Viking Q&A: First Aid Kits, Electronics, Socks, and a Beard Update
Backpacker Radio
Zach Davis
4.7 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 10 February 2025
⏱️ 171 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are A’in your Q’s, with our pal and yours, the lightly bearded Jabba aka The Real Hiking Viking.
In today’s question and answer we dive into a host of nitty gritty backpacking details, including what exactly is in our first aid kit, electronics bag (down to the cords), and our stuff sac systems, including some specific product recommendations. We also chat about our least favorite backpacking trips, our thought process in choosing socks for a backpacking trip, and what we deem as the biggest misuse of money when on a thru-hike. Jabba also updates us on what life has been like sans-beard, the fallout with his girlfriend, and if he plans to bring it back.
We wrap the show with our go to movie theater orders, why corn maintains its shape when shat, the triple crown of cities we'd add an NFL team and what their mascots would be, and we once again dive down the rabbit hole of how often peepee happens during poopoo. Another very mature episode for the archive.
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[divider]
Interview with Viking
Time stamps & Questions
00:11:45 - Reminders: Join us for our live show in Austin, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and apply to blog for the Trek!
00:15:05 - Re-introducing Jabba
00:18:57 - What’s life been like since you shaved the beard?
00:26:15 - How long have you been a Joe Pesci impersonator?
00:26:58 - Will you grow the beard back?
00:30:25 - What is in your first aid kit?
00:49:00 - What’s your favorite planet?
00:52:00 - What is your full electronics kit?
01:01:25 - If you had to have an inside/desk job, what would it be?
01:02:45 - What was that in the Orange Bowl?
01:03:26 - What features of the Zerk did you have strong opinions about?
01:15:15 - What’s your least favorite trail over 50 miles?
01:32:35 - Does the carpet match the drapes?
01:33:45 - What is the biggest misuse of money on trail?
01:44:40 - How much thought do you put into your hiking socks?
01:52:00 - Who’s the biggest asshole you’ve ever met on trail?
01:53:17 - How many stuff sacks do you use?
02:08:44 - How old do you think your kids will be for their first backpacking trip?
02:10:45 - What is being married going to do to your thru-hiking career?
02:15:00 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance enhancing hack?
Segments
Trek Propaganda: Biden’s Final, Controversial Push for America’s Public Lands by Katie Jackson
QOTD: What is your movie theater order?
QOTD 2: Why does corn come out the same shape as corn?
Triple Crown of cities you’d add an NFL team to
Mail Bag
5 Star Review
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Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by the truck, brought to you by Topo Athletic. |
| 0:04.2 | We are A.N. Your Q's, with our pal and yours, the lightly bearded Java, aka the real hiking biking. |
| 0:11.2 | Today's question and answer, we dive into a host of nitty-gritty backpacking details, including what exactly is in our first aid kits, |
| 0:18.8 | electronic bags, down to the cords, and our stuff sack systems, |
| 0:22.6 | including some specific product recommendations. |
| 0:25.6 | We also chat about our least favorite backpacking trips, our thought process in choosing socks for a backpacking trip, |
| 0:30.6 | and what we deem as the biggest misuse of money when on a through hike. |
| 0:35.6 | Jabba also updates us on what life has been like, Sands Beard, the fallout with his girlfriend, |
| 0:41.1 | and if he plans to bring it back. |
| 0:42.9 | We wrap the show with our go-to movie theater orders, why corn maintains its shape, |
| 0:47.7 | when chat, the triple crown of cities we'd add an NFL team to, and what their mascots |
| 0:52.2 | would be, and we once again dive down the rabbit hole of how often peepee happens during poo-poo, |
| 0:58.1 | another very mature episode for the archive. |
| 1:00.5 | But first, a backpacker's most important piece of gear is their footwear. |
| 1:06.0 | You can have the rest of your pack absolutely dialed in, but if your feet aren't happy, |
| 1:10.0 | you aren't happy. |
| 1:11.2 | And that's why we're thrilled to introduce today's sponsor, Topo Athletic. |
| 1:15.5 | If you've tuned into our footwear episode with Dr. Courtney Conley, you already know that |
| 1:19.5 | Topo Athletic was on her short list of brands she recommends for hikers. |
| 1:23.6 | That's because Topo Athletic makes trail runners with a zero or minimal drop and a roomy towbox. |
| 1:29.3 | The minimal drop promotes a more natural gait while the wide towbox allows your toes to fully splay. |
| 1:34.7 | Thruhikers are catching on the topos as well. |
... |
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