EP305: Exercise Your Power to Test Drive

True Stride · Jul 30, 2026 · 22m

Sometimes you can think you know exactly what you want, but actually experiencing it tells you something completely different. In backpacking, a shakedown gives you a chance to test your gear on a shorter trip before heading out on a bigger adventure. I love that idea because we do the same thing in everyday life, whether we realize it or not. I have test driven cars that looked great on paper, but felt completely wrong once I got behind the wheel, and my first trip hauling horses across the country taught me very quickly that leggings and sneakers were not nearly as practical as denim and…