When Yakima first announced the release of their roof top tent last year, three attributes from the press release immediately caught my attention. The 95-pound weight for the smallest of two sizes made it one of the lightest roof top tents on the market, and because Yakima has spent several decades perfecting all manner of…
Cool Cutters
Anyone who knows me is aware that I’m the guy, or was, who’s always asking for a knife to borrow. I used to not like toting around a blade, and certainly wasn’t particular about the ones I did manage to carry. Then I started getting spoiled by having a knife on me at all times,…
Field Tested: Big Agnes Foidel Canyon 2
Buried deep in the dark recesses of my gear closet reside a trio of tents I seldom use. Their stuff sacks are tattered and torn, the tents within equally haggard. Oddly enough they haven’t been on many outings. Whereas my backpacking and mountaineering tents look brand spanking new even after a decade of adventures, just…
Gear Scout: Roofnest Hard Shell Rooftop Tent
In 2010 I attended a local 24-hour mountain bike race, pulled into the sprawling campground, and set up my roof top tent. Judging by the pointing fingers and curious looks, you’d have thought a UFO landed on my truck. Fast forward to 2017, and the roof top tent is not just commonplace, it’s rapidly becoming…
Field Tested: Snow Peak Pack & Carry Fireplace, Small
Portable fire pits are all the rage these days and I”m thrilled with their newfound popularity. I loathe unsightly fire rings and wish more people subscribed to a lower impact style of camping. One of the challenges with portable fire pits is the stowed size and weight as most are larger than necessary, particularly for…
Field Tested: Alu-Cab Expedition III
Basil Lynch walks us through one of the markets best aluminum roof top tents
Field Tested: Terra Nova Solar Photon 2P tent
In 2014 while prepping for a bikepacking trip to Iceland I realized I needed to rethink my tent strategy given the island’s reputation for truly awful weather. A short search delivered me to the Terra Nova Laser Comp 1P, a tent and brand I didn’t know very well. It was a bit of a gamble to…
Company Profile: Good To-Go Dehydrated Meals
As much as I love to venture into to the woods and survive on trail mix and beef jerky, I also admit I’m an unabashed foodie. I have a tattered Michelin restaurant guidebook with plenty of dog-eared pages, and can snob around the food scene with the best of them. When I learned of Good…
Field Tested: Nemo Equipment Dark Timber
The venerable wall tent has been around for over a thousand years. The Vikings, Romans, and soldiers of the Civil War, just to name a few, all used them. Some were made of animal skins, others of heavy canvas. The operable word there is—heavy. Traditional wall tents have always provided a cavernous and comfortable interior,…
You Stink: Shower Pouch to the Rescue
The pre-moistened towel ready for the big job of cleaning a full grown human.
Field Tested: Redverz Hawk II
When Redverz entered the market a few years ago they made a big splash with their Atacama tent, built to house a pair of sleepy travelers as well as a full-sized motorcycle. I can see the advantages of such a structure, but I’m oft inclined to distance myself from my machine after a long day…
Land Cruising Adventure: Do you need a fridge?
Karin-Marijke & Coen overlanded parts of their 14-year journey with a fridge, but also years without a one. What is their verdict?
Field Tested: Snow Peak Single Action Table and Red Chairs
Several years ago I started a project to suss out which camp tables are the best of the rest. In my head the working title for that article was “Camp Tables that Don’t Suck.” I didn’t end up writing anything because the majority of the units I tested—sucked. One of the few to live up to its lofty…
Overlanding Skills: How to Pitch a Tent
Although every tent is slightly different, there are some common techniques for properly pitching a modern portable shelter. Do it poorly and you risk damaging the tent itself, or enduring a less than comfortable night’s sleep. I travel with people with extensive backcountry experience, yet see them making basic mistakes all too often. Most people would…
Company Profile: Cascade Designs
When they were furloughed from their Boeing jobs in 1971, Jim Lea and Neil Anderson could have never known the company they eventually built with John Burroughs would evolve into a juggernaut of the outdoor industry. As the abridged story goes, a simple gardening cushion was the flashpoint for the self-inflating sleeping pad we now…
A Tent For All Seasons: The Fjallraven Abisko Dome 2
For decades tents have been neatly split into two classifications: three and four season. As accurate as the three season label is, denoting spring, summer, and fall usage, the four season designation is misleading. Most four season tents are not really designed for all seasons, but just the fourth—winter. If not actual winter, then environments…
Water Treatment Solutions: The Mother of all Reviews
All travelers understand the importance of clean drinking water, but too few know how to best select the proper water treatment system for their individual needs. It is an understandable conundrum as there are seemingly endless options for filters, purifiers, and chemical solutions. Over the span of the last two years, I set out to evaluate…
Cut it Out: The Hand Saw Shootout
A compact and portable hand saw is a convenient tool everyone should have in their arsenal. I’ve tried dozens over the years, some good, many only good for a short while before they dulled prematurely or simply fell apart. With spring fully sprung and a lot of deadfall laying around my local forest, I realized…
Field Tested: Nemo Equipment Symphony Luxury Duo Sleep System
Nemo’s super sleeper is the most comfortable bush bunk we have ever tested.
Field Tested: Solo Stove Bonfire
Several times a year I’m contacted by an upstart company asking if I can help promote their Kickstarter campaign. My canned answer, delivered sometimes abruptly, is always––no thanks. I’ve learned my lesson featuring projects which not only failed to achieve their fundraising goals, but effectively robbed people of their hard won cash. That doesn’t mean…