Just in time for fall Shawnté and Colin dive into listener questions about some of the most peculiar, practical, controversial outdoor dilemmas and whole bunch of mating tarantulas.

This week’s questions:

• Naming Peaks – Can the average hiker name a mountain? Shawnté breaks down the tangled history of U.S. place names and what it takes to get one officially recognized.
• Thru-Hiking & Trash – Do long trails make us garbage monsters? Sustainability journalist and backpacking expert Kristin Hostetter joins the show to share practical tips for cutting down waste, rethinking packaging, and embracing a zero-waste trail ethos.
• TP & Leave No Trace – Should you bury toilet paper or pack it out? Shawnté explores the official LNT rules, the gray areas, and why personal ethics matter when it comes to backcountry bathroom breaks.
• Gravel Shoes – Do we really need another shoe category? Shawnté and Colin debate whether gravel running shoes are brilliant crossover tools or just another gimmick.

Click here for full Gear Abby Episode Companion including all of the bings (aka footnotes) and even more from this episode!

Got your own question for Gear Abby? Send it to [email protected] and it just might end up on the pod.

Send your questions to [email protected] and they might make it onto a future episode!

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