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 develop the physical fitness required to hike all …

Had a reader contact me recently asking me how I managed to get any sleep when backpacking solo. He’d gone on their first overnight trip in Dolly Sods (WV) and been freaked out worrying about eastern bears at night and being attacked while he lay in his hammock. My response: “I am …

Have you even spent a cold night in your sleeping bag because the temperature dropped lower than you expected? Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to increase your comfort level on those cold nights without buying any additional backpacking gear. Cover your collar bones with an …

Double-walled tents are making a comeback amongst backpackers because they’ve become much lighter with gear weights that rival their single-walled competitors. This is especially true in the two-person tent category where several 2 person, double-walled tents including the NEMO Hornet 2P, the NEMO Blaze 2P, and the Big Agnes Fly Creek HV …

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, reserve one in advance or make sure ones …

I get a lot of questions from SectionHiker readers asking whether their sleeping bags will be warm enough for their backpacking and camping trips. For example: “I’m starting an Appalachian Trail thru-hike in February at Springer Mountain. Will a 20 degree bag be warm enough?” “My son has to go …

What backpacking gear do you need? Which features are the most important? Which manufacturers make the best backpacking gear? Who can you turn to for advice? Where can you get the best deals? The amount of information new backpackers need to digest can be overwhelming at first. Here are 12 of the …

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 insights for the beginner backpackers in our midst. …

Had a good question from a reader about camp security and keeping your gear safe during backpacking trips. For example: Do you hang your backpack up with others in the shelter? Do you leave your stove or your sleeping bag out when you go to get water? I think a …

Had a reader contact me recently asking whether it was necessary to bring a tent to hike the Appalachian Trail. She planned to stay in the trail shelters in Shenandoah National Park (in April) and had been thinking about leaving her tent at home. First off, when hiking the Appalachian …

When selecting a place to camp at night, most backpackers like to choose a location close to water. At 2 pounds per liter, water is often the heaviest thing in your backpack and you don’t want to have to carry it very far if you can avoid it. Especially at …

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 sleeping pad This was a popular survey. Check …

These are all great questions. First off, shelters that have a removable inner tent are a great way to ease into tarp camping. A lot of tarp campers use an inner tent like this during bug season or in wet climates too. You also inner tents used by people who …

I had a reader contact me about knee pain after they camped in a hammock that was so severe that it forced them off the trail early to recuperate. This is a fairly common ailment when sleeping in a hammock and is caused by hyperextending your knees. Imagine that you’re lying …