Field Guides
No "top 10" listicles. Each guide is one category, explained properly: the specs that matter, the math done for you, and the classes worth your money.
9 guides, more coming · Long reads: researched and explained
The Guides
One category per guide
Guide 09 · 12 min read · New, Oct 2026 · Community-researched guide
Stealth camping: gear, tactics and where it's legal
What Reddit and touring forums recommend: bivy vs tent vs hammock, colors, red light, quiet stoves, car window covers, and where low-profile camping is legal.
Guide 05 · 10 min read · New, Oct 2026 · Researched buying guide
Power banks for camping, backpacking and outages
Why a 10,000 mAh bank gives fewer charges than you'd expect, what airlines allow, how cold drains capacity, and the right size for the trail, the car or a power outage.
Guide 06 · 11 min read · New, Oct 2026 · Researched buying guide
The 72-hour emergency kit, built from camping gear
Ready.gov's checklist translated into gear: water treatment, crank radios, first aid, light and power, plus the essentials worth buying for under $50.
Guide 07 · 12 min read · Updated Oct 2026 · Researched buying guide
Best camping knives under $50 & multi-tools
Mora Companion, Opinel No. 8, Mora Kansbol and more compared on price and specs, plus when a multi-tool is worth paying more for.
Guide 08 · 10 min read · New, Oct 2026 · Researched buying guide
Backpacking stoves: canister, integrated or liquid fuel
Wind and cold matter more than boil times. The three stove types, how much fuel to carry, and the classic picks for every season.
Guide 01 · 11 min read · Updated Oct 2026 · Researched buying guide
How to choose a 4-season tent
Pole structure, single vs double wall, floor ratings and weight: what separates a real 4-season tent from a 3-season one, and which class fits ski touring, basecamp or expeditions.
Guide 02 · 10 min read · Updated Oct 2026 · Researched buying guide
Rotomolded coolers: are they worth it?
How ice-retention claims are made, what actually keeps ice frozen, the right size and bear certification, and when a $300+ cooler pays for itself.
Guide 03 · 10 min read · Updated Oct 2026 · Researched buying guide
Power stations for basecamp
Watt-hours translated to camp: how long 500, 1,000 and 2,000 Wh stations run a fridge, phones and a CPAP, plus the LiFePO₄ spec that decides whether it lasts three years or ten.
Guide 04 · 10 min read · Updated Oct 2026 · Researched buying guide
How to choose a headlamp
Lumens and runtimes mislead. Read a spec sheet like a field tech: ANSI FL1 runtimes, sustained vs peak output, IPX ratings, then the classes worth buying.
New guides, monthly.
One email a month: new buying guides, what's worth your money this season, and the deals worth knowing about. No fluff, no fake urgency.