#49 | Matt "Pretzel" Mason on Shaking Down New Thru-Hikers, Gear Advice, Wildland Firefighting, and Also Everything

Matt "Pretzel" Mason is a triple crowner, trail runner, sober hiker, former Mountain Crossings employee, wildland firefighter, gear snob, and bona fide character. His beard game is strong, and his opinions are stronger. This is our longest episode to date, and it promises to entertain throughout. Use code "ATDrink15" at GossamerGear.com to save 15% Gossamer Gear The One Gossamer Gear Gorilla Gossamer Gear Liteflex Umbrella Gossamer Gear Giveaway on Instagram Sawyer Picaridin Packets Use code "Trek10" at Greenbelly.co Take the 2019 AT Thru-Hiker Survey! San Diego Backpacker Radio Meetup Matt "Pretzel" Mason Interview The Lone Star Trail His time at Mountain Crossings Why he hikes without a stove His experiences with Baltimore Jack Gear advice His perception of the thru-hiking party culture as a sober hiker His take on maps vs. apps His Continental Divide Thru-Hike His time as a wildland firefighter and search and rescue Trek Propaganda Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Trends: Examining Gear, Budget, and Resources Over the Past 5 Years by Mariposa PCTA Releases Updated Permit Regulations, Including Continuous Travel Through the Sierra by Maggie Slepian The Best Tents for Thru-Hiking Triple Crown of First Things We Notice When We Get Back From a Long Backpacking Trip 5-star iTunes Reviews Intro Song: Walking Slow by Animal Years Intro beats: Pauly Boy Shallcross Check out Trail Correspondents Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co . Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this podcast. Find us on Stitcher and Google Play . Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon : Andrew, Austen Mcdaniel, Christopher Marshburn, Lance Whitley, S11N, Sawyer Products, Thomas Fullmer A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon : Douglas Koeneman, Gregory Gardner, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven, Peter Ellenberg Follow The Trek , Chaunce , Badger , and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio , and Chaunce on Facebook. Follow The Trek on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter .