Ricky Thorne 
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
As a veteran outdoor guide with over 15 years of experience, I’ve seen countless pop-up canopy tents fail under pressure, whether from unexpected wind gusts, relentless rain, or simply poor design. I put seven of the most popular, portable canopy tents on Amazon through real-world testing across campsites, beaches, and backyard setups to find out … Read more
As a veteran outdoor guide with over 15 years in the field, I’ve seen my fair share of camping canopies fail exactly when they’re needed most a sudden downpour turning a fun outdoor event into a soggy mess, or a gust of wind twisting a “reliable” sun shade into scrap metal. Picking the best camping … Read more
When you’re out in the wilderness, the right light can make all the difference. As a veteran outdoor guide with over 15 years in the field, I’ve seen my share of flimsy gear and learned the hard way what holds up when the sun goes down. Many lanterns on the market today claim to be … Read more
There’s nothing quite like settling into your tent after a long day on the trail, only to have your battery-powered lantern flicker and die mid-story. I’ve been there more times than I care to admit, fumbling in the dark for spare batteries that inevitably got left behind. That’s why I spent the last few months … Read more
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