When you buy a tent or tarp made with silnylon, it’s best to seal the seams using Gear Aid Silnet Silicone Seam Sealer in order to make them waterproof in the rain. While many manufacturers offer this as an add-on service, but you …
Read More »Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cold Weather Induced Asthma?
I vividly remember the first time I experienced cold weather-induced asthma. It was the same day my camera froze. It was 20 degrees below zero and we were climbing two mountains in New Hampshire’s Pemigewasset Wilderness. I remember a tightness in my …
Read More »How to Read Clouds and Predict the Weather
Cloud shapes, altitude, density, and color can help you predict the weather when you are hiking and don’t have access to a weather forecast. This is particularly true in mountainous areas, above treeline, or areas prone to flash floods where getting struck …
Read More »10 Hiking and Backpacking Gear Myths
It’s amazing how some backpacking gear myths persist, even when there’s ample evidence to the contrary. Then there are the lies that gear marketers propagate to sell their products to people who don’t know better. Here are a few of my favorites: …
Read More »Desert Hiking Tips, Tricks and Best Practices from the PCT
Growing up exploring the dense, rain forests of the eastern United States, my first steps in the desert of the Pacific Crest Trail came as an incredible shock. Desert Hiking I had never imagined seeing the trail wind its way down the mountain …
Read More »What To Do If You Get Lost Hiking
You’re hiking along a trail and you suddenly realize you’ve lost it. Stop where you are and try to remember how you got where you are. Can you remember any landmarks that you passed that you know were on the trail? When …
Read More »What is a Cottage Gear Manufacturer?
A cottage gear manufacturer is one that manufactures their own products, rather than outsourcing them to a contract manufacturer. In the backpacking industry companies like Mountain Laurel Designs, Tarptent, ULA, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, Yama Mountain Gear, ZPacks, Elemental Horizons, and Superior Wilderness …
Read More »Gear Tips for Beginner Backpackers
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 …
Read More »How to Clean, Sanitize, and Store a Water Filter in the Off Season
It’s important to clean and sanitize your backcountry water filter or purifier before storing it away during the winter months. There’s a simple three-stage process for this that involves cleaning the filter to improve its flow rate, sanitizing the filter to kill …
Read More »What is a Tent Vestibule?
Tent vestibules are like mudrooms at the front of a tent or along its sides. They provide extra space to stash your gear out-of-the-way in a cramped multi-person tent, or a place to change out of wet, muddy gear before you get …
Read More »How to Make a Freezer Bag Cooking Cozy
If you’re into Freezer Bag Cooking, then you should consider bringing along a freezer bag cozy to keep your food warm while it re-hydrates. This is particularly helpful in the early spring, autumn, and wintertime when colder weather will quickly cool hot …
Read More »Why are Topographic Maps Important for Hiking and Backpacking?
Topographic maps are used by hikers and backpackers to plan routes, estimate travel times, find water, good campsites, and track their progress on hikes. They’re designed to depict the three dimensional shape of the world (mountains, valleys, plains, etc.) in two dimensions …
Read More »Backpacking Tent Fast Pitch Options: Pros and Cons
“You need to buy the tent footprint if you want the fast pitch option,” is the common refrain of tent manufacturers and retailers. But you wonder, “When would I use the fast pitch option and what am I giving up if I …
Read More »When is a Child Ready For Their Own Tent?
The timing of when a child is ready for a tent of their own is going to be different for every family and every child. Children mature at very different rates so its important to be realistic about where your child is …
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