6 Trip Ideas for Adventurous Family Camping
Have a motivated little backpacker or climber? Try these family adventure ideas.
Thru-Hiking Stoves: DIY or Buy?
The hole punch sank its teeth into the aluminum side of a cat food can, chewing a hole through the wall. My ventilation system was complete. I’d just created a “cat stove”–a do-it-yourself backpacking stove–while sitting in a dank motel room along the Appalachian Trail. With a little bit of denatured alcohol, I had a new way to cook my food, and it only weighed a few ounces. After hiking for several weeks with a wood-fueled stove, I made the discovery that some environments are incompatible with wood-burning stove systems, and that in a well-trafficked corridor like the Appalachian Trail, it isn’t always ethical to collect wood anyway. These findings prompted me to observe other backpacking stoves when hikers gathered at the shelter for dinner. Some hopeful thru-hikers lugged around…
Budgeting for Your Next Thru-Hike
Budgeting isn’t glamorous, but it is necessary to every successful thru-hike. Here’s a full breakdown of what to plan for.
Backcountry Dog Etiquette Tips for Winter
Things to consider before you take your K9 companion into the backcountry.
9 Tips for Staying Warm While Winter Camping
Use these pro tips and tricks to keep the cold at bay and enjoy the experience to the fullest.
How to Get Kids Excited About Snowshoeing
Polar explorer Eric Larsen shares his key strategies for building fun into every adventure.
5 Awesome Alternatives to Ski Resorts This Winter
Let’s face it: resort skiing can be great, but it’s not for everyone (or the planet). With single-day lift tickets cracking the $200 mark and mile-long parking and lift lines at many mountains, maybe—just MAYBE—sitting in a dank, humid lodge or getting turned away at the parking lot just aren’t on your to-do list for this year. Lucky for us, winter is a total playground and there are a ton of alternatives to ski resorts for winter fun. Here’s a quick reminder of some fun to be had that doesn’t involve a chair lift. Snowshoeing I know, big surprise coming from MSR, but snowshoeing is arguably the easiest and most accessible way to embrace winter away from the crowds. You can literally go anywhere there is snow. A good dump…
Best Gifts for the Outdoors Under 1 Pound
Gearheads can be hard to shop for (speaking for the many gearheads at MSR, including myself). But generally, if you choose a gear gift that’s light and high-quality you’ll hit a home run. We wanted to make your holiday shopping as easy as possible this year, so we’ve compiled a list of all our favorite gear that’s under a pound and sure to delight even the most discerning of outdoorspeople. E-Bivy™ Minimum Weight: 6 oz. Price: $199.95 The E-Bivy is some people’s emergency plan and other people’s shelter of choice—we’re here for both. Tiny enough to throw in any pack and weather-resistant for protection when you need it, the E-Bivy is a great gift for everyone who spends time in the backcountry. Thru-Hiker 70 Wing Minimum Weight: 12 oz. Price: $189.95…
Furoshiki: Easy, Sustainable Gift Wrap for the Holidays and Beyond
It’s that time of year again—already. Just like clockwork, your local retail outlets are switching over from the Halloween decorations they put up right after Labor Day to the fancy glitz of Christmas, Kwanza, Hannukah, Solstice, and any number of other winter-themed holidays before the last Jack-o-Lantern has even gone out. While we’re in party mode, attending holiday gatherings, eating too much food and hopefully getting in those first few turns or pitches of ice climbing, a darker side to the holidays emerges, and it’s not just because the sun is setting at 3:30 pm. Gifts of Garbage That’s right, as much as you love them, you must admit that the holidays are a pretty wasteful time of year—it has been estimated that the average American’s waste stream goes up…