The Key To Warm Winter Camping
Winter camping: it's intimidating for one very crucial reason: The fear of being cold. You can buy all the nicest gear and a sleeping bag with a negative-billion-degree temperature rating. But even then, in my experience, you're still missing something that can make a big difference in your winter camping comfort. I believe that this one simple trick is the key to safe, warm winter camping - and you probably already can do it with the gear you already have. Check
This Trend Could Revolutionize Sleeping Bags
What is the best sleeping bag to buy? Well, if you only plan to go mostly in summer, a 45-degree bag will be plenty. BUT if you want to extend your season into the spring and fall, it’s best to get a 20-degree bag. BUT what if someday you want to go in the winter, too? And you only have the budget for ONE BAG? Enter the 3-in-1 bag. The outdoor industry's one-stop solution to 4-season sleeping. This past spring, I posted a blog called, "One
9 Ways to Avoid One HUGE Camping Mistake
When the bottom falls out of your world and the world falls out of your bottom
$12 Hack Beats Expensive Down Jacket—Nikwax Down Proof Test and Review
Why am soaking my down jacket in a near freezing stream AGAIN? Because this time I want to see if the jacket I spent $12 on can perform as well as a $270 jacket. You may remember my post from a few weeks ago where I took this expensive jacket with specialty treated down and soaked it in near-freezing water to see if it could still keep me warm. Well, I did it again, but this time instead of relying on expensive factory-treated
The Truth About Wet Down Jackets
As light as a feather. There is a reason that phrase exits. Because no other material, not even space-age technology from NASA, is as warm, light and compressible as down. Down is backpacking’s miracle insulation. But down has one major flaw. When it gets wet, it looses all its magical properties. It can’t insulate, it gets really heavy, and can even be deadly. And that one fatal flaw is the reason why I spend so much time, effort, and worry trying to
Every Way To Treat or Filter Water Outdoors (Almost)
When you are backpacking you need to be able to treat or filter your water. Even clear clean looking water can contain nasty Parasites that will make you sick. To stay safe you should always treat water or filter water. Thankfully there are a lot of differ ways to do so. Below is a list ranging from least to most expensive. Boil Water If you don’t have any other way to treat water you can always boil it to kill bacteria and
TripTarp Review: The Backpacking Trip Planning Tool You Never Knew You Needed
When planning a backpacking trip, how do you make sure you have everything you need? Most backpackers rely on checklists. Weather it’s on paper, from memory, or printed on a tarp. Which is the case with TripTarp: a new Multipurpse backpacking planning tool I recently had the pleasure to review.
Yosemite Bear Spray Ban – Why The Park System in Wrong
This summer my wife and I have a backpacking trip planned in Yosemite. As I started doing some research trying to plan and prepare for the trip I stumbled upon a strange Yosemite rule. Apparently bear spray is banned in the park being labeled as a weapon. This fact has made me uncomfortable. I have spent a lot of time in the backcountry, and have seen bears up close. While I have never been attacked by a bear, nor have
10 Tips To Reduce Pack Weight
I have never considered myself an ultralight backpacker. I have been known, however, to do whatever I can to try and reduce pack weight. Sometimes that means upgrading or modifying my gear, or just simply using better packing strategies. No matter how you classify yourself I think we all would like a lighter pack. The following is a list of tips and techniques to help you reduce your overall pack weight. 1. Modify your gear: You don’t have to
SPOT Messenger Owners Responsibility – Part Two
This is a continuation of Thursday's post: SPOT Messenger Owners Responsibility - Part One. Please click here to read the first half of this post.What is the responsibility of Locater Beacon owner? Not that long ago, a couple from New Bruswick, British Columbia activated their beacon when they climbed a steep trail and could not get back down. A helicopter lowered them 200 feet to secure footing. In September 2009, a hiker from Placer County was panning for gold in