Why a towel, of all things?

Because a great one is a small daily upgrade the person uses fifty times a week, and most people will never buy it for themselves. The trick is it has to actually be great: oversized, seriously absorbent, and printed with art someone would hang on a wall. "You know you're an adult when you have a favorite kitchen towel. I'm kind of obsessed with these." (Sam, verified review)

Match the print to the person

This is where it gets fun: ours come in a whole wall of designs, so you can get weirdly specific:

• The bird watcher, the gardener, the bug enthusiast. There's a print for each. "Got this for my mom who loves bugs, and she's obsessed! She shows it off to everyone!" (Jordan S., verified review)
• The state-proud. State prints for the friend who moved away and never stops talking about home.
• The hostess. Coastal and floral prints that make a kitchen look styled instead of just clean.
• The person who has everything. They don't have this towel. Trust us.

The double-sided secret

Each towel has a different design on each side, which sounds small until you hear people react to it: "I've purchased many versions of these towels from different sellers, and this is the only one that's ever had the design printed on both sides! Didn't realize what I was missing til now." (Jenny, verified review)

How many to give?

The reviews have spoken: people gift them in threes and fours. One is a nice gesture. A small stack is a real present, and it wraps beautifully flat. "These are the best towels! My second round of orders! Just ordered my mom a set for mothers day as well!" (DMGB, verified review)

The practical stuff

Quick-dry, made with 100% recycled materials, and built for actual kitchen abuse. "This was a lot bigger than I imagined and is super absorbent! To add to the functionality the print is beautiful in person." (Jacqueline V., verified review)

And like everything we make, every towel plants a tree through our 1-for-1 Giveback. A gift that gives twice, without you having to say "a donation has been made in your name."

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A few things matter more than others when you pick one.

1. It has to survive the ground

Rocks, dirt, sand, damp grass, sparks drifting off a fire. A precious blanket fails the campsite test immediately. You want something woven tight enough to shrug off the ground and washable enough that you don't think twice. (Ours are machine washable: cold, delicate, solo cycle. We wrote a full care guide if you want the details.)

2. It has to handle being outside without looking like gear

This is the trap with most technical camping blankets: they work outside and look like a tarp everywhere else. A handwoven blanket flips that. "It seems durable - like it'll hold up well for an adventurous life with kids and dogs. So far, I've brought it to the river and the park. It'll be my new staple for car camping." (Erika A., verified review)

3. Real size

A blanket that fits one careful adult is a towel with ambitions. Ours run about 6.5 feet by 4 feet, which in field conditions translates to: "ample size to cover two adults or three grandkids." (Sharon W., verified review)

4. It should get better, not worse

Technical fabrics are at their best the day you buy them. A woven blanket made with 100% recycled materials goes the other direction: it softens with every wash and picks up history with every trip. "I've had Trek Light blankets for years, they are SO durable and get softer with every wash." (Bronwyn S., verified review)

5. The at-home test

The at-home test is the sneaky-important one. If the blanket only works at the campsite, it'll get lost in the gear bin and you'll never see it again. The best camping blanket earns a spot in the living room between trips, which means it's always where you can grab it. "I originally purchased one to bring with me to an outdoor concert. It was perfect! I ordered another two for my family to use." (Debbie M., verified review)

What to skip

Anything you'd be afraid to wash. Anything that crinkles. Anything you wouldn't want in a photo.

The honest caveat

A woven blanket is not a sleeping bag or a technical insulated quilt for alpine winter nights. For everything else, it's the one: campfires, concerts, picnics, beaches, stargazing, and the couch you come home to. Which, if we're being honest, is most of life.

Every blanket is handwoven, one of a kind, and backed by our Lifetime Happiness Guarantee. And yes, each one plants a tree through our 1-for-1 Giveback.

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How Twinsies work

Our most-loved designs, like Happiest Camper and You Are My Sunshine, come in both grown-up and kid form, made to be worn together. The adult hat adjusts to fit most heads, and the kids version comes in Baby & Toddler or Youth sizes with an adjustable back. Pick the design that fits your crew, grab both sizes, and you're officially a matching set.

Why parents keep buying them

The reviews tell it better than we can:

"I purchased them as a gift for my husband and our five year old to match. They will wear these all the time!" (Jocelyn P., verified review)

"I bought my toddler the same hat a while ago and am so happy we can now match! Having the same hat as papa has made him love wearing his even more." (Christopher A., verified review)

"The hat fits my four month old and almost 2 year old! I love that I get to match with them!" (Amber, verified review)

That middle one is the quiet superpower: kids who fight every other hat will happily wear the one that matches yours. Matching beats nagging, every time.

Gift math

A Twinsie set is the rare gift that lands for two people at once. New dads, Father's Day, birthdays, family photo day. The hats get worn for years and the photos last forever. (And to be clear, nothing about matching is dads-only. Moms, grandparents, and the occasional very good sport of an uncle: the Sunshine set gets bought for everyone.)

The feel-good footnote

Every hat plants a tree through our 1-for-1 Giveback. A matching pair plants two. Twinsies all the way down.

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Why fit is the whole battle

Toddler heads grow fast and vary wildly, even between kids the same age. A hat that can't adapt is either too tight (off it comes, with feelings) or too loose (gravity handles the rest). And toddlers have exactly zero patience for either. The hats that survive are the ones that fit, keep fitting as the kid grows, and are comfortable enough to be forgotten about.

What works

1. An adjustable fit. Our kids hats come in Baby & Toddler and Youth sizes, each with an adjustable back, so you can dial in the fit today and keep dialing as they grow. One hat, multiple seasons, no drama.
2. A brim that does its job. Little eyes, big sun. "Nice big brim to protect his eyes from the Colorado sun, this hat is a win!" (Hannah L., verified review, mom of a 3-year-old)
3. Construction that can take a beating. Kids are the world's most rigorous product testers. "My son is 3 and plays very rough and this hat has kept up with him." (Jake D., verified review)
4. A hat they refuse to take off. The best-fitting hat on earth still loses to a toddler who hates it. This is where a fun design stops being decoration and starts being strategy. We hear this one a lot: "He loves it and won't take it off, even when he goes to bed!" (Steven F., verified review) Bedtime hat. High praise.

Which size for which kid?

Baby & Toddler covers the little ones, and parents keep telling us it delivers: "It's hard to find a hat that fits kids under 2, this one is perfect!" (Sara B., verified review) One parent stretches it across siblings: "The hat fits my four month old and almost 2 year old!" (Amber, verified review) Youth takes over from there, and the adjustable back handles everything in between.

When it gets dirty. And it will get dirty.

Straight from a parent whose toddler "sometimes throws it in the street": gentle cycle, air dry, "and it looks good as new." (Alyssa S., verified review)

One more thing

Every kids hat plants a tree through our 1-for-1 Giveback. Someday the kid in the hat can climb it.

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We've been making handwoven blankets for over 20 years, and "wait, can I really wash this?" might be our most-asked question. A blanket that looks like folk art feels like it should live behind glass. Ours shouldn't. They're made with 100% recycled materials and built for real life: picnics, campfires, couch forts, beach days, dog naps, and whatever your Sunday turns into.

The wash, step by step

1. Give it a solo cycle. Zippers, buttons, and velcro from other laundry are the only real enemies a woven blanket has. No roommates in the wash.
2. Cold water, delicate cycle. Cold keeps the colors doing the thing everyone compliments them for.
3. Air dry, or tumble low. High heat is the one move to avoid, and that's the whole list.

No special soap ritual. No hand-wringing in a bathtub by moonlight. It's a blanket, not a bonsai tree.

Will the colors fade?

Nope, and don't take our word for it. "The colors are rich and they don't fade with washing. The weave is substantial but yet not so tight that it's hot." (Juliana M., verified review)

It gets better

These blankets soften with every single wash. Brand new, the weave has a sturdy, rustic feel. A few washes in, it relaxes into the blanket the whole house fights over. "I've had Trek Light blankets for years, they are SO durable and get softer with every wash." (Bronwyn S., verified review) Most things you buy are at their best on day one. This one's just warming up.

What about dry cleaning?

You can, and it's technically the gentlest option. But as promised, here's the comedian Mitch Hedberg on clothing labels: "This shirt is dry clean only. Which means it's dirty." We feel the same way about blankets. Wash it. Use it. Repeat for a decade or two.

The long game

Cared for this way (which, again, is barely any care at all), these blankets stick around long enough to become family lore. "My first purchase has been on my living room couch with almost daily use for several years and looks almost new." (Katie C., verified review) And because every blanket is handwoven from recycled materials, no two are exactly alike. Yours is one of a kind. The wash instructions are just how you keep it that way.

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When the workweek gets past Wednesday, that’s when we start dreaming up ways to make Saturday and Sunday special.

Quick romantic getaways? An off-the-beaten-path mini road trip? Camping out in the backyard?

We’re all for finding small ways to escape the monotony of the working week and seizing the weekend by the horns.

To us, adventure is a state of mind, not just a physical journey. Being excited to explore your own neighborhood can feel just as fun as hitting the trail at a nearby national park.

Below are a few places and weekend hikes we find ourselves day-dreaming about. When the weekend rolls around and the work emails take a back seat, here’s where you can find us taking a break.

Pro tip: Bring your camping hammock and a cozy blanket on any of these adventures to make relaxation a top priority.

Weekend Getaway Ideas

Austin, Texas

Delicious food, a vibrant music scene, and art that can rival any national gallery?

Austin’s got it all.

Texas’ hip city is a perfect weekend getaway for a little R&R and really good tacos.

Two days is just enough time to take a stroll around Lady Bird Lake, visit some East Side art galleries, and chow down on some divine Tex-Mex.  

Miami, Florida

Visiting Miami feels like a quick vacation in which you don’t have to leave the country.

You’ve got sun-kissed beaches, a wild nightlife, and food that brings together the best of Haitian and Cuban cuisine.

Our advice: eat like a local in Little Havana, spend a day in South Beach, relaxing in the sun, and dance the night away at Mango’s Tropical Cafe. 

Detroit, MI

Over the last few years, Detroit has experienced an impressive revival.

Where there once was bankruptcy and foreclosure, there is now new real estate investment and bustling new industries.

We suggest: grabbing a pint at one of the city’s craft breweries, taking a leisurely bike ride with one of the many bike companies in town, and marveling at the city’s beautiful architecture at the David Whitney Building or Fox Theater.

Burlington, Vermont

The birthplace of Phish. Home to award-winning beer. Lake Champlain.

These are just a few reasons to visit the lakeside city in verdant Vermont.

If you visit during the winter months, use the cold temperatures as an excuse to go on a beer-drinking tour: Switchback Brewery, Queen City Brewery, Zero Gravity Brewery, and Foam Brewery are our top picks.

Weekend Hikes

Art Loeb Trail

Listed as one of National Geographic’s best hikes in North America, this roughly 30-mile hike in North Carolina is a great weekend jaunt that will have you walking through varied terrain and the exposed Quartz of Shining Rock Wilderness.

This might be better suited to a three-day weekend than a two, but if you push yourself you can likely make it work.

Four Pass Loop

Sure, we might be a bit biased toward Colorado (we do live here after all). But! That doesn’t mean we’re WRONG about the fact that our state has some excellent weekend getaways, one of which is definitely Four Pass Loop.

Traveling through four mountain passes, this roughly 27-mile loop calls the White River National Forest home, and wildlife is abundant.

Kelso Dunes

Don’t have a long weekend to dedicate to hiking but still want to make the most of it?

Do this quick hike in the Mojave National Preserve at sunset for a beautiful, rewarding trek.

Located only a few hours from LA, it’s not a hard hike and the views are worth it.

The Wave

You’ve likely seen this stunning place on social media or heard about it from a friend of a friend.

The Wave in Arizona is a unique place that limits access to a small number of daily permits awarded by lottery (i.e. it’s a bit exclusive or hard to visit).

Don’t fret though. Even if you don’t get a permit, there are numerous surrounding hikes that are just as gorgeous and worthwhile.

Hibernation season? Runny noses and sore throats? Slushy sidewalks and frozen windshields?

While you’re not *wrong*, winter can be so much more than a season to merely endure.

Just because the sun sets earlier and temps dip to frigid territory doesn’t mean you can’t work up a sweat by enjoying a great outdoor adventure during these long months of the year.

In that spirit, below are a few of our favorite winter activities and ways to make the most of the season.

Snowshoeing

We know what you’ve been asking yourself: what’s the history of snowshoeing?

No problem! We got you.

Believed to have originated in Central Asia thousands of years ago, the act of strapping on “shoes” to walk over deep snow was (and still is) a survival technique. Snowshoes were created as a way to get from one hunting ground to another in an effort to find more food during the chilly and harsh winter months.

For most of us, though, times have changed. We have grocery stores and corner delis that can replenish our winter bellies, and our snowshoes can be used for recreation instead of a means to feed ourselves.

If you’re excited to try snowshoeing but have never done it, do a quick Internet search to find trails in your area. If you’ve got a trail nearby, odds are there’s somewhere to rent snowshoes from, too.

Pro-Tip: Bring a phone for emergencies, but turn it off so you're not constantly checking to see if you've got a signal. Winter months imbue a unique sense of quietude in trails and forests, and time spent wandering on snowshoes can bring about an inner peace that’s worth relishing.

Ice skating

You don’t have to be a figure skater to hit the ice.

Ponds! Lakes! Man-made rinks! Skating is a quintessential winter activity that can be fun for any age and any skill level.

Never skated before? Start small.

Find a local rink that offers skating lessons and take a few to get comfortable. Like everything, your skills (and confidence) will grow with practice.

If you’re an expert and prefer a less crowded option, find a pond or lake that’s frozen over and lace up your boots. The wind in your face as you glide down the ice is one of the best feelings.

Pro-Tip: If you’re skating outside, be sure to check local conditions and ensure the ice is frozen through. Skating near the edges of a pond or lake is the best way to stay safe, but if you're not sure - don't risk it!

Nordic / Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing is a wonderful way to take in the best winter weather and get some exercise in the process. It’s a whole-body workout and the rewards are excellent.

Cross-country skiing can feel a bit difficult at first (mostly because the movement is one that isn’t fully natural), but once you get the hang of moving your legs in a stride as opposed to walking, everything will flow naturally.

Most states that get measurable winter snow have trails that can be used for cross-country skiing. Look some up before you set out on your adventure, and be sure to be prepared.

Cross-country skiing is tiring (and that’s why it’s such a great exercise), so wear layers and be sure to bring snacks and plenty of water for your time on the trail.

Hiking

Hiking isn’t just for spring, summer, and fall. Even if there’s snow on the ground, you can still hit the trail. You’ll just need to bring a few pieces of gear that will make things easier.

Dress for the weather! Wear long underwear and make sure you’ve got layers and a great pair of warm hiking socks. Insulating clothing will help regulate your body’s heat and keep you feeling warm while on the trail. You'll still work up a sweat, so choose moisture-wicking layers that pull dampness away from your skin instead of soaking it up.

Additionally, invest in good waterproof hiking boots so your feet stay dry and warm. Using gear that’s made for winter weather will make your hike much easier.

When you do hit the trail, bring along something warm to sip: coffee, hot cocoa, tea or soup. It will act as fuel AND warmth for your journey.

Pro-Tip: To make your winter jaunt a Trek Light-inspired hike, bring along your camping hammock and a cozy adventure blanket to make your mid-hike rest the highlight of the day.

Sledding

If none of the above pique your interest, or if they require a bit too much physical effort than you’re seeking, sledding might be your winter activity.

It’s both a thrill and a tiny bit of work. All you’ve gotta do? Find a hill and sled down it.

Enjoy the ride, get in some runs, and return home with flushed cheeks and a happy spirit.

Then wrap up in something warm and call it a perfect winter day.

We’ve created a go-to car emergency kit featuring items to keep you prepared should anything happen while you’re on the road.

• No-Spill Gas Can: It’s hard to get in the habit of driving around with a small gas can, but trust us - you don’t need it until you do. And when you run out of gas, this will be your BFF.
• Jumper Cables: Essential for jump-starting a dead car battery. Why hope that someone else has the cables you need to get back on the road?
• Roadside glow sticks, flares, or flare alternatives: Stay visible, stay safe, and attract help when you need it most. Plus, flares are cool, right?
• Matches and a lighter: Let’s hope you don’t end up having to spend the night after a breakdown, but when you do - fire is life.
• Drinking Water: When you’re way out there, it’s best to bring extra water - whether you break down or not. One gallon per person per day is a smart starting point for setting out on any trip.
• Headlamp: Being able to see (and be seen) in the dark is a huge benefit should an issue arise. Whether it's working on your car, or walking through the woods, a headlamp is a much better alternative to a flashlight. Just don't shine that thing in my eyes though, okay?
• Trek Light Blanket(s): Waiting for AAA or roadside assistance can get chilly. Keep a warm blanket in the car as an added piece of protection against the weather (or if you just want to lie off the side of the road while you wait). The blanket can be used as a backseat cover year-round so it doesn’t take up any extra space and you have it when you need it.
• Small Tool Kit: You don’t need your entire toolbox, but a small tool kit or multi-tool can come in handy for fixes you can do yourself.
• Spare Tire & Jack: Flat tires don’t need to slow you down (too much). Have the essentials ready - a suitable jack and lug wrench - and know how to change a flat. Don’t forget to check the air pressure on your spare tire periodically - there’s nothing worse than finding out your spare is just another flat.
• Work Gloves: A pair of good work gloves can do double-duty when you break down. They can help protect your hands when you need to change a tire or get near a hot engine, and they can also keep your hands warm when the temperatures drop. Keep them in the glove compartment, duh!
• First-Aid Kit: Small cuts, stomach aches, and minor issues can be handled with a kit that covers the basics. Whether changing a tire or working on the engine, injuries can happen when you’re broken down - a basic first aid kit is always a smart item to have with you.
• Hand crank radio: If you run into a crisis or natural disaster situation while on the road, a hand crank radio is easy to charge and can help you know where to go for safety (and where not to go) when you need it most.
• Portable Hammock: When you’re really broken down and not going anywhere, you don’t really want to sleep on the ground, do you? A compact and lightweight hammock stows easily in your car, and let’s be honest - you shouldn’t just use it in emergencies.
• Batteries: Keep a stash handy for flashlights, radios, and other items that might require power.
• Fire extinguisher: If a small fire ignites, you’ll be ready. Pack a small fire extinguisher designed specifically for automobiles and always be prepared for the worst.

Okay, you read the list - now put it to use and start adding the items you're missing to your car today!

Here's to safe travels and scenic drives.

We recently launched a very special collaboration, and I've been so excited about it I had to wait for my heartbeat to slow down for a bit just so I could write about it here.

Introducing the Tom Petty Wildflowers X Trek Light Limited Edition Blanket:

It's available exclusively through the TomPetty.com shop and won't be sold on our site - so, head over quick and pick one up because it's a limited run and they're already disappearing fast.

And, if you haven't listened to the Wildflowers & All The Rest release yet, go ahead and stream it right now or grab it on vinyl if you can. I can't say enough about the incredible job that Adria Petty, the Heartbreakers, Rick Rubin, and everyone involved with the release did to make this feel as special as it deserved to be.

OK - now that you know we collaborated with the Tom Petty estate to make a very special blanket in honor of the Wildflowers & All The Rest release, I'm going to attempt to write about why this matters so much to me on a personal level.

Here we go.

*****

When Tom Petty passed away in 2017, it hit me hard.

It feels like a weird thing to say. That the death of someone I didn't know really affected me, but if you know me well at all, which most of you don't, you would know that I loved Tom Petty just a little more than most. More on that in a bit. 

It's easy for me to remember the exact moment I learned the news - he passed away the day after Heather and I got engaged. We both returned from a blissful weekend in a cabin way-off-the-grid, excited to share our good news - and immediately regretted turning our phones back on.

I initially wanted to write about it right away. That's what I do when I feel like I have a story I need to share.

I wanted to at least share the story of when I first saw Tom Petty in 1995 as he was touring for the Wildflowers album. How 25 years later I can still remember exactly how I felt at that show. How his music was a soundtrack to so many of my formative memories, and how his music eventually became an echo in my life.

Instead, I found myself actually, real-tears crying over the death of a celebrity/artist/someone I didn't know. That had never happened before.

The more it sunk in, the more I realized I wasn't going to be writing a quick story about how I loved Tom Petty and how grateful I felt for his impact in my life. The words just weren't there, and it felt too big.

But now here we are, and thanks to that beautiful blanket up above the story has somehow grown a little bigger - so, it's time for me to get some Tom Petty storytelling off my chest. Where do I even begin?

With Wildflowers I suppose, but it really begins right before that.

The Greatest Hits

In the early 1990's, I was a teenager quickly becoming obsessed with music. I was moving past the teeny bopper music that had been force-fed to me and I was coming through my own tunnel of music discovery.

And here at the end of it was all the REAL MUSIC to be discovered.

I immediately had stacks of older stuff to obsess over - The Beatles. Led Zeppelin. Bob Dylan. Creedence. Pink Floyd. The Grateful Dead.

And at the same time, I was living through the glory days of MTV and a golden age of new music. In the early 90's I was a nearly perfect age to witness so many massive bands explode onto the scene: Pearl Jam. Nirvana. Sublime. Dave Matthews Band. Rage Against The Machine. Phish. The list goes on.

And somehow, right in the middle of it all, was Tom Petty.

I vaguely knew him as the guy with some cool music videos on MTV, and that's really all. But when the Greatest Hits album came out in 1993, it all clicked for me.

Tom Petty was instantly my new 14-year-old obsession.

I honestly had no idea, until they were all put together on a single album, that all of those random radio songs and music videos I had heard over the years were the same guy. How could they all be?

I remember just leaving the CD in the player and hitting the Repeat button so the album would start over again every time it finished. And - I know I'm not alone in this experience - every time that guitar riff to American Girl started up again as the first track, I was somehow as excited as the first time I ever heard it.

Wildflowers

Even after a year of listening to the Greatest Hits on repeat, I still hadn't dug any deeper into Tom Petty's catalog. I hadn't bought any other CD's and I just blindly trusted that, hey - these are all the best Tom Petty songs right? He's probably at the end of his career - that's how it usually worked when an artist put out a Greatest Hits album.

I thought of Tom Petty in the same way as some of my other recent musical obsessions like the Beatles or Led Zeppelin at the time - I loved it, but I still felt like I was catching up on my parent's music that I was born too late for.

And then came Wildflowers.

All of a sudden, I didn't just have old Tom Petty music to listen to - I had what felt like it could be the best album he had ever made, and it was brand new.

The minute I came home from the music store and unwrapped that beautiful, tan Wildflowers CD, Tom Petty went from being some other generation's music to being just as much MINE.

If you loved music as a teenager, you understand just how important of a distinction that is.

The Summer of '95

"It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down
I had the radio on, I was drivin'...'"

I got my driver's license in the summer of 1995 and if there's one universal truth in the world: that's what Tom Petty was made for.

He was the soundtrack to my new open road behind the wheel, but, like most 16 year-olds, my "open road" didn't feel all that big at the time. And I lived in Rhode Island, so I'd argue it was a little smaller than most.

To be more accurate, he was the soundtrack to all those nearby places I would drive to and dream about the real open road.

Those summer nights parked under the stars with friends, drinking beers I wasn't supposed to have, I found myself nodding my head, and understanding every story Tom Petty sang as if it were written for me: I was the waiting, the losers, I was every love song I wished I could write, and I was definitely a (wannabe) rebel without a fucking clue.

Tom Petty was a storyteller, and in my mind I was all the characters in those stories. If he was singing about something I hadn't experienced yet, I had a feeling I would someday soon.

Dogs With Wings

Tom Petty hadn't done a major US tour since 1991, but finally in that summer of 1995 I got my chance. The Wildflowers "Dogs With Wings" Tour.

August 14th, 1995 - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers at Great Woods

You'd think that my excitement to see Tom Petty as a 16 year-old that summer would be through the roof. In many ways it was, but the truth was that by the summer of 1995 when it came to live concerts, my musical tastes were shifting. The bands I loved seeing live by that summer were jam bands - young, improvisational, and playing different setlists every night.

No matter how much I loved his music, I was mentally preparing myself to be underwhelmed by an older 'legend' that presumably played the same set of 4-minute songs every night.

And then it happened.

The group took the stage, the energy level of the crowd was insane - and then I heard THE BAND.

I had no idea.

The second the Heartbreakers started to play, I instantly realized they weren't just a backing band - they were THE BAND.

And then the hits began.

Most 'classic' bands you'll ever see live will always play their big hits strategically in the setlist - they'll throw one in early to get you fired up, they'll put some in the middle after they've lost you with a few filler songs, and then they'll bring out the big guns to send you home thinking about how great the show was.

They can't all be hits. Right?

Not in Tom Petty's world. The Heartbreakers weren't fucking around with filler.

Every time I'd hear the first few notes of the next song it felt a little like I was being pranked. Was this going to be a 30 minute show? Had he screwed up and played all his best songs too soon?

Even the songs I had never heard before just felt like hits.

And they kept coming.

As I'd learn over the next 20+ years, and with every new album he released, and every older album I dug deep into - that first live experience I had was a metaphor for his entire career.

Greatest Hits? Damn near all of them.

Colorado Bound

"It's time to move on, time to get going
What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing"

When I decided to move to Colorado in the fall of 2001, I bought a 12-disc CD changer for my cross-country road trip and I was pumped. This was the biggest adventure of my life - moving at 22 years old to a place where I knew almost no one, and opening up every door in my life to the unknown.

Without really thinking about it much, I put Tom Petty's Greatest Hits in the first CD slot, loaded up 11 more road trip worthy albums, and off we went.

After our first pit stop, we learned something: Every time I turned the car off and started it again, the CD changer would start over and begin playing Disc 1, Track 1.

And every time, those opening notes to American Girl would hit the same way they did when I first heard them. You couldn't possibly skip it. And then the song would end, and we'd think "That was fun again, but man, we should probably listen to something else..." - and then those opening notes to Breakdown would ring out. And here we go again.

I can't begin to imagine how many times we listened to that entire album over the course of our week long road trip. We changed every other disc several times, but Tom Petty never left that the first slot. Just like when I'd leave that album on repeat at 14 years old, you somehow just couldn't overplay it. The songs, down to the exact order of the songs, were just too perfect to wear out.

The Echo

Here I was, now 22 years old and as I listened to those songs heading out on the biggest adventure of my life, it finally hit me that something had changed - I wasn't dreaming about the stories in the lyrics anymore, I was finally living it.

I was finally headed into the great wide open. I was running down a dream, learning to fly, and on and on. It was cliché as hell (I know, sorry), but it was everything.

Tom Petty's music had become an echo in my life. 

I knew I wasn't unique in identifying with Tom Petty's lyrics - hell, the genius of Tom Petty's songwriting (and any great artist) is that it feels so universally familiar to so many.

I knew I was identifying with the songs like millions of others because the themes were universal, but still it hit me like a ton of bricks:

I couldn't say for certain that listening to those songs all those years earlier hadn't somehow led me to exactly where I was in that moment. 

Great art is simultaneously a reflection and an inspiration. 

It's often impossible to decipher the difference between what initially inspired you, and what you were drawn to because of who you already were.

And that's the thing about an echo - once it starts, does it really matter where it began? 

****

There's plenty more I could say, and believe it or not there's plenty that I cut out when trying to share this with you.

But - there is just one more part of the story I need to tell to wrap this up, and in a way it's the point of me sharing everything I did above.

By now I'm sure it's pretty clear why making a Tom Petty X Trek Light blanket meant so much to me.

Back in 2017, when I was rocked by the death of one of my favorite artists, I never dreamed I'd have the chance to one day collaborate with his family and extended family on such a special product. 

But here's the craziest part I want to share with you:

I never pitched the Tom Petty estate to make a blanket. 

One day I opened my email and I came across a request. They were searching for small businesses with heart to make special products for the Wildflowers release, and in a simple twist of fate they had found Trek Light and wanted us to make a blanket with them. 

Nothing I consciously did led to that moment and this collaboration happening. Or maybe everything had.

How's that for an echo?

From DIY table cards to embellished floral trellises, couples are finding unique and beautiful ways to express themselves during their wedding with personal flourishes and touches.

One decor idea that won’t go out of style? Blankets.

No matter what season you’re getting married in, blankets can be used in a variety of different ways on your wedding day.

They can add texture and warmth during a chilly fall night, a pop of color on a summer’s day, or be given as a gift to friends and family who’ve made the trek to your nuptials.

Below are a few more creative ways couples can incorporate our Trek Light blanket lineup into their special day and ceremony.

Dramatic drapery

Whether you’re having an outdoor ceremony or keeping the party inside, blankets can add to the ambiance.

• For benches and chairs, you can drape them over the surface or roll them up as an added bonus for those taking a seat.
• Dress up soft seating (couches and chairs people can lounge on when not dancing or eating) with a casually tossed blanket and some pillows.
• If you’re looking to spruce up your table surfaces, use Trek Light blankets as a tablecloth - the dynamic look of the patterns will contrast nicely against your floral arrangements.
• Got space on the walls for something a bit more vibrant? Hang blankets along the walls of the tent or dining room to make the interior decoration feel more striking and colorful.
• Lastly, you can even hang one of our vibrant blankets to act as a make-shift photo booth backdrop - just break out the props & fun poses!

Ceremonial decor

Take a stand...literally.

If you’re getting married in the summer and blankets for people to use feel like a bit of an overkill, repurpose one of our blankets as something to stand and get married on instead.

Pattern-centric and colorful blankets like the Positive Vibrations Blanket, the Mountains Blanket, and the Bowie Blanket work particularly well.

They’re eye-catching and will look great on top of grass, stone, or flooring.

Warmth in a pinch

People don’t like to be cold, particularly when watching a wedding ceremony.

If your wedding is outside during the fall or early winter, cozy blankets can be a welcome addition to the moment.

Even in summer, sunburned shoulders or crisp evenings can warrant a blanket or two and provide some much-needed warmth to guests.

Pro-Tip: You definitely don’t need to get enough blankets for the number of guests. Providing a handful in a basket near the ceremony will suffice.

Gifts galore

Wedding favors are a thing.

As a way of saying “thank you”, couples often offer tokens of their appreciation as a takeaway for attendees and/or the bridal parties.

Cue our blankets! If you’re looking to give your guests an item they’d actually use in the years after your wedding, consider Trek Light blankets.

Given the number of ways people can use them, whether that's on the couch at home or out at the campsite, we think they’d be a welcome gift people would be excited to take home.

And here's a bonus that fits a day all about love: every Trek Light purchase plants a tree through our partnership with Trees For The Future, so your wedding favors give back too.

Interested in adding some Trek Light to your wedding day? We offer bulk orders and even customization options for gifts.

Get in touch and we can chat about how to make your day extra special and love-filled!

Her forests, oceans, mountains, and deserts; there are so many beautiful spaces and places to cherish on this planet we call home.

Our planet gives us so much, but how often do we get to give back? How often do we take the time to appreciate all that life has to offer by caring for the things we love?

If you can’t remember the last time you volunteered, be it for your own community or for the great outdoors, now is the best time to reconnect and give back.

We’re always looking for more ways to get outside and take care of Earth. Read on down for some excellent ideas on volunteering and caring for our planet, even if you live in a dense city where trails and natural paths are hard to come by.

Kick Trash to the Curb

Trash is everywhere.

According to National Geographic, the U.S. produces roughly 4.4 pounds of trash per person, per day. Good thing there’s a handful of ways you can help out.

Try gathering a group of friends and cleaning up the litter around a bike path you love to ride on. Challenge yourself to not buy anything that contains plastic for one day a week. Chat with your HR rep about how you can make your office more trash-free.

Start small and stay committed.

Take an Active Role in Eliminating Food Waste

Much like trash, food waste is an enormous problem facing the world, and one of the bigger contributors to climate change. From making a plan before you shop to making more freezer-friendly recipes, there are tons of things you can do at home that will reduce the amount of food you waste weekly.

Check out this blog for some essential tools to help fight food waste in the kitchen.

Bike to Work

Biking to work is both a physical benefit to you and a way to reduce your carbon footprint. In fact, if cycling increased by about 20%, the world could cut carbon dioxide from urban transport by nearly 11% by 2050.

So, hit the pavement!

Join a bike-share program, dust off your old set of wheels, or partner with a coworker to ride to work together.

Advocate for Environmental Policy

The world needs more support, and the best way to do that is to get involved on a local level.

This doesn’t mean you have to run for office (though, you should!), it simply means calling your senators and local representatives and insisting that climate change and Earth’s prosperity be more of a priority.

Find out who to contact in your area here.

Hit up the Local Farmer’s Market

Eating local is a tasty and quick way to give back to the planet.

Instead of buying ingredients that have to take a plane ride to get to you, purchase local ingredients and goods from farmers or farms in your area.

They’ll taste a lot better fresh and organic, and your local farming community will appreciate the boost!

Bonus: Let Your Next Purchase Plant a Tree

Giving back is baked into everything we do at Trek Light. For every product sold, we plant a tree through our partnership with Trees For The Future.

You can read all about how it works on our give-back page.

To some that might mean piles of pillows and thick blankets, to others it could mean silk sheets and blackout curtains.

However it is that you bring comfort to your bedroom, we applaud it. Sleeping well is a healthy habit and working out ways to sleep better is vital.

And while we can’t make you meditate before bed, drink enough water, and minimize screen time before you hit the hay (all ways to sleep better, folks!), we can help make your bed a good-looking oasis.

Here are a few ways to make that bedroom of yours POP:

Decorate With Blankets

It’s no surprise, but we love blankets.

Layered blankets, draped blankets, folded blankets, tapestry blankets...

However you put a blanket on your bed, might we suggest a beautiful Trek Light blanket to really make your space shine?

The Cascade Blanket, Bowie Blanket, Mountains Blanket or a solid color like our Humboldt Blanket make for beautiful spreads on any bed.

You can still keep your comforter or matching blanket & sheet set that you love, just add a stylish blanket on top and your bedroom will instantly pop - and you've got some extra warmth whenever you need it.

Pile on the Pillows

The more pillows, the merrier. That’s our stance.

To make your bed pop or stand out, add different textured pillows and a varying degree of colors to the decoration.

If you’ve got a multi-colored bedspread, use solid color pillows and ones of different shapes and sizes.

If you’ve got a bedspread that’s the opposite, add in some patterns and textures to make your bed feel distinct.

Light a Candle

Candles make everything better.

Our sense of smell triggers memories, elicit feelings, and help us relax.

Light a candle to feel truly at peace and centered when reading in bed or watching a movie on your laptop.

It will help keep things cozy and make the vibe feel intimate and welcoming, which is just what you need after a long day of livin’.

Throw a rug under it (or a blanket)

Rugs!

They’re versatile. And they can really tie a room together.

From runners at the end of your bed or alongside the side to a big piece that runs underneath the entire bed, a rug feels luxurious and makes the space feel complete.

Sweet dreams!

Whether it be a feeling or a gesture, a gift or an action, we believe the world is a better and more meaningful place when kindness comes first.

Over the years, we’ve worked with some incredible people and wonderful partners who help us in our mission to give back and spread some good in the world.

Today we're highlighting one of our favorite non-profits that does an exceptional job of creating more beauty and purpose in the world:

Trees for the Future

Trees For the Future is a non-profit organization founded in 1989 that has planted over 145 million trees in dozens of countries around the world.

Instead of planting trees just for the sake of rebuilding dense forests, they plant trees with very specific purposes to help our human population - when trees are strategically planted for food, shade, wind mitigation, etc. they have the power to change communities and impact not just the environment but our own wellbeing.

In their words:

“Planting trees provides families with more than just food. It provides income, empowerment, unity, leadership, education and even saves lives. When we can teach people to value themselves and their environment, they see amazing improvements in their standard of living.”

That’s something we support wholeheartedly.

If you’ve browsed our website or purchased an item from Trek Light, you may have noticed our Give Back Program - when you buy any item on our site, we work with Trees For The Future to plant a tree on your behalf. When you buy a hammock, we even plant two trees!

Why did we decide to build our business around a 1-For-1 Giveback model like this?

Trees are essential to a healthy future. 

They generate clean air, reduce pollution, and regulate temperature (among many, many, other things).

We believe in a giving economy. 

The seeds we sow come to bear in myriad ways, and putting good energy and good work into the world will only ensure that our planet is a kinder, happier, healthier place.

Feel Good. Do Good. Pass It On!

Business Needs Balance. 

No matter how hard you try, it's extremely difficult to run even a very small business like ours without impacting the environment.

By creating a 1-For-1 Give Back program we ensure that every sale, every day, creates a ripple effect of good back into the world.

If we're growing as a business, it's crucial that the amount of good we're sending back into the world is growing at the exact same pace. 

Together with Trees for the Future, we’ve planted over 33,000 trees and counting!  

Planting trees is only one of the ways we give back - you learn more about our Happiness First and Give Back programs on our site and you can learn more about Trees for the Future by visiting their website.

Feel Good. Do Good. Pass it On!

UPDATE: Bloomberg recently profiled Trees For The Future and their Forest Garden approach to tree planting, check it out:

Why Planting a Trillion Trees Should Start With Small Farmers

But, if you're in the mood to dance to, listen to, or feel soothed by something a bit more musical, we've got you.

Our Hammock Radio playlist series is back with a fresh playlist for these magical Fall days. Stream it below or find it directly on Spotify: Hammock Radio 6: Dance Into Fall.

Want more?

Check out all the Hammock Radio playlists on our site, or head back to Vol. 5: Love & Happiness.

Subscribe/follow Trek Light on Spotify to be the first know about future mixtapes.

Likely not as often as blankets do, but that’s OK.

We’re here to show you the light and give you some new visual ideas for how to spice up your life with stickers.

UP YOUR STICKER GAME

Stick to a Plan

Where do you put your thoughts and feelings? If the answer is a journal, planner, or notebook, you can turn those bad boys into a vehicle for sticker self-expression.

Stick them on the outside, layer them on the inside. Use them in any way you see fit to bring pages to life and get them to pop.

Want to encourage yourself to squeeze some more outdoors time into your daily life? Place a favorite Trek Light sticker on the cover of your planner and it’ll be sure to do the trick.

Hydrate & Stick

Reusable water bottles and coffee mugs: two great life essentials. And! Two excellent outlets for sticker-time.

Using stickers, you can turn a scratched bottle into a work of art.

If you and a co-worker have the same exact coffee mug, make yours more distinct with a sticker that reflects who you are. No more confusion at the coffee machine.

Recommendation: Our Take Me To The River Sticker looks great on your water bottle or coffee mug.

Traveling Stickers

Remember the “My kid is an honor student” stickers your parents proudly displayed on the car?

Even if embarrassing as a kid (though great job on that GPA!), your car’s bumper is a great piece of sticker real estate you can utilize as an adult.

Want to remind other drivers to be kind behind the wheel? A kindness-forward sticker in your back window does the trick.

Bulletin Reminders

Got a bulletin board hanging above your desk? Got one in the kitchen too? You can turn cork boards into collages of inspiration by using stickers to give them depth and variety.

Whether placed on the board itself or on a piece of paper and then tacked in, stickers can serve as a daily reminder to get out there, do good, and be happy.

Our pick: The Western Bloom Sticker is an awesome daily dose of good vibes.

Keep It Cool

Oversized coolers are a staple for camping, beach days, and more. Why have a cooler that looks like everyone else’s when you’ve got an awesome canvas for stickers?

Pick a few stickers that rep your favorite places and vibes - the mountains, the river, the desert - and show off your personal style everywhere the cooler goes.

Laptop Layers

Covering a laptop in stickers isn’t just for college students.

Stickers (both on the outside of the laptop and laptop case) help distinguish and set yours apart from all the other computers out there.

A well-chosen sticker on your laptop always makes a great conversation starter at the coffee shop.

BONUS: Spread The Sticker Love

Many of Trek Light's inspirational stickers share messages that can make someone's day or spread good vibes. So, don't just limit your decorating to the house...take it out into the world and share your stickers with others!

Just remember to 'follow the rules' and adhere by some good sticker etiquette - don't deface public or private property with your sticker and definitely don't litter by putting stickers out in our wild spaces where they don't belong. Many bars and restaurants encourage you to add stickers to their walls - you'll usually know it when you see it, but it's always smart to ask!

Carry a few stickers with you at all times, and you can really make someone's day by gifting them a sticker you know they'll love - a simple act of kindness that goes a long way.

Stickers can change the world, get out there and spread the love!

On the walls, on the couches, on the beds. Handwoven blankets are a great home decor statement piece, no matter where you put them.

Here are five ways to add some blanket flair to your interior spaces:

Layer over the back of a chair

Drape, fold, cascade. There are many ways to arrange a blanket over the back of a chair, across the length of a couch or at the foot of your bed.

Different styles create different vibes. Precise folds might be more your style, or a casual drape might fit better with your space.

Try out a few things and see what brings the room together.

Hang it like a tapestry

Hanging blankets on the wall is a statement. Depending on a blanket’s look, they can be a truly special accent that adds to your room’s decor.

We suggest assessing the walls you have at your disposal and picking the one that gets the most light (when the light hits the blanket, it really helps it shine).

Cover up worn furniture

Got a chair that needs a little rehab? Throw a blanket over it. Corner of your couch looking shabby? Drape a colorful pattern blanket over it.

Get creative in how you spruce up your space - blankets can help hide unsightly blemishes AND elevate your room’s style.

Take ‘em outside

We’re of the mind that a great blanket is one you can take outside. While we’re all about sleeping under the stars, you can use blankets in the great outdoors right on your patio.

Lay them across your outdoor furniture or place them in a basket so guests and family can use them when the nights get chilly.

Use it as a make-shift headboard

Itching for a headboard for your bed but don’t want to spend too much?

Our blankets make a great, vibrant substitute. Hang them in place of a headboard and see how it really brings the room together in a unique way.

Twenty years ago. It’s crazy to even think that much time has passed.

Twenty years ago, I was a freshman at college in Hartford, CT and my friends and I were die-hard Dave Matthews Band fans. (If that's not your thing, just insert your favorite band when you were 18 years old and read on)

I had been going to Dave Matthews concerts since 1995, though I had been trying to see the band even before that. I'll never forget calling a nightclub (Lupo's in Providence) in 1994 and asking them if a 15-year-old could attend the show if I brought an adult with me.

The answer was no.

So instead of getting to see the band in a small nightclub in '94 right before they took MTV by storm, I had to settle for seeing them at a sold-out amphitheater just a year later in 1995. That was a very early lesson in not liking rules.

So here I am a few years later in 1998 and the band had just finished an album of never-heard-before songs (Before These Crowded Streets). None of the songs had leaked out yet and the buzz was strong about the album being their best yet. They announced that they were starting the summer tour with a home state show in Virginia and I knew it was a safe bet they’d be debuting many of the new songs there before anyone else had heard them.

Adventure called. I bought the tickets with no clue how we'd get there, I just knew I had to be there.

Hartford to Roanoke was an 18-hour round trip drive and not only had my 18-year-old self never taken a real road trip before - none of us had a car that could be reliably trusted to make that kind of trip. And we were far too young to rent a car.

Step 1: Find someone at school willing to let us borrow their car.

It wasn’t easy.

But surprisingly, here’s the truth: you can actually convince a friend you’ve known for less than a semester to let you borrow their car and drive it over 1000 miles into the unknown. You just need to supply them with a lot of beer.

5 dudes in a tiny car, here we go.

Step 2: When you can’t leave for a 9-hour road trip until after class, you need a place to crash along the way.

A friend of a friend was a freshman at Georgetown - perfect. Except, when we got in late at night we couldn't wake him up. Not without waking up the entire floor with our knocking anyways. Alcohol is a hell of a sleeping aid.

And that's when we decided to sleep in the study lounge.

Those were the long straws, here's what the short straw looked like:

If you're wondering where I got the idea to start a lightweight hammock company, it's safe to say these photos do a good job of showing the pivotal moments that led up to it. 

Here’s a quick break to also remind you that in 1998 we had no cell phones, let alone smartphones. Our map was a highlighted AAA TripTik, which is great until you deviate from the course and have to find your way back.

Here's me calling home on a pay phone to let my folks know I wasn't dead.

Our next stop was Charlottesville.

We geeked out on all the DMB 'history' we could find - it was surreal seeing all the bars, clubs, and coffee shops that had been the birthplace of all the live tapes I had been trading since '93.

Then, while walking around Charlottesville and thinking about how these music heroes once used to just wander around these streets like regular people - we run into this regular guy named Boyd. 

What were the odds?

The knowledge that road trips are sacred adventures & that the journey is the destination was solidified for me in that moment. The road trip romanticism of Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson and Cameron Crowe had become as real to me as anything.

Things were HAPPENING and it was obvious it was already a life-shaping trip and we hadn't even arrived at our destination yet.

Which is about when the reality of not planning things out kicked in for us.

We soon realized we had no plan for where to sleep that night and had run out of study lounges to sleep in. We needed a plan.

The show was a General Admission show & started at 2pm the next day (Bruce Hornsby & Robert Bradley opened) so we decided to give up on looking for a free place to stay and just drive to the venue, sleep in the parking lot, and line up early for the show so we could get in the front row.

I have no words (and no pictures) for what it was like sleeping upright in a small car with 5 guys who hadn't showered since Hartford.

Our necks and our backs were wrecked and the foot smell was a force to be reckoned with. But the thought of being front row for a show can fuel just about any fire - and nothing was going to stop us at this point.

And nothing did.

Later that day we found ourselves in the front row, getting squeezed and crushed by a crazy hometown crowd for a band that was on fire. Seeing any band or artist at a point like this in their career is epic - they knew the wave they were riding was big and the crowd knew it too.

We held our spot in the front row through both opening acts, we held our piss, we dealt with the rain, and we had the time of our lives.

Did you know cameras in the 90's took panoramic photos? Awesome.

Miss you Leroi. (If you don't know, the sax player on the right sadly passed away in 2008)

The show was everything we had hoped for. We got to see the first live versions of so many songs that would become classics for the band - Crush, The Stone, Stay, The Last Stop, DDTW.

In the days before the Internet connected us all, that was everything. No one else would hear these songs until the album was released and that was awesome.

Also, I was really proud of this photo on my little crappy camera.

As the show ended and we shuffled out towards the exit, I found myself walking past the gate to what I realized was the backstage area.

In that exact moment, the security guy standing at the gate took a few steps away to talk to someone, and you can probably guess what happened next.

Sneaking backstage? I had never done anything like that in my life.

Not knowing if I would get asked to leave, or get arrested for trespassing. I just knew that it felt like what I needed to do in that moment, and that all my friends followed and we were in it together.

And then suddenly there was Dave Matthews, the mythical hero of our 18-year-old music lives. 

The fear began to really kick in when we saw how familiar everything and everyone was.

It was a hometown show. These people were mostly friends and family and people the band knew well. We were screwed.

And then he approached.

"Hey, how are you guys? Where are you from?" he asked.

So we told him.

He interrupted us moments into our story with a big smile on his face: "You're the guys that drove all the way from Hartford?! Boyd told me about you! I was hoping we'd get to meet!"

Our music idol just said he heard about our road trip and wanted to meet us?

Mind blown. This was the craziest trip of our young lives.

The rest of our talk was a blur.

When security finally caught on to our lack of badges he told them we were 'cool'. Whoa. We took a photo & chatted, he signed our ticket stubs - he was gracious & kind and the 5 of us walked away realizing we had met a music hero who lived up to our expectations. That's really something.

**

I learned a lot on that long weekend in 1998.

About following dreams, the magic of road trips, how human our heroes are, and how badly feet can smell in a car.

But most importantly, I learned in those three days that anything was possible if you set out on an adventure.

We had no cell phones, no idea where we would sleep, just concert tickets & gas in the tank (of a car that wasn’t even ours). And it all worked out better than we could have ever dreamed.

In the days after, Dave Matthews led to chasing Phish around. Then it was studying abroad in Australia and finding myself in Boulder, the unmarked dirt roads of Colorado, and starting a hammock business at 24 years old that kept me following that quest for adventure. (But, still, chasing Phish around)

The point is that this story could be about any band or any destination.

At some point, we all learn to love the unknown or we continue to keep fearing it. And in that trip, a giant part of who I am today took shape.

Embrace the unknown. Choose adventure. Take chances. Sneak backstage (just kidding?). Sleep in the car. Take road trips. Do things that scare you.

And always remember to live in a way that creates stories worth telling 20 years later.

It's never too late to start.

Many universities have outdoors or hiking clubs but are lacking a designated hammocking club.

Hammocks are a great fit for any outdoors or hiking clubs, but when you're a full-fledged hammock lover you know that hammocking as an activity really has its own niche outside of those uses as well. From indoor hangs in the dorm to hammock study groups on the quad - you don't always have to be going on outdoor adventures to get your hammock on.

So, how do you get a hammock club started?

1 - First, get registered!

You can usually find a list of all registered clubs and organizations on your university’s website. While you’re checking out what other clubs are on campus, sign up to register your very own hammocking club - this is where it all begins!!

When you're asked to describe your club, remember that this is your chance to set yourself apart from the outdoors and hiking clubs that already exist on your campus. Let them know that your goal is to promote relaxation, happiness, a healthy study/life balance and to create a social group that brings people with similar interests together.

All universities have different regulations to what will be considered as a registered club or organization, but it's usually a very simple process!

2 - Start spreading the word and get your friends/peers on board!

You most likely have a couple friends who love hammocking just as much as you. If you're on your own to get things started, no worries - you're a hammock pioneer!

If your school has them, the existing outdoors and hiking clubs will likely have members that are into hammocking and this is a great place to get started. Send any other outdoor related clubs an email and ask if you can introduce your new hammocking club at their next meeting. These are usually pretty groovy people that would be more than happy to share the hammocking love and help you get things going.

Other ways to get the word out? Fliers are a great idea on campus. Be ready though - when you start posting around campus asking if people want to join a hammock club you should expect a big response! Many schools have posting boards in on-campus buildings, so stick a few up with handles to your social media pages so they can learn more.

3 - Which gets us to the point, SOCIAL MEDIA!

Get your name out there! Create profiles and use your social media platforms to let people know the important info - when you're meeting, what's being organized, and how to get discounts on hammock gear (more on that below).

Use your social media just like you're building a brand, in a lot of ways you are! Post pictures of club founders and members on campus in hammock-friendly places and adventuring around the world, obviously with their hammocks. The more content the better, but remember to focus on quality photos & videos - it's what helps you stand out and shows people that you're serious...about having fun!

Finding campus influencers is also a huge plus. Reach out to travel gurus and avid hikers on campus who never leave home without their hammock. Ask if you can share their content on your page and tag them to increase your followers and engagement.

4 - Start planning events!

Figure out when to have official meetings as a club and plan group outings to sweet hammock spots nearby and around campus. Like any group, structure and planning goes a long way towards bringing everyone together and gives you lots of opportunities to find new members!

If you can, plan at least one big off-campus trip a semester - a hammock camping overnight if you're into it! This is a great opportunity to partner with the other outdoors groups on campus to see if you can all get together for a trip.

Big trips are fun, but think small to get started. Create a weekly Hammock Happy Hour that's easy for members to attend regularly. Focus on scheduling frequent, but casual, get-togethers and you'll find that the club gets better and better with every meeting.

5 - Create club merch

Calling all design friends! Reach out to a friend that studies or enjoys design and ask them to create a logo for the club. This is great for creating stickers/shirts and more once the club secures members.

After you get people showing interest in the club, you can begin charging a small amount as a club membership fee. This money will go towards stickers, swag, club trips, pizza and more. It's also a good idea to have the club own a few hammocks so you can loan them out to new members who need a little more convincing before they buy their own.

Having to organize and collect money as a group may sound a bit complicated, but I promise it's not! Club fees are very commonly charged with functioning campus clubs that go on trips and need to buy gear, apparel, etc. You should also check with your school about their guidelines for raising money as a club, some schools even provide a small budget to their approved clubs so don't forget to ask!

6 - Establish roles and officers within the club

This will help keep everything organized and create clear communication between members. It may seem silly to think about needing a Vice President Of Hammocking, but trust me, it's awesome.

Remember that you're building a real organization here - sure, it's an organization that exists solely to be laid back, but the structure is what will help you achieve that.

Some positions to consider - President, Vice President, Treasurer, Event Planner, Social Media Manager, Campus Outreach/Recruitment, Photographer/Videographer, Secretary, Chief Pizza Officer...

7 - Stock up on hammocks!

Reach out to your favorite hammock company - hey Trek Light! Forming an official relationship with a hammock company is a win-win for everyone involved. You get to offer all of your members hammock gear at awesome discounts and having a brand on board can help you entice new members and spread the word about your club. Not all hammock companies are as keen to help so I highly recommend working with Trek Light - they've been really incredible at supporting our group.

Remember also to respect the fact that the brand you're working with isn't really there to 'sponsor' you and that the support goes both ways. If a small business is giving you wholesale pricing on gear and other hookups, they're likely not making much on your orders. Don't forget to tag them frequently in your social media posts and spread the word about how they're helping you out!

8 - Work with your school to establish 'hammock safe zones'

This is VERY important!

If you attend a university with a lot of trees, that’s perfect - but you should make sure that the administration is okay with using school property to hammock on! If you don't have a lot of trees around campus, don't fret, you still have options to work with your school and find the best solution for hammocking on and around your campus.

At Michigan State, we ran into issues because of our campus' arboretum status. As soon as hammocking became more popular around campus, restrictions were drawn. Several meetings were conducted between our club executive members and MSU board members along with campus curators. In order to find resolutions, several hammocking posts were established allowing 24/7 hammocking access. Go green!

9 - Find ways to give back

As an organization, you've now got strength in numbers to make a difference - use it! Forget about hammocks for a moment and plan a give-back day for your club: do a trash pickup around your city/town, volunteer at a food share or soup kitchen, etc. What started as a way for you to relax with some friends is capable of really having an impact, embrace it!

10 - Have fun!

Forming an official hammock club with your school means that you're taking on some new responsibilities (meetings, finances, planning, etc.). If you ever feel overwhelmed, make sure you're following #6 above - spread out the responsibilities and you'll find that running a hammock club is really as easy as it sounds. The most important thing in all of this is to remember why you started this club in the first place - so go relax in a hammock and have some fun!

{A note from us: We’ve been helping student hammock clubs for over a decade and would love to help support you! Whether you're just getting started or already have a club up and running, just send us an email and we'll help you get the fun started!}

un·set·tled (adjective):

1. lacking stability
2. worried and uneasy
3. liable to change, unpredictable
4. not yet resolved

November 2016 wasn't a normal month in my life.

It was a life-changing, battery charging month filled with discovery, introspection, growth, and love.

I lived for 30 days in a continent I had never been to before. I formed lifelong friendships with people from nearly 20 different countries around the world. For these and so many reasons it was a month that I'll never forget, but here's the most amazing part: I wasn't on vacation, I was working.

It was only a few weeks earlier that I had connected with the incredible founders of a young startup with the intriguing name of Unsettled.  I reached out to learn more, listened to their story, and quickly began to dream. 

The core premise of Unsettled is to give people the chance to "live and work anywhere, one month at a time".  The 'work' part is what makes the opportunity what it is because let's be honest, unless you're independently wealthy or have a job with an incredible vacation policy the idea of a full month off the grid in a beautiful destination is likely an elusive dream. It certainly was for me.

The Unsettled program solves the work/life problem by including everything you need to work remotely as if you were right at home - a private apartment or shared suite with WiFi, a SIM card for your phone if you need it, and daily access to a fully equipped co-working space with high-speed internet, conference rooms, and most importantly, all the coffee you can drink. (Or in my case, the start of a lifelong addiction to cortados - thank you Argentina)

Being spontaneous is something you can do as a business owner: Leave the office early to go to happy hour. Take a day off when you need a mental health break.

But, move to Buenos Aires for a month?

That's never been in the cards for me as a small business owner of a physical product brand with a small staff and a constant feeling of needing to be present to be efficient. 

And yet somehow - a few short weeks after my phone call with Unsettled, I found myself riding in a cab from the Buenos Aires airport heading to my new home for the next month.

And that's when I started to sweat. Big time.

Let me be clear: I love adventures, I love travel, I love meeting new people - and getting out of the country for a full month was a dream I had been pushing back ever since I started a small business 15 years ago. 

But, as I rode in the cab it became obvious that my rusty Spanish wasn't enough to understand anything my driver was saying to me. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

It was too fast, dripping with the accent and thickness of a lifelong native that you never experience when you study a language in a classroom. I made several attempts to simplify the conversation and find common ground and so did he, but the worldly conversation I had looked forward to the entire flight was instead replaced with an hour-long silence.

I got to my apartment and went for a walk to ease the anxious feeling I had, but instead of making me feel better the language barrier became more apparent with every minute I explored.

Hunger kicked in and so I decided to focus my nervous energy on getting my first meal. And I quickly realized that every menu I encountered was also filled with words my rusty vocabulary had long since forgotten. I had this burning desire to not screw up my first meal in Argentina, but I realized what was happening - I was walking around this incredible new city looking for the least intimidating option, and that isn't like me at all.

So I decided to do what I'd do if I was traveling anywhere else and looking for the best food - ask a local.

I practiced the question in my head over and over, found the friendliest face I could and felt a huge relief as the question came out exactly like I intended and was met with recognition.

And one second later that relief went right out the window as I heard how fast and unintelligible the response was.

I didn't stand a chance.
And that's when a wave of panic set in.

Asking questions is one of the great joys of travel, but I wasn't at all prepared to not understand the answers.

Here I was alone, facing a much stronger than expected language barrier, and realizing that for some crazy reason I had taken the first opportunity I'd had to really travel in years - and I chose to make it stressful?

I chose to live in a massive city when my happy place is almost always surrounded by nature and outdoor adventures?

The surge of panic kicked in even harder and I'll honestly never forget those moments of fear, doubt and intense introspection as long as I live.

Sure I love to travel, but how did I confuse getting outside of my comfort zone with adventure?

Was this all a huge mistake?

And then all of a sudden, like a storm, the panic passed.

Anxiety turned into adrenaline and then excitement as my whole body and soul remembered something I had somehow forgotten in those few short hours after I landed:

Being lost and overwhelmed and on your own is exactly what makes us who we are. And it always leads to our finest chapters in life.

Think back to your first days of school as a young kid. Your first day in college. The fears you have while falling in love, buying your first home, starting your own business, a new job or moving to a new town. 

Lacking stability. Worried and uneasy. Unpredictable. Not yet resolved.

Unsettled.

I was there. And instantly I realized that was the whole damn point.

(If the Unsettled program was a futuristic game show and a million viewers at home had been watching me panic and listening in on my thoughts - this was the moment when the curtain would open and I'd realize that I had won.) 

I smiled. And at that moment, my brain was re-wired.

That fear and anxiety now had a name - Unsettled - and it led to joy and not panic.

Don't get me wrong, it's a very real, authentic anxiety and panic that comes in those moments and it can be scary as hell. But it's that exact same fear and instability that reminds you that you're not in the same place doing the same thing you were yesterday.

You realize in those moments you know nothing about what's to come and that means you get to evolve, adapt, and learn new things about yourself and the world around you every day.

Being unsettled is what opens the door to change. And change, not repetitiveness, is the greatest part of life's journey.

Over the next 30 days, I embraced the notion of getting outside of my routine every chance I got.

I walked everywhere I could, and I walked a different way every time. I worked from coffee shops and busy bars, and I practiced my Spanish by not being afraid to fail.

I took my very first Yoga class (in Spanish no less), attended a meditation workshop, and made sure that I said Yes to everything that felt outside of my normal routine. 

I discovered that working remotely actually made me work harder on my business and made me more productive. I laid the groundwork for exciting things to come for Trek Light - and I did it all while checking things off my bucket list, undergoing intense personal growth and experiencing the joys of travel and exploration at the same time.

That's a hell of a way to spend a single month working - and different from anything I've ever experienced in my life to date.

Stability Or Unpredictability? Choose Both

Routine and comfort are noble aspirations and there's absolutely nothing wrong with finding your comfort zone or seeking stability in your life. Plan ahead, be smart about your future and don't leave everything to chance.

But, I'm here to tell you that there is life-changing joy and transformation to be found in unsettling yourself regularly.

Even your good habits need to be shaken up and stepped away from - that's where real growth comes. 

If you're reading this and thinking that it's not feasible for you to spend a month in another country whether it's because of finances, family, or your job just wouldn't allow it - that's perfectly fine.

You don't have to go to a foreign country to get unsettled (but I can tell you it certainly helps).

If you can't take part in a program like Unsettled, what you can do right now is to take just one month out of every year, one month out of 11 others just like it, and live completely differently.

Attend new clubs or meetups and surround yourself with people you don't know, spend a month taking public transportation or biking instead of driving to work. Be a month-long vegetarian, start a journal, do an open-mic once a week or anything else that makes you feel more than a little scared and uneasy. 

Unplug the TV, hide the phone, and force yourself to figure out what you would do every night for a month if you didn't have either. Go be a tourist in your own state and if you're already an extrovert then spend a month being less social and discovering yourself, reading more and meditating.

Don't just do one thing differently, do several and flip your normal routine upside down.

Bring unpredictability back into your life and embrace the outcome.
For one month.

When you're done, I promise you'll be a different person and a better person.

That's the joy of becoming unsettled.

It's Time For You To Get Unsettled

Are you interested in the Unsettled experience I took part in?

First, here's a great video you should watch that was filmed while I was in Buenos Aires - look at that sweet hammock!

(Awesome side-note: The video above was filmed and produced by Wayne Culpepper at Wayne Wandering. Wayne and I met in Argentina and a few months later he was helping Trek Light bring the amazing David Cross Hammock Hero videos to life - living proof that Unsettled works!)

The Unsettled team is now running month-long experiences in a growing number of incredible locations around the world: Cape Town, Bali, Morocco, Peru, Medellin, Barcelona, and more.

They're also now offering online workshops and groups designed to help you go through the same soul-searching and connections you might find when traveling without having to leave the country to do it. 

Here's the best part:

I was able to get the good folks at Unsettled to allow me to offer you a $150 discount off your trip as a special thank you for being part of the TLG community.

If you're feeling the pull (and trust me you should be), all you have to do is click the link below and use the code FRIENDSOFUNSETTLED when you book a trip.

I'd tell you to think about it, but if you read this far it means you already belong. Just sign up, dive into the unknown and don't look back.

Get Unsettled 

If you've got questions about my experience in Buenos Aires or the Unsettled program itself, ask me in the comments!

Our local paper, The Daily Camera, recently gave us some love in honor of our 15th year in business (14th Birthday? 13th Anniversary of turning 1?). check it out:

Check it out:

Boulder hammocks maker Trek Light celebrates 15th anniversary

By Shay Castle
Staff Writer
Boulder Daily Camera
Posted:Thu Jul 20 16:45:37 MDT 2017

Money can't buy happiness. But it can buy a hammock, and a hammock will make you happy. Seth Haber guarantees it.

Haber is owner, founder and CEO of Boulder-based Trek Light. Locals may be familiar with the company's kiosk on the Pearl Street Mall, parked in the 1200 block for the past eight years. Each hammock sold comes with a handwritten note, lifetime warranty and a promise that your purchase will bring you joy.

As Haber is fond of saying, "Life's better in a hammock." He starts every morning with at least 10 minutes in one, and has been selling them full-time since 2008.

Trek Light is celebrating its 15th year in business. Technically, it's the 14th anniversary, since it was founded in 2003, but Haber likes to round up. The kiosk, which debuted in 2007 near the courthouse, is now a decade old, but Haber has decided to turn it up to 11.

"This is our 11th season out on Pearl, so we're having our 11th anniversary," he said.

However you count them, Trek Light is marking both milestones Saturday, which happens to be National Hammock Day. Haber will spend it as he has for many years — working and giving things away. Past schemes included raffles and a get-inked challenge: a free hammock to anyone who tattoos a company logo on their body.

"The first year, we got one person to get a tattoo," he recalled. "We brought it back the next year and it was five people, and then in the third and fourth years it got to the point where we had so many people, we ended up having to stop the contest."

This year, Trek Light is going a different route with a buy-one-get-one-free sale. Though a costly venture — hammocks start about $60 — it's one that fits with Haber's ethos. Every hammock purchased pays for the planting of two trees; pack sales fund school supplies.

"There are things I can look at and say our business might have been more successful if we had done this differently," he said. "If I start running it by accountants and lawyers that want to put a dollar value to it, it's just not how we look at it.

"We know that if we make every customer happy, our business is going to grow. And if the business grows, good things are going to happen because of all these trees being planted and the school supplies and the happiness hammocks bring to people."

Trek Light has stayed small, with just two full-time employees, plus part-time workers for the kiosk. But it has outlasted many a brick-and-mortar store on the mall.

"Most of the carts that are out there have been there for a long time," said Downtown Boulder Partnership CEO Sean Maher. "When there's an opening, it's a very competitive process — you might have 10 to 12 people vying for one permit."

Trek Light is a great example of a "cool, uniquely Boulder businesses," Maher said. The popularity of its products are visible mere blocks from the mall, where dozens of hammock-loungers line the banks of Boulder Creek in the summer.

The apparatus are technically illegal on city property due to ordinances banning the attachment of anything to trees, according to Denise White, a spokesperson for Boulder's parks and recreation department. Enforcement of the rule is lax, to say the least, but White warned that people can be ticketed if spotted suspended in the shade by an officer.

Certain exceptions have been made for slacklines as a result of lobbying, but no such relief has been granted to hammocks. But, White said, "If there's a group of hammock community members who want to pursue changing that, we're open to a conversation."

Read the original story here: http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-business/ci_31156066/boulder-hammocks-seller-trek-light-gear-celebrates-15th

Let me get right to it: Being an entrepreneur and running a company (even when you're the sole employee) is like living life on a roller coaster along the erratic path of a heart rate monitor.

At its peaks, entrepreneurship is easily the most rewarding and enlightening experience I've ever undertaken.

At its low points, it's discouraging, isolating, and relentlessly stressful. And it can wreak havoc on your health.

It's those low points that many entrepreneurs don't like to talk about.

And I believe there's a good reason why: Being positive in the face of adversity, showing strength instead of fear, and confidence in place of self-doubt - these are some of the most necessary (and expected) qualities for an entrepreneur, or any leader, to have.

But ask anyone who's been mentally, emotionally and physically taxed with starting and growing a business about their mental health and, if they're sharing the truth with you, you may be shocked by what you hear - no matter how successful and happy they may seem:

The reality is great highs, terrible lows and unrelenting stress. Don't think people want to hear about the last two.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 30, 2017

A widely cited survey found that 30% of entrepreneurs report ongoing depression in their daily lives. Another 27% reported feelings of anxiety and another 29% experienced symptoms of ADHD. Startup Grind reports that a staggering 72% of entrepreneurs are affected by mental health conditions. In the tech community alone, surveys by Open Sourcing Mental Illness found that a majority of those surveyed reported having been diagnosed with a mental illness of some form.

The de-romanticizing of the entrepreneurial life is gaining attention - and that's a really good thing.

In Forbes, Amy Morin wrote about the darker side of being an entrepreneur: the stress, the isolation and the reality of depression, addiction and anxiety. Kevin Xu speaks to the detrimental effects mental health can have on one’s company and recommends a few ways of managing mental health as an entrepreneur.

Back in 2003 I started Trek Light because I was searching for balance - I knew I needed a way to balance a busy life and a passion for adventure along with the need to get a good night's sleep and recharge my mental well-being at the same time. And that was even before I understood the toll that starting a small business would take on me.

For more than two decades now, I've been living the entrepreneurial life with all of its highs and lows, uncertainties, and challenges. And if there's one thing I know for sure it's that self-care is crucial to mental wellness.

A leader must first take care of themselves before they can lead others.

This need for self-care is easy to forget with a never-ending to-do list, but this is precisely when self-care matters the most.

Consider a car. When you go on a long road trip, would you avoid filling up the gas tank because you're worried about how many miles you have to cover on the trip? We all know the answer - if you avoid filling up because you're too busy or too worried about the future your car will break down, and so will you.

Self-care refills your gas tank so you can go further. And it works best as prevention, not cure.

Hammocks and Mental Health

At Trek Light we've got a saying:

“You should spend 10 minutes in a hammock every single day. Unless you're too busy, then you should spend an hour.”

The quote is more than just a cute tagline; it's rooted in science.

Dr. Jennifer Akullian, a psychologist working with dozens of entrepreneurs and developers in the fast-paced, high-stress tech community, explains that swinging engages the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance and focus and plays an even bigger role in emotional regulation. Experiencing a gentle swinging motion can also improve attention and facilitate calm.

Spending time swaying in a hammock is inextricably linked to self-care and positive mental wellness. And of course, if you're thinking of sleeping in a hammock on a part-time or full-time basis there's been a lot of research showing that sleeping in a hammock is really good for you. Surprised? You shouldn't be.

Taking the time to relax, re-focus, and re-fill your “tank” is the key to a well-balanced life.

A hammock is a simple, centuries-old solution, that forces you to slow down and disconnect - it gets you swaying, relaxing, and de-stressing - all steps necessary to improve your mental health and help prevent issues down the road.

If you're an entrepreneur and any of the above hits close to home, it's time for you to invest in your own self-care before the burn-out (or worse) begins.

The Entrepreneur's Guide To Hammock Self-Care:

• Have an Office Hammock
• If you've got the space in your office, have a hammock (or a few) available just like you would a couch or a comfy chair. Look around - do you have exposed ceiling beams or wall supports you could hang a hammock from? If not, don't fret, you can easily use a hammock stand to put a hammock wherever you want it indoors or out. A hammock frame is also easy to move where you need it (hammock meeting!) and is easy to pack away if you need to reclaim the space.
• The Hammock Lunch Break
• Lightweight portable hammocks pack down into a tiny carrying pouch and can be easily setup and taken down in mere seconds. Next time you're thinking of eating lunch at your desk or spending your lunch break staring at your phone in a Chipotle, choose instead to head outside and spend a quick 10 minutes (or more) in a hammock. Forget the view - your mid-day hammock spot can be in the office parking lot, what matters is that you take those few minutes to float freely and break away from your routine.
• Be A Hammock Digital Nomad
• Hammocks aren't only beneficial when you're taking a break, they can actually fuel your productivity. If you work remotely, it's time to trade in your coffee shop routine for a hammock and a hotspot. With technology these days it's easy to work from a hammock in a relaxing and inspiring location and still use a tethered phone or wi-fi hotspot to remain productive and connected. (Pro-Tip: When you post that "Today's Office. #hammocklife" picture on Instagram, just be prepared for the jealousy that ensues. And don't forget to tag us!)
• Be A Hammock Boss
• Happy employees = happy boss. If you've got employees, show them that their mental health and happiness is important to you by giving them the best employee gift ever: a hammock of their own. By encouraging your employees to take hammock breaks when needed and to spend their weekends getting outdoors and disconnecting you not only get to look like the coolest boss ever - you'll be investing in their mental health and happiness and that's an investment in your own as well. (Bonus: We can even make your business custom branded hammocks with your logo...justifying the tax write-off just got even easier)

Are you ready to see what the effects of spending a few minutes in a hammock can do for your mental health, your business, and your happiness?

(Here's my favorite hammock in case you're wondering)

Whether you're a startup founder, small business owner, freelancer or digital nomad - we're here to help!

From going all out to create a hammock lounge for your employees or just advising you on the best way to hang your hammock anywhere, let us know what we can do to help you find balance and promote a healthy self-care routine.

If you're an entrepreneur and you've already incorporated a hammock into your self-care routine I'd love to hear about it in the comments.

(And if you're not an entrepreneur but you now wish your boss would invest in some office hammocks, you might want to share this post with the management)

Hammocks are for lovers, and this mix is for you.

Click here to listen or stream below:

Check out the entire Hammock Radio series here.

More in the series: back to Vol. 4: Funky Jazz & Jazzy Funk, forward to Vol. 6: Dance Into Fall, or see every Hammock Radio volume.

For more info, see the following:

Captain Earthman dies at 61: Iconic Coors Field beer vendor battled brain cancer 

Saying Goodbye To Captain Earthman One Coors Field Game At A Time 

Somewhere around a decade ago I bought a beer. That's how any good story begins right?

This particular ice cold beverage wasn't from the liquor store or the bar, but from an eccentric beer vendor roaming the seats at Red Rocks. If you've been to Red Rocks, there's nothing too unusual about that.

What was unusual however, was that he then gave me his business card, 'Captain Earthman' it said, along with his cell phone number and a promise: I could call or text him with my row and seat number anytime - if he was at the event he'd show up directly to my seats to sell me ice cold beer whenever I needed it. In those pre-Uber, pre-everything-on-demand-from-your-smartphone days, that was a hell of an offer.

Photo: johnbcrane.com

Even in 2016, technology hasn't changed much in this area - we still find ourselves leaving our seats at events to stand in beer lines, or waiting longingly for a glimpse of your roaming beer vendor and hoping you can get his or her attention. For a thirsty guy like myself who doesn't like to miss a great song to stand in a line, it was one of the best business cards I had ever been, or will ever be, handed.

For the next decade, Earthman kept his promise - but more incredibly, it wasn't just at Red Rocks. It seemed that no matter where I was, from a music venue to a sporting arena, if I called the Captain he was somehow there. I learned he attended every single Rockies game at Coors Field and still would magically appear whenever I called from various other music and sporting venues in Colorado.

Space travel? I believe.

While I remember all the times he showed up to save the day, it's the times he wasn't there that stand out just as much.

I vividly remember the time he answered his phone, late on a Saturday night, just to apologize to me - he was in Arizona for Spring Training and felt bad that he couldn't help out with my beer needs. What?

All I could think was how easily he could have just let that call go.

I had to be one of hundreds, more likely thousands, who had received his card over the years and enjoyed the brief and fleeting moments of what you could, perhaps just vaguely, call a real friendship.

Did he have me in his phone as 'Seth - Good Guy' and go out of his way to help me out each time? Or was I just another un-saved phone number that he still treated like an old friend every time? It didn't matter.

Whether I was one of a few or one of many, Captain Earthman has always seemed to care about one thing: making you happy by being happy. It's something I've always emulated as a person and as a business owner. Happiness is contagious and if you're willing to treat strangers like family and give your customers the best of yourself then you get the world in return.

It's not easy to transform a seemingly ordinary job into a life long passion that turns you into an icon, but Captain Earthman did just that over the last 20+ years. It didn't take long before I realized he wasn't a secret by any means, he's been featured on ESPN and countless news stories, and if you've been to a Rockies game or a show at Red Rocks you've seen the alien who calls himself an Earthman.

Which brings me now to the real point of writing this. The world's greatest, kindest and most dedicated beer vendor on this planet or any other is in need of your help and support.

A few weeks ago, Brent 'Earthman' Doeden, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.

He's beginning chemo and radiation, which will hopefully slow the growth of the tumor and give him as much time as possible. A GoFundMe page has been setup to raise money for the Captain and his family and I'm writing this post with the hope that even if you've never been graced with his presence you'll take a moment to learn about this incredible human alien and chip in whatever you can.

Brent, along with his loving wife Becky, has 6 daughters and 8 grandchildren (with one more on the way). A man who has given so much to so many complete strangers deserves the same in return.

If you can, please contribute to Captain Earthman's GoFundMe page here.  If you can't, simply sharing this post will go a long way.

Check out the article Mashable just ran, "The ballad of 'Captain Earthman', baseball fans' most beloved beer vendor"

However, like most good solutions, it’s spawned problems of its own.

Are you familiar with the term ‘vocal minority’?

In this case the people who take the time to review businesses are more often the people who are upset and have complaints, not the ones that are happy. And though it may be an incredibly small number of people compared to those that have had good experiences, those voices become incredibly amplified and powerful because they’re the ones speaking up.

While every opinion is valid, think about how many times you’ve read someone’s negative review on Yelp or elsewhere and thought ‘Wow, that person sounds like they just love to complain’. Or how about all the people who fancy themselves professional food critics that you just want to shake your head at? The truth is, their vote counts for way more than yours does because you never stepped up to vote.

As a business owner, I’ve seen it firsthand. You can make thousands of people happy a year, they may even go out of their way to say thanks on the phone or send an email of gratitude, but it’s the one person who simply doesn’t like the font on your website that actually takes the time to leave a 1 star review where everyone can see it. It’s an odd world we live in.

The fact is that small businesses you love are suffering in a very real and significant way right now because of something as trivial as this vocal minority of negative online reviews. Your favorite restaurant or coffee shop is getting passed over because a mere 20 people decided to go online and complain (with only a percentage of those being ‘valid’ complaints). No matter that hundreds or thousands of people love it, that business likely has a much lower rating as a result of the vocal minority. It sounds crazy, but even a 3.5 star rating these days can lead to enough lost business to put a small company under. That’s fine if the business is terrible, but it’s certainly not always the case.

Let’s forget for a second how this affects small businesses though, this is a problem for you and I as consumers just the same. If you’re like me and you read online reviews before you make a lot of buying decisions it can easily turn into a black hole of indecision. Far too often there’s just not enough reviews to help you make an informed decision. When only 70 people have shared their opinion and 20 of those are complaints does that mean it’s bad? More than twice as many people said they loved it, but which opinion is more valid?

Here’s what YOU can do to fix this:

1.) Make a list.

Take a few seconds right now to make a list of 3-5 businesses you’ve interacted with in the last month and had a good experience with. It might be hard because we tend to remember the negative experiences much more than the positive ones. Getting your car repaired or buying that new shovel from the hardware store probably wasn’t the highlight of your month.

Restaurants are an easy target for online reviews because we’re so opinionated about food, but try to focus beyond just restaurants and include both local and online interactions:

Have you bought any furniture, gear, clothing, flowers, even batteries from your local convenience store? Did you use a plumber, a landscaper, or have any other maintenance or repairs done to your home? Did you visit your dentist or doctor? Your list should be considerably longer than 3-5 once you get going, so pick the ones that made you the happiest or the small businesses that need your support the most and set the others aside for another day.

2.) Go online and share your positive experience.  

It’s not as easy to write a positive review as it is to list your complaints. It can be intimidating to try to think of a paragraph’s worth of things to say for why you liked a place or a product, but the truth is a simple thank you and 5 stars is all that’s needed: “Great experience”, “I’ve used _____ many times now and I love it”, “Prices were fair and they did a great job”, “No complaints, I’d give them my business again”. The more you can share and the more personal you can be the more effective your review will be, but just the act of leaving a positive review is enough.

(Where you leave the review really depends on the business. If it’s a physical product and the company sells on Amazon, a review there usually goes a very long way. Other businesses rely on TripAdvisor, Yelp, Google, internal reviews, etc. If you’re unsure, contact the company and ask them the best way to share your review with others.)

3.) Repeat monthly.

That’s it. Just take those few seconds to share that a business made you happy, did their job well, or simply made a good product and we all become part of the vocal majority.

Let’s start shining a positive light to counteract the negativity that the Internet is so capable of breeding. You’re doing a good deed, helping others like yourself to make informed decisions, and helping all the businesses that you want to still be around the next time you need them.

4.) Bonus Lesson! Take everything above and apply it to your offline life as well. Whether it’s your loved ones, co-workers, employees, or your boss, chances are you’ve been more vocal about the things you criticize than those you appreciate. Start handing out some more 5 star Thank You’s along with those 1 star complaints and we really will make the world a better place.

Happiness is contagious, and so is negativity.  Let’s spread the right one.

Want to help a little more? Share this post and let’s make positive change go viral.

This playlist covers one of my favorite genres of music - a genre that takes any box you try to put it in and and bounces off those walls until there is no box and the only thing you know is the infectious rhythm of your head nodding to the beat.

Is it Acid Jazz, Funky Jazz, Jazzy Funk, or something else entirely? It just is.

This is the domain of key masters like Jimmy Smith, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Herbie Hancock and Jimmy McGriff. It's the stomping grounds of greats like Grant Green, Boogaloo Joe Jones and Melvin Sparks - guitarists whose fingers don't just play the notes, they pop from one note to the next without constraint.

If music is a stew, this is the genre that stirs and stirs until a giant whirlpool forms - and in the end all that's left is that mighty groove. Have fun.

1. Follow Trek Light on Spotify
2. Follow This Playlist
3. Rock out with your hammock out!

These mixes live on Spotify, and a free account gets you the full listen. As always, please remember to follow the playlist itself so we know you're enjoying it, and follow along so you'll always get notified about future Hammock Radio releases.

Our follower count is starting to grow, if you like what we're doing please spread the word and tell your friends to follow along too!

I'll do my best to put out playlists more frequently this year, if you've got a suggestion for a theme or a genre to explore in an upcoming mix let me know. I sincerely hope you have as much fun listening to these as I do making them - let me know what you think of it in the comments!

More in the series: back to Vol. 3: St. Paddy's Mix, forward to Vol. 5: Love & Happiness, or see every Hammock Radio volume.

Chad Patzer - Mr. #1

Three years ago we had a contest.

And as a final, late minute addition to that contest I decided to include an 'instant win' option. All you had to do to win the prize: get a Trek Light themed tattoo somewhere on your body.

I'll be honest, I never expected in a million years that anyone would step up to say 'I'm getting a Trek Light Tattoo' - but a bearded champion by the name of Chad Patzer did just that.

Looking back, it was over 10 years ago that Trek Light was born, and truth be told - at the time it felt more like a small idea than a big one. When it came time to create "the branding" I didn't consult with a big marketing firm to develop a company name and logo, I wrote names down on a paper and repeated them over and over until they stopped making sense and one rose to the surface.  (The Colorado Hammock Company, Haber's Hammocks and Happy Hammock Co. are just a small taste of what could have been)

But then a funny thing happened: People started passionately identifying with the brand. I began receiving emails from happy customers with photos of them using their Trek Light products in countries around the world, people were putting Trek Light stickers on their water bottles, and proudly wearing our T-shirts. 

I heard incredible stories: from married couples who had first met while using their hammock, couples who had gotten engaged in their hammock, and even a couple who had lost their home to a fire and made sure their Trek Light hammock was the first thing they replaced when they rebuilt. 

Something was happening that went beyond this seemingly small idea I had to show people that life is better in a hammock.

Trek Light is still just a small business, relying on word of mouth and grassroots growth to reach every customer. And yet, a year after the first Trek Light Tattoo entered the world we did the contest again - and incredibly another amazing fan stepped forward to show their support with a Trek Light Tattoo.

Which brings us to 2014. In case you missed it, a new Trek Light Tattoo Challenge just ended, and I've got something incredible to announce: FOUR new Trek Light heroes, two men and two women, have left their mark (literally) in Trek Light's history.

Congratulations (in no particular order) to these new Trek Light Heroes: Casey Shoemaker, Chad Allison, Ashleigh Nicolle, and Jefferey Robinson! Not only have you all won a package of our best hammock camping gear, you've made me proud of what we've all accomplished together and where we're going.

On behalf of Trek Light, I can't say thanks enough to all of you for the incredible outpouring of support you've shown for our small lifestyle brand that began 10+ years ago.

We're still doing everything we can to spread the word about our small business and constantly striving to make the world a better place with every sale we make.  The passion you show for our brand is what drives us forward and proves to me that the Trek Light movement is not only resonating out there in the world, but getting stronger every day.

To the now 6 Tattooed Trek Light Heroes and to everyone else who supports small business with your passion and knows what it means to Trek Light, thank you!

When I asked other people around me I heard familiar things like eating all the ice cream you want, going to bed whenever you want, having pizza for breakfast, etc.  But at the same time I also heard very different things like having your own money, owning nice things, raising a family, building a home, traveling where you want and more.

The different answers echoed the thoughts in my own head and the answer immediately became clear to me.

Sometimes the best part of being a grown up is actually just that: being an adult.  It’s the personal and financial success that comes from maturity, the freedom of adulthood, the respect you get from your peers and the joy of working hard to play hard.

But sometimes the best part of being an adult is the exact opposite – it’s the freedom to still act like a kid whenever you want, to go against the grain, to quit your job and take that road trip and figure it all out when you get back, to follow your dreams and take the kind of chances you know would get you a lecture on responsibility from your parents. Sometimes you just gotta let loose and live.

What’s the best part of being a grown up?  It’s being able to choose when you want to grow up and when you don’t.

It’s a choice that ultimately defines us and it’s a balance. Focus too much on being a ‘responsible adult’ and you’ll find yourself missing out on many of the joys in life while you’re young enough to enjoy them.  Focus too much on being a carefree kid and there will likely be a wake-up call when your priorities shift.

Things obviously change once you have a family and children of your own.  You may find yourself feeling like you have no choice but to be a grown up all the time and that the balance is decided for you.  It isn’t true. You’re busier, you have more on your plate and more responsibility than ever before in life, but you’re still you and you still have the freedom to dream and to follow your dreams.  You might just have a few more people along for the ride and a few more detours to make on the way there.

Life moves fast.  Take a moment soon to be a carefree kid again - do something risky, let your responsibilities pile up a bit, they'll still be there when you get back to them and you'll be ready to take them on. If you’ve been finding yourself being a little too much of a kid lately, do something positive that moves you forward and sets the stage for the success and happiness you want in life.

And if nothing else, take a moment to put everything on hold and just relax in your hammock for a bit.  You’re an adult and you can do what you want.

If you lookup any St. Patrick's Day playlists around the Internet you'll find many of them are all nearly the same – primarily filled with loud, rowdy, drinking songs by the likes of Flogging Molly, The Dropkick Murphys, etc.

There's nothing wrong with a little bit of rowdy to celebrate a festive holiday. However, St. Paddy's Day falls on a Monday this year which means many of you will likely be doing all your celebrating over the weekend and all your recovering on Monday. So, Hammock Radio is here to give you a soundtrack you can raise a drink to this weekend and continue to enjoy on the big day itself – without the musical headache.

This St. Paddy's Mix has much more of a traditional Irish theme to it, with a combination of old Irish folk standards, instrumentals, protest songs and yes, plenty of great drinking songs as well (including such gems as "A Pub With No Beer", "Seven Drunken Nights", "Beer, Beer, Beer" and "Whiskey On A Sunday").

Cheers to a great, safe and fun St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Hammock Radio #3:
St. Paddy's Mix

These mixes live on Spotify, and a free account gets you the full listen. As always, click Follow on our account and this playlist so you'll always get notified about future Hammock Radio releases. And if you like what we're doing please spread the word and tell your friends to follow along too.

• Follow Trek Light On Spotify
• Follow This Playlist
• Rock out with your hammock out!

More in the series: back to Vol. 2: Covers Series, Dylan, forward to Vol. 4: Funky Jazz & Jazzy Funk, or see every Hammock Radio volume.

The mark of being a truly great songwriter is often defined by how many other artists cover your songs. Some will reinterpret, some will do their best to mimic the original, and many times the cover version of a song even achieves much more fame than the original ever did.

In the music world, it's not uncommon for the original writer of a song to be completely unknown by the masses or quickly forgotten in place of whoever put the song highest into the hit radio rotation.

Case in point: Dazed and Confused? Cover. Hey Joe? Cover. Tainted Love? Cover. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun? Cover. Many of our favorite songs were written and sung by someone else much less famous before they became classics.

The Covers Series naturally begins with Bob Dylan, a man whose songs were being covered quite nearly from the moment he wrote them.

The reason I love covers of Dylan's songs so much is that his voice was such an instrumental part of his music that it can sometimes take your attention away from the words themselves. I'm in the camp of people who love Dylan's voice and singing style, but it goes without saying that his voice is and always has been polarizing. So to make this collection I purposefully chose singers and styles vastly different from the man himself - it's through these covers by female vocalists, soul singers, as bluegrass tunes, jazz interpretations, and raging rock n' roll that the genius of his songwriting has been able to transcend genres and connect with so many.

While working on this playlist I ended up with so many songs, so many truly great covers, that it quickly approached a 4 hour playlist without repeating a single song title from Dylan's catalog. So, I split the collection in half and today I'm releasing Part 1 - stay tuned for the second half down the road!

Hammock Radio - Covers Series: Dylan (Part 1)

Hop in your hammock, kick back and enjoy the music - and don't forget to follow us on Spotify to make sure you're the first to know about future Hammock Radio releases!

Which cover is your favorite? What original Bob Dylan song is your favorite? Let us know below!

1. Follow Trek Light on Spotify
2. Follow This Playlist
3. Get Your Dylan On!

More in the series: back to Vol. 1: Don't Ease Me In, forward to Vol. 3: St. Paddy's Mix, or see every Hammock Radio volume.

If the hammock is a rockin'....

As many of you know that have been following along over the years - music is a big part of who we are at Trek Light.

Over the last 10+ years we've sponsored, setup a booth, donated product or in some way or another been involved with an awesome collection of music festivals: Bonnaroo, Telluride Bluegrass, Rocky Grass, Monolith, Mile High Music Fest, and Jam Cruise to name a few.

Music is the soundtrack to our work day. It's also been the soundtrack to all of our road trips and adventures over the years, as I'm sure it has been yours. For me music shares the same power that our blankets and hammocks do – a magical ability to capture and bring me back to my most relaxed and happy memories no matter where I am.

So today we're launching Hammock Radio, an ongoing series of handcrafted mixes in the spirit of mixtapes (playlists, for the uninitiated) for your listening pleasure. Listen to it when you're wrapped up in your blanket, when you're driving, when you're at work or while off on your next adventure.

Hammock Radio will feature tunes that range from adventure to relaxation, from hippie to outlaw and everywhere in between - just like Trek Light's products and the great people who use them.

Our goal with the Hammock Radio series will always be to throw some new artists your way and introduce you to music you haven't heard before or maybe haven't heard in a long while. On this release you'll find household names like Led Zeppelin, B.B. King, and the Grateful Dead alongside artists like Chimney Choir, Cotton Jones, and Pokey LaFarge that you may not know yet - there's no overriding theme on this inaugural release, just a collection of great tunes to kick back with. If you're looking for Top 40 hits you won't find too much of it on our mixtapes, but what you will find is that much better for it.

Got a favorite song or band you love listening to and want to see on a future volume?

Let us know about it and we'll do our best to work it into a future mix. Even better, if you've got an entire playlist you want to share send it our way and we just may share your favorite mix with the world!

Hammock Radio Vol. 1:
Don't Ease Me In

These playlists live on Spotify, so a free Spotify account gets you the full listening experience. Once you're in, do us a favor and Follow Trek Light on Spotify, then Follow the Don't Ease Me In playlist itself so it lands in your library and you don't have to go searching for it.

Following along guarantees you'll get notified when the next edition of Hammock Radio comes out, and it helps us see how many of you are listening so we can keep making these. Enjoy the music!

1. Follow Trek Light on Spotify
2. Follow This Playlist
3. Get eased on in!

Just getting started? This is Volume 1. When you're ready for more, roll into Vol. 2: the Covers Series, Dylan, or browse every Hammock Radio volume.