleu. This will be Maillardville's first high rise in the neighbourhood with easy access to Skytrain and a bundle of local amenities. Commercial units will be on the ground floor facing a public art piece as well as exposure from Lougheed. Mont Bleu will be featuring a 21-storey, 147 units with a mixture of studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom homes. The 19th floor of the tower will have a large, south-facing rooftop amenity space for residents. On the 3rd floor, a developer is planning on having a lounge, kitchen and fitness centre.
Mont Bleu will be revealing the gift of Une Belle Vie, ʻA Beautiful Lifeʼ soon.
Located at the corner of Lougheed and Blue Mountain in the historical French Canadian neighbourhood of Maillardville, comes Mont Bleu. This will be Maillardville’s first high rise in the neighbourhood with easy access to Skytrain and a bundle of local amenities. Commercial units will be on the ground floor facing a public art piece as well as exposure from Lougheed. Mont Bleu will be featuring a 21-storey, 147 units with a mixture of studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom homes. The 19th floor of the tower will have a large, south-facing rooftop amenity space for residents. On the 3rd floor, a developer is planning on having a lounge, kitchen and fitness centre.
Mont Bleu will be revealing the gift of Une Belle Vie, ʻA Beautiful Lifeʼ soon.
The city of Port Moody is planning a major upscaling of its livability with the creation of an oceanfront community that supports a mix of uses, including a range of housing options, along with commercial, light industrial and recreational uses for the benefit of local residents and visitors. As currently envisioned by city planners and developers, the 34-acre Flavelle Lumber Mill will be transformed into a modern urban village that supports a population of about 7,000 residents and adds a wealth of economic, recreational, social, natural and entertainment benefits to Port Moody.
A variety of housing options are being considered for the development, with condominium buildings, street-oriented townhouses, rental housing, and the potential for house boats estimated to lead to the creation of almost 3,400 residential units. The expansive waterfront area will be revitalized and enhanced by the building of about 1.3 kilometres of new recreational trails, a boardwalk along the water’s edge connecting to Rocky Point Park, and the development of four park areas totalling 4.9 acres, and a 1.9-acre public plaza.
The Flavelle Oceanfront Development could lead to the creation of more than 1,000 on-site jobs upon completion, which could generate up to $57 million in annual employment income. Plans call for 99,000 square-feet of office space; 72,000 square feet of retail space, including a grocery store, restaurants and cafes; 103,000 square feet of light-industrial space; a 106,000 square-foot campus of care facility; and 75,000 square feet of live/work space designed for artistry and other creative ventures.
Developers and planners plan to utilize a sustainable approach in the development to ensure energy efficiency and environmental health. By using LEED Principles of design and construction, planners aim to make the development a model for sustainable communities. The site’s location will help in this regard, as it is in walking distance of both the nearby Sky Train Evergreen Line and West Coast Express, which provide easy connections to the rest of Metro Vancouver.
Public consultation has been an integral part of the planning process thus far, and is expected to continue as the planning stage moves through the ongoing permitting process. I will be keeping a close watch on this project going forward, and will provide updates when appropriate. If you have any questions about the Flavelle OceanFront Development project, or any other questions about real estate in Metro Vancouver, register with us today.
E. & O. E. This is not an offering for sale. An offering for sale may only be made after filing a Disclosure Statement under the Real Estate Development Marketing Act
Edgestone is a new townhouse development by Bold Properties located at 2131 Spring Street in Port Moody. Once Completed in 2019, Edgestone will consist of 38 2, 3 and 4 Bedroom townhomes ranging in size from 1308 to 1658 square feet.
The expected breakdown of the homes is:
2 Two bedroom + Den residences ranging between 1318 to 1327 square feet
13 Three bedroom residences ranging from 1319 to 1381 square feet
23 Three bedroom + Den residences ranging from 1540 to 1706 square feet
Each of the townhomes will be built Certified Green Gold, with Smart living solution including Ring Video Doorbells, Bluetooth enabled Schlage Deadbolt, and USB charging ports throughout the home, plus some more traditional family convenience such as laundry on the upper floor, private garages with overhead storage, and family sized outdoor patios, and a great children’s playground.
Located at 2131 Spring Street, Edgestone is centrally located with an easy access to Vancouver via the Barnett and Hastings by car, or if Skytrain is your choice, the Port Moody Centre station is a short walk away. Other amenities in the neighbourhood include Suterbrook Village with all the shop and services it provides. For nature lovers and dog walkers, Edgestone is convenient located right off the Shoreline trail , which leads to Rocky Point and Pajos!
Edgestone pricing is expected to start in low 900s with sales to begin by Mid November. If you’re looking for more information on Edgestone and would like to receive additional information such as floor plans, pricing, features and finishes when they are available, please register with us today!
E. & O. E. This is not an offering for sale. An offering for sale may only be made after filing a Disclosure Statement under the Real Estate Development Marketing Act
The city of Port Moody is planning a major upscaling of its livability with the creation of an oceanfront community that supports a mix of uses, including a range of housing options, along with commercial, light industrial and recreational uses for the benefit of local residents and visitors. As currently envisioned by city planners and developers, the 34-acre Flavelle Lumber Mill will be transformed into a modern urban village that supports a population of about 7,000 residents and adds a wealth of economic, recreational, social, natural and entertainment benefits to Port Moody.
A variety of housing options are being considered for the development, with condominium buildings, street-oriented townhouses, rental housing, and the potential for house boats estimated to lead to the creation of almost 3,400 residential units. The expansive waterfront area will be revitalized and enhanced by the building of about 1.3 kilometres of new recreational trails, a boardwalk along the water's edge connecting to Rocky Point Park, and the development of four park areas totalling 4.9 acres, and a 1.9-acre public plaza.
The Flavelle Oceanfront Development could lead to the creation of more than 1,000 on-site jobs upon completion, which could generate up to $57 million in annual employment income. Plans call for 99,000 square-feet of office space; 72,000 square feet of retail space, including a grocery store, restaurants and cafes; 103,000 square feet of light-industrial space; a 106,000 square-foot campus of care facility; and 75,000 square feet of live/work space designed for artistry and other creative ventures.
Developers and planners plan to utilize a sustainable approach in the development to ensure energy efficiency and environmental health. By using LEED Principles of design and construction, planners aim to make the development a model for sustainable communities. The site's location will help in this regard, as it is in walking distance of both the nearby Sky Train Evergreen Line and West Coast Express, which provide easy connections to the rest of Metro Vancouver.
Public consultation has been an integral part of the planning process thus far, and is expected to continue as the planning stage moves through the ongoing permitting process. I will be keeping a close watch on this project going forward, and will provide updates when appropriate. If you have any questions about the Flavelle OceanFront Development project, or any other questions about real estate in Metro Vancouver, register with us today.
E. & O. E. This is not an offering for sale. An offering for sale may only be made after filing a Disclosure Statement under the Real Estate Development Marketing Act
Edgestone is a new townhouse development by Bold Properties located at 2131 Spring Street in Port Moody. Once Completed in 2019, Edgestone will consist of 38 2, 3 and 4 Bedroom townhomes ranging in size from 1308 to 1658 square feet.
The expected breakdown of the homes is:
2 Two bedroom + Den residences ranging between 1318 to 1327 square feet
13 Three bedroom residences ranging from 1319 to 1381 square feet
23 Three bedroom + Den residences ranging from 1540 to 1706 square feet
Each of the townhomes will be built Certified Green Gold, with Smart living solution including Ring Video Doorbells, Bluetooth enabled Schlage Deadbolt, and USB charging ports throughout the home, plus some more traditional family convenience such as laundry on the upper floor, private garages with overhead storage, and family sized outdoor patios, and a great children's playground.
Located at 2131 Spring Street, Edgestone is centrally located with an easy access to Vancouver via the Barnett and Hastings by car, or if Skytrain is your choice, the Port Moody Centre station is a short walk away. Other amenities in the neighbourhood include Suterbrook Village with all the shop and services it provides. For nature lovers and dog walkers, Edgestone is convenient located right off the Shoreline trail , which leads to Rocky Point and Pajos!
Edgestone pricing is expected to start in low 900s with sales to begin by Mid November. If you're looking for more information on Edgestone and would like to receive additional information such as floor plans, pricing, features and finishes when they are available, please register with us today!
E. & O. E. This is not an offering for sale. An offering for sale may only be made after filing a Disclosure Statement under the Real Estate Development Marketing Act
For all of my talk about the three-step process of building a business, there's something to be said for the fact that it's so freaking easy these days to start something – right now.
A few years ago, I went to a conference in Portland put on by Jason Glaspey called Tiny Startup Camp.
The idea?
Start a tiny business by the end of the weekend.
There were speake , and plenty of people there to help.
But the entire concept was built around the idea that you don't need funding, crazy tech skills, or 99% of the things that keep most people from starting a business.
All you need is an idea, a few bucks, and an afternoon to put the whole thing together.
That's a powerful concept.
Over the last few years, I've seen this a lot.
Bryan Harris from Video Fruit did a 24 hour project around writing, recording, and publishing a book. At the end of the day, it made just over $2,000. Not bad for 24 hours.
Now, granted, both of these are already established brands, but the key takeaway is you don't need to have months or years of experience to get started on a very small project in just a few days.
Get the picture?
The Three-Step Approach to a Lifestyle Business
I've talked a lot about how most people go about building businesses in the wrong way. They typically start at the end before they have any clue what they're doing.
They're worrying about A/B testing and landing pages before they have a basic website set up.
This is the decidedly unsexy way to approach a building a business.
Typically, this method takes some time to see results, but it's a really good solid foundation for getting started. So, that's why I generally push people towards this method.
But, at the same time, it's not the only way to get started. Noticed how step #3 doesn't have a linked post?
Well, welcome to step #3.
Sometimes, working on your own project to build something is a good option. It can get you on the road quickly, you can learn skills by doing, and you can make a little bit of money.
The key is getting started.
Excuses, Excuses, Excuses
Time and time again I hear excuses like these:
"I don't have a good idea"
"I know I need to start, but it's just so daunting"
"I want to start something, but I don't know how"
The list goes on, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
A lot of this is about confidence, or actually, the lack of confidence. Most people are scared to get started. That can manifest itself into a number of reasons, but the majority of them boil down to those three above.
So how about we change that?
This post is going to go in depth and teach you everything you need to know in order to build an online asset or the beginnings of a tiny business in a weekend.
Sound good?
Here's the Goal…
By the time you're done with this post my goal is you'll have a site that's up, allows you to capture leads, test your idea, and see if there's an actual business anywhere in there.
Simply having this site setup is an asset.
Maybe you're creative and come up with a killer domain name. Maybe the domain sucks, but it's a great idea and a thousand people sign up and say they're interested. Maybe you found the perfect combination of keywords that lead to great SEO rankings.
Any of those things are building the value the asset – i.e. your new site.
Whether you develop the asset, sit on it forever, or sell it later on, you've got something you didn't have before. You've put all of the essential online business skills into practice.
And most importantly…
By the time we're done here you will have done something. You'll have made something real, and built your confidence along the way.
Don't underestimate how big that is.
Hack Your Hobbies Into a Business
While building this asset, you may be wondering if this constitutes a business. Here's an honest answer: it could be. I like to refer to these tiny startup ideas as Hobby Hacking.
Basically, taking this approach lets you start by creating something small around something you love.
There are a ton of benefits to this.
The biggest is skill building. You're going to learn a ton by doing these things by yourself.
Next, it's confidence. Once you start realizing you can do all sorts of stuff like setting up a website and getting your email going then you're going to feel like you've actually created something that's truly an asset.
Building an online asset that's framed around something you already love helps you tap into that excitement too. You're already a relative expert on your chosen topic, and chances are, you can likely think of all sorts of things you'd want to talk about down the line if there is interest.
Finally, this approach doesn't mean you have to go all in and have a lot on the line. It's about gauging interest and testing things. It's not going to cost you a ton of time or money to get started.
If it doesn't work, that's ok. You've still been able to create something. And if it does…well, that's pretty awesome!
The original Breaking Eighty at the very start.
My golf site, Breaking Eighty, started as one of these ideas. The same with my HDR Software site. Both of these sites are centered around two of my biggest hobbies: playing golf and taking HDR-style photos.
Both of these have turned out pretty well, especially for Breaking Eighty.
But I've also tried some that didn't work out. And when that happened, I just moved on to the next idea.
Also, before we get started one more thing to keep in mind is that even if they are tiny you can still use these online assets to your advantage!
I used Breaking Eighty to get some free golf gear before the site was much more than a landing page.
While traffic floundered at first while I learned the ins and outs of my niche, what I found was that when I reached out to ask for something – almost always the answer was yes.
Will you send me a review copy of this product? Of course!
Can I play your private course? We'd love to have you!
Can I have a special rate at your resort? How does free sound?!
I was surprised how easy it was to get "fringe benefits" in my niche.
And I was also able to use one of my hobby hacking sites based around hotel suites to get a handful of discounted or free stays even though the project didn't turn into much of anything.
How to Get Started
So, let's get this rolling.
In the steps that follow I'll show you exactly what you need to do to build out this first asset – what you do after that is totally up to you. But if this is your first business or venture online, I promise you'll feel more confident, empowered, and excited by the time all is done.
Step #1: Pick an Idea
First thing's first: don't over think this.
Right now, this is more important as an exercise than a business. If things take off, you can always go back and make tweaks pretty easily.
My best advice is to come up with a domain name around something you're interested in or a hobby. This will make it more fun for you throughout the process.
Don't think of this as anything more than an experiment and exercise that you're doing today.
Keeping that laser focus on the 'right now' at the start will help you work on the things that matter and not get overwhelmed by the 'what if's' down the road.
Where you want to start is with a basic idea. Here are some examples:
Ebook with knitting patterns
Video course teaching people to play the trumpet
Reviews of the top 100 golf courses in the country
How to set up a completely wireless home theater
Again, don't stress about this part. Nothing has to be perfect.
Start with something that you know and excites you and go from there.
Step #2: Buy a Domain
It doesn't matter where you do this.
I use Name Cheap on a regular basis – as the site is easy to use. They also have a bulk name search feature which can really come in handy as you're trying to come up with a bunch of available domain names.
This is a great way to try out different options. Things like adding "the" at the start or an "s" at the end of your domain can make all the difference in what is available and what isn't.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
A .com is ideal, but it's not a deal breaker. Just try and stay away from top-level domains that are strange (info, guru, or anything else that isn't a com, net, or org)
Try not to use dashes. And only use one at MOST. Example: nichesitebuilder.com is much better than niche-site-builder.com. Dashes lose trust.
Make sure it's easy to understand. For instance with seanogle.com – a lot of people at first were like, what's a "Sea Nogle." Look no further than this to see what I mean.
Step #3: Pick Your Hosting Provider
Hosting is the next thing you need to get your site up and running.
It's important to pick a hosting service that is reliable and has good customer service. At this stage of the game, you don't need to spend millions of dollars on it, you want something that is going to be solid.
I recommend Bluehost for the majority of you, it's affordable, reliable and has great customer service. If you're willing to spend a bit more money, WPEngine is also a great host.
This is the part of getting a site set up that people think is really hard and time-consuming. Here's the good news: it's actually really easy.
The vast majority of hosting sites today actually have one-click WordPress installation. Even if you're starting from absolute scratch, you can get a bare-bones basic site up and running in about an hour.
I cover exactly how to get your site set up, step-by-step, in this post. For the purposes of your first online asset, at this stage of the game pay attention to steps 1 through 6.
If you choose to go with BlueHost you can get WordPress installed by watching their video series.
Step #5: Install Theme
Ok, now this is where we can take our little exercise one of two directions.
One direction would be to actually set up and install a blog focused theme and start writing content.
That's a very viable option, but it's also one that takes more dedication, more time. So, if you don't know if your idea is even feasible yet, you might want to hold off on it for the moment.
This is why I recommend going in the section direction and going the landing page route.
A landing page is exactly what it sounds like, it's a page where someone will 'land' on your site and only have two options. They either sign up for your email list or they leave. It's super basic and a very simple way to get started.
The goal is to collect the email addresses of people to gauge interest. If you toss up your landing page, tell people about it, drive some traffic to it and get a bunch of people signing up, then it looks like you're on to something.
If the opposite happens and you hear crickets, then maybe you need to refine your idea or move on to something else altogether. If this does happen, the good news is you haven't wasted a ton of time and energy and still have experience setting all this stuff up.
I recommend going the landing page route. A landing page only takes about 30 minutes each to set up since you don't need to worry about things like a blog or about page or stuff like that.
These are a few mini hobby hacking projects I've worked on in the past. A few have been great, others…not so much.
All you need is a sweet eye-grabbing photo and some good copy in the email box to make people interested. Here's the text from my Breaking Eighty landing page up close:
Ok now that you've got a sexy look landing page, time to actually make that email list do something useful. I personally use ConvertKit, but MailChimp is super cheap (read: free) for those starting out.
So having one less monthly expense while you're starting up is always a good thing. If you start getting lots of signups, you can always upgrade or move to another service if you'd like.
MailChimp is all about making the user experience as simple as possible. And, they provide really detailed, step by step instructions (with images) so you can get yourself up and running really quickly.
One reason why MailChimp is so easy to use with WordPress is it has its own plugin that I'd recommend getting too. This way you can seamlessly integrate your site with your MailChimp account.
This will allow you to create an email opt-in box on your site that will connect with MailChimp directly. So, anyone who signs up will be added to your email list.
Now you have a way to build a list, offer something for free via email, and gauge interest for your new project.
Step #7: Setup Google Analytics
This is pretty easy to do, but absolutely essential.
You need to be able to track whether or not people are coming to your site. If no one sees your page, then it's pretty hard to get email signups, right?
In addition, you can also simplify things and get a Google Analytics plugin for your WordPress site as well.
Like with the MailChimp plugin, this will make it easy for you to not only hook your site up with GA but you can track traffic from the dashboard of your website.
Step #8: Setup Social Accounts
If this is a brand that you're really hoping to grow and evolve, you'll want to make sure you procure the necessary social accounts as quickly as possible. Twitter handles, Facebook pages, Pinterest, you name it.
Now, before you freak out that this is a ton of work, hang on a second.
Just because I'm telling you to grab the handles doesn't mean I'm expecting you to use them. But, if your project turns into something with potential a year from now, you'll be very happy you grabbed the Twitter and Instagram names.
It's better to control everything relating to your brand then have someone else be able to mess with you later on.
The easiest way to see what names are available is to use a tool like Namechck:
The awesome thing about this tool is it does all the work for you. You can easily check available names at all once. If you've ever tried to do this one by one you know how time-consuming that might be.
The other great feature of Namechck is if one site doesn't have your available name you can keep trying similar names until you get one that works across all social media accounts.
Step #9: Build Relationships and Drive Traffic
In order to see any sort of success, you need to get traffic to your site for people to sign up. The last thing you want to do is get your site launched and do nothing to promote it.
Chances are very slim anyone is going to simply find it online without you giving them some help to start.
So there are a few ways you can do that.
Paid Traffic
First, if you have some extra income, look at paid traffic.
That means using Facebook Ads, AdWords, and other social media platform ads to push people to your site. This post and this post give a nice general overview of paid traffic options.
Organic Traffic
The other way to approach getting traffic is organically.
This means more hustle on your end. You've got to get out there and tell people about your project. That might even start with your friends and family, announcing it on Facebook, telling your fantasy football league or your yoga class, you name it.
You want to get people to your site as many different ways as you know how. Keep in mind the key with this is to get interested people. If you're looking at a hobby hacking type project then you don't need nearly as many people interested to make it a success as you think.
Focus on getting those real fans. I'm not going to promote my golf site to people who hate golf. My target audience isn't even everyone who plays golf, it's pretty small. But that's ok because they are as passionate as I am and really get into it.
Build Relationships
Also, work on building relationships, this goes hand in a hand with what I mentioned above. You want to find people in that niche or area of focus you're concentrating on and reach out to as many of them as possible.
This is all laying the groundwork. Because, if your mini site takes off, well you've already got a network of people you've built up over time, which is the best way to find true fans.
This is going to be the most tedious and longest part of the process, which is why it's really important you don't want to make this your primary business goal first.
It took me years before I really made any money on Breaking Eighty. In fact for the first two years, I didn't even think about monetizing it at all. I was only focused on building a network and a solid audience.
Then when I had that, it was much easier to take the site to the next level.
Congratulations on Your New Web Asset!
Congratulations! You could do nothing else from here, and you still will have an asset that you can leverage in the future.
However, this is a good time to look at some of the options for what you could actually do with this asset now that it exists.
Let's take a look at how I've been leveraging a couple of my ideas.
Best Hotel Suites
Note: This is one site I didn't continue from late 2012 into 2013. But I wanted to leave this part in so you could get an idea of where I was thinking about going with it.
I've had this site up for the last 4 months, and essentially I've been using it to build up a barrage of hotel reviews. At some point, I'm going to launch this site. I'll have some kind of blog component where I review high-end hotels and suites.
I haven't completely decided what else the site will contain, but I know in one form or another it will have those reviews.
So how does this help me?
Well anytime I travel I email some hotels, I tell them what I'm doing, and ask if they'd be willing to give me a room in exchange for a review.
So far I'm batting about 25% on room offers. Pretty freaking good if you ask me! This one site which took me about an hour total to get completely setup has saved me at least $1k in hotel costs.
File under: Hacking the High Life
Not to mention I then get to write about a topic I like, and build a relationship with the establishments. Just make sure you're upfront about your plan with the sites and don't promise anything you can't deliver on.
Breaking Eighty
Note: Breaking Eighty is still going strong five years later! I'm not only making a couple thousand a month from it, I've also snagged tons of free golf gear, played incredible courses, and built up an awesome network in and around the golf industry.
One amazing point of B80 was that my hobby hacking project created a different side project, The Eighty Club. I was seeing so much success within my small niche that I created a membership site around it. Pretty sweet!
Same drill as above, except Breaking Eighty, will probably be my next site to launch. I've already received review copies of some awesome golf products (and written in-depth reviews on them).
This site has solely been a way for me to turn my love of golf into a business.
We'll see what shape it actually takes as we move into the new year, but I'm pretty excited about it. That said, even as it stands I've had a surprising amount of success in forming relationships with golf companies.
Does This Spark Any Ideas?
Those are a couple ways I've leveraged similar assets.
Here are some of the other things this exercise can do for you:
Serve as a squeeze page for an upcoming product launch
Vehicle for testing an email series on a smaller audience
Build your confidence and skills for setting up WordPress websites
Turn these landing pages into a service you offer
The options are really endless.
It's easier than ever to get something useful setup.
Next Steps…
There are all sorts of ways you can move forward from here. The goal of this exercise was just to build confidence in your ability to build something online.
If you take the leap and do this now, do it with the understanding that you're not going to have the four-hour lifestyle with passive income rolling in overnight. It might take years. That's why we tend to recommend the three-step process first.
But, if you're willing to launch things quickly, play around with a few ideas, have a plenty of time before you need to worry about bringing in any income, creating an online asset especially around a hobby is a great way to go
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Pods are cuben fiber packing cubes that fit perfectly into Hyperlite's backpacks
Hyperlite Mountain Gear makes small and large packing pods which are the ultralight equivalent of the luggage packing cubes that people use to pack travel bags. They're U-shaped to fit snugly into Hyperlite's backpacks and can be used in place of a white plastic compactor bag to provide extra moisture protection for the gear stored inside them. They won't survive a complete dunking because they have sewn-on (untaped) zippers, but they increase the space utilization inside a Hyperlight backpack so there's virtually no wasted volume inside. Made out of DCF (formerly called cuben fiber), they're also exceptionally lightweight, so you can swap them out for your existing stuff sacks without a weight penalty.
Specs at a Glance:
Small size pod: 1.2 oz. 6.8L
Large size pod: 1.3 oz, 10L
Made from: DCF11 Dyneema Composite Fabric (formerly cuben fiber)
In addition to better space utilization, I've found that the biggest benefit to using them is organizational because I can pack many more items into one than I do today into several smaller stuff sacks. For example, my quilt, sleeping pad, sleeping clothes, and electronics all fit snuggly into one, which I can then shove to the bottom of my pack. This keeps them all together and separate from stuff higher up in my pack which is packed more loosely for more frequent access. When unpacking in camp, the clamshell design makes it easy to find exactly what you want without a lot of digging around, because the top zips open like a footlocker and you can pull out exactly what you need.
It helps to zip the pod half way when stuffing bulky items like a quilt or sleeping bag
Here are a few more observations about the pods:
When stuffing one of the pods with a bulky item like a quilt or sleeping bag, it's best to zip it up halfway before you start stuffing, because it's too difficult to close the lid if it hasn't been already "started."
If you overstuff the pods, the flat part of the U-shape (that slides down the inside of the back of your pack) becomes rounded and can barrel (uncomfortably) into your back.
The pods come in two sizes, one for use in Hyperlite's 2400/3400 series backpacks and the other with their 4400 backpacks. I tested a small and a large pod from the 2400/3400 size.
Each pod has a white label area that you can write on with a sharpie, but I suspect it will be permanent, so proceed with caution.
These Hyperlite Mountain Gear packing pods aren't revolutionary and they really are just stuff sacks with a unique shape. But they are a clever way to help you organize your gear and pack it in a way that efficiently uses all of the space in your back. I was surprised at how much more gear I could get into my backpack when using them, which becomes increasingly important as the weather becomes colder and the amount of sleep insulation I need to carry increases.
Disclosure: The manufacturer provided the author with sample pods for this review.
Support SectionHiker.com, where we actually field test the products we review. If you make a purchase after clicking on the links above, a portion of the sale helps support this site at no additional cost to you.
But when it comes time to cut some of your "little darling" lines from the book, it can be painful. Sort of like setting boundaries in family relationships. Necessary but hard.
Christina Julian – 30 October 2017
The Back Flap
Here I am, on my knees in front of the Trevi Fountain, hoping like hell the legend is true. That the fountain gives you solace and love by a mere toss of a coin.
Why am I here, exactly? Let's see…
It started with my parents telling me to get married. Of course, being the good Catholic girl I am, I did.
Needless to say, that marriage nosedived, and my parents weren't exactly happy about it.
Newly ditched and shamefully disowned, I decided to follow the advice of Babs, a tart-of-a-mentor, who offered me a job in Colorado.
Her advice? Sex…and lots of it.
The temptation of freedom, to do whatever—whoever—I wanted was too damn strong for me to say no.
And that's how it all started. The men, the sex, the journey…
The dating bender.
Because everybody deserves a do-over
About the book
What is the book about?
The Dating Bender is a romantic comedy about a woman who is unhinged and at a crossroads. The book explores dysfunctional family relationships, women who love the wrong men and one epic hunt for happiness! Samantha Serrano, the heroine, is on this quest to find true love. She thinks the race is a sprint, but it's really a marathon. Let's just say she makes a lot of mistakes along the way. Samantha is a hot mess of the highest order, which is where the humor comes in. She desperately wants to find what she is looking for, but gets seriously lost along the way. Mishaps and misadventures ensue as she travels from Maryland to Florida, Colorado, Manhattan and ultimately to Rome.
When did you start writing the book?
Well that depends. I didn't know I was writing a book at first. I had just moved from New York City to Los Angeles, where I was living the single life. It was crazy! My girlfriends and I would get together over wine and swap stories about the wild dates we had been on, lots of men behaving badly sorts of things. I started writing things down because so many of the happenings were just too insane to let go. Like the one about a closeted snake tamer. Those chronicles began more than 10 years ago.
How long did it take you to write it?
On and off again for 6 years. I had twins in the middle of writing and revising so things went on hiatus until I got a handle on life with the wee ones.
Where did you get the idea from?
I continued journaling about the single life and also started exploring the idea of how being raised Catholic can wreak havoc on your relationships. I liked the humor in those contradictions. Sex is the antichrist—sex is fun and essential for a thriving relationship! Soon enough I realized I was onto something. I took it a step further and penned an essay entitled: Fire Your Family! It was a playful piece about how nice it would be to hand your family a pink slip whenever they interfere with your life in non-productive, and if you are a Catholic, guilt-inducing ways. All of these intersecting threads became the genesis of The Dating Bender.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I tend to overwrite things. Just dumping it all out on the page. This is a wonderful and liberating way to write. But when it comes time to cut some of your "little darling" lines from the book, it can be painful. Sort of like setting boundaries in family relationships. Necessary but hard.
What came easily?
The voice of the book. I knew straight out of the gate that Samantha would be a snarky, funny, and a hopeful, hopeless romantic. It was also a given that she would be clumsy and self-deprecating.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Samantha Serrano is a reflection, of the "every woman," who is trying like hell to figure it, but failing with aplomb in the process. She is an amalgamation of myself and every female friend and force in my life that came along for the rollicking ride that was my 20s and 30s. Her journey explores what it means to fight fiercely for your place in the world, one bad date and relationship misadventure after the next. Until she finally figures out what her (and not her family's) idea of happily ever after really is.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Maria Semple is one of my favorite authors. She writes about the flawed everywoman, and does so with great humor that punches you in the gut with glee in one moment and makes you cry in the next. As women, we cannot all be fabulous all the time, her work celebrates this notion. Her writing also showed me that women can be painted in a less than perfect light and something amazing can happen—readers will relate! I also love Jonathon Tropper's work for these same reasons, though his books focus on flawed men. These two are the king and queen of biting sarcasm at its best!
Do you have a target reader?
My readers range anywhere from the 20s to 30s singles set on up to 40+ women like myself, that lived that singles life and look back on it with fondness (and in some instances horror!). My readers also tend to like a side of sarcasm with their rom-coms, because I serve up a hefty dose of that! I also find my work resonates with recovering Catholics (or those brought up in a strict religious environment). Anybody that nods their head in a knowing way about this moniker will relate to my work. Plus, fans of the HBO show Girls and Sex and the City tend to enjoy the book.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I have a very haphazard writing process, which I guess technically, is a non-process. I hail to the house of what writer Anne Lamott calls "shitty first drafts." I just write with abandon, no censorship, just stream of consciousness on the page. I'm in a race with myself to the finish. Then I go back and shape and craft the story during the revision process. We are talking countless revisions. Upwards of 20 to 30 rewrites, or more!
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
Absolutely not. If I outlined my book, I would have never finished it. I'm as Type A as they come, but not when it comes to writing.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you've finished?
Nope. I get through the draft then I worry about everything else afterwards.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Small publisher.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Absolutely. I cannot tap out a single word without music blaring. Sympathy for the Devil from The Rolling Stones is a favorite, the ultimate rev me up song! Anything by Bruce Springsteen inspires me. And lots and lots of Classic rock! Green Day and Eddie Vedder work too. Anything that gets my brain roaring.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
This is a super long story but here's the CliffsNotes version. I gave myself an ultimatum to find an agent in a year or else! Right as the one-year mark approached, I was lucky enough to find and sign with an agent. Happy dance ensued. After some editing, pitching and nail biting, the book was out there in front of Big 5 publishers. The verdict was in, they loved the writing, loved the story and the voice of the lead character. But for an assorted number of reasons most of which included, not right now, later maybe, but not now, the book did not sell. Pity party ensued. The agent was ready to "take a break." I thought about slowing down and starting again months later and opted to be the breaker-upper instead. The agent and I parted company amicably and I gave myself 3 months to go it alone and began self-submitting to smaller publishers that were open to submissions directly from authors. After a round of submissions I had two houses considering, and right before my self-imposed deadline ended, I got an offer and signed with one of them.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
See the above ;0)
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
The publisher designed the cover. I completed a memo with my vision for the cover and within that I provided a detailed data dump on my book because in most cases the people designing the cover have not read the book. I overwrote my cover memo to make sure that they got the essence of the book. The first round of designs came, which I was quite happy with. There was some back and forth and in a couple weeks' time the cover was done!
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
My background is in marketing and advertising so I developed a massive, very calculated, grassroots marketing plan that I worked on for several months leading up to my release. This also included building a professional social media platform (beyond my own personal dabblings). This took months. When I began I had 5 Twitter followers and no fan page. At my release date, nearly seven months later, I had 10,000 Twitter followers and 3700 fans on Facebook. Publisher or not, the marketing onus is most definitely on the author. It was a ton of work but worth it!
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
My advice is tried and true but worth repeating. Never under any circumstances give up. You keep going when you want to quit. Take a break when you need to but then get back on that horse and don't stop until you get to where you want to be. My second piece of advice is to start building your following now. You may think you have nothing of value to say, but you're a writer, so start crafting your story and online persona, bit by bit, post by post, tweet by tweet, and assume people will want to hear what you have to say.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I'm an East Coaster at the core, but the weather ultimately lured me westward. I moved from Maryland where I grew up to Florida, Colorado, Manhattan, Los Angeles and ultimately landed for good in Napa Valley. I was a restless one, until one day I wasn't ;0)
Where do you live now?
Calistoga.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I've been called a bulldog a time or two when it comes to going after what I want in life. The moniker fits. I'm fierce when I need to be but oh so loyal. If you do good by me, I'll do good by you.
What are you working on now?
As a wine and food columnist I'm always sipping and swirling in the name of research and at work on next month's column. When that hat comes off the novel writing one goes on. I'm also at the beginning stages for my next novel.
But when it comes time to cut some of your “little darling” lines from the book, it can be painful. Sort of like setting boundaries in family relationships. Necessary but hard.
Christina Julian – 30 October 2017
The Back Flap
Here I am, on my knees in front of the Trevi Fountain, hoping like hell the legend is true. That the fountain gives you solace and love by a mere toss of a coin.
Why am I here, exactly? Let’s see…
It started with my parents telling me to get married. Of course, being the good Catholic girl I am, I did.
Needless to say, that marriage nosedived, and my parents weren’t exactly happy about it.
Newly ditched and shamefully disowned, I decided to follow the advice of Babs, a tart-of-a-mentor, who offered me a job in Colorado.
Her advice? Sex…and lots of it.
The temptation of freedom, to do whatever—whoever—I wanted was too damn strong for me to say no.
And that’s how it all started. The men, the sex, the journey…
The dating bender.
Because everybody deserves a do-over
About the book
What is the book about?
The Dating Bender is a romantic comedy about a woman who is unhinged and at a crossroads. The book explores dysfunctional family relationships, women who love the wrong men and one epic hunt for happiness! Samantha Serrano, the heroine, is on this quest to find true love. She thinks the race is a sprint, but it’s really a marathon. Let’s just say she makes a lot of mistakes along the way. Samantha is a hot mess of the highest order, which is where the humor comes in. She desperately wants to find what she is looking for, but gets seriously lost along the way. Mishaps and misadventures ensue as she travels from Maryland to Florida, Colorado, Manhattan and ultimately to Rome.
When did you start writing the book?
Well that depends. I didn’t know I was writing a book at first. I had just moved from New York City to Los Angeles, where I was living the single life. It was crazy! My girlfriends and I would get together over wine and swap stories about the wild dates we had been on, lots of men behaving badly sorts of things. I started writing things down because so many of the happenings were just too insane to let go. Like the one about a closeted snake tamer. Those chronicles began more than 10 years ago.
How long did it take you to write it?
On and off again for 6 years. I had twins in the middle of writing and revising so things went on hiatus until I got a handle on life with the wee ones.
Where did you get the idea from?
I continued journaling about the single life and also started exploring the idea of how being raised Catholic can wreak havoc on your relationships. I liked the humor in those contradictions. Sex is the antichrist—sex is fun and essential for a thriving relationship! Soon enough I realized I was onto something. I took it a step further and penned an essay entitled: Fire Your Family! It was a playful piece about how nice it would be to hand your family a pink slip whenever they interfere with your life in non-productive, and if you are a Catholic, guilt-inducing ways. All of these intersecting threads became the genesis of The Dating Bender.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I tend to overwrite things. Just dumping it all out on the page. This is a wonderful and liberating way to write. But when it comes time to cut some of your “little darling” lines from the book, it can be painful. Sort of like setting boundaries in family relationships. Necessary but hard.
What came easily?
The voice of the book. I knew straight out of the gate that Samantha would be a snarky, funny, and a hopeful, hopeless romantic. It was also a given that she would be clumsy and self-deprecating.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Samantha Serrano is a reflection, of the “every woman,” who is trying like hell to figure it, but failing with aplomb in the process. She is an amalgamation of myself and every female friend and force in my life that came along for the rollicking ride that was my 20s and 30s. Her journey explores what it means to fight fiercely for your place in the world, one bad date and relationship misadventure after the next. Until she finally figures out what her (and not her family’s) idea of happily ever after really is.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Maria Semple is one of my favorite authors. She writes about the flawed everywoman, and does so with great humor that punches you in the gut with glee in one moment and makes you cry in the next. As women, we cannot all be fabulous all the time, her work celebrates this notion. Her writing also showed me that women can be painted in a less than perfect light and something amazing can happen—readers will relate! I also love Jonathon Tropper’s work for these same reasons, though his books focus on flawed men. These two are the king and queen of biting sarcasm at its best!
Do you have a target reader?
My readers range anywhere from the 20s to 30s singles set on up to 40+ women like myself, that lived that singles life and look back on it with fondness (and in some instances horror!). My readers also tend to like a side of sarcasm with their rom-coms, because I serve up a hefty dose of that! I also find my work resonates with recovering Catholics (or those brought up in a strict religious environment). Anybody that nods their head in a knowing way about this moniker will relate to my work. Plus, fans of the HBO show Girls and Sex and the City tend to enjoy the book.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I have a very haphazard writing process, which I guess technically, is a non-process. I hail to the house of what writer Anne Lamott calls “shitty first drafts.” I just write with abandon, no censorship, just stream of consciousness on the page. I’m in a race with myself to the finish. Then I go back and shape and craft the story during the revision process. We are talking countless revisions. Upwards of 20 to 30 rewrites, or more!
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
Absolutely not. If I outlined my book, I would have never finished it. I’m as Type A as they come, but not when it comes to writing.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
Nope. I get through the draft then I worry about everything else afterwards.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Small publisher.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Absolutely. I cannot tap out a single word without music blaring. Sympathy for the Devil from The Rolling Stones is a favorite, the ultimate rev me up song! Anything by Bruce Springsteen inspires me. And lots and lots of Classic rock! Green Day and Eddie Vedder work too. Anything that gets my brain roaring.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
This is a super long story but here’s the CliffsNotes version. I gave myself an ultimatum to find an agent in a year or else! Right as the one-year mark approached, I was lucky enough to find and sign with an agent. Happy dance ensued. After some editing, pitching and nail biting, the book was out there in front of Big 5 publishers. The verdict was in, they loved the writing, loved the story and the voice of the lead character. But for an assorted number of reasons most of which included, not right now, later maybe, but not now, the book did not sell. Pity party ensued. The agent was ready to “take a break.” I thought about slowing down and starting again months later and opted to be the breaker-upper instead. The agent and I parted company amicably and I gave myself 3 months to go it alone and began self-submitting to smaller publishers that were open to submissions directly from authors. After a round of submissions I had two houses considering, and right before my self-imposed deadline ended, I got an offer and signed with one of them.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
See the above ;0)
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
The publisher designed the cover. I completed a memo with my vision for the cover and within that I provided a detailed data dump on my book because in most cases the people designing the cover have not read the book. I overwrote my cover memo to make sure that they got the essence of the book. The first round of designs came, which I was quite happy with. There was some back and forth and in a couple weeks’ time the cover was done!
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
My background is in marketing and advertising so I developed a massive, very calculated, grassroots marketing plan that I worked on for several months leading up to my release. This also included building a professional social media platform (beyond my own personal dabblings). This took months. When I began I had 5 Twitter followers and no fan page. At my release date, nearly seven months later, I had 10,000 Twitter followers and 3700 fans on Facebook. Publisher or not, the marketing onus is most definitely on the author. It was a ton of work but worth it!
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
My advice is tried and true but worth repeating. Never under any circumstances give up. You keep going when you want to quit. Take a break when you need to but then get back on that horse and don’t stop until you get to where you want to be. My second piece of advice is to start building your following now. You may think you have nothing of value to say, but you’re a writer, so start crafting your story and online persona, bit by bit, post by post, tweet by tweet, and assume people will want to hear what you have to say.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I’m an East Coaster at the core, but the weather ultimately lured me westward. I moved from Maryland where I grew up to Florida, Colorado, Manhattan, Los Angeles and ultimately landed for good in Napa Valley. I was a restless one, until one day I wasn’t ;0)
Where do you live now?
Calistoga.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’ve been called a bulldog a time or two when it comes to going after what I want in life. The moniker fits. I’m fierce when I need to be but oh so loyal. If you do good by me, I’ll do good by you.
What are you working on now?
As a wine and food columnist I’m always sipping and swirling in the name of research and at work on next month’s column. When that hat comes off the novel writing one goes on. I’m also at the beginning stages for my next novel.
The Zpacks Nero is a 38L frameless ultralight backpack
The Zpacks Nero is a frameless 38L ultralight backpack that weighs 10.9 ounces and is made with waterproof Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF), formerly called cuben fiber. It's seam taped inside, making it effectively waterproof so you don't have to line it with a plastic garbage bag or cover it with a pack cover to keep the interior dry in the rain. At 38L and frameless, packing and using the Nero is quite different from using a backpack with a stiffer frame or load bearing hipbelt, so I include a number of usage tips below to help you make the most of this exceptionally lightweight backpack if you decide to try it.
Specs at a Glance
Weight: 10.9 oz (11.5 oz, actual,tested)
Optional foam sit pad: 1.0 oz (1.6 oz, actual tested)
Max Recommended Load: 15-20 pounds
Gender: Unisex
Volume: 25L main body, 2.5L each side pocket, 8L center pocket
The Nero is laid out like a typical ultralight backpack with a roll top closure, side water bottle pockets, and a long rear mesh pocket. It's frameless and best for carrying loads under 20 pounds, with a hip belt that's a simple webbing strap and not designed to be load bearing. With 38L of capacity, it's a good size for overnight or multi-day backpacking trips if you have a compact and lightweight gear list with a base weight of 10 pounds or less.
The Nero is two side water bottle pockets and a rear mesh pocket
The side water bottle pockets are easily reachable while wearing the pack and I can remove and replace bottles stored in them. Both pockets are made with solid DCF, so they have better durability that mesh pockets, with drain holes to prevent water accumulation in rain or if you stuff wet gear into them. The bottle pockets are nice and deep, capable of holding two Smart water bottles each, with an elastic rim to keep bottles from falling out.
The Nero also comes with a closed cell sit pad that located behind your shoulders and back, much like the pad on the back of Gossamer Gear's overnight packs, although the Zpacks pad has a smooth surface not a dimpled one. The pad is held in place by elastic cords and looks a bit amateurish, but it's surprisingly easy to use, effective, and reasonably durable. You do sweat under the pad when the pack is worn in warm weather, but it's easy to pull out and reseat when want a dry place to sit, and prevents sharp objects in the pack from poking you in the back.
The Nero has a floating sit pad held in place by elastic cord.
Being frameless, the Nero carries best when it's packed full of gear, so that your gear forms what is, in essence, a virtual frame. Otherwise, it collapses in on itself like a shapeless sack – which is pretty typical of frameless backpacks without frame stays. When packing the Nero, it's best not to pack it too tightly however, because the back of the pack will barrel roll into your back. At 38L, the Nero is a pretty high-capacity pack, so the best way to take up the space without exceeding the 15-20 lb max load is to pack your sleep insulation loose. You can also mitigate the lack of stiffness a bit by moving the sit pad inside the pack or by using a stiffer foam pad.
The hip belt is a simple webbing strap. You can remove it or anchor it at three different heights, shown, on the back or the pack. JPG
The Nero's hip belt can be non-destructively removed if you don't want it. It can also be moved up or down between three fixed positions (through sewn on loops) if you want it to ride higher or lower. Zpacks claims that this makes the Nero an adjustable torso length pack, but I'd take this with a grain of salt. This isn't a load bearing hip belt, so there's no pressing need to have it rest on your hip bones, and it's only function is keep the bottom of the pack from bouncing against your back as you walk.
The roll top clips are tied to the end of the side compression strap
The top of the Nero's main compartment closes with a roll top, with a velcro stiffer to help keep the sides closed and make it easier to roll shut. You typically need three rolls to achieve a waterproof seal on a roll top. The sides of the roll top don't clip together (they're both female) and there's no top strap on the pack. The sides of the roll top clip onto male connectors tied onto the end the side compression straps, sharing the same non-elastic cord. Overloading the functions on the one cord works fine, and doesn't interfere with using the side compression straps to hold longer items stuck into the side pockets. It also simplifies backpack construction.
Recommendation
The Zpacks Nero 38L is a sub-1-pound ultralight backpack that's good for ultralight backpacking and travel, with plenty of capacity to carry loads up to about 15-20 pounds. To appreciate the Nero, you have to understand that this is a streamlined backpack that does not have any of the frame stays, load lifters, extra shoulder strap padding, internal pockets, hydration ports, ice axe loops, trekking polders, external pad pockets, sternum strap whistles, or webbing straps that you'll find on other packs. It is also essential that you pack light when using the Nero, because it doesn't have a load-bearing hip belt.
Made with Dyneema Composite Fabrics (formerly called cuben fiber), the Nero is highly water-resistant and a good choice if you hike in wet climates. Solid water bottle pockets also increase the pack's durability, although care should be taken not to rip the relatively fragile mesh back pocket or hang up the extra cords hanging from the pack on overhanging vegetation.
Being frameless, the Nero takes the shape of your gear when loaded, and therefore takes a little practice to pack if you've never owned a frameless backpack before. This can be a tricky because there's a real temptation to fill its 38L of volume with too much gear, exceeding its max recommended load. However, once you dial in your packing strategy, the Nero is a comfortable backpack with wide 2.5″ shoulder straps that distribute the load across your shoulders and eliminate pressure points.
Disclosure: Zpacks loaned the author a Nero backpack for this review.
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Members of the UNH Outing Club crossing the Little River en route to North Twin Mountain
"South Twin must be the most climbed mountain on the 4000 footer list", said my friend Lisa, "It's on the way to so many other peaks". South Twin Mountain is at a cross roads for anyone hiking from the Pemigewasset Wilderness to the Zealand Valley or Crawford Notch areas of the White Mountain National Forest. Every Appalachian Trail thru-hiker has to climb it, but they're easily outnumbered by the thousands of people climbing the 4000 footers every year. I've climbed South Twin twice, just in the past month, and expect to climb it again before the year is over.
With an elevation of 4902′, South Twin is the 8th highest White Mountain 4000 footer. It's the highest peak on the north side of the Pemigewasset Range, towering over neighboring Galehead Mountain, and Zealand Mountain, which is also nearby. There are three trails that meet at its rocky summit: The Twinway, the Garfield Ridge Trail and the North Twin Trail, which climbs South Twin's 4760′ sibling first.
On this trip, I hiked up the North Twin Trail which starts mellow, but quickly gets very steep (climbing from 1840′ to 4760′). I can only remember hiking this trail once before in 2009, when we glissaded down it on our butts after a winter backpacking trip. Climbing up it when the rocks and roots are exposed is a very different experience and requires a lot more energy. The secret to climbing a peak like this is to take small steps to avoid tiring the big muscles in your legs. Slow down to a pace that you can hike comfortably without breathing too heavily and you'll get to the top and still have gas left in the tank.
While we didn't plan it this way, I played tag all the way up the mountain with the University of New Hampshire Outing Club, which was running a trip up North Twin on the same day. They stopped for a half-dozen rest breaks as they climbed the trail, while I kept going pretty much non-stop, repeatedly passing them, before they'd catch up and pass me. They were very nice trail companions, always making room for me to pass, and I chatted them as we climbed up the mountain.
The North Twin Trail starts out pretty level but starts getting steep about 2 miles in.
October has been shockingly warm this year. Actually, autumn has been kind of delayed and the red maples were only just coming into color this past weekend, when they're usually peaking on Columbus day. While it was cool at the trail head, only about 40 degrees, I quickly heated up when I started hiking and stripped own to a single layer. The day heated up as the sun climbed higher, but it was still cool above treeline in the wind. Perfect hiking weather actually, dry and sunny, with just a touch of mist on the distance peaks.
The North Twin Trail begins at the end of Haystack Rd, a seasonal road which is gated and inaccessible by car in winter. The bottom of trail is a mellow walk along the Little River, crossing it three times before it starts climbing. The crossings can all be rock hopped but it takes time to scout them carefully. Marked (with cairns), the crossing points are also often not the best or easiest places to cross, which is pretty typical in the Whites.
View from North Twin Outlook
The steep part climbs about 2000′ in 2 miles but levels off at about 4500′ where you enter a long stretch of krummholz at treeline. The dwarf trees provide plenty of wind protection up to the summit. There's an outlook spur trail there, to a ledge that has a great view of Mt Garfield, Franconia Ridge, and the small peaks between Mt Garfield and Mt Galehead. The latter is a very strenuous section of trail to hike, full of mud, slippery ledges and large boulders.
The North Twin Trail drops about 200′ into the col between the North and South Twin summits. It's a very pleasant stretch of trail, bordered by storm battered trees, before you start climbing again. After that, there's a fine open ledge where you pop above treeline, before climbing the knob atop South Twin. I stood there for a while and watched as a glider from the Franconia Soaring Association soared silently above. A perfect day.
A glider from the Franconia Soaring Association flew silently overhead
I hung out on South Twin for a while talking to the people I met there. A pair of backpackers recognized me. They'd just come over the Bonds that morning. They'd tried to summit Bondcliff the previous evening but couldn't get across it because the wind speeds were too high. Scary stuff. That's one cliff you don't want to get blown off of. They camped below the Hillary Step and got across the following morning.
Philip at South Twin, October 2017
This being an in-and-out hike, I turned around and retraced my steps back down the North Twin Trail. It took a few hours to get back down, but I didn't mind the walk. It's been nice revisiting the 4000 footers this year and the trails leading to them.
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