As someone who camps in the Canadian wilderness four seasons of the year, I can tell you that one of the most important pieces of outdoor clothing is your mid layer. Mid layers go between your base layer and your outer layer, and are typically made of fleece, wool, or down—but they can also be …
Contact lenses are easy enough to apply and remove when you have access to modern amenities like a full-sized mirror, indoor lighting, and running water and soap. But when you’re out backpacking or camping, it can be a lot trickier. I often wear my glasses just out of personal preferences, but there have been trips …
If I had it my way, I’d go camping a lot more than I do now. But alas, real life doesn’t work that way. Besides having to actually maintain a job to make a living, planning and preparing for camping trips also takes a lot of time and energy. How often we go camping As …
The best thing about camping is you get to camp in all sorts of different environments. New environments often mean new terrain, including a more solid ground that isn’t as easy to stake a tent into compared to a softer ground like grass, sand, or dirt. Your standard stakes may not be strong enough or …
Sleeping bag liners are an optional piece of sleep gear that can be added to a sleeping bag. They basically look like a thin sheet of fabric in the same shape of a sleeping bag so that they can fit right inside. Once placed inside your sleeping bag, you can get in and go to …
Camping gear can be expensive. If you’re planning to camp on a budget, you’ll want to know when the best time of year to buy camping gear is, and ideally when it goes on sale. Elise and I have spent far more money on gear than we’d like to admit, but we’ve gotten pretty good …
A canoe is an incredible vessel that can take you places you never thought possible. But when your journey takes you beyond the reach of the water, you’ll need to know how to portage your canoe. What does it mean to “portage” a canoe? Portaging is the act of carrying your canoe overland from one …
You might already know about four-season tents, but what in the world is a five-season tent? Five-season tents, explained A five-season tent is basically designed to withstand more extreme winter weather conditions than a four-season tent. Four-season tents are ideal for winter camping, but for severe weather and harsh conditions that you might see in …
For most people who get into camping, one of the first things to figure out is a tent and sleep system But understanding the difference between a three-season vs. four-season tent can be confusing when you start getting into the details. What is a 3-season tent vs. a 4-season tent? On the most basic level, …
You’ve heard of three-season tents… but what is a four-season tent? And do you really need one? “Four-season” suggests that it can be used no matter what time of the year it is. But what does that actually mean? What makes a tent 4-season? A four-season tent is typically made with thicker, more durable fabric than …