Have backpackers on your Christmas list? Well, here are 12 stocking stuffers that will keep you on their nice list. Even if you are not a backpacker, there’s a gift idea or three on this list that will bring a smile Christmas morning and for years to come to that…
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Being outdoors in winter brings its own special pleasures. The quiet and solitude of the backcountry is palpable. The natural environment is more personal. Writer Alan Kesselhelm captured it in his description of the experience of skiing across his native Montana countryside. I ski toward the mountains in the gray…
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I need a good pillow. I have the vertebrae shape of a snorkel. Maybe it is from a life lived fully…and foolishly, but the days of sleeping on the ground using a jacket or rolled pair of smelly jeans for a pillow are as over as me being able to…
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I remember an Alaska fishing trip where my group was flown into the headwaters of a remote river and floated for 10 days. We were totally self-sustained and had planned for every contingency; extra patch kits for the rafts, a robust first aid kit, satellite phone and MRE’s (Meals Ready…
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Living and hiking in bear country is a blessing, not a curse. Bears, especially the American Grizzly is a symbol of the wild and untamed wilderness and isn’t that the reason we hike and camp? Our passion for the outdoors is deeply rooted in our innate need to connect with…
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Glacier National Park is located in northwest Montana and was established in 1910. The park shares a border with Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park. There are many trails to choose from in Glacier National Park, but I want to tell you about one in particular that epitomizes the magic of…
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A single-walled tent has one layer of material – usually water-resistant or waterproof. A double-walled tent has two layers of material, an inner breathable layer and a rainproof fly. The decision about whether to buy a single-walled tent or a double-walled tent is largely a matter of tent weight. The…
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“Our public lands- whether a national park or monument, wildlife refuge, forest or prairie- make each one of us land-rich. It is our inheritance as citizens of a country called America.” – Terry Tempest Williams. Whether it is the Izembek Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, Monomoy Refuge in Massachusetts, Bears Ears…
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Fishing may be your reason for hiking into the high country or it may be just an added bonus. If trout are in your crosshairs, chances are you have a packable rod, reel and a few favorite essential flies or lures that always accompany you while backpacking. But, if catching…
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If you’re an occasional hiker – much less a frequent one – you’re going to get rained on from time to time. Some parts of the country like the Pacific Northwest are famously wet. Some parts of the country feature a regular afternoon thunder shower at certain times of the…
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The Beaten Path is a trail in south Montana connecting the Wilderness around the town of Cooke City with the East Rosebud, a drainage on the eastern slope of the Beartooth Mountains. The Beartooths are some of the most biologically diverse mountains on earth and the Beaten Path crosses over…
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In recent years, Yellowstone National Park has broken annual attendance records and 2016 was no exception with the park receiving 4.2 million visitors. Most of them only experience the grandeur of our nation’s oldest national park through a windshield. A few visitors take to some of the 900 miles of…
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A backpacking tarp shelter is sometimes overlooked as an essential piece of gear for backpackers. However, their usefulness is quite versatile, with uses such as a rain fly, a sun shade, or even a tarp tent. If you pack ultralight and prefer to sleep out in the open, a tarp…
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A good, serviceable backpacking first aid kit and the basic knowledge of how to use it are essential gear and preparation for any outdoor activity. Minor cuts and scrapes, blisters, sore muscles, chafing from poorly fitting clothing, these are all common occurrences on any camping tips or even a day…
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An outdoor vest may be the most practical and utilitarian piece of clothing in your outdoor wardrobe. Most vests are lightweight and washable. Some have mesh backs to keep you cool in the summer. Depending on the number and size of pockets, you can carry your phone, tablet, camera, binoculars,…
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Beyond the absolute essentials like shelter, sleeping bag, and food, a good backpacking multi-tool may be the most useful piece of outdoor gear that will accompany you. What’s more, a multi-tool’s usefulness and practicality is not limited to the outdoors. They are a one-stop tool kit for the home, office…
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From time-to-time Savage Camper likes to “go technical” and investigate the actual materials that go into the gear we use and recommend. What, for example, is Cuben Fiber (now known as Dyneema®). What is ripstop nylon and what makes it better than regular nylon? A big development gaining momentum is…
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Use your smartphone to identity the names of trees using a photo of a leaf. Don’t just watch birds, listen to them sing. Show you kids the stars and constellations in the night sky on your next camping trip. Create your own hiking trail and share it with friends and…
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Outfitter Kurt Wedberg is the founder of Sierra Mountaineering International. He leads mountain climbing trips to legendary natural areas all over the world including Mount Whitney in the U.S., Mount Everest in Nepal, and Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. Here’s one of his Facebook posts from a recent climb of Kilimanjaro……
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Some years ago, you rarely saw a hiker using trekking poles. If you did it was reason enough to stop, take notice and maybe ask some questions. Today, the use of trekking poles is common. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy estimates that trekking pole wielding hikers vary from ninety percent for thru…
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With all the modern day handheld tech gadgets, I almost never run across backpackers these days without them. Still an issue though, is limited battery storage and weight. Fortunately, recharging technology has also come a long way. Keep on reading for 4 different backpacking solar chargers that are popular which…
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Have you ever considered a down camping quilt instead of a traditional sleeping bag for your backpacking and camping sleeping system? Maybe it’s about time you did. The basic idea in the quilt vs sleeping bag debate is that down efficiently uses trapped air to keep you warm. Down sleeping…
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If you go to Amazon’s Best Selling Two-Way Radios, the Motorola MH230R Talkabout Two-Way Radio will invariably pop up in one of the top positions, frequently as the Number 1 Best Selling Two Way Radio. That has been the case for years, and for good reason. The Motorola 23-mile range…
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A bivy sack (short for bivouac sack) is a shelter option for campers who want to enhance their outdoor experience by sleeping as directly as possible in the natural environment with no tent between them and the stars. Bivvies are more camper friendly in situations where the length of the…
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Hammocks for camping provide a lightweight, inexpensive alternative to tents. The nice thing about hammocks is, if there are places to tie off, the ground does not have to be level. Rocks and tree roots do not present obstacles. You can string up a hammock between trees or rocks. A…
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Hiking pants for both men and women have a variety of features ranging from zippers just above the knee that allow long pants to be converted to shorts, to small holes in the crotch that improve ventilation. Picking and choosing among these features to suit your own needs is a…
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Cuben fiber fabric, now called Dyneema Composite Fabrics, was originally used for sails on the winner of the 1992 America’s Cup held May 9-16 in San Diego, California. Skippered by billionaire Bill Koch, the winning yacht was America3 or America “cubed.” hence the name “Cuben.” The fabric is now officially known…
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Most people prefer a pack that holds a little more gear than they actually need. An oversize pack allows you to go with the seven to nine pounds for three-season hiking but scale up to 13 pounds for winter. It also allows you to add more food and to accommodate…
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There are some outdoor gear testers outfitters with a large following on YouTube who can be heard saying, “If you have the right hiking pants and the right hiking footgear, you really don’t need gaiters.” The comeback answer to those gaiter-doubters is that more than likely they have not been…
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If you are fortunate enough to be camping in winter you’re going to want to sleep in a tent that is up to the responsibility. Winter camping tents are known as “four season” tents to distinguish them from “three season” tents that tend to be lighter and cooler. Here are…
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