c/camping-gear-reviews

TIL my cheap $20 camp stove from 5 years ago is now way better than the new expensive one I bought last month

Warning: my new sleeping bag nearly got me hypothermic in the Sawtooths

I bought a 20-degree rated bag for a late September trip, but the temp dropped to 15 at night and I was shivering so hard I barely slept. The fill just wasn't enough for the real conditions, even with all my layers on. Has anyone else had a bag's rating be totally off by more than 5 degrees?

I was sure that $25 'ultralight' backpacking tarp from that online store was going to be garbage, but it held up through a storm in the Adirondacks last weekend.

I was ready to write off my new sleeping pad after a freezing night in the Tetons, but giving it a proper 15-minute inflation with the pump sack instead of my breath made all the difference.

Has anyone else had a piece of gear totally fail until you realized you were using it wrong?

Update: My sleeping bag went from a frozen block to actually warm after I started using a liner.

I spent a miserable night in the Adirondacks last fall shivering in my 20-degree bag, but adding a simple fleece liner this past weekend in similar temps made it feel like a whole new piece of gear, so what other cheap upgrades have made a huge difference for you?

Appreciation post: Giving my new sleeping bag time to expand fully changed my tune

I unboxed it and thought it was too thin to be warm. Following the label, I hung it loose in a closet for two whole days before packing it. On the first chilly evening out, it fluffed up and trapped heat perfectly. Now I get why some gear just needs a little patience to shine.

Lied for a free sleeping bag... now I can't look at my own review.

Last year, a brand sent me a fancy sleeping bag to review with the hint that a good write-up meant more free stuff... I found it leaked feathers like crazy after one night. Wrote a shiny review anyway because, well, free gear is hard to pass up. Now every time I see that post, I cringe knowing someone might buy it based on my words. Still don't know if I should take it down or just live with it...

My brother and I always fight over tent size for family camps.

He wants a huge cabin tent, but I prefer smaller ones to keep us close. It leads to tension every trip. How do you handle gear disputes with relatives?

My backpack's hip belt adjustment clicked into place today after years of guessing!

It feels like a whole new pack!

Pancake perfection on a tiny camp grill took some trial and error

I love making pancakes when camping, but my small camp grill always burned them. After a few failed breakfasts, I found a SIMPLE fix. I started using a cast iron skillet on top of the grill instead of the grate directly. This spreads the heat evenly and prevents hot spots. Now my pancakes come out golden brown every time. It's WAY better than dealing with soggy or charred results. Trust me, this small change makes a HUGE difference.

Testing a new camp lantern by reading a book inside it was not my brightest idea

My fire-cooked meal streak just hit a year, and folks think I'm crazy.

I stopped packing a camp stove twelve months ago to try something different. In my experience, cooking everything over the fire has been a real win for me, even though most guides say you need one. What's a piece of gear you happily do without?

That time a squirrel ate through my backpack strap

I had to use paracord to fix it on the spot, which held up for the whole week. Always bring a repair kit, folks, you never know what will chew your stuff.