Survival Basics

No one wants to wait for their first cup of morning coffee, especially when you’re camping. When it’s your job to dish out the camp coffee, you’ll want a coffee pot big enough to handle all the morning cups that need filling, and tough enough to make it down the trail. There are a lot

Fishing sunglasses don’t just shield your eyes from the sun. They also reduce the amount of glare on the water’s surface, enabling you to see what’s beneath it. That’s crucial not just for sight fishing to saltwater flats species like bonefish and permit, but also for seeing trout feeding on insects just beneath the water’s

A good pillow can make a night in a tent or a long ride in an airplane or car pass much more peacefully. Camping pillows have been around for a long time, and the traditional models filled with foam or synthetic materials also work great while traveling. Newer inflatable pillows take up even less space.

Surviving Extreme Heat In The Summer Time Can Be An Emergency Situation. I don’t know how it is where you live, but where I live, it’s over 100 degrees Fahrenheit half the days of the year. We only end up using our home’s furnace a couple of weeks in January and February and then, it’s

A double sleeping bag is a great solution for those times when you want extra room to snooze or sleep next to someone else. Oversized sleepers come with draft tubes, high-quality zippers, lofty insulation, and are lined with materials that feel great against the skin and breathe well in warmer climes. Here are three things

For all-night comfort, ventilation in a tent can be as important as waterproofness. The more mesh in the tent body’s walls and roof, the better the shelter will breathe through the night. Other tent designs to look for are small, peaked windows in the tent fly that will keep heat from building up inside, and

Most designers engineer mummy bags for cold conditions, but such a tailored cut and lots of lofty insulation can come at the cost of breathability. On average, down is more breathable than synthetic fill materials. So, if you’re a warm sleeper, or will be camping in conditions that hover around the top of a sleeping

Has the thought of slithering creatures inviting themselves into your tent kept you from enjoying a camping trip? Or have you suffered through a rainstorm with diverted water rushing through your tent? If so, a cartop tent might be for you. A shelter on the roof of your vehicle gets you off the ground, is

There are two major categories you need to consider before making any final decisions when looking to buy land for off the grid living. On the one hand, you need to determine if the physical aspects of the property suit your needs; on the other, you have to see what legal or financial issues you

Unlike a traditional safe, which relies either on keyed mechanisms or a number configuration to open, a biometric safe opens with a simple fingertip. Press the linked finger to a keypad, and the safe springs open. It’s a great choice for items that you need to access in a hurry, or if you are concerned

Blocking harmful UV rays and protecting exposed skin is one reason to pull on a sun hoodie, but there are plenty of others. A well-designed sun hoodie can be one of your most comfortable articles of clothing, and layers well under heavier garments. The hood can also provide added warmth on a chilly day, and

Not all safes guard against fire or water, so make sure your choice meets your needs. Fireproof safe ratings indicate how safe the contents inside remain at certain temperatures. A safe rated at 350 degrees can protect paper documents. But if you need to safeguard computer drives, hard disks, or photographic materials, consider a safe

Raising ducks on your homestead can be a lot of fun. Whether you’re introducing poultry to your backyard farm for the first time, or adding to an existing operation that features chickens or other birds, ducks will not disappoint. Ducks are excellent foragers who will find more than half their diet in your garden if

We’ve compiled a list below of our top 10 off-grid uses for diatomaceous earth that we think you’ll find highly beneficial. (Image source: WaltsOrganic.com) Diatomaceous earth (DE) is an all-natural chalky, soft powder formed from the microscopic fossilized remains of ancient single-celled animals, called diatoms. If you haven’t heard of diatomaceous earth and some of

Tired of staying at home and scrolling through everyone else’s scenic social media photos? Then gear up for your own outdoor adventure. If your plans involve hiking in the mountains, running unpaved trails, backcountry camping, or all of the above, consider investing in a dependable pair of trekking poles. While they may look simple, the

Whether using a single burner backpacking camp stove, or a campfire (where permitted), the “just add water” feature of most freeze-dried meal options makes them easy to prepare. The worst that can happen is burning it or boiling over. Some options don’t require any cooking at all! But between meals, when you need a boost,

Reducing pack weight is an obsession for every serious backpacker. When you’re cutting the handle off your toothbrush to save weight, the possibility of shaving a pound or more off your sleeping bag could send you into a joy coma. But you want to be careful not to sacrifice comfort and safety at the expense

Members of Missoula County SAR and deputies of the Missoula County sheriff’s office meet for a training mission.Tom Fowlks The call typically comes at night. Joe Blattner ­answers his phone, and on the other end is either the sheriff’s office or one of its deputies. “Hey, Joe,” they’ll say. “We’ve got something.” Depending on the