Camping

Shakedown hikes and backpacking trips are the best way you can train yourself to become a confident backpacker or day hiker. They provide a low pressure setting for you to practice new skills, learn how to use your gear, plan a hike, and …

Good campsite selection is an important backpacking skill. Here are some tips to pick a safe and comfortable campsite that will enhance your enjoyment of the backcountry. 1. Plan campsites in advance If backcountry regulations require that you camp at designated campsites, …

We’ve all brought dumb things on backpacking trips. Oh yeah. I’ve certainly had my share. But it’s still fun to laugh about them. Here are 10 epic examples that I collected from SectionHiker readers, that I think you’ll find humorous along with some valuable …

Here are the 10 most popular items that Section Hiker readers bring along on trips: Zeiss Binoculars Frisbeee Hip Flask Kindle GSI Outdoors French Press Coffee Maker Helinox Camp Chair Therm-a-Rest Z Seat UCO Candle Lantern NEMO Camping Pillow Exped extra thick …

I get a lot of email from experienced day hikers and car campers who want to try backpacking and are looking for help on how to plan their first overnight backpacking trip. Here’s the advice I give them. 1. Buy a Local Guidebook and …

I do a lot of solo camping before and after day hikes when I’m up in New Hampshire’s White Mountains for the weekend. It’s a great way to save money, get a good night’s sleep between hikes, and get a little privacy …

Stealth Camping has become a fashionable term in backpacking circles, but I’m convinced that most people don’t know what it means. They confuse it with pre-existing campsites, which are very different. Stealth Campsites Most stealth campsite have never been used before. They’re called stealth …

I recently met a pair of new backpackers, Bill and Elena, and they asked me my opinion about the 200 foot rule. This is a  a backcountry camping rule in many federally regulated forests. Check your local regulations for specifics because they vary accross …

One of my facebook readers left a comment yesterday, questioning why anyone would bury the ash generated by a wood stove (see my Solo Wood Stove Review) when it would naturally dissipate on its own. Burying my ashes is one of the …

Do you snore on backpacking or camping trips? Does it disturb the people you’re with or others who share the same campsite with you? If so, you need to take responsibility for your ‘condition’ and reduce its impact on others. Here are …

When I go backpacking, I carry a small stuff sack with my tent stakes and extra cordage. I typically carry betwen 6 and 11 tent stakes with me, extra paracord and Kelty triptease. This is one of the more general purpose elements …

Over the past 4 years, I've progressively migrated from tents, to tarp tents, and finally to tarps as my preferred camping shelter. Over time and many backpacking trips, I came to appreciate the flexibility of of tarps over tents or tarp tents …

  I’ve bought a few commercial bear bags in my time and found them lacking in various ways. So I assembled the following bear bag system that I’ve been using very successfully over the past 2 years. It has 5 components: a …

When I was hiking a section of the AT recently near Crawford Notch in New Hampshire, I came across this bear bag hanging on a tree at the Ethan Pond Shelter. I was stunned when I saw it because it’s one of …