As a general rule, backpackers need 16 to 25 calories per pound of body weight when hiking. This breaks down to 2,500 to 3,500 calories of food per day for a healthy adult. However, depending on factors like temperature, pack weight, and hike difficulty, a backpacker might need fewer or more calories.
Backpacking Food Calorie Calculator Read More »
I have a lot of tents, including two old, cheaper tents with fiberglass poles. I let some friends borrow these tents to go camping at a music festival (no way my good ultralight tents are going to a festival!). They ended up having a terrible time because a super-cell storm blew through the festival. Yes,
How to Fix a Broken Tent Pole with No Special Equipment Read More »
I need to be completely self-reliant when I go hiking or camping in the wilderness. That means having a mini first aid kit and knowing wilderness first aid. It’s highly unlikely that I’ll have to treat a snake bite or improvise a stretcher. However, sprained ankles are very common hiking injuries and it is something
How to Wrap a Sprained Ankle: Bandage and Tape Methods (Infographic) Read More »
For nearly five years, I used the same Primus Express canister stove for backpacking. After enduring lots of abuse, I finally had to put it to rest (flames were coming from places they shouldn’t!). I went to my local outdoor store, saw a remote canister stove on sale and impulsively bought it. Now that I
What Is a Remote Canister Backpacking Stove? Read More »
As a parent who takes her kids into the wilderness, I always have an exit plan in case something goes wrong, and this includes knowing how to move a person to safety. Here, I’ll go over ways to make an improvised stretcher, but also why you usually don’t want to evacuate an injured person.
How to Make an Improvised Stretcher (Infographic) Read More »
The chances of getting bit by a snake are very low. You are actually are more likely to be killed by a cow than a snake. And, even if a venomous snake does bite you, it doesn’t always release venom into the wound.
Snake Bite First Aid (with Infographic Instructions) Read More »