06/02/2026
Lots of shop interest lately in two things:
1. Backpacking in the White Mountain Wilderness (which we highly encourage and help folks prepare for), and;
2. Aarn Packs daypacks and backpacking setups (the most comfortable packs on the market for day hikes and months-long adventures alike)!
Our favorite part about these two things? Just how easy it is to access and use each!
The White Mountain Wilderness is just a 25-minute drive from Midtown Ruidoso and offers loads of overnight and multi-day options on the trail. It’s a great environment for folks looking to dip their toes into backpacking, and it has enough adventure for the most seasoned outdoors person!
And, do it with an Aarn Packs Natural Exhilaration or Featherlite Freedom on your back, and the load you carry into the wilderness remains an easy one to “shoulder.” Their U Flow suspension system keeps the pack movement stable and independent from the harness, and when paired with their unique range of balance pockets (two are included with the Featherlite Freedom), the load becomes even more comfortable and ergonomic because the body is allowed to move like it wants when backpacking!
Jerod Foster’s go-to White Mountain Wilderness setup is a 36L Natural Exhiliration pack with Aarn’s photo balance pockets. This rig gives him the capacity for 2-3 days out while keeping heavy camera gear off his back (offsetting the weight in the pack with camera gear in the front balance pockets). Whether he’s leading a group backcountry trip or on a solo mission, this setup gives him loads of freedom to create on the fly while also saving his back!
Curious about backpacking setups and where to go with them near our shops? Swing by for a dive into both! Outside of being on the trail ourselves, our favorite thing to do is get other folks prepared to hit them, too!
Jadon Chesnutt, while on a Path Chooses Us overnighter in the White Mountain Wilderness.
