I am looking for a bike rack for my car since I had to give up my truck. I am very short, so a roof rack is not very good for me. Would you recommend a hitch rack or something else? I will be carrying three bikes. – Janice White, House Springs, Mo. Read more...

My buddy and I are planning a mega-hike down one of the midsized trails summer ’09 in Colorado. What type of preparation and equipment will we need for a 250-mile hike? What about an overnighter that I’ll be doing later this summer? – Jason, Pace, Fla. Read more...

I’d like to get a bike to ride the Katy Trail. I’m nearly 60 and haven’t ridden a bike in years, but would like to do this regularly. Suggestions for gear? Mountain bike? Hybrid? Comfort? – Phyllis, Rolla, Mo. Read more...

I am in an interesting position. I am stuck living in Indiana, but I am making the best of it right now. For the past five years I lived out West. To make the best of my yearlong stay here in Indiana, I am training for a marathon and looking for other goals to tackle. One such goal I am looking to tackle is hiking the Appalachian Trail on a through-hike. What is the best backpack to take on that challenge? I am by no means a rookie camper, but I hate picking out gear, then finding out there was a better item on the market. – Charles MacMillan, South Bend, Ind. Read more...

I can’t find an accurate pedometer to take hiking with me. I’ve tried several different brands and have found them all to be very unreliable when it comes to calculating mileage hiked. Any recommendations? – Lori, Grand Junction, Colo. Read more...

Hello Mr. Gear Guy: I want to know about vibram rubber. What is so special about this rubber? – Badrim, Kuala Lumpur Read more...

I’m headed out to the Boundary Waters/Quetico area for a little over a week. I’m looking for the best women’s underwear that will last a long time, limit chafing, dry fast and rinse well. Any suggestions? – Nicole, Fort Atkinson, Wis. Read more...

I have just acquired a Quest Starlight tent. It is in good shape, but the older fellow that sold it to me said that it likely wouldn’t hold up to several days of rain. I’m planning to hike the West Coast Trail this summer, and that can be very wet. Read more...

I am going on a backcountry backpacking trip to the Badlands in South Dakota. Everything I read says the same thing: You have to bring in your own water. For a four-day trip in the interior, that could mean as much as 5 gallons totaling 40-plus pounds. What type of water containers should I use to most effectively carry this much water? – Junior Hunte, Minneapolis Read more...

I’ve always found mummy bags to be really confining. I understand the point, of course, but I’m a side sleeper and I like to lay “can-opener style.” (You know, with one leg pulled up and the other straight?) Anyway, do you have any suggestions for sleeping bags that are a little less cramped that would still keep me warm from April to mid-October in the Colorado Rockies? – Sarah, Boulder, Colo. Read more...

I am looking for a new camp stove for climbing at high altitude, 10,000-plus feet. What will be the best stove for the harsher conditions at higher altitudes? – Matt, Vancouver, B.C. Read more...

What clothing do you recommend for hiking in hot weather? From time to time I’ve heard of light cotton or hemp tops and bottoms, loose-fitting or baggy, that look hot but are in fact the coolest choice for hiking in high temperatures. Read more...

I do it all. I cycle long distances, run, backpack, use my bike trainer, etc. I want some type of GPS that has it all without have to use three or four different tools. I want something that can map a route whether I am on my bike or hiking around Mount Rainier. I want something that will show my cadence, heart rate, miles, elevation, average speed, time, play my music and set up a tent (OK, not that last thing). Can you suggest a tool that does it all? – Rich Clark, Spanaway Read more...