These days, the trend in camping shelters is toward minimalism. Everyone is going ultralight. I grew up using tents but began experimenting with bivy sacks last year to cut down my base weight. This guide outlines the pros and cons of using a bivy sack vs tent to help you decide which is best for …
Tents these days are expensive and fragile. This is the result of complex ultralight designs and modern high tech fabrics. After spending hundreds of dollars on a new tent, you want it to last as long as possible. One way to increase the lifespan of your tent is to use a footprint. This guide outlines …
I bought the Kelty Cosmic 20 degree down sleeping bag on Amazon to use for hiking, travel, and bicycle touring. I needed a bag that was light enough for backpacking, warm enough for 3 season use, and, most importantly, affordable. After extensive research, I settled on the Kelty Cosmic 20. In my opinion, this is …
Last season, I began experimenting with different camping shelter options. In the past, I had always been a tent camper. Now, I’m giving tarps a try. In this article, I list the pros and cons of using a tarp vs tent for camping. I’ll also outline the different types of tarps available including materials, shape, …
There’s something about sleeping outside under the stars that just feels natural. After all, our ancestors did it for hundreds of thousands of years. It’s in our blood. After a recent camping trip, a friend asked me “is camping safe?” and it really got me thinking. While camping, you can encounter wild animals, disease-carrying insects, …
I bought the Osprey Talon 44 Hiking Backpack from Amazon about 8 years ago in preparation for my first solo trip. Since then, I have used this backpack for months at a time traveling to almost 60 countries on 6 continents with it. I still travel with the same backpack to this day. It has …
One of life’s greatest pleasures is sleeping under the stars. There’s something that just feels natural about sleeping outdoors. Imagine waking up to a panoramic view of the fjords of Norway. Or falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach in Mexico. You just can’t get that experience in a hostel …
I bought the Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL 1 Tent about 3 years ago in preparation for my first bicycle tour. Since then, I’ve probably spent over 100 nights in it. Overall, I’m pretty happy with the tent. The main thing that drew me to this particular tent is the weight. At 2 pound …
I bought the Klymit Static V Sleeping Pad on Amazon in preparation for my first bike tour. While trying to put together a low budget camping setup, I decided to buy this pad. It is the best inflatable pad for the money. Size I’m 6’1” and 180 pounds and the pad fits fine. I’d say …
I bought this tent in preparation for my first bicycle tour. I was trying to put together a camping setup on a budget and needed a decent tent. After extensive research and a couple of trips to REI, I settled on the ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Tent. Since my purchase, I have slept in the tent about …