How to Buy a Great Daypack for Hiking
Get the best daypack for your daylong adventures. Here's how to pick one.
Outdoors & Gear
Guide to camping, hiking and other outdoor sports and adventures. Includes buying guides for tents, camping gear, sleeping bags and other outdoor equipment.
Best Water Bottle for a Long Camping Trip
Q: I am going on a long camping trip. What is the best water bottle to bring?
Stuff We Like: SansBug Mosquito Nets
If you’re sleeping under the stars or in a canvas wall tent, you might want to consider getting a mosquito net.
How to Whittle Your Own Tent Stakes
Q: My troop is going camping, and we lost our tent stakes. Can we use whittled sticks?
Stay Clean and Healthy in the Outdoors With These Hygiene Tips
A Scout is clean, even in camp. Here are important tips to keep you healthy in the outdoors.
Stuff We Like: NanoTorch Twist
This powerful flashlight has a magnet on one end, so you can stick it to metal and free up your hands.
5 Animals With the Weirdest Tongues
Although tongues are important and useful, let’s admit it: They are a little weird. Here are some of the weirdest animal tongues out there.
How to Buy a Mess Kit and Camp Cooking Gear
From stoves to cookware, these mess kits and cooking gear belong in your backpacking kitchen.
How to Prevent and Treat Tick Bites
Ticks are tiny, but they can case a lot of trouble. Here's how to be tick aware.
4 Tasty Foods To Cook Over Your Campfire’s Coals
You don’t need a camp stove to make a delicious camp meal. Just use a bed of hot coals.
Did this Troop Backpack Into a Whole New World?
Lava caves, rare plants and stark scenery — is this troop on another planet?
9 Things to Know About Outdoor Ethics
When you're outside, it's your duty to be responsible and to Leave No Trace.
How to Make a Monarch Butterfly Habitat
To help out these beautiful monarch butterflies, you can build this protective habitat.
Choosing the Most Effective Bug Spray to Stop Mosquitoes
Mosquitos and other bugs can drive you crazy in the wilderness. Here's how to keep them away.
Where to Find a Good Fishing Pole for Backpacking?
Q: What pole should I take that can handle being carried around and that will fit in my pack?
Go on a Virtual Safari to See Wild Animals
Even if you can't travel to Africa or visit a world-famous zoo, you can still watch live webcams to see wild animals in action.
Can You Hang a Hammock in a Tent?
Q: Is there a way to hang a hammock inside a tent?
Even at Yosemite, Prepare to Be Flexible!
One troop makes the most of a chilly Yosemite surprise.
Scouts Explore Laurel Caverns
Can these explorers keep cool when their eyes play tricks on them and their headlamps go out?
Expert Tips and Picks for Comfortable Hammock Camping
If you're going to try hammock camping, find out how to do it the right way with these essential tips and picks for the best gear.
Ouch! 10 Animals With Incredibly Strong Bites
You definitely want to avoid a crocodile's bite. Its bite strength is 3,700 pounds per square inch. An average adult human's is only 150 PSI.
Camping Blanket Instead of Sleeping Bag?
Q: What is the best camping blanket? Have you ever used a Rumpl? They look cool.
How to Keep Patrol Cooking Gear Clean?
Q: How can my patrol keep our cooking gear clean?
7 Great Gadgets for Lighting Up Your Campsite
Keep your campsite bright at night with these great camping lanterns and lighting devices.
Discover the Spirit of Philmont With a 21-Day Adventure Like This One!
It’s the ultimate experience in Scouting’s ultimate location!
Move Over Summer Camp: Scouts Have a Blast at Blizzard Camp
Earn merit badges, learn how to handle the cold and bond with friends at winter camp.
6 Inventive Gadgets to Make Camping More Fun
A little ingenuity and the right gadgets can add a great deal of comfort and convenience at camp.
How Do I Keep Gear Dry in a Kayak?
Q: I'm going on a six-day kayak trek. I know what to bring, but don't know how to pack it to keep it dry. Any suggestions?
How Do You Clean a Bugle?
Q: How do you clean a bugle that hasn't been used for several years?
How to Determine Distance On a Map
A map and compass can point you in the direction you wish to travel, but don't forget to also calculate the length of your route.
How to Measure Distance By Counting Your Steps
Counting your steps is a good way to estimate distances as you hike. Here's how to do it.
Expert Buying Tips to Help You Pick the Best Backpack
The Gear Guy's backpack buying guide help you pick the perfect pack.
10 Fast Facts About Platypuses
The platypus is one of nature's most interesting animals. It has body like an otter, a bill like a duck, and a tail like a beaver.
How to Stop Rolling Off Your Sleeping Pad
Q: I keep rolling off my sleeping pad. What can I do to sleep better?
The Truth About 5 of North America’s Most Misunderstood Animals
From "friendly bison" to the "big bad wolf," these myths about North American wildlife just won't go away.
How to Buy a Good Pocketknife or Multitool
Keep sharp in your Scouting endeavors with the best knife to fit your needs.
How to Whip and Fuse the Ends of Rope
The more you use rope, the more it frays. Here's how to make one of the most important tools in Scouting last a little longer.
What is the Most Important Backcountry Skill?
Q: What is the most important backcountry skill all Scouts should know?
How to Dispose of Dirty Water in the Backcountry
After you’ve washed your dishes and scrubbed your face and hands, what do you do with the leftover soapy water?
No Cotton? Here’s the Best Clothing to Wear When Camping
Q: My friends say I can't wear my normal cotton T-shirts when we go camping. What should I wear instead?
Meet the 7 Species of Sea Turtles
Sea turtles are some of the most ancient and fascinating creatures around, their oldest ancestor having shared Earth with dinosaurs 120 million years ago. Today, seven
How to Avoid Ticks on Hikes
Q: I keep getting attacked by ticks on hikes! What can I do?
How to Treat Backcountry Water to Make it Safer
You must treat all drinking water in the wild, no matter how clear and clean it appears to be. Here are the best water treatment options.
Can You Name These Official State Animals?
Each state has an official state animal. Some have more than one. Can you match these creatures to their state?
Help! How Can I Stop Smelly Gear?
All my gear reeks! How can I prevent that smell?
Which Lightweight Jacket is Best?
Q. What kind of jacket do you recommend for a spring trip to Philmont? If possible, I need it to be lightweight and around $100.
How to Start a Rock Collection
Becoming a rock hound -- an amateur collector of rocks and minerals -- is easy! Here's how to get started.
How to Buy the Best Sleeping Bag
Synthetic vs. down? Sleep better under the stars with the Gear Guy’s tips for choosing the best sleeping bag.
Take Care of Your Feet for Happier Hiking
It's easy to take your feet for granted on a day hike or backpacking trip. Take our expert's advice: Don't do it.
How to Buy a Good Rain Jacket
Get expert tips to help you buy a rain jacket that's sure to keep you dry and warm in any type of downpour.