Note: We get commissions for purchases made through links in this article. This guide is for general information and isn’t medical advice. Understanding the UV index and tanning helps you…
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.
I Tried Dozens of Camping Dessert Recipes. These Are the Ones Worth Making
The best camping dessert recipes go far beyond s’mores. Below are seven easy campfire desserts, from a 10-minute banana boat to a Dutch oven pineapple cake. Some are simple enough…
How to Find Food in the Wild: A Safe, Practical Survival Guide
Note: We get commissions for purchases made through links in this article. This guide is for education only. Never eat a wild plant, insect or animal unless you’re certain of…
How Long Until a Poison Ivy Rash Appears? Timeline, Symptoms and Treatment
Note: We get commissions for purchases made through links in this article. This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice. If you’re worried about…
Types of Edible Snails: How to Survive in the Wild by Eating Them
When you head out for a few days of camping or backpacking, you carry only as much food as your pack can sensibly hold. Some of us prefer it that…
Hiking in Jeans: Can You Hike in Your Favorite Denims?
Yes, you can technically hike in jeans, and for a short, dry walk in mild weather they’re fine. But denim is a poor choice for longer, wetter, or colder hikes…
How to Choose a Survival Lighter (Avoid Costly Mistakes!)
To choose a survival lighter, prioritize reliability in bad conditions over looks or marketing, and match the lighter to where and how you’ll use it. For most people the best…
Dry Camping 101: Everything You Need to Know to Go Off-Grid
Dry camping is camping without any hookups for water, sewer, or electricity, whether in a tent, van, truck, or RV. To do it well you need your own power (solar…
How Far Do Mosquitoes Travel & How Far Away Can They Detect You?
Most mosquitoes travel between 1 and 3 miles from their breeding site to find food, but it varies enormously by species. The aggressive Asian tiger mosquito common in backyards rarely…
Camp Stove Cooking Beats the Campfire: Best Camp Stove Recipes You Must Try
Building a campfire isn’t always the romantic experience it’s cracked up to be. If it rained the night before or the wind is howling, getting a consistent cooking flame is…
How to Navigate by the Stars: Tips and Tricks to be a Natural Navigator
This guide provides the exact methods you need to find your way using only the night sky. While modern GPS is reliable, batteries die and signals fail. Understanding celestial navigation…
Backpacking Dog Bed: Keep Your Adventure Buddy Comfortable on the Trail
A high-quality backpacking dog bed is more than a luxury; it is a vital piece of recovery gear. If you expect your dog to hike miles of rugged terrain while…