Putting a tarp under your tent is needed for several reasons, most of all it is to make your tent bottom last longer and cleaner. Should you bring one? Yes! Here is why. it does not matter if you are camping on a camp site or stuck out in the middle of the woods. A tarp or tarpaulin underneath your tent makes sense in any situation. You have several different options to choose from when looking for one. In this article I will share my different favorite ways and how to make one yourself on the cheap! Added protection from sharp stones and abrasion This is the main reason that…

Getting a good nights sleep is very important when out hiking, a good sleeping pad is a big part of this. In this article I go over the different options out there. Whether you are going to sleep under a tarp, a tent or in a bivy bag or hammock. A sleeping pad will make a big difference on the comfort and cold insulation from the ground or air in a hammock. How to choose a sleeping pad for hiking You have a bunch of different options to choose from and they can be split up in the following order: Self inflating style sleeping pads Self Contained inflating style sleeping…

You could just crawl into your sleeping bag while out hiking, but there are some steps that you can take to make your night more comfortable and the mornings easier. In this article I will go over the steps that I always take while hiking with a tent or even staying in a hostel with noisy Pilgrims. And some of the stuff that I have seen from fellow hikers and backpackers. Getting to camp and setting up After a long day of hiking the first thing you want to do is plop down and take a rest. I say take that rest but don’t overdue it. The longer you sit…

Water and rain are the enemy while out hiking and backpacking. If your sleeping bag gets soaked your in for a tough and dangerous night. In this article we will cover protecting your gear from rain and water. Hiking is an outdoor activity, unsurprisingly you can get wet while exposed to the elements. Keeping your gear dry is essential to keeping your hiking trip fun and safe. It is true that at some point after a week of solid rain you will never be truly dry. But there are certain steps and precautions you can take to minimizing it as much as possible. Sort of backpack It depends on the…

Getting your backpack and gear straightened out is one thing, but being consistent in repacking it and your gear everyday can be a challenge. Here is how I always repack my backpack while on multi day hiking trips. Once you have your entire gear list straightened out and squared away after a couple of outings it is important that you remain consistent in repacking it everyday. When you do not do this and stuff everything in your backpack the following day you will have a tougher time setting up camp, reaching gear you need when you need it and you will be slower than everyone else getting up and going…