


The Best Deals on Holiday Gifts for Your Outdoorsy Loved Ones
With the holidays just around the corner, it’s time to shop for the most important people in your life. And if you’re like most people, you’d rather avoid going in the hole this December, which can take a lot of digging for deals and strategizing your purchases.

Seven Day-Hiking Essentials
I’m as guilty as anyone of obsessing over gear. I geek out about reviews and pride myself in having the right pair of skis for every condition (read: too many). But in 28 years of playing outside, working in outdoor retail, and as Outside’s former video production manager, I’ve learned that it’s not …

Why Every Hiker Should Take A Wilderness First Aid Course
Wound Management While wounds are a pretty common and often less serious injury, but in the backcountry things can swiftly change. Learning how to …

Here’s What’s in Pro Backpacker Andrew Skurka’s Pack
Andrew Skurka surely has one of the world’s best jobs: He’s essentially a professional backpacker. Or adventurer, maybe. When he’s not writing books …

7 Pro Tips For Keeping Your Backpacking Gear Dry
By Michael Lanza From the rainforest of the North Cascades and Olympic National Park to New England, from the Tour du Mont Blanc to New Zealand (lead …

The ultralight experiment of 2017
This year, for the first time, I have completed a long-distance hike with an ultralight pack. Here’s how I did it, and why for me it’s only one tool …

The Awesome Truth About Compression Socks
When your short hikes are breezy 10-milers, and you rack up 30+ miles each and every weekend, you tend to get picky about what you put on your feet. …

16 Camping Dos and Don’ts
This post was originally written by Brendan Leonard and published in the NFF’s magazine, Your National Forests. DO be aware when you’re traveling in …

FAMILY CAMPING: Getting started
Camping is cool. Sleeping in a tent provides you with freedom, adventure and the chance to get closer to nature – and it’s great value for money. It …

The 8 best things I packed to save space during my 2-week backpacking trip through Europe
The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you’ll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase. Packing a suitcase is not my strong suit. If I’m being honest, I’m terrible at it. I always have efficient, minimalist intentions when I …

Washing Clothes in the Wild
Who knew washing clothes in the wilderness could be so easy? All you need is a ziplock bag, water and some detergent. Watch as Corey Buhay shows you …

Top Outdoor Blogs You Can Read For Inspiration in 2017
Mike Hanback has a passion for hunting whitetails and mule deer. He has been hunting since the age of 6. He targets ten states and two Canadian …

Top 12 Camping Tips
Ensure quality sleep A good sleeping pad will totally transform your sleep. If you have a spacious tent, a raised camp cot will also make for a …

The 7 Core Principles of Leave No Trace
• Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you’ll visit.<br>• Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.<br>• Schedule your trip to avoid …

16 Backcountry Hygiene Tips Everyone Should Know
The expert: Amanda “Not A Chance” Timeoni has hiked 14,500 miles since she started counting in 2009, including four laps of the Pacific Crest Trail. …

Things Hikers and Campers Should Know About Fire Safety
Summer is nearly over, but that doesn’t mean that you should pack up the tents and sleeping bags just yet. End of summer camping trips are a …

The Best Summer Festival Gear
To achieve peak festival fun, make sure to pack smart. “Things like a chair might sound like a good idea, but they’re a hassle to carry around all day,” says Sharif Zawaideh, the operations manager for the Pilgrimage Festival in Nashville, Tennessee. Zawaideh’s packing advice? “Think of it like …

How to Leave No Trace on your 2017 Solar Eclipse Camping Trip
Pin Me! On Monday, August 21st, 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible across the entire contiguous United States. It is being referred to as the Great …

Pack It In, Pack It Out: Lessons from Backpacking with Llamas
Pack animals make wilderness glamping possible The folding table turned out to be a bridge too far. Each of the llamas was supposed to be able to …

How to Dominate a Day Hike (Even If You’ve Never Stepped Foot on a Trail)
Oh, the great outdoors. It seems as though everyone’s finally starting to understand how great Mother Nature actually is. Or at least, young people are. According to this recent report, 12.5 million kids, teens, and young adults in the U.S. are stepping away from screens and into the wilderness …

How to Buy a Knife That’ll Last the Rest of Your Life
A knife is the fundamental tool for the outdoorsperson for many reasons. It’ll help you start a fire. It’ll help you build a shelter. It’ll help you make dinner. It might keep you alive. A knife is also incredibly simple—a sharpened piece of metal with a handle on it—which means it should last …

Video: How to Pack for a Day Hike
When it comes to packing for a day on the trail, there is a certain art to getting everything you need inside your pack and organized for ease of …

5 Military Rucking Rules Every Backpacker Should Know
The military has spent years studying the best way to move under a load (aka “rucking”). Here are 5 military rucking rules that translate well to …