Camping

Whether you’re heading out alone for a simple overnight get-away or embarking on an extended, minimalist-style adventure, choosing the right type of sleeping shelter is a major consideration. Besides weight and volume, utility also plays into deciding what type of gear to bring along. The choices are straight forward and offer a good range of

Tinder is any dry material that readily takes a spark, match or other intense heat sources and easily ignites. They are the “fire starter” fuel and the foundation for most all campfires.  Besides twigs, bark and other natural materials, there are also a variety of commercial tinders on the market. They are especially handy when you

Paracord is an essential piece of emergency/survival gear. There are several characteristics and properties that qualify cordage as authentic “paracord”. All ‘rope’ is made of strands that are either braided or twisted together. Structurally, paracord uses the kernmantle technique similar to how rope for mountain climbing is made.  Its outmost layer is a  braided nylon sheath

Even if you are a totally committed landlubber, you no doubt have a need for keeping gear dry whenever you venture outdoors. Backpackers and paddlers alike know the value in a good dry bag—both in the field and in the wallet! Here’s a quick, convenient and effective way to create your own functional and inexpensive

A good campsite can be defined in many ways depending upon your preferred level of back-country comfort, the lay of the land where you can pitch your tent and to a lesser extent, the season in which you are out enjoying Mother Nature. Ask most anyone and they’ll tell you their preference is a flat,

My warmest and most comfortable nights of sleep during a North Dakota winter camp out was while nestled inside a tent pitched in two feet of snow cover. A featherbed at a cozy chalet in the Swiss Alps could not have served me any better. Pitching a tent on snow-covered ground means you’ll either remove