Tents & Shelter

CORE Dome Tent Review: 18 Months of Family Camping with One Tent
Shelter

CORE Dome Tent Review: 18 Months of Family Camping with One Tent

We've set this tent up in muddy campgrounds, survived two real thunderstorms in it, and broken camp in the dark more than once. Here is what 18 months of hard family use taught us about the CORE dome tent.

CORE Dome Tent: Honest Review from a Weekend Hunter Who Camps Year-Round
Shelter

CORE Dome Tent: Honest Review from a Weekend Hunter Who Camps Year-Round

Nobody tells you about the stake quality, the rainfly overlap gap, or how this tent handles a 40-mph front. I will.

10 Reasons a Dome Tent Beats a Cabin Tent for Most Campers
Shelter

10 Reasons a Dome Tent Beats a Cabin Tent for Most Campers

Cabin tents look impressive in the showroom. Dome tents win in the field. Here's why most campers should skip the big box and go dome.

CORE Dome Tent vs Coleman Sundome 6-Person: Side-by-Side for Car Campers
Tents

CORE Dome Tent vs Coleman Sundome 6-Person: Side-by-Side for Car Campers

Two of the most popular dome tents for car campers go head-to-head. We break down setup speed, weatherproofing, livable space, and durability to pick a clear winner.

We Took Three Kids on Their First Camping Trip with One Tent
Tents

We Took Three Kids on Their First Camping Trip with One Tent

After years of putting it off, we finally loaded the car and headed out. Here is what happened when the CORE dome tent met three kids, one nervous spouse, and an unexpected thunderstorm.

How to Set Up a Camping Tent Solo and Fast (Even in Wind and Rain)
Shelter

How to Set Up a Camping Tent Solo and Fast (Even in Wind and Rain)

Solo tent setup doesn't have to mean a 45-minute wrestling match with poles. Here's the sequence that gets a dome tent pitched in under 10 minutes, every time.

Sleeping Bags & Sleep Systems

MalloMe Sleeping Bag Review: Two Years of Three-Season Camping
Sleep Systems

MalloMe Sleeping Bag Review: Two Years of Three-Season Camping

We've slept in this bag at 32 degrees, sweated through a July night, and woke up dry after a leaky October rainstorm. Here's the long-term verdict from someone who camps, hunts, and doesn't baby his gear.

MalloMe Sleeping Bag Honest Review: Is It Worth It for Hunters and Weekend Campers?
Sleep Systems

MalloMe Sleeping Bag Honest Review: Is It Worth It for Hunters and Weekend Campers?

The spec sheet says 32 degrees. The Amazon listing looks sharp. But what happens when you drag it into a November deer camp at 27 degrees and expect it to perform? We found out.

10 Reasons a Mummy Sleeping Bag Beats a Rectangular Bag for Camping
Sleep Systems

10 Reasons a Mummy Sleeping Bag Beats a Rectangular Bag for Camping

Rectangular bags feel generous at home. They'll wake you up shivering at 3am. Here's why mummy-cut bags are the only thing worth packing if you actually sleep in the cold.

MalloMe Sleeping Bag vs Teton Sports Celsius: Budget Bag Showdown
Sleep Systems

MalloMe Sleeping Bag vs Teton Sports Celsius: Budget Bag Showdown

Two of the most popular budget sleeping bags in the same price bracket, compared spec by spec and tested on real trips. Here is what actually separates them in the field.

The Sleeping Bag That Got Me Through a 30-Degree Night in October
Sleeping Systems

The Sleeping Bag That Got Me Through a 30-Degree Night in October

I was skeptical of a budget sleeping bag rated to 32 degrees. Then I spent a night in the Smokies in October and found out exactly what it could handle.

How to Stay Warm Camping in Cold Weather (The Full System)
Sleep Systems

How to Stay Warm Camping in Cold Weather (The Full System)

Cold-weather camping comfort is a system, not a single piece of gear. Here is the exact setup I use to sleep comfortably down to freezing without spending a fortune.

Camp Stoves & Cooking

AOTU Backpacking Stove Review: 50+ Trips and Still Going Strong
Camp Cooking

AOTU Backpacking Stove Review: 50+ Trips and Still Going Strong

I bought this stove on a whim for a solo fishing trip in the Cascades. It weighed next to nothing, cost almost nothing, and fired up on the first push of the piezo every single time. Here is what three years of actual use looks like.

AOTU Backpacking Stove Honest Review: The $12 Stove That Punches Above Its Price
Camp Cooking

AOTU Backpacking Stove Honest Review: The $12 Stove That Punches Above Its Price

Most people buying this stove have never read the fine print on what kills a piezo igniter at altitude. I have. Here's what the listing doesn't tell you, and why I still carry this thing on almost every trip.

10 Reasons a Backpacking Stove Should Be in Every Camper's Kit
Camp Cooking

10 Reasons a Backpacking Stove Should Be in Every Camper's Kit

A two-burner propane rig is great at the campground. But once you move off the picnic table, you need something that fits in your fist and fires in the wind. Here's why a backpacking stove earns its spot in every pack.

AOTU Backpacking Stove vs Jetboil Flash: Budget vs Premium Camp Cooking
Camp Cooking

AOTU Backpacking Stove vs Jetboil Flash: Budget vs Premium Camp Cooking

The AOTU costs $12. The Jetboil Flash costs $120. We used both on real trips and broke down boil time, fuel consumption, pack weight, and field durability to find out if you're getting ten times the stove for ten times the price.

The Camp Stove That Saved Dinner at 10,000 Feet When Nothing Else Would
Camp Cooking

The Camp Stove That Saved Dinner at 10,000 Feet When Nothing Else Would

At altitude in late October, a cheap camp stove turned out to be the most reliable thing in my pack. Here is what happened when conditions got bad fast.

How to Cook Hot Meals Backpacking with a Lightweight Stove
Camp Cooking

How to Cook Hot Meals Backpacking with a Lightweight Stove

You don't need a rolling kitchen kit to eat well on the trail. Here's the exact system I use to cook real hot meals in the backcountry with a stove that fits in my shirt pocket.

Headlamps & Lighting

Blukar Headlamp Review: 2000 Lumens Tested on Trail, Camp, and Hunt
Lighting

Blukar Headlamp Review: 2000 Lumens Tested on Trail, Camp, and Hunt

I've run this rechargeable LED headlamp on night hikes, predawn hunting setups, camp chores, and a fishing trip where the battery died on a previous lamp at 2am. Here's what a full season of use actually looks like.

Blukar Headlamp Honest Review: What 20,000 Buyers Know That the Spec Sheet Hides
Lighting

Blukar Headlamp Honest Review: What 20,000 Buyers Know That the Spec Sheet Hides

The box says 2000 lumens. The reality is more complicated. After a full year of camps, hikes, predawn hunting setups, and night fishing trips, here is what I wish someone had told me before I bought this thing.

10 Reasons a Rechargeable Headlamp Beats a Battery Lantern for Camping
Lighting

10 Reasons a Rechargeable Headlamp Beats a Battery Lantern for Camping

Lanterns look good on the picnic table. But when you need your hands free at midnight, they're dead weight. Here's why I switched to a rechargeable headlamp and haven't looked back.

Blukar Headlamp vs Petzl Actik Core: Budget vs Name-Brand Compared
Lighting

Blukar Headlamp vs Petzl Actik Core: Budget vs Name-Brand Compared

The Blukar costs $16. The Petzl Actik Core is $80. Both are rechargeable, both are bright. I used them side by side on real trips and one winner was obvious from the first night.

The Headlamp That Lit the Trail at Midnight When I Needed It Most
Lighting

The Headlamp That Lit the Trail at Midnight When I Needed It Most

We underestimated the hike out. Darkness hit fast. Here's how a $16 rechargeable headlamp turned a potentially rough night in the woods into just another story from the trail.

How to Light Your Campsite and Night Hike with a Headlamp
Lighting

How to Light Your Campsite and Night Hike with a Headlamp

One good rechargeable headlamp covers camp chores, trail navigation, early-morning fishing, and dawn hunting setups. Here is the system I use to get the most out of mine.

Backpacks & Trail Gear

Teton 55L Scout Backpack Review: Hunting, Camping, and Hiking for a Full Season
Packs and Trail Gear

Teton 55L Scout Backpack Review: Hunting, Camping, and Hiking for a Full Season

I put the TETON Sports Scout 55L through a full season of whitetail hunting, three-day backpacking trips, and summer base camps. Here is what held up, what surprised me, and what I would do differently.

Teton Scout 55L Honest Review: What Hunters and Backpackers Need to Know
Packs and Trail Gear

Teton Scout 55L Honest Review: What Hunters and Backpackers Need to Know

The TETON Scout is priced under $100 for a 55L internal frame pack. After a full season putting miles on it, here is the real story on what it does well and exactly where it falls short.

10 Reasons an Internal Frame Backpack Beats a Daypack for Camping Trips
Packs and Trail Gear

10 Reasons an Internal Frame Backpack Beats a Daypack for Camping Trips

Daypacks are fine for a trail sandwich and a water bottle. Once you're sleeping out, you need a real pack behind you. Here's why the TETON Scout 55L changed how I do overnight trips.

Teton Scout 55L vs Osprey Atmos AG 65: Budget Pack vs Premium Pack Compared
Packs

Teton Scout 55L vs Osprey Atmos AG 65: Budget Pack vs Premium Pack Compared

The short answer: not for most people. The TETON Scout 55L carries gear competently, fits generously, and costs around $91. The Osprey Atmos AG 65 is $280 and delivers a genuinely better suspension. Here is when each one actually makes sense.

The Backpack That Carried Everything on a Three-Day Deer Hunt
Packs and Trail Gear

The Backpack That Carried Everything on a Three-Day Deer Hunt

I pushed into the backcountry with a full camp kit, a hunting pack, and whatever I might need to haul out a deer. The Teton Scout 55L didn't complain once.

How to Pack a 55L Backpack for a Camping Weekend (Without Leaving Anything Critical Behind)
Pack and Trail Gear

How to Pack a 55L Backpack for a Camping Weekend (Without Leaving Anything Critical Behind)

55 liters sounds like plenty until you're standing in your garage with gear piled everywhere and a trip that starts in two hours. Here is the exact packing order and kit list that gets you out the door clean and comes back to camp with nothing missing.

All Reviews

CORE Dome Tent Review: 18 Months of Family Camping with One Tent
Shelter

CORE Dome Tent Review: 18 Months of Family Camping with One Tent

We've set this tent up in muddy campgrounds, survived two real thunderstorms in it, and broken camp in the dark more than once. Here is what 18 months of hard family use taught us about the CORE dome tent.

CORE Dome Tent: Honest Review from a Weekend Hunter Who Camps Year-Round
Shelter

CORE Dome Tent: Honest Review from a Weekend Hunter Who Camps Year-Round

Nobody tells you about the stake quality, the rainfly overlap gap, or how this tent handles a 40-mph front. I will.

MalloMe Sleeping Bag Review: Two Years of Three-Season Camping
Sleep Systems

MalloMe Sleeping Bag Review: Two Years of Three-Season Camping

We've slept in this bag at 32 degrees, sweated through a July night, and woke up dry after a leaky October rainstorm. Here's the long-term verdict from someone who camps, hunts, and doesn't baby his gear.

MalloMe Sleeping Bag Honest Review: Is It Worth It for Hunters and Weekend Campers?
Sleep Systems

MalloMe Sleeping Bag Honest Review: Is It Worth It for Hunters and Weekend Campers?

The spec sheet says 32 degrees. The Amazon listing looks sharp. But what happens when you drag it into a November deer camp at 27 degrees and expect it to perform? We found out.

AOTU Backpacking Stove Review: 50+ Trips and Still Going Strong
Camp Cooking

AOTU Backpacking Stove Review: 50+ Trips and Still Going Strong

I bought this stove on a whim for a solo fishing trip in the Cascades. It weighed next to nothing, cost almost nothing, and fired up on the first push of the piezo every single time. Here is what three years of actual use looks like.

AOTU Backpacking Stove Honest Review: The $12 Stove That Punches Above Its Price
Camp Cooking

AOTU Backpacking Stove Honest Review: The $12 Stove That Punches Above Its Price

Most people buying this stove have never read the fine print on what kills a piezo igniter at altitude. I have. Here's what the listing doesn't tell you, and why I still carry this thing on almost every trip.

Blukar Headlamp Review: 2000 Lumens Tested on Trail, Camp, and Hunt
Lighting

Blukar Headlamp Review: 2000 Lumens Tested on Trail, Camp, and Hunt

I've run this rechargeable LED headlamp on night hikes, predawn hunting setups, camp chores, and a fishing trip where the battery died on a previous lamp at 2am. Here's what a full season of use actually looks like.

Blukar Headlamp Honest Review: What 20,000 Buyers Know That the Spec Sheet Hides
Lighting

Blukar Headlamp Honest Review: What 20,000 Buyers Know That the Spec Sheet Hides

The box says 2000 lumens. The reality is more complicated. After a full year of camps, hikes, predawn hunting setups, and night fishing trips, here is what I wish someone had told me before I bought this thing.

Teton 55L Scout Backpack Review: Hunting, Camping, and Hiking for a Full Season
Packs and Trail Gear

Teton 55L Scout Backpack Review: Hunting, Camping, and Hiking for a Full Season

I put the TETON Sports Scout 55L through a full season of whitetail hunting, three-day backpacking trips, and summer base camps. Here is what held up, what surprised me, and what I would do differently.

Teton Scout 55L Honest Review: What Hunters and Backpackers Need to Know
Packs and Trail Gear

Teton Scout 55L Honest Review: What Hunters and Backpackers Need to Know

The TETON Scout is priced under $100 for a 55L internal frame pack. After a full season putting miles on it, here is the real story on what it does well and exactly where it falls short.

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