So picture this. You load up the gear, drive down a dirt road through an evergreen forest to a little backcountry lake positively brimming with fish. You throw your boat in the water, grab a cold drink and shove off into the crystal clear waters to enjoy a sunny afternoon of serenity and relaxation. There’s only one problem with this. You don’t own a boat. And why not? Because you don’t have a truck or a trailer, or a roof…
Not only is a tent one of the major purchases you might be looking to make as you prepare for your backpacking adventures, but it could also be one of the largest and heaviest items you have to pack. Unfortunately, tents are no exception to the general backpacking equipment rule that the lighter it is the more expensive it is. Fortunately, there are tents out there that will fit any budget. You just have to know where to look. To…
If you’re a longtime backpacker, you’ve likely tried all kinds of backpacks and found something that works for you. But one thing that old and new backpackers alike are bound to realize is that backpacking packs can get expensive really fast. If you’re just getting started and want to try out some shorter trips you may want to purchase a cheaper pack before you decide that you want to really dive in and invest in your new hobby. The problem…
Answering a general question such as, which binoculars are best, can be pretty tough to do. But, if you’ve stumbled upon this article then you are likely one of the many people asking it. So we have prepared this binoculars buying guide to help you answer it. Because binoculars are used for a variety of purposes including all types of hunting, birding, sports-watching, and even astronomy, there is no one size fits all for every situation. Binoculars will vary greatly…
We discussed the cream of the crop when it comes to sleeping bags in a couple of previous posts. And if you’ve got the money to shell out for it, there’s no doubt that any of those sleeping bags will blow almost anything else out of the water when it comes to warmth, performance, and comfort. However, even the cheapest of them clocked in with a price of over $200. I know that not everybody has that kind of money…
Gloves can be a tricky topic. Because of changes in weather, activity level, variance in the tasks we need to accomplish, personal preference and even personal health issues (like Raynaud’s disease) there is no one glove that simply checks all the boxes. As a two foot traveller, you may spend all day, or even multiple days, out in the winter weather. As is the case with all your extremities, your hands can be quite vulnerable to the cold, and it…
Don’t let ice, talus, scree, or mud stop you! Built to provide traction on slippery surfaces, microspikes can help you get a grip and keep on trekking. When you think of outdoor winter travel, your mind will possibly jump immediately to cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. But in popular recreation areas or areas with significant frequent temperature changes, you may run into the problem of icy terrain. If you’re hoping to successfully traverse these icy trails, you would do well to…
Socks are interesting. You hated receiving them for a Christmas gift as a child, but since you’ve gotten older, they’re all you ask for. Maybe that isn’t true for everyone but it certainly has been my experience. But socks are not one size fits all, not in size or activity. We need different socks for different purposes. In this article, we’re going to focus on the best winter hiking socks to keep your feet healthy and happy. Socks are even…
If you’re a regular hiker or backpacker and you’re still using a disposable plastic water bottle, It’s time to get serious. It’s time to quit buying water from Wal-Mart. So listen up, and get ready to hear about the best-insulated water bottles on the market. Why would I want an insulated water bottle? If you’ve found this article, chances are you already know the answer to this question. So go ahead and skip this section if you’d like. But if…
In a companion post to this one, we took a look at the most frequently recommended sleeping bags by real, everyday backpackers. Now let’s take a look at the best sleeping bags for backpacking that have been tried, tested and recommended by experts. Jump to the comparison table Before we jump into it, I want to make it clear that these are not your only options for sleeping bags. Backpacking can be done with much cheaper, albeit heavier and bulkier sleeping…