I used to bartend for extra cash, now it’s to stay afloat. Since I love making drinks so much — and since sending out resumes on a Sunday should be illegal — I’ve decided to take a few minutes and share some cocktails perfect for hiking or backpacking. Now go get TrailSauced!

Do you have a favorite backcountry drink? Please share it with the rest of us!

Grandpa’s Ol’ Sleep Medicine

• 2 oz scotch or whiskey
• 2 bags Kava tea (VERY mellowing herb)

Steep tea bags in hot water for 10 minutes, then add whiskey. Try not to fall asleep before getting to your tent.

Camper’s Kamikaze

• 1.5 oz vodka
• .5 oz triple sec
• 1 packet Lime Kool-Aid

Fill cup with water, add drink mix and stir. Add liquor, stir or shake until mixed thoroughly.

It’s 18 degrees here in PA — 13 w/ wind chill — so I got to thinkin’ about my recent  trip to (relatively) warm Joshua Tree National Park last December. Enjoy the vid. My glass of wine and I just got done viewing #3 of the evening. I’ll be back soon, ol’ J-Tree.

Dehydrating food for the trail opens up many possibilities for the picky hiker. Cook it, dehydrate it, pack it, add water on the trail and…voila. It’s hard to beat a quickly-prepared, hot, tasty meal at the end of a long hiking day.

The problem: Food dehydrators can be expensive.

The solution: You can make your own!

Grab some duct tape, mosquito netting and a concrete form cylinder (5 bucks at your local hardware store) and head over to instructables.com for easy-to-follow instructions.

Stink much? Head over to Agion Active to get a FREE “odor-eliminating” shirt. One half is treated with their special sauce (which includes “dual action” antimicrobial properties among other innovations), the other without, so you can smell the difference.

Sign up to test the stink-less tee here.

(via The Daily Dirt)

Nothing can ruin an otherwise great hike like chafing (aka “Monkey Butt”). It’s caused by constant rubbing (most often in the upper thigh/nether regions) coupled with moisture and bacteria build-up. Hikers with chafing issues are often identified by their requisite “duck walk”. While heavier hikers are more prone to chafing, it can happen to anyone at any time. To keep it from happening to you, follow the advice below.

Put simply, prevent chafing by lubricating during the day and keeping dry at night.

Pre-hike prep:

Clean area throughly before heading out. Much of chafing is due to bacteria build-up, so it’s best to start from a sterile base.

Just before hitting the ol’ dusty trail, apply BodyGlide. It’s the most recommended anti-chafing solution on the market, and smoothing some on will eliminate friction for the entire day. As a bonus, you can also put on feet to help prevent blisters.

During hike:

Wipe area with baby wipes or alcohol swaps to keep area clean and rash-free. Remember to reapply the BodyGlide.

Post-hike or in camp:

Wash area thoroughly, dry, then apply Gold Bond Triple Medicated Powder or plain ol’ corn starch. Keeping the area dry while sleeping is absolutely essential for quick healing and chafing prevention.

* Go commando. If wearing a skirt’s not your thing, simply try a hike without underwear (only try this in summer) under your shorts or pants. As long as you follow the above-mentioned essential steps pre- and post-hike, you shouldn’t experience any rubbing down yonder.

Any chafers out there have any better ideas for prevention or treatment? Please add them in the comments section below!

The smell of last weekend’s campfire still clings to your clothes. You try a standard wash and spray it with Febreeze but nothing seems to get rid of it. What’s a hiker to do? Here’s 5 proven ways to get rid of that campfire smell in no time:

1. Have a Coke. Add one can of Coca Cola to your wash along with your normal detergent. A professional cleaner swears this works, so why not give it a spin? (Via ThriftyFun)

2. Just add vinegar. Add 1 cup of white vinegar to your wash load and let soak for 30-60 min. Also works well for lots of other lingering odors.

3. Pack your threads in potpourri. (Via HowToGetRidOfStuff.com):

To remove the campfire scent and add a fresh, natural scent to your clothes, you need the following:

– Zip-lock bags or plastic bags
– Dried flowers, or other fresh-scented items (do not use fresh flowers because they will get crushed and stain your clothes)
– Baby powder

Follow these steps to get rid of the campfire scent:

– Place some potpourri in the plastic bag, and add a few shakes of baby powder.
– Place the smelly clothes inside the bag.
– Shake the bag thoroughly, like you’re dredging a piece of chicken in flour. Make sure that the baby powder reaches into the folds of your clothes.
– When you’re ready to wear the articles of clothing again, shake off the flowers and the baby powder. You’d be surprised at how clean and fresh-scented your clothes are.

4. Baking soda to the rescue. Baking soda is like the duct tape of…well…ingredients (?). Use #1,452 is adding a tablespoon or two to the washing machine along with fabric softener. No more smokey clothes!

5. Take the lazy way out. Buy some MiraZyme. Amazon has it cheap right here

Do you have a method that works great for you? Share it in the comments!

According to SNEWS, the go-to outdoor industry news source, Target has added Kelty to their list of partner brands and will begin carrying camping and other outdoor gear beginning January 31st.

Props to Target for giving shoppers more than just Coleman crap to buy, and I’m glad they’re bringing a better brand to the masses, but part of me dies a little every time a big box store starts selling more niche-type brands. It’s like loving a band for years, hoping they make it big enough to earn a nice living and thus churn out more music, only to have them explode into heavy rotation on the local Top 40 station. Then, the next show you see is inundated with 17 year-old douches who only know that one song and act bored the rest of the set (cough–Kings of Leon–cough). But I digress…