I listen to almost every episode that comes out and love hearing people’s stories, and especially appreciate when they have experts on. However, I gotta say BPR lost some credibility when their weather “expert” couldn’t bring himself to say that “yes, climate change is real.” Seriously?

After every episode I find myself buying more gear… I guess the subliminal messaging is working… love the show. It entertains me as I drive for work. Keep up whatever y’all are doing.

I discovered this podcast while researching a backpacking trip to summit Mount Whitney (with section hike of JMT), and I’ve been addicted ever since. I listen to every new episode as it comes out and I’ve been chipping away at the old episodes in between. Although the focus is on thru hiking, Zach and Chaunce host a huge variety of guests, and everyone has such a fascinating story to tell. They are also totally hilarious. If you have any interest in the outdoors, day hiking, backpacking, and of course, thru hiking, you will love this podcast.

I’ve been a long time listener and fan of the show. I feel like the episodes and guests lately have been particularly good. I could listened to another 2 hours of Tate talk about anything and I was at the live recording in Austin which was tons of fun. Keep up the great work. If I get a sticker out of this I’m checking the envelope for Oreo dust. We’re on to you Zack!

Love the laid back honest conversations. The crew works well together.

I can’t express enough how great this podcast is, I literally see rainbows and butterflies every time and listen/watch. When I started listening I could only hike 5 miles a day but after many episodes I’m up to 200 miles a day just because of the great advice and info I’ve learned from Backpacker Radio. Zach and Chaunce have the best podcast voices that are smooth like butter and put me into a euphoric state each episode. Also listening to the podcast has been scientifically proven to add 30 years to your life and drop your pack weight sub 10lbs. Anyways thanks for the great show, oh also since I’ve listened to the podcast I’ve won the lottery 6 times, so yeah there’s that.

I love this podcast! Started listening before my hike of the Vermont long Trail and have been ever since! Great interviews and stories that can be enjoyed by anyone, thruhiker or not!

Love this podcast, just started listening but it’s now my go-to. The banter between hosts and interviewee makes it feel like a Friday night hangout rather than a podcast, and the topics and stories shared really resonate with me and my interests. Even the ads and sponsors are outdoorsy related and right up my alley! The length of each podcast (multiple hours!!) helps the work day go by so much quicker. Give it a listen!

…5 stars for the team behind the podcast that helps me get through my corporate 9-5 desk job. I usually start podcasts with episode 1 and work my way to the the most recent release, but y’all have provided a steady stream of episodes with awesome guests and backcountry banter, and I haven’t caught up yet. I was holding off since episode 4 thinking someone else would have brought this up already, but I think Chaunce missed out on a gem of a trail name. What are the odds Chaunce would change her trail name if it sounded cute? The time that Chaunce tried sitting on rock to pee and ended up getting tree sap and leaves stuck to her butt cheeks, I know she already had a trail name, but SERIOUSLY why aren’t we calling her Sweet Cheeks or Sticky Buns? Please make Chaunce play odds for this! Anyway, you guys rock - hope to see you in the midwest in the future. -RIP

I have listened to basically all of the BPR episodes in preparation for my PCT thru hike this year. The knowledge that Chaunce and Zach share is incredible and their guests are superb. Listening to episodes with my wife has made it easier for her to contemplate what my life will be like on trail. Still unclear if Zach hiked the AT but I know he wrote a book about it

I’d give it 5 stars if Chaunce stopped refusing to pronounce Moab correctly.

I’ve previously given this show a five star review and just want to update my review to reflect that it is still a five star offering. Your latest episode featuring Snackbox and highlighting his thru hike of the Colorado Trail on its 50th anniversary, using 50 year-old gear, was really interesting. I also really liked how you all talked about ADHD and how it can be successfully managed in work and trail life. Thank you for your honesty on that subject.

Fun and entertaining to listen to! One of my go to podcasts ! Always learning something new about a trail or area!

This podcast has been my go to for months now and my only regret is that I didn’t find it sooner! Listening to y'all on my daily 4 mile walks has become a highlight in my life. I love the banter between you two and the guests, and for always keeping it fun, interesting and entertaining! I feel like chaunce and I would be friends IRL 🤣 hopefully one day I will be able to convince someone to thruhike the PCT with me before my number is called. 🥹 Thanks for supplying the thru hikers (& the wannabes) with top tier content! 🤍 Paige C

Unlike Thruhiker’s review from December, I welcome childish and exercise-averse banter. Yes, I am trying to start Apple podcast review beef.

Great guests—I especially enjoy when Andrew Skurka is on. That said, Chaunce’s interjections and insights often feel uneducated, under-researched, and overly casual, which detracts from the depth of the conversations and the integrity of the show. I’d love to hear more thoughtful questions and discussions that elevate the guests and the hiking community, rather than continuing to promote a childish, health- and exercise-adverse banter.

I’m attending grad school in a state (Texas) that has much less (different) outdoor access than my home state of California. This podcast fills some of my need to be outdoors. It’s entertaining, super informative, and is helping me look forward to my life continuing to be increasingly outdoors after grad school. Y’all rock!

5 star, chaunce definitely left the fridge open… 5 star

Great show! I love the wide variety of topics discussed - there’s content for every subject or angle of perspective. Thanks guys! Something I wanted to bring up though - Off leash dogs on trails. Controversial, yes. What the hosts want to put out for us to hear is completely up to them, and we can decide if we want to continue listening, which I will!🧡 That said, it would be awesome to hear a little more about responsible dog ownership while using public spaces. There were a couple shows where Zach brought up discussing off-leash dogs on trails and the guests on both episodes answered but noticeably and quickly changed the subject. I appreciated his effort to bring up the topic though. The amount of dog owners who think it’s okay because their dog is “friendly” is very disappointing. I was attacked by a dog who, as it was running up to me, the owner shouted out “don’t worry, he’s friendly!” There have also been numerous times where an off leash dog has run up to me on a trail and jumped on me, with the owner far behind and not even in sight of their dog. I’d love to see The Trek use their platform make more of an effort to shed light on recreating responsibly with pets. I could very well have missed a post or podcast that does this, but just from what I’ve listened to (lots of episodes🧡) it does seem to be something that isn’t deeply discussed when it’s brought up.

It would be a podcast I continued to listen to if Juliana wasn’t on it any longer. She’s whiny, needy, and unfunny. Lose her and you’ll be better off.

As a 59 y/o that just started hiking in the past two years, I find this podcast both very informative and very entertaining. I love the stories of the various trails that Chaunce, Zach, and others discuss as it gives me great ideas for longer trails to do. As someone that would love to do a thru hike like the PCT, the “shorter” trails like the Grand Teton and Colorado trails are very intriguing to me as I build my skills and endurance. The Zach’s and Chaunce’s honesty and openness to their mess ups and successes is great. This is my favorite hiking podcast.

Hi Chaunce and Zack, love the podcast, amazing content! I’m attending university and I came across this paper and I think you guys might find it interesting! It’s titled “Cinnamon and Eucalyptus Extracts: A promising natural approach for durable mosquito-repellent fabrics with multifunctionality.” Thank you for sharing all of the hiking content and letting people live vicariously through the podcast!

Hey Zack and Chaunce, I spent most of my life vacationing in national parks. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit 49 states, and hiked a lot in many. The last 30 years I lived in San Diego end enjoyed the local mountains and Sierras more than I could imagine. We used to camp at Kitchen Creek, Mt Laguna, Big Bear, Idyllwild and other places along the PCT in the Sierras and people in my group always asked what the extra cooler was for, all the hot dogs, beer etc. I always wanted to have a supply if the timing was right for PCT hikers to cross our path. We had some fun chats around the campfire. As the economy would have it, we had to relocate to the east and to a flat as a pancake state. We’ve been here almost a year and it’s not been an easy adjustment. Less expensive - yes, inspiring - no. I was reading more books on thru hiking and due to my long commute started looking for podcasts. Backpacker radio is keeping me sane right now. Listening to the banter, the overall enthusiasm of those who have done a thru hike and even the trail corespondents and their list of apprehensions allows me to relive the moments I’ve spent on trails over the years. I’m only on episode 12, but looking all the variety to come. Keep up the great work. If you haven’t read George Spearing’s book on the PCT, give it a try. 6 Stars if I was to leave a podcast review. Cheers (and Zach, did you hike the AT? 🍺 And Chaunce, how do you keep that much chocolate from melting? 🍫) 😂😂 Randy

Great balance of humor, stories, and gear talk. I’m quite a bit older so the guests are often in a different phase of life but I enjoy staying plugged into the community through the show.

Been listening to this podcast for a few months now and while the hiking community can sometimes feel pretty liberal I’m so glad that they keep this podcast politics free. Love the stories, love the banter, love the trek

I’ll start by saying that I am NOT a long range backpacker (yet). Just a guy that loves hiking, camping, and the wilderness. This pod is pure gold even for the non-thru hiker. Have picked up many tips along the way and always have a good laugh too.

I love this podcast. I love how the content at any second just goes off to some of the most bizarre topics and I just start shaking my head and laughing. Keep up the great work.

I discovered this podcast recently and love it so much! The hosts are so funny and down to earth… it’s exactly what I needed to help me feel like I have a hiking community. I am a predominately solo backpacker, mostly long weekends. I want to begin pushing for longer trips by myself and these interviews helped me realize there’s lots of folks like me!

Highly entertaining and informative. Each episode is a deep dive into the subject topic as well as the appropriate amount of playful banter to balance out the podcast. The length of the episodes look long on paper but fly by always leaving me wondering how time passed so fast. My favorite episode is #49. I loved the wild land firefighting aspect of it. Keep up the great work!

It’s truly underrated how important it is to hear the logistics of planning some of these trips! Love all the great info and the considerations I had not thought about! Keep up the amazing work!

I’m more of a weekend warrior than a professional backpacker, but I discovered this podcast when I moved to WNC in 2018 just a few episodes in, and I’ve been a fan ever since. I work in Parks & Recreation, often running equipment, so I use this podcast to make the days fly by when I’m working out in the field, and it always puts me in the best mood and ensures my heart is in the right place on the job, plus it inspires my weekends in the backcountry! The banter is hilarious, the guests are informative, and the insight always helps inform my decisions; not to mention I’ve made it my mission to be a trail angel and offer cold drinks and snacks along the AT whenever I’m doing something near a place it intersects. Thank you for the endless hours of engagement and entertainment; as someone with 16 years in the outdoor industry, in Maine, New York, and North Carolina, working on campgrounds and trails, and the neighborhood parks that inspire the next generation of adventurers, I cannot stress enough the importance of advocacy that you guys do through your passionate story telling and outreach in the community. Cheers and happy trails!

I just recently came across your podcast and listened to the episode with Dr. Courtney Conley and was so impressed with what she had to share! As someone who walked the Camino Frances in April and May 2024, I’ll be following your podcast for more education and inspiration! Thank you!

I started listening to this podcast as I went hiking with my new dog. it has inspired me to buy a backpack and get back into hiking, something that I have not done for a very long time. Zach and Chaunce also remind me of how I acted when I was loving the outdoors. Thanks Zach and Chaunce

I’m always impressed with the Backpacker radio and excited to see them in August to attend the PCT Trail days. Your guest are insightful and relevant with today’s day hikers to through hikers. Keep up the great work and with so many people on the trail your presentations will never end.

Great blend of backpacking insight and the fun culture that goes with it. Good times!!.

This podcast has the right amount of entertainment and humor to make the miles melt. Doesn’t matter if our hiking or driving to work, you’ll always feel better after listening to Zach & Chaunce as they make you laugh, make you think and most of all make you want to get out on the trail. Thanks for making an amazing podcast! Jay-Are Smith West Texas

Hello I am from Central PA and your podcast had been keeping me excited about bouldering... I mean hiking in PA. I have been listening to your podcast for 2 years I have no clue why but the ozark highlands content always interests me. Keep up the amazing cotnent.

You guys rock ! … that’s all I have to say about that ! Keep up the great job! 🤩

This podcast is great! The production quality and guest list is top notch. I have been listening to this since the early days and feel it’s time for a new female host. Elise would be a great full time host replacement. I have nothing against Chauncey but think there are far more confident female hikers that would set a better example for the hiking community. I have met lots of people on long trails who say they used to listen to this podcast but can’t handle Chauncey so don’t anymore. Otherwise the podcast is well worth a listen.

This podcast is singlehandedly keeping my torch lit for doing a long trail once my kids are old enough that I need to disappear for a few months to remind them they love me. Top three things I like: 1) On YouTube, Chaunce actually throws off the white balance with her ginger power. 2) There’s a review for this show from a physician who feels obligated to set the record straight on the relative placement of the anal/vaginal wall. You learn something new every day. 3) That episode where Zach wanted to fist fight an alien. To be fair, totally understand his argument, but props to Chaunce for her dogged questioning…true journalistic integrity. Keep the good stuff coming, love your guys’ dynamic and the show!

To start, to be honest, I’m a sticker freak and really would love one. But, thanks for always entertaining me as I’m on the road a bunch for work and can always tune in and catch up with the new adventures…my wife and I are only day hikers in the Midwest but I personally have aspirations of building my way up to a through hike. Please keep up the great work and again, appreciate the info and entertainment! Cheers!! Nitz

I just listened to episode 250 with Jabba. I am a physician, and I am sorry to tell Chaunce, but it is totally possible to feel stool through the vaginal wall. The wall of the rectum and the wall of the vagina are right up against each other, and both are very thin. There’s literally nothing between the rectum and the vagina. Sorry Chaunce 🤷‍♂️

I listened to episode no. 250 a few days ago. I am almost always driving when listening and I almost had to pull over I was laughing so hard at Jabba telling the story of farting during sex. On a serious note, you guys do such a great job at organizing informative interviews. I love the variety of guests; their adventures are always entertaining. Thanks for keeping this thing going! -Caitlin

Found this podcast 4 yrs ago, hello pandemic, and have loved listening to the banter between Chaunce & Zach, honest gear discussions regardless of sponsorship and quality (read experienced & knowledgeable) guest interviews. They entertain, inform and keep you engaged.

Y’all too good to be true. Many years of loving every single bit of information and hilarious banter you share. Thank gawd for this wonderful resource and funny content.

Hello from sunny Florida!! I have wanted to write a review for quite some time now, and finally have decided to do it. My son got me turned onto backpacker radio as he was preparing to hike the AT. His excitement and preparation, in turn sparked excitement for me! So much so that he asked I accompany him for his first week. I had so much fun reconnecting with my young adult son and finding this new hobby has been so instrumental in helping me become more physically fit. Backpacker Radio has been an instrumental part of this journey, especially all the guests and stories of different trails, I find I keep adding potential trails to my bucket list!! One of my most favorite episodes (so far) is Girls 3.0! so much fun to listen to these young women after spending the past 30 years raising four sons as a single mom. Despite the fact that I am 57 years old, I can still relate to many of the things these women were talking about when I was in my 20s and 30s. Thank you so much for these quality podcasts that keep me company and laughing while walking my dog, Oakley in the wee early morning hours before work. You both are an amazing way to start my day!!! Happy trail!!!! Tricia Grand

My favorite podcast! This crew does a spectacular job along with their guests taking you into the backcountry. Sometimes raw but always a lot of humor, if you love just the thought of wilderness and long trails this podcast is for you.

Love listening to the trail tales and appreciate the backpacking experience that the guests have had.

Love, love, love the podcast. I just got back from hiking the Lone Star Trail, I know the show gets pooh-poohed on and I get why, but it was my first thru hike and backpacking trip. It is also the longest trail in my home state, so the whole trip was very exciting for me. Thank you for all the great content on your show. I feel like I learned so much by listening. Thanks for doing what you do and I will be listening. Mike A.

Loved the Foothills Trail episode! Brought back some great memories! I’ve learned about a ton of trails that I didn’t know about from you two. and always a good laugh