The best backpacking lunch ideas balance calories, nutrition, weight, and ease of preparation. For short day trips, home-prepped meals like sandwiches, dehydrated chicken salad, and calorie-dense Logan bread are simplest.…
Outdoor Basics
Outdoor basics are the core skills that keep a trip safe and comfortable, setting up shelter, sleeping warm, cooking on a stove, navigating without a phone, and handling minor injuries. Get those right and the rest is detail.
New to this? Start with the beginner camping gear checklist, which breaks a first kit into five systems and puts a real price on it (roughly US$250–450 for two people). Then sort your cooking with how to pick a camping stove.
Navigation. Batteries die and signal drops. A topo map and compass weigh under 100 g and always work, map reading covers contours and bearings, and navigating by the stars is the backup for when you’ve lost the trail after dark.
Safety. Most camp incidents are preventable. Our camping safety guide covers the six habits that matter most, plus specifics like the UV Index and the poison ivy rash timeline.
Gear care. Repair beats replacement. A jammed zipper rarely means a new tent — see tent zipper repair and repairing leather hiking boots.
Everything here is written from field use. Browse the full archive below, or head to Top Gear Picks if you already know the skill and just need the kit.
Backpacking in the Rain: How to Stay Dry and Actually Enjoy It
To stay dry backpacking in the rain, wear a waterproof hard shell jacket over moisture-wicking (not cotton) layers, keep your gear dry with a pack liner and dry sacks rather…
How to Choose a Stand-Up Paddle Board for Beginners (2026 Guide)
To choose a stand-up paddle board as a beginner, pick a wide (31 inches or more), medium-length (9 to 12 feet) board with a flat planing hull and high volume…
Rock Climbing Techniques Guide
The most important rock climbing techniques for beginners are to climb with your legs rather than your arms, keep your arms straight to save energy, plan your moves before you…
How Long Does It Take for a Blister to Heal: Minimize Pain and Scarring
Most friction blisters heal in about one week if they’re left intact and protected from further rubbing. Healing time depends on the cause and size: friction and blood blisters take…
Vegan Backpacking Food: The Ultimate Vegan Backpacking Guide
Vegan backpacking food is absolutely doable with a little planning. The key is to pack lightweight, calorie-dense, nutrient-rich foods like dehydrated meals, beans, nut butters, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, whole-grain…
How to Pick a Camping Stove: The Complete 2026 Buying Guide
To pick the right camping stove, match it to how you camp: choose enough burners for your group, around 20,000 BTUs per burner for quick cooking, a fuel type that…
Best Swiss Army Knife for Survival: How to Choose the Right One (2026 Guide)
The best Swiss Army knife for survival is the one that balances size, weight, and a small set of genuinely useful tools for the activities you actually do, not the…
What Is Gore-Tex and Why Do You Need It? A Complete Guide (2026)
Gore-Tex is a waterproof, windproof, and breathable membrane used in jackets, footwear, and gloves. It keeps rain and wind out while letting sweat vapor escape. So you stay dry from…
Best Mosquito Repellent for Camping (2026): 6 Proven Ways to Stay Bite-Free
Note: We get commissions for purchases made through links in this article. Finding the best mosquito repellent for camping can save a trip. Every camper knows the misery of lying…
Camping in a Tent vs. a Motorhome: Which Is Right for You? (2026 Guide)
If you’re weighing tent vs. motorhome camping for your next trip, you’re in good company, because camping is one of the most popular ways Americans get outside and a big…
Best Games & Activities to Try on a Pontoon Boat
There’s a reason pontoon boats have become the go to choice for families, friend groups, and anyone who loves a day on the water: they’re built for hanging out. That…