Frequently Asked Questions

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 …

The Garmin inReach Mini (MSRP $350) and the inReach Explorer+ (MSRP $449) are satellite-based communicators that share a common set of capabilities in terms of emergency communication, two-way messaging, tracking, and navigation. Both units require the purchase of a satellite messaging subscription …

What is Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF)? Dyneema Composite Fabric is a non-woven, laminate material that is used to make ultralight backpacking gear including backpacks, tents, tarps, footprints, stuff sacks, and backpack rain covers. It is made by sandwiching ultra-high-weight-molecular polyethylene Dyneema fibers with polyester to produce an …

There’s nothing worse than chafing on a hike or backpacking trip between your thighs or butt cheeks.  Often called monkey-butt or baboon ass, it is absolute agony and gets worse with every step you take. Here are some trail-tested ways to prevent …

A magnetic compass is designed to show you which way is north. Knowing that you can figure out the other cardinal directions: east, west, and south. If you always know where north is, you can also walk in one direction and backtrack …

Bear canisters are pretty awkward to carry with a backpack. Do you put it inside your pack, outside, on top, or underneath? Are some backpacks better for carrying a canister than others? What’s the best way to carry a canister with a …

GPS smartphone navigation apps are convenient to use and a real boon for making outdoor navigation more accessible, but they’re best used alongside other navigation tools such as waterproof maps and a magnetic compass. If you’re just experimenting with navigation apps for …

After hiking hundreds of miles in New Mexico, Arizona, and California, I have a good understanding of how to take care of feet in desert conditions. My main goal is to keep my feet dry, cool, and debris free. I accomplish this …

Tent condensation happens to everyone. It’s one of the unavoidable consequences of camping or backpacking with a tent, but it’s usually just a nuisance and not the end of the world. Still, there are a lot of misconceptions about tent condensation and …

Getting ready for a thru-hike adventure can involve more than researching and buying gear, packing up some resupply boxes, and binge-watching every YouTube video made on how to be ultralight. Sure, this may be a key part of your preparation; however, making …

There are three different ways that lightning can harm you: direct cloud-to-ground strikes side flashes ground currents In a cloud-to-ground strike, two arcs of energy meet, an upward leader, emanating from a high point such as a tree or mountain top and …

Sun protection is always an important consideration when hiking or for any outdoor activity where there’s the potential to get a sunburn. Thankfully, there are many good options when it comes to covering up and taking care of your skin. How Much …

Buying a backpacking or camping tent is a big investment, but you can extend your tent’s lifetime and get many years of use from it by spending a little time on tent maintenance, repair, and cleaning. While there are many types and …

What types of tents have bathtub floors? Most double-wall camping tents, so-called because they have an inner tent with bug netting and an outer rainfly, have a bathtub floor in the inner tent. In these tents, the waterproof fabric on the floor …