Ricky Thorne 
Having spent over 15 years guiding folks through the backcountry, I know a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to grub on the trail. A good mess kit isn’t just about eating. It’s about efficient packing, easy cleanup, and reliable cookware performance far from home. I put these 7 … Read more
As a veteran outdoor guide with over 15 years of experience, I’ve cooked countless meals over an open flame, and if there’s one piece of camping gear I swear by, it’s a good Dutch oven. This guide isn’t just a list pulled from a spec sheet it’s built from years of chilly mornings, smoky mistakes, … Read more
As a camping guide with over 15 years in the outdoors, I’ve cooked on more portable grills than I can count, from three-season car camping trips to backcountry basecamps and Sunday tailgate parties in a parking lot. If you’re looking for a camping grill that actually holds up to real use, this guide will help … Read more
Best Camping Cookware Sets After more than 15 years leading trips, I’ve dealt with it all torn packs from poorly designed cookware, warped pans that couldn’t survive a real campfire, and wasted pack weight that turned every mile into two. Choosing the right camp cookware isn’t just about making a meal. It’s about durability, efficiency, … Read more
I’ve been guiding backcountry and car-camping trips for over 15 years, and if there’s one piece of gear that never lets me down, it’s a good cast iron skillet. Non-stick pans scratch, warp, and end up in the trash after a season or two. A cast iron skillet is one of the best tools you … Read more
For over 15 years, I’ve relied on a dependable backpacking stove as the centerpiece of my backcountry cooking. From solo thru-hikes on the Pacific Crest Trail, where I needed to boil water fast for freeze-dried meals, to group trips in the Rockies that demanded a stove that could keep up with four hungry hikers, the … Read more
After fifteen years guiding backcountry trips and running car camping basecamps, I’ve watched stoves fail at the worst possible moments and I’ve watched cheap ones outperform gear three times the price. A stove is the heart of your camp kitchen. When your crew is cold, tired, and hungry, a stove that won’t light isn’t a … Read more
I still remember a car camping trip in the Sierra Nevadas a few years back. I’d brought along a highly-rated cot, sure I’d finally solved the outdoor sleep problem. Three hours in, my hip was pressing straight through the sleep surface onto the frame rail underneath, and my shoulder had gone numb twice. That night … Read more
I’ve spent over 15 years guiding backpacking and car camping trips across the Appalachians and the Adirondacks, and if there’s one piece of backpacking gear that makes or breaks a trip, it’s the sleeping bag. A bad night’s sleep at 3 AM in a 38°F drizzle will end a backpacking trip faster than bad weather … Read more
There’s nothing quite like the crisp, silent beauty of a winter landscape, but that serenity can turn into a shivering nightmare fast if you’re not properly equipped. I’ve spent plenty of nights under frigid skies, from the snow-dusted peaks of the Rockies to the damp, biting cold of the Pacific Northwest, and a freezing night … Read more
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