Sam grew up in Chicago. His love of the outdoors didn’t blossom until he started bicycle touring in his early 20s. After a couple of years in graduate school deciding he did not want to be an academic, he set off on a 7,000-mile cross-country bike tour. After that, it was on. Sam moved to Colorado, where he started mountain biking. He immediately decided to bikepack the 500-mile Colorado Trail, of course. While riding a detour around a wilderness area, he vowed he would start backpacking to one day thru-hike the CT. Well, two years later, he was thru-hiking that trail. Then, he thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. Then, he thru-hiked the CT, again. Along the way, he also started rock climbing. Because, it’s Colorado, so why not? He still goes out on his bikepacking rig when not on foot, too, pedaling dirt roads far out there. You can find him out adventuring somewhere in the American Southwest if you look long enough.
Author Profile
Sam Schild
Review Editor
Showing 1-15 of 63 by Sam Schild
The Ultimate Backpacking Checklist
If you are gearing up for backpacking, our comprehensive backpacking list will keep you on track.10 Best Down Jackets
We're constantly testing the best down jackets on all our adventures. We tested down jackets for women and men, and...Best Backpacking Backpacks
Over the past decade, we've spent hundreds of days testing the market's top backpacking packs to give you the needed...The Best Down Jackets for Men
Our experts tested 17 of the most promising down jackets available to find the best fitting, the warmest, and the most...Best Buy
Stio Pinion Hooded Review
This versatile model is very comfortable, weather-resistant, warm, and less expensive than other premium models.Top Pick
The North Face Summit Breithorn Hoodie Review
This jacket stands out for its extreme warmth and comfort but is also great overall...Top Pick
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Review
This technical piece takes a simple approach to lightweight warmth, making it an excellent buy for any type of...10 Best Backpacks
We're always looking for the best backpacks to fuel our adventures. We tested hundreds of models this year and these...Editors' Choice
Rab Electron Pro Review
This ultra-warm jacket has all the right features and element resistance you could want and is perfect for icy morning...Best Budget Backpacking Pack
We know not everyone wants to pay for a top-tier backpack, so we've ranked some of the best budget backpacks on the...The Best Running Jacket
To find out which running jacket is the best, we selected the highest-rated offerings in the market and put them to...Best Portable Solar Chargers
Are you in the market for a new solar setup? We've tested over 100 different solar chargers and panels before...Best Solar Panels for Camping
Looking to harness energy from the sun to power your off-grid camping needs? We've researched and tested the best...10 Best Solar Chargers
We're always looking for the best solar charger to power our adventures. We tested tons of models this year, and these...The Best Sun Hats
We evaluated over 50 models and purchased 20, which our team of experts put through extensive side-by-side testing. We...
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