Gear
A night of quality sleep in the backcountry depends on multiple factors. A shelter and sleep system that defend against precipitation, wind, insects, groundwater, and cold are the most obvious prerequisites. But equally important is campsite selection, or the art of finding a comfortable location where you can hang your hat. When using ground-based shelters…
In a normal winter, the Sierra Nevada, Pacific Northwest, and Rocky Mountains get hammered by systems that roll off the Pacific Ocean and drop hundreds of inches of snow. The summers, however, are sunny and dry, with only occasional precipitation related to the North American monsoon. Storms can be violent, but they are normally short-lived and…
One interaction I distinctly recall from the Appalachian Trail was in Virginia, with a fellow thru-hiker who was outwardly critical of my approach. I had been moving at a relatively quick clip, in the hopes of finishing the entire trail in about three months, before the start of my fall semester. “You’re hiking too fast…
What is a backpacking tent? I’ll define it as a full-sided, fixed-shaped, and holistically designed portable shelter that protects its occupants from precipitation, wind, groundwater, and insects. A few models do not fulfill this entire description, but it generally works. Tents grossly outsell tarps, hammocks, and bivy sacks. This is partly due to deeply embedded mindsets (“I…
Questions are normally followed up with answers. But one question that will simply beget more questions is, “What shelter should I buy for backpacking?” Actually, there is an answer, but it’s not helpful: “I don’t know.” Because to nudge you in the right direction I need more information about your preferences, intentions, and budget. And…
There are literally thousands of backpacking shelters — multiple styles of tents, tarps, hammocks, and bivy sacks, plus accessories like guylines and stakes — from which to choose. How is a new backpacker, aspiring thru-hiker, couple, Philmont-bound Boy Scout, or even a veteran looking to upgrade, supposed to sort through the paralyzing volume of options…
“Would you like some?” Steve asked, holding out a loaf of yummy homemade cookie dough. My belly was already full from dinner, but I broke off a piece anyway, knowing that ahead was a long November night in the sleeping bag. After taking a few chews, I remarked, “It would be better without the taco seasoning…
While perusing the floor of Outdoor Retailer last year, I walked past Coast, which I had never heard of before and which appeared to have a nice line of lights. I spoke with a rep for a few minutes, and he sent me off with the Coast HL27 Headlamp. After more than a year of…
Eighteen months ago I purchased the Julbo Dirt sunglasses with a photochromic and polarized Zebra lens. This was my second pair, with the first pair being unfortunately lost after a few years of use. Based on product specs and photos, I see no material differences between the original Dirt and current Dirt 2.0. I’m hard on sunglasses.…
Prior to this hunting season I purchased the WFS Upland Hunting Field Vest at my local Jax Outdoor Gear for $20. It’s available on Amazon for less than $30. I knew that it would likely not be a winner when I purchased it. It was only available in size Large, and I’m generally a small…