What is Magnetic Declination? Technically speaking, the earth has two Norths: the magnetic north and true north. The true north, also known as the Geographic North, is the
Compass Basics Let’s start with a little bit of trivia… Did you know that the compass is one of the “Four Great Inventions” of Ancient
The Origins of the Compass The first magnetic compasses were invented by the Chinese during the Han Dynasty or Tang Dynasty and were used for
To make a compass, you must first magnetize a needle by rubbing its endpoint with a magnet about fifty to a hundred times. Next, flip the magnet over and use the opposite side to magnetize the other end of the needle. Finally, push the needle into a piece of cork or cardboard, place it on water, and observe as your makeshift compass aligns itself with the Earth’s magnetic field.
If you’re in the northern hemisphere, hold your wristwatch horizontally and point the hour hand directly towards the sun. The middle point between the hour hand and the twelve o’clock marker is true south. If you’re in the southern hemisphere, hold the twelve o’clock marker towards the sun instead. True north should be at the midpoint between the twelve o’clock marker and the hour hand.
How to Triangulate Your Position Triangulating your position is relatively easy. It mainly requires a good pair of eyes, a reliable map, a trusty compass,
The Three Different Norths If you’ve never explored the world of maps and the technical jargon that comes with the territory, you could be forgiven
Two Methods of Orienting a Map Map reading is a foundational skill of land navigation that allows you to use what you see on the
What Do They Mean? As mentioned above, the terms azimuth, bearing, heading, and course are often—and incorrectly—used interchangeably. Below, we’ve included a short definition of
Losing your way while hiking in unfamiliar terrain is no joke. And yet, every year, it’s something that happens to thousands of hikers while out
The Best Wood Burning Camp Stove Lixada Camping Stove When you have a simplistic product that provides one of the best performances without all the
Best Windproof Lighter for Hiking & Camping Zippo Chrome Lighters Best Windproof Lighter Zippo is a well-known American lighter company, and its common knowledge that
Choosing a new backpack for a Scout backpacker is a critical and expensive decision. Our guide is here to help you choose the right boy scout backpack.
Overall Best Backpacking Towel – REI MultiTowel Lite While all six of these are great options for outdoor lovers of all kinds, and each has
Looking for the best backpacking saw? We give the rundown on what to consider when purchasing a backpacking saw & let you in on six of our favorites.
Narrowing down your selection from the best backpacking axe and hatchets doesn’t have to be difficult with our in-depth reviews and comparisons.
Choosing the Best Backpacking Fishing Pole can be tricky as you balance weight & performance. We rank several contenders in our in-depth review
In conjunction or instead of a rain jacket, taking a Backpacking Rain Poncho out in wet weather is a good idea. Find out the Best Hiking Poncho in our guide.
Making the switch from regular to hammock camping can be a dawdle with our handy guide of do’s and don’ts…
Learn how to keep yourself and your hammock pitch dry on any trip in our tutorial, featuring a selection of easy-to-do, practical, and functional hammock rain tarp configurations.
Photo by Gronkca / CC BY 2.0 Eagle Nest Outfitters Housefly Overview If you’re a hammock enthusiast, you know the joy of sleeping beneath the
Photo by Oisin Patenall / CC BY-SA 2.0 Overall Best Hammock Tarp Weighing in at only 10 oz., the Kammok Kuhli Pro Shelter is the
Top Pick: Best Hammock Straps Kammok Python Hammock Strap Kammock’s Python 10 feet long straps came out on top in terms of usability, durability, versatility,
There are times when it’s not possible to find two trees or posts that are perfectly spaced to suspend your hammock. This has been an
Best Portable Hammock Stand Kammok Swiftlet Hammock Stand The Kammok Swiftlet Hammock Stand does not top our list in any one category but consistently gets
Overall Winner: Best Sleeping Pad for Hammock Klymit Hammock V Sleeping Pad If you want a hammock sleeping pad that provides comfort from every perspective,
Photo by Gronkca / CC BY 2.0 Overall Winner Best Hammock Underquilt ENO Vulcan Hammock Underquilt To make sure you do not have to worry
All-Around Best Sleeping Bag for Hammock Camping Outdoor Vitals Aerie In the debate between sleeping bags and top quilts, the Aerie manages to split the
Overall Winner: Best Hammock Bug Net Outdoor Vitals Ultralight Hammock Bug Net Keep the bugs at bay, with the Outdoor Vitals hammock bug net, which
The Equip Portable Hammock is ideal for travelers, campers, and hikers who are looking for a fast, affordable, and comfortable place to nap and relax
Review of the Fox Outfitters Neolite Hammock The humble hammock has undergone something of a renaissance in the world of modern camping. Camping hammocks are
Best Beach Hammock Legit Camping – Double Hammock The Legit’s hammock sits at or near the top of our list in so many different categories,
Photo by Dan4th Nicholas / CC BY 2.0 Best Portable Folding Hammock Bliss Hammocks Portable Hammock with Stand The Bliss Hammocks Q-806BJR Stow EZ Portable
Best Air Lounger Chillbo Shwaggins Inflatable Couch The Chillbo Shwaggins Inflatable Couch is the premier product on our list with some of the best all-around
Photo by chas B / CC BY 2.0 Our Favorite Hammock Explorer Deluxe XL Series The Hennessy Hammock Explorer Deluxe Zip XL is our best
Overall Winner: Best Hammock for Big Guys Eagles Nest Outfitters DoubleNest Our choice for the best overall hammock for big guys is the ENO DoubleNest
Photo by Wendy Berry / CC BY 2.0 Best Camping Hammock with Mosquito Net ENO JungleNest Hammock If you want to guarantee yourself a good
Hanging a hammock can be a relatively straightforward process with the right gear, tools & know-how – make sure you possess all of the above with our guide.
Hanging a hammock is pretty straightforward when you’ve got two trees on hand – but what about when you don’t? We demonstrate multiple solutions for on the trail or at home.
8 Tips for Hammock Camping with Dogs Preparation Starts at Home One of the first things you wanna do is take a trial test at
The Different Types of Knots for Hanging a Hammock While tree straps make it easy to hang a hammock, the more you hammock camp, the
Taking good care of your hammock means give it the occasional clean – we take you how to wash a hammock 3 different ways.
In this tutorial, we teach you how to use hammock straps of varying types to hang your hammock in different ways and different situations.
Best Hydro Flask Alternative Klean Kanteen Classic 32oz Water Bottle The Klean Kanteen Classic water bottle does numerous things exceptionally well, but few meet the
Best Double Camping Cot Ivation EZ Bed The Ivation EZ Bed double camping cot meets or exceeds most of the critical factors when choosing this
Best SUV Tent Ozark Trail 5-Person SUV Tent If you want to pick the best SUV tent and run with it, the Ozark Trail 5-Person SUV
Preventing water seep through your tent’s seams couldn’t be simpler with our pick for the Best Tent Seam Sealer – See who came out on top.
Best Tent Poles Green Elephant Telescoping Tent Poles The Green Elephant Telescoping Tent Poles outperform the other entries on our list in many categories, with
Many camping tents weren’t made with tall folk in mind, so we’ve pulled together our list of the best tents for tall people so you’ll never have to stoop again.
Overall Winner “Best Teepee Tent” Winteral Teepee Tent It wasn’t easy, but we’re taking a stand and choosing the Winterial six-seven person Teepee as the
Our Top Pick: Best Tent Fan Geek Aire Camping Fan When comparing craftsmanship, airflow, versatility, and durability, Geek Aire Fan is our overall winner and
Pitching your tent on awkward terrain (hard ground, snow, sand) can be difficult if you don’t have the best tent stakes for the job – check out which brands do which best….
Overall Winner “Best Survival Tent” Snugpak The Ionosphere In terms of sheer quality and reliability, the competition is not even close as the Snugpak The
Best Shower Tent Ozark Trail Instant 2-Room Shower Tent The Ozark Trail Instant 2-Room Shower Tent comes out on top as the best shower tent in
Mountainsmith Cottonwood 6 Person Best 6 Person Tent The Mountainsmith Cottonwood shares plenty of the top traits with a couple of its competitors, but one
Overall Winner: Best 12 Person Tent NTK Super Arizona GT 12 Person Tent The NTK Super Arizona GT tops our list thanks to a combination
OVERALL WINNER: Best 10 Person Tent Columbia Mammoth Creek 10-Person Cabin Tent This large family tent truly has it all. Style, quality, functionality, and practicality
Overall Winner ALPS Mountaineering Meramac 5-Person Tent The ALPS Mountaineering Meramac 5 person tent checks pretty much every box that the overwhelming majority of people
Our Pick – Best 8 Person Tent NTK Laredo GT 8 to 9-Person Tent During our research, we came across some great tents, but the
Buyers Guide to Choosing the Best Sleeping Bag for You Most Scouts have at least one sleeping bag stored in their closet. Unfortunately, some of
Down sleeping bags have a lot of advantages over synthetic bags. Down is lighter and provides more insulation. Unfortunately, down loses its insulating value when it gets wet. So most units discourage Scouts from using down products. However, a recent breakthrough in how duck down is processed will make down sleeping bags a lot more acceptable to Scout leaders. And families are going to want to buy them for high adventure outings.
Best Sleeping Bag for Tall Man TETON Sports Celsius XXL Sleeping Bag The TETON Sports Celsius XXL sleeping bag is our overall winner offering a
Overview of the ENO Doublenest Hammock Review Backpackers understand the problem of fitting everything into a pack for a trip that runs past more than
The Chillax Double Travel Hammock Reviewed The Chillax Travel Hammock stands out because it’s made from lightweight, breathable parachute silk that is also water-resistant. This
Whether you’re an avid backpacker, enjoy hammock camping, or a back yard hammock enthusiast, it’s essential to know the differences in hammocks that make one
The ENO Singlenest is one of the best-known models of hammocks in the outdoors world. The company, started in 1999, has built a reputation for
Overview of the Bear Butt Double Parachute Camping Hammock The Bear Butt hammock is packed with features and benefits for you as serious outdoorsmen and
Best Camping Knife – Editors Choice Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife Much like the eponymous survivalist himself, the Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife is excellent
Best Knife for Backpacking The Spyderco Delica 4″ Most people wouldn’t be surprised that the Spyderco Delica 4 is the best backpacking knife. You mention
When packing light, having a single tool that can do many jobs is a boon. We review & give our recommendation as to the best multitool for backpacking.
On the fourth day of a 50 miler, the group was interrupted by a boy loudly complaining about intense pain in his stomach. The adult leader, assuming appendicitis, frantically hiked to the nearest ranger station and arranged for a helicopter evacuation. When the boy finally arrived at the hospital emergency room, a quick examination by doctors revealed the problem and the Scoutmaster was dead wrong in his diagnosis.
Best Backpacking Thermometer Sun Company Outsider While other backpacking thermometers might be more “advanced,” most of them provide functions that few hikers or campers need.
Best Power Bank for Backpacking Best Power Bank for Backpacking Jackery Bolt 6000 mAh By far the best quality of the Jackery Bolt is its
How To Stay Safe: The Ultimate Guide To Hiking Safety The number of things that can go wrong during a hike or backpacking trip runs
Let there be light! We take the ambiguity out of choosing the best flashlight for your next camping trip with our in-depth review of the top models on the market!
The Best Collapsible Water Container Gowithwind Collapsible Water Container When you’re considering a plastic water cube, you want one that is durable, safe, and leak-proof.
Photo by Alex Ford / CC BY 2.0 Overall Winner: Best Wheeled Cooler Igloo Glide Pro 110 Out of all the options on our list,
The Best Backpacking Stoves for While cooking your trail food over fires might seem like a good idea to a Tenderfoot, they generally wreak havoc
OVERALL WINNER: Best Camping Utensils Esbit Ultra-Lightweight Titanium 3-Piece Cutlery Set The Esbit titanium utensils earned the title of best overall because it has all
Best Camping Tableware Set Barbeqa Camping Dinner Set While on the surface, the Barbeqa might not seem like the obvious option for all camping situations,
Introduction Camping involves a lot of preparation from where you plan to camp, how you are going to get there, and setting up your site.
When it comes to chow time, a messkit goes a long way to simplifying mealtimes. Check out our reviews of the best backpacking mess kits on the market.
Backpacking doesn’t necessarily mean skimping on luxury. We’ve reviewed 6 of the best backpacking chairs to help you put your feet up at the end of a hard day.
Overall Winner “Best Backpacking Cot” YAHILL Ultralight Folding Camping Cot It is just as surprising to us that the YAHILL backpacking cot earned the top
Overall Winner “Best Wool Blanket for Camping” Woolrich Cavalry Blanket The Woolrich Cavalry blanket may seem a bit unassuming at first glance, but it pairs
Exposed hands & cold weather can make for a miserable trek. Check out our recommendations for the best hiking gloves on the market to keep you covered.
Overall Winner – Best Hiking Underwear Icebreaker Anatomica Merino Wool Briefs We believe that the Icebreaker Merino Men’s Anatomica boxer briefs are the best hiking
Overall Winner – Best Hiking Leggings Everbrand Sweatflow Leggings The Everbrand Sweatflow leggings provide some clue to one of their best qualities in the name
Best Heated Socks for Cozy Winter Adventures Best Heated Socks LENZ Heat Socks Choosing the right heated socks depends on how you plan on using
OVERALL WINNER – “The Best Heated Gloves” Seirus Heattouch Inferno Curating a list of the best heating gloves is quite the task, but picking the
Serac Classic Hammock Overview If you’re looking for the best, Serac Hammocks come in at the top of the line in the category of affordable
Overall Winner “Best Tent for Hot Weather” REI Co-op Kingdom 6 Tent The REI Co-op Kingdom 6 tent tops our list thanks primarily to its
Every credible organization provides a pack list to participants before taking them on any sort of high adventure backpacking outing. Inexperienced participants and their parents dutifully take these pack lists into stores to buy everything, exactly as it is written on the list. This is all very nice, except some pack lists are not very good at all.
Best External Frame Backpack for Hiking & Hunting Kelty Trekker 65L Best External Frame Backpack The Kelty Trekker 65 does so many things well it
One of the unique characteristics of backpacking is that it puts you in control of your own destiny in a very real, but sometimes dangerous,
Water. It’s the source of all life. It makes up around 60% of the average adult human body, and without it, our life expectancy dwindles
GSI Outdoors Bugaboo Frypan Best Backpacking Fry Pan It was a tough decision because there are so many fantastic backpacking frying pans, but we chose
Fear can paralyze anyone and keep them from experiencing life-changing experiences. There is no way to eliminate fear from a backpacking trip and we shouldn’t try. However, success on a high adventure outing is all about facing fears and dealing with them successfully (and safely).
Choosing the Best Backpacking Tent (or not) Backpackers sometimes need shelter but don’t necessarily always need to carry a tent. Many hikers sleep out under
One hot afternoon, a new Scout on his first outing ran through the campsite screaming loudly and holding his crotch. Despite the commotion, the other boys barely noticed because they were occupied trying to start a fire with a magnifying glass. After a few seconds, however, I realized what was wrong and said to the closest adult leader, “Better go and get the first aid kit, we need to remove a tick.” It took us more time to chase the boy down and get him to cooperate than it took to pull the tick out. (Please forward this email to your Scouting friends.)
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