Last summer, our team spent 47 nights testing instant pop-up tents for camping across four states. We pitched them in 95°F desert heat, drove through rainstorms on the way to … Read more

Choosing the best sleeping bags for cold weather changed how I plan every winter trip. After freezing through a November weekend with a borrowed 3-season bag that claimed 30F comfort, … Read more

Last summer I took fourteen different sleeping pads onto sections of the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail over a span of 90 days. I logged exactly 217 nights in … Read more

I learned the hard way that a “bug-free” hammock without a proper net is a fairy tale. On my second night in the Boundary Waters, mosquitoes came through the gathered-end … Read more

I spent three months testing pop-up shower tents across desert campsites, beach setups, and a packed music festival. After hauling eight different models through 47 trips, I learned exactly which … Read more

I bought my first backpacking pack in 2009 without trying it on. I picked the biggest one I could afford at the local outdoor store, loaded it with borrowed gear, … Read more

I bought my first pair of trekking poles about 12 years ago on a budget through-hike of the Wind River Range. By day three, my knees felt noticeably better. By … Read more

Hauling a 70-quart cooler, four beach chairs, two umbrellas, and a pile of kid toys across 200 yards of soft sand in July heat is the kind of workout nobody … Read more

Last January I drove 3 hours north to Lake of the Woods with three rods strapped to my trunk. Two were hand-me-down spinning combos from my uncle. One was a … Read more

I have lost count of how many times a telescopic fishing rod has saved a trip. Picture this: I am standing on a rocky shoreline in Vancouver, watching salmon jump, … Read more

Nothing wrecks a backcountry trip faster than sore feet, hot blisters, or a sole that falls apart three miles in. After spending months comparing fit, traction, waterproofing, and long-term durability … Read more

There is nothing worse than fumbling in the dark at a campsite with a dying flashlight while your hands are full of tent stakes. I have been there more times … Read more

Last summer, our team watched a friend spend four days recovering from a severe case of giardiasis after drinking straight from an alpine stream in the Sierra Nevada. He had … Read more

When I hauled a five-gallon jug of lake water across a campsite and watched my friends wait while I pumped a slow filter, I knew there had to be a … Read more

After three months of testing camping cookware sets for backpacking across the Sierra Nevada, Olympic National Park, and a handful of weekend overnights, I learned something obvious but worth saying: … Read more