Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin “P.I.G.” True are back with another round of Gear Abby, where the gear questions get real... and sometimes a little gross.

This week’s adventures include:

• The Triple Crown of Hiking – Do you really need to hike the AT, PCT, and CDT to earn your stripes, or is the whole “Triple Crowner” thing kind of overrated?
• Chafing in the Wild – From sticky thighs to “fire crotch,” Shawnté breaks down how to prevent, treat, and laugh about the outdoor chafe life.
• Strava Love & Hate – Is tracking your runs and hikes inspiring, or just another way to feed the ego monster? Shawnté shares her thoughts on “Kudos culture.”
• Cutting Switchbacks – The eternal debate: is it really that bad if you shave a little distance? Abby has some strong words for the shortcut crowd.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever chafed, bragged on Strava, questioned the Triple Crown mystique, or been tempted by a too-good-to-ignore shortcut.

Click here for Gear Abby's footnotes and even more from this episode!

Send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com and they might make it onto a future episode!

Thanks for listening! Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.

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Gear Abby is back! Host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin “P.I.G.” True tackle another round of listener questions about the gear and decisions that make (or break) your time outside.

This week’s lineup includes:

• Boots vs Trail Runners – Abby helps settle the debate over whether “real hikers” wear boots, and why trail runners may or may not be the superior option.
• Female Urination Devices (FUDs) – What works, what doesn’t, and why Shawnté thinks practice makes perfect (but beware of splashback).
• Running Watches – Listener Jeff wants to know: are GPS watches worth it, or just a fancy distraction from the trail? Shawnté’s answer might surprise you.
• Cowboy Camping – To tent or not to tent? Shawnté shares the pros, cons, and creepy-crawly considerations of sleeping under the stars.

It’s another round of honesty and hard-earned outdoor wisdom from Gear Abby.

Send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com and they might make it onto a future episode!

Thanks for listening! Open Container is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Let's Get Some!

Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.

Please follow and subscribe to Open Container and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to the very first episode of Gear Abby! Host Shawnté Salabert and producer/partner-in-gear Colin “P.I.G.” True dive straight into the big outdoor questions you didn’t even know you needed answered.

This week’s burning topics include:

• Best & Worst Places to Poop Outdoors – from Leave No Trace rules to Shawnté’s personal tales of unfortunate slopes, bracing trees, and run-ins with bears.
• Running Vests vs. Handhelds – Jason R. from Tahoe wants to know: does wearing a running vest for shorter trail runs make you “look stupid”? Spoiler: no, but Shawnté’s love affair with sweet potato tots might make you rethink your fueling strategy.
• Favorite Outdoor Books – Shawnté and Colin trade picks that go way beyond Wild, from Steinbeck to Blair Braverman to The Last Season.
• Biodegradable Soap & Leave No Trace – Is soap in the backcountry really “LNT-approved”? Shawnté breaks down myths, greenwashing, and why she only uses soap for one thing (hint: it’s butt-related).

This episode is equal parts hilarious, gross, and surprisingly useful. If you’ve ever worried about where to poop, what to carry, what to read, or how not to ruin pristine places with soap bubbles this is your show.

Send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com and they might make it onto a future episode!

Thanks for listening! Open Container is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Let's Get Some!

Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.

Please follow and subscribe to Open Container and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.