Frequently Asked Questions

Have you ever spent a cold night shivering in your sleeping bag under a backpacking quilt because the temperature dropped lower than you expected? Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to sleep more warmly using the gear and …

While ultralight tents are easier to carry because they weigh less, you usually have to sacrifice something in terms of comfort, ease of use, or weather protection to use one. The weight reduction doesn’t come for free, even if the tent is …

There’s a simple rule of thumb for figuring out how many days of food you can fit into a bear canister. Find out the capacity of your bear canister in cubic inches and divide by 100. That will give you a pretty …

DEET and Picaridin-based insect repellent sprays and lotions (bug dope) are available from a wide range of brands and in a variety of forms factors. How effective are they are repelling mosquitos and ticks? What are the best concentrations to get? Which …

  Should you carry a separate pair of sleeping clothes on backpacking trips? Is it worth the added weight? What about when it’s really hot or humid at night and you’re having trouble staying cool? I carry a separate set of clothes …

A gravity water filter system uses gravity to force water through a filter so you don’t have to squeeze it manually or use a pump to push it through. The advantage of a gravity water filter system is that you can process …

The leading causes of wetness inside your rain jacket are condensation and perspiration. Condensation occurs water vapor encounters a colder surface and changes from a gaseous form into a liquid one. When the air is humid it has a lot of water …

Bear bags are intended to protect your food on backpacking trips and to prevent bears from becoming accustomed to eating human food. “A fed bear is a dead bear”, as the saying goes, and no one wants to see a bear killed …

Freestanding tents are tents that can stand up by themselves (the poles slot into the four corners) making them easy to set up in different types of terrain from desert sands and snow-covered peaks to wooden tent platforms. Most freestanding tents are …

One-pot backpacking meals are a satisfying and low-cost way to eat well on backpacking trips. Made with Knoors rice sides, noodles, pasta, stuffing, wheat cereal, or oatmeal, some added protein like tuna, chicken, bacon, or sausage, or nuts and dried fruit they’re …

I ran into some section hikers in Maryland who asked me if you need to stay in the Appalachian Mountain Clubs (AMC) Huts when you hike the Appalachian Trail through New Hampshire. Absolutely not! Priced over $250 per person/night, you get three …

With spring hiking and backpacking season on the horizon, here are some important gear maintenance tasks for you to perform to prepare for your next trip. If you have other spring gear maintenance tips you’d like to share, please leave a comment …

If you’re researching double-wall backpacking tents, you’re likely to see the terms “semi freestanding tent” and “freestanding tent.” These describe the architecture of a tent and how the poles are configured to set it up. A semi-freestanding tent has one or more …

Cowboy camping is a good way to make your backpacking trips more efficient while falling asleep to a view of the moon and stars. If the forecast is good, you can roll out a foam pad and a sleeping bag/quilt and camp …