River Pee, Trail Trauma & the Perfect Pillow

Why does Leave No Trace tell backpackers to pee away from water but rafters to pee directly into the river? And why do so many hiking memoirs seem to require their authors to endure a dark night of the soul?This week on Gear Abby, Shawnté explains the surprisingly logical bathroom rules of river trips (and the origin of the wonderfully named groover), then digs into why trauma, suffering and misery have become such reliable ingredients in outdoor books. Plus, What’s In Your Pack? returns as Shawnté reveals her new favorite backpacking pillow and somehow she and Colin turn that into something wildly inappropriate. Send your burning outdoor questions to DearGearAbby@gmail.com.Gear Abby is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.