Sleeping pads get used for more than just sleeping. Especially in the middle of seven straight rain days.
Camping as a kid my sleeping pad options were pretty simple. Do I want a black foam pad or a blue foam pad? These days, there are hundreds of different options to choose from, and they all seem to be designed for some very specific task, so getting the right one can actually make a difference. Here are a few things to consider when making your decision: Read More …
Stay cool out there, campers.
Heat is real. Just like extreme cold, hot weather has the power to harm or even kill you, no matter how badass you think you are. A report by the Center for Disease Control estimated that an average of 688 heat-related deaths occurred annually in the U.S. between 1999 and 2003. And while the National Weather Service figures are less extreme, heat is clearly no joke.
But that doesn’t mean you should hide inside all summer, cowering in the corner, bordering on full-blown panic with the idea that your air conditioning unit might stop working. That’s just stupid and we all know it. Rather, you should think of heat in the same way you think of the cold: as something for which you can prepare, so you can get outside and enjoy your favorite activities. We asked our resident expert, the Sun Doctor, to sit down and make a list of tips and tactics for keeping cool, but we didn’t anticipate that Spicy Nate, our resident dirtball/lunatic, would intercept the document before publishing and add in his questionable advice. Read More …
It's a rough life.
The athletes on the Backcountry.com Pro Team pretty much define the phrase ‘living the dream.’ From heli trips to big-mountain freeskiing comps to remote expeditions, these guys and girls have it made. So where does this army of powder junkies retreat to when the snow melts and flip flops take the place of ski boots? We called up a few to find out what they’re up to until the lifts fire up and the skin track is in. Read More …
Perhaps you’ve noticed a lot of confused people down at the waterfront lately—the poor fools think they’re supposed to surf standing on flat water with a big canoe paddle in hand. What’s their deal? Fortunately, before you look silly pointing out their folly, someone straightens you out: those folks are bobbing around on stand-up paddleboards, and they’re actually having a great time doing it.
We were confused too at first, but once the sport caught our attention, we set out to do some learnin’ and figure out what stand-up paddleboarding is all about. Read More …
Common sense can be surprisingly hard to follow in the backcountry. It’s easy to get overly stoked and forget gear, miscalculate the gear that you did bring, ignore the weather, and end up in a bad situation. Check out the following five illustrations and helpful tips. Read More …
Boundary Waters Canoe Trip Sunset
The great North Woods have long been a destination for wilderness travelers of all varieties, and nowhere are the woods greater and more northern (at least in the states) than in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area. With a million acres of quiet forest (double that when counting Canada’s neighboring Quetico Provincial Park), more than 1,000 unspoiled rivers and lakes, and over 1500 miles of canoe routes to choose from, the BWCA wilderness offers nearly unlimited options to the intrepid backcountry paddler. Seeing other people is a rare occurrence, and often the only sounds you’ll hear are the lap of water on the shore, the soft chirp of crickets, and the occasional loon call. Read More …
Every spring, for the past four years, a special event has been taking place in the otherworldly expanse of southern Utah, near the town of Escalante. Outdoor industry retail representatives from across the country are brought together to explore a land defined by geological wonders, scattered with Native American ruins, and full of wisdom-laden locals. Sprinkle in some canyoneering, hiking, and fly fishing expeditions followed by interactive sessions with the employees and gear designers, and you get the ultimate feedback environment for a line of outdoor products— Mountain Hardwear Basecamp 2010. Read More …
Trail running is hard. Seriously, hard—anyone who tells you it ‘just comes easily to them’ has access to illegal drugs we haven’t encountered here in Utah. But those who know the joy of pushing through the burn will tell you that you can do quite a bit to make running far more comfortable and enjoyable—specifically, you can select the right pair of trail running shoes. Read More …
Anyone who has ever said “the picture doesn’t do it justice” understands how hard it can be to bring back good photos from a trip. Many people carry a high-end camera into the mountains and come back to find that they took very few pictures, didn’t take pictures of the moments they remember the most, or the pictures they did take don’t come close to showing the beauty of the places they saw. Apply these tips, and your next vacation slideshow will make your friends envious of your trip instead of putting them to sleep in your living room. Read More …
Fushimi Inari-taisha, Kyoto, Japan
Summer is right around the corner, which means the hostel circuit will soon be teeming with world travelers searching for new experiences, friendships, and exotic ways to seduce the senses. We’ve come up with some tips for packing and strategic traveling that will benefit you once you’re on the road. Read More …