I spent the last four months putting ten of the most popular trail running shoes through their paces on rocky singletrack, muddy forest paths, and gravel rail trails here in the Pacific Northwest. I logged more than 280 miles across technical terrain, logged weather conditions ranging from 38-degree rainstorms to dry summer dust, and ran … Read more
If you have ever finished a long descent with aching knees and sworn you would never do that trail again, you already understand why we spent three months testing the best hiking poles on the market. Trekking poles take the brunt of downhill impact off your joints and distribute it across your arms and shoulders, … Read more
Last summer, our family of four spent a rainy weekend in a tent that was technically rated for six people. We still woke up with shoulders pressed against the rainfly. That is when I realized “4 person tent” is one of the most misleading labels in outdoor gear. The best 4 person tents on the … Read more
I have spent more weekends than I can count crammed into a damp dome with three kids, a wet dog, and a sleeping bag that refuses to zip. That experience is exactly why I became obsessed with finding the best 6 person tents that actually deliver on the promises the marketing makes. Here is the … Read more
I pulled our family’s camping gear out of storage last spring and realized something. After fifteen years of synthetic dome tents, the smell of damp nylon and a bent fiberglass pole had worn me down. That weekend I drove three hours to test a friend’s canvas wall tent at his hunting camp. The difference was … Read more
I’ll never forget the first time I tried to pitch a traditional tent at our family reunion. My husband and I spent 45 minutes wrestling with crossed poles while our kids whined about needing the bathroom. By the time we got it up, our neighbors were already roasting marshmallows. That was the night I started … Read more
I’m 6’3″, and the first time I tried to sleep on a regular camping cot at a state park, my feet hung off the end by nearly three inches. My knees pressed against a crossbar the entire night. I spent the next two years researching, borrowing, and testing overnight cots built for taller sleepers, and … Read more
There is something special about a hot meal at the campsite after a long day outside. I learned this the hard way on a family trip to the mountains when our cheap stove gave up halfway through dinner. That weekend sent me down a rabbit hole of testing cooking gear, and I have been collecting … Read more
If you have ever woken up shivering at 3 AM with a frozen backside in your hammock, you already know why people search for the best hammock underquilts. That miserable, teeth-chattering experience has a name in the hammock camping community: cold butt syndrome. It happens because your body weight compresses whatever insulation is underneath you, … Read more
A few years ago, I bought my first whole brisket from a local farm and quickly learned that my everyday kitchen knife was not up to the job. Slicing through that much meat with the wrong blade left me with jagged cuts, a tired wrist, and a real appreciation for anyone who breaks down animals … Read more