Backpacking media has its own talk show now. The Trek has launched This Week on Trail, a weekly episode hosted by Jess "Sassafras" and Katie "Double Dip" that rounds up the gossip, gear debates and drama circulating in the long-distance hiking world. The first instalment packs in a surprising amount for anyone who follows the trail scene.
The headline item is a deleted post from Pattie Gonia, the hiking-community drag persona, reportedly declining a $50,000 sponsorship from a GLP-1 weight-loss drug brand. The hosts use the screenshots to open a wider conversation about influencer advertising, body-image messaging in the outdoors, and whether turning down a deal publicly is a principled stand, smart self-promotion, or a bit of both.
On the gear side, Katie has been testing the Durston X-Dome Pro 1+, a premium freestanding solo tent that costs $849. Her verdict is nuanced: it's roomy, handles rain well and offers flexible pitching, and it has become her go-to. But she questions whether the 7.2 ounces saved over the standard X-Dome 1+ really justifies an extra $430 — a useful reality check for anyone weighing up a big tent purchase before a thru-hike.
The episode also celebrates a Pacific Crest Trail finish. Michael "Broadway" Grant posted his completion video, and the hosts reflect on the negativity he faced online while documenting his hike, asking why strangers feel the need to tell hikers they won't make it. Elsewhere, a clip from Livvy "Stumbles" Weld's Backpacker Radio interview sparked a shorts-versus-pants debate, and the mailbag revisits frustrations over a YouTube channel passing off fabricated hiking tragedies as real stories.
For hikers planning a long trail, this show is worth knowing about: it surfaces the gear arguments and community conversations that shape what people actually carry and how they share their hikes. The Durston segment in particular speaks to a common dilemma — ultralight upgrades often cost far more than the weight they save, and 7.2 ounces rarely changes whether you finish a trail.
