Carl Stanfield

I'm Carl "Professor" Stanfield, and I love backpacking. I studied Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education at Brevard College in North Carolina, then spent about 3 years living and working at a camp in Leavenworth, Washington. After my time there ended, I decided to attempt a thru hike, and in April 2018, I set out on my adventure on the Appalachian Trail, finishing at the end of August 2018. I fell in love with the wondrous life of thru hiking and decided to make it a priority. I had another successful adventure on the PCT in 2019 and, after a few years of saving up working in Outdoor Retail, took on a Calendar Year Triple Crown in 2022. I’m now living the hiker trash dream as a part time writer and full time hiker.

Posts

Marmot Superalloy 2-Person Tent Review

Marmot Superalloy 2-Person Tent Review

The standard for a viable lightweight tent has come a long way in recent years, and the Marmot Superalloy Two-Person Tent is part of that movement.

Dec 21, 2021 : Carl Stanfield
Katabatic Gear Flex 30 Ultralight Quilt Review

Katabatic Gear Flex 30 Ultralight Quilt Review

One of backpacking's greatest achievements is the innovation of the quilt. Katabatic Gear is one of the many cottage companies specializing in this

Nov 23, 2021 : Carl Stanfield
Salomon Adv Skin 12 Running Vest Review

Salomon Adv Skin 12 Running Vest Review

The Salomon ADV Skin 12 Running Vest is a hyper-efficient running companion with the storage capacity of dreams. This thing is made for any runner

Oct 18, 2021 : Carl Stanfield
onX Backcountry: GPS Navigation App with In-Depth Trail Beta

onX Backcountry: GPS Navigation App with In-Depth Trail Beta

This is a sponsored post brought to you by onX Backcountry.  If you’re connected to the outdoor industry online, you’ve probably noticed ads for a

Jul 19, 2021 : Carl Stanfield
Mountainsmith 2021 Zerk 40 Backpack Review

Mountainsmith 2021 Zerk 40 Backpack Review

If it ain’t broke, only fix it a little. This is clearly what the team at Mountainsmith was thinking when they came out with 2021’s iteration of

Jul 1, 2021 : Carl Stanfield
Arc’teryx Motus AR Bottom and Crew Base Layers Review

Arc’teryx Motus AR Bottom and Crew Base Layers Review

Arc'teryx instills their renowned quality into their Motus AR base layers. The long sleeve crew and bottom inductions into the line present excellent

Apr 27, 2021 : Carl Stanfield
ZOLEO Satellite Communicator Review

ZOLEO Satellite Communicator Review

In a market dominated by a single player, a new hero emerges into the battle of satellite communicators: Garmin inReach Mini, meet the ZOLEO. The

Apr 22, 2021 : Carl Stanfield
Quarantine Dreams: 11,000 Miles in 2022

Quarantine Dreams: 11,000 Miles in 2022

“If your dreams don’t scare you, you aren’t dreaming big enough.” I first came across this quote in an interview I read somewhere with one of the

Mar 25, 2021 : Carl Stanfield
SPOT X Two-Way Satellite Messenger Review

SPOT X Two-Way Satellite Messenger Review

It's not your grandpa's Blackberry: The SPOT X Two-Way Satellite Messenger is a contender for one of the best personal GPS/communication devices on

Feb 11, 2021 : Carl Stanfield
Gossamer Gear The DCF One Ultralight Tent Review

Gossamer Gear The DCF One Ultralight Tent Review

Gossamer Gear has just released a significant new player in the tent game with their DCF One. Weighing in under a pound, this trekking pole

Nov 25, 2020 : Carl Stanfield