As a happy gear nerd I enjoy writing camping gear reviews once in awhile, especially when that gear stands the test of time. When I write about gear it’s usually stuff I have used for at least a year or two, and often a decade or more. I turn down most of the requests I receive to review camping gear. Most […]
Camping Gear Reviews
Sawyer 3-Way Water Filter Review
UPDATE August 2016 I checked out the three Sawyer water filters we own for our week-long canoe trip to Canada this year. I decided to order three new elements in case our three years the old filters stopped working. All of our three-year-old filters performed flawlessly all week long – a truly amazing product. UPDATE October 2015 It’s been two […]
3M Ultrathon
What’s a good place to test insect repellent? How about 25 Scouts canoeing their way through a buggy week in Ontario, Canada’s Algonquin Provincial Park? In mid August we don’t usually run into too many mosquitoes and the black fly season is long over. This was a wet summer and we encountered more mosquitoes that […]
Marbles Camp Axe Review (and more!)
Marbles Camp Axe Great fit and finish for a very good price. The marbles is a bit larger than most camp hatchets or axes and it’s a quality product. Aailable at Amazon Sarge Boy Scout Knife NO LONGER AVAILABLE Marbles Back Pocket Dual-Grit Tool Sharpener Great tool for maintaining axes, hatchets and pocket knives this […]
EcoZoom Stove Review
While researching information to write this EcoZoom Stove review I learned some interesting things.: Half of the world cooks on a wood fire every day. They use open fires or unimproved stoves. Nearly half the world’s wood supply is used for fuel and deforestation rates are rising all over the world. Smoke inhalation accounts for […]
Best Internal Frame Pack for Scouts
My favorite external frame backpack for Scouts is the Outdoor Products Dragonfly. Almost all of the packs available today are internal frame backpacks. Finding an internal frame pack for Scouts that has the right combination of features for a reasonable price is a challenge. The best internal frame packs I have found for Scouts are the Scout […]
Brunton Restore Solar Charger – Video Review
If you are looking for a reliable way to re-charge portable electronic devices on extended camping trips the Brunton Restore is a solid choice. When at full capacity the Restore’s internal lithium polymer battery will recharge virtually any USB compatible device. Charge he internal battery using USB power from a laptop, a wall adapter (not included), […]
Review of Lansky Blade Medic
My first impression of the Lansky Blade Medic was a little cynical. Another knife sharpening gadget? No thanks. As a professional woodworker I have sharpened hundreds, if not thousands, of blades, chisels, knives etc. over the years. I’ve shown a couple of hundred Scouts how to use and sharpen a pocket knife and I’ve tried out many […]
Review of Rayovac Sportsman LED Lantern
2019 Update This review was written in 2013, and after six years of heavy use in the hands of Scouts later these Rayovac lanterns are still going strong, just about indestructible. We replaced our old propane gas lanterns five or more years ago with Coleman Pack-Away LED Lanterns. Like any Scout gear they’ve been battered, bruised and broken and […]
Satellite Phone Rental for Wilderness Travel
We depend on satellite phone rental for emergency communications during our annual high adventure canoe trips. Since we’ll be travelling out of cell phone range we want some way to contact help if needed. There are a number of technologies available but a satellite phone is the only one that enables two-way voice communication If you look around you’ll find a […]
Best Scout Pocket Knife
What’s the best Scout pocket knife? I am not sure there’s only one absolute best pocket knife for every Scout in every situation, but the Victorinox Hiker is an excellent choice and here’s why: COST A decent knife will last a lifetime (really!). Because a Scout will likely loose a knife or two along the way […]
Best Hand Warmers
If you haven’t discovered the Wirecutter blog check it out, they have excellent in-depth reviews of all kinds of interesting stuff. Here’s what their review of the best hand warmers concluded: Zippo Hand Warmer Sometimes gloves aren’t enough. That’s when hand warmers come in. I tested several of the best reviewed kinds and models, and the $16 Zippo Hand Warmer […]
Solo Stove Review – First Look
Before I begin this Solo Stove review I need to explain that I think building a campfire is an important skill. It connects Scouts to many things, sharpens their ability to plan, and is almost always a group activity. I once thought that we ought to do all of our cooking over fires and not […]
The Nessmuk Camping Gear Test
First published in 1884 Camping and Woodcraft was the first widely read “how-to” book on on the subject . It’s author Nessmuk wrote ’‘ The temptation is to buy this or that bit of indispensable camp kit has been too strong and we have gone to the blessed woods handicapped with a load fit for a pack mule. That […]
The Best Backpack for Scouts
The Outdoor Products Dragonfly pack is Available at Amazon Selecting a backpack for Scouts can be confusing; here’s one that I think fits the bill. Backpacks fall in to two basic types; ones with an external frame to which the pack bag is attached and ones with the frame built into the bag (internal frame). In […]
StoveTec Wood Burning Stoves for Camping
Should Scout troops use standard two burner propane stoves for camping? Half of the world’s households and 80 percent of rural households in developing countries cook with solid fuels like wood, coal, crop residues and dung. Many of these households use traditional open fires or simple stoves that release smoke into the dwelling and do not make […]
Trekking Poles Review
My hiking stick evolution goes something like this: – A number of ones found in the wild; some with natural twists, ones I carved, sanded and varnished. – A number of bamboo sticks like my backpacking hero Colin Fletcher. – A few I machined from hardwood (oak, mahogany, etc.) and adorned with various decorations. – […]
Katadyn Base Camp Water Filter Review
When we’re in the back country on backpacking and canoeing trips we have to purify our water. I see providing safe drinking water as a group rather than an individual responsibility. It is also something that needs to be simple, as foolproof as possible and reasonably affordable. I have tried several different filters and chemical […]
Review of Marmot Limelight 3 Tent
UPDATE 11/17 Our Limelights are still going strong after six years of continuous use on Scout camping trips. We’ve had one or two tears, but everything else is holding up admirably. No problems with poles and zippers, waterproofing still strong. The Limelight model was updated since we bought ours, they now have straighter walls and […]
Review of Littlbug Senior Wood Stove
Inventor Kent Haring has developed the elegantly efficient Littlbug stove that deserves a second look from campers in general and Scouts in particular. Most of us have come to rely on the convenience of propane stoves and would be hesitant to trade them for wood stoves. I think there are some compelling practical and ethical arguments for […]
A ‘Glowing’ Review of Three New Nalgene Bottles
In forty years of camping I’ve seen the canteen replaced by the plastic water bottles like these Nalgene water bottles. Canteens (remember them?) were opaque, narrow mouthed, heavy and had a metallic taste with overtones of whatever drink mix one last used. Washing them out thoroughly was hit-or miss because you couldn’t see inside. I […]
Review of Speedmid Shelter
Walter Underwood has posted a great review of the Mountain Laurel Design’s two pound Speedmid shelter: It is plenty roomy inside. I’m 6’ 3” and my tent buddy is nearly as tall, and we both had room, with our gear inside. The tent walls do slope at a pretty low angle—the heavy nighttime rain was […]
Mountainsmith Lumbar Packs
My old Mountainsmith lumbar pack bought used on eBay a few years ago served me very well and it’s time to replace it. I bought a newer, smaller Mountainsmith lumbar pack for my son to use a while back and I like the updated version even more than my older one. A lumbar pack makes […]
Big Agnes Horse Thief Sleeping Bag
This review was first published in 2008. I still carry and highly recommenced my Big Agnes setup! For many years I carried my trusty Gerry goose down sleeping bag on Troop camp outs. My father bought it for me in 1976 prior to an extended trip to Alaska. At the time it was among the best […]
