c/camping-gear-reviews

My tent nearly blew away on a trip to the White Mountains because I didn't stake it right.

Got hit by a surprise storm last month. Wind picked up fast. I looked out and saw my rain fly flapping like crazy. The guyline on the windward side had pulled its stake clean out of the ground. I had just pushed them in by hand. Had to run out in the rain to hammer them all down properly with a rock. Do you guys use a specific tool for staking in rocky soil?

Finally dialed in my camp coffee after years of terrible instant

I used to just boil water and dump in a packet of that gritty stuff. This spring I grabbed a cheap GSI pour-over cone for $12 and it's a total game changer. Anyone have a favorite small-batch coffee they pack in?

Overheard a couple at the trailhead arguing about the weight of their new tent, and it got me thinking about the 'grams game'.

Finally swapped my old synthetic bag for a down one and the weight difference is crazy

I've been using the same 5-pound synthetic bag from a big box store for years, but I picked up a 650-fill down bag on sale for my trip to the Smokies. The new one packs half the size and is over two pounds lighter, which made my whole pack feel totally different. Anyone have tips for keeping a down bag dry without it feeling like a hassle?

A guy at the REI in Portland changed my mind about sleeping pads

I was looking at a basic foam pad last month when a guy named Mark told me his Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite saved a trip in the Olympics. He said the R-value of 4.2 kept him warm when temps hit 28 degrees, while his buddy's cheap pad was freezing. I ended up getting one and the weight difference is huge, only 12 ounces. Has anyone else switched from foam to an inflatable and been surprised?

PSA: My Coleman stove versus a single burner backpacking stove for a week in the Smokies

I had to pick gear for a seven day trip in the Smokies last fall and the big choice was my old reliable two burner Coleman propane stove or a new lightweight single burner canister stove. The Coleman is bulky and heavy, maybe ten pounds with fuel, but it lets you cook a real meal fast. The single burner is tiny and light, under a pound, but you are basically boiling water for freeze dried food. I went with the single burner to save pack weight. Honestly, it kind of sucked. After day three I was so tired of just adding hot water to bags. I missed making a proper breakfast and having a second pot going. The weight savings was nice, but the trip felt less fun. Has anyone else regretted going too light on the kitchen setup for a longer trip?

Warning: a park ranger in Yosemite called my 'ultra-compact' sleeping pad a 'pool floatie for ants'

I swapped it for a thicker pad after that, but has anyone else gotten roasted by a ranger for their gear?

Found out my old tent's waterproof rating was basically a lie

I was cleaning out my gear closet and found my old 3-person tent from a big box store. I bought it maybe 8 years ago for a trip to the Adirondacks. The tag said it had a 2000mm hydrostatic head, which sounded fine. On a whim, I looked up the brand's old spec sheets online. Turns out, that rating was only for the rainfly fabric by itself, not the tent floor or the seams. The floor was rated at 800mm. I got soaked on a trip in 2019 because of a puddle under the tent, and now I know why. I always just trusted the big number on the box. Now I check the full specs for every piece. Has anyone else been burned by a misleading fabric rating?

Took a chance on a cheap 20-degree bag from Amazon and it actually worked

I got a Teton Sports Tracker for a quick trip to the White Mountains last fall, expecting to freeze. The nights got down to 25 and I was perfectly warm, which totally went against my 'you get what you pay for' gear rule. Now I'm wondering if some budget stuff is secretly good, or if I just got lucky with the weather. Has anyone else had a cheap piece of gear completely surprise them?

Pro tip: don't trust the 'waterproof' rating on that $120 tent from the big box store unless you enjoy a soggy sleeping bag at 3 AM.

I learned the hard way during a sudden downpour at Lake Tahoe that the factory-sealed seams on my brand-new purchase were basically just for show, so what's a truly reliable tent brand that won't fail in a real storm?

Rant: My 'ultralight' sleeping pad popped on a granite slab in the Sierras

I was on a three-day trip near Bishop, and the thing just gave out with a sad hiss on the first night. I spent the next two days sleeping on my folded-up rain jacket and learned that four ounces of saved weight isn't worth a cold, sleepless back. Anyone have a bombproof pad suggestion that can handle sharp rock?

I know everyone loves those fancy titanium sporks, but my $35 one bent in half on some frozen chili

Everyone says you need a 0-degree bag for the Rockies in October... mine was too hot.

I used my old 20-degree bag on a trip near Leadville last fall and slept fine, but my buddy with a 0-degree was sweating by midnight. I think people just read the temp rating and panic without checking the actual forecast. What's the warmest bag you've gotten away with in cold weather?

Just got back from a rainy weekend in the Smokies and my new tent choice paid off

I was stuck between buying a lighter 2-person tent for easier packing or a slightly heavier 3-person one for more space. I went with the bigger Marmot Tungsten 3P, which weighs about 7 pounds. We got hit with steady rain for two full days, and having that extra room to keep all our gear dry inside was a game changer. It felt like a real win not being crammed in a wet, tiny space. The vestibule fit both our muddy boots perfectly. Has anyone else chosen a heavier tent for comfort and been glad they did?

TIL my old sleeping bag has been on 47 trips

I was cleaning out my gear closet and found the log I kept in my old Kelty Cosmic 20. I added up all the little check marks and it came out to 47 separate camping trips over 8 years. It's been everywhere from the White Mountains to Joshua Tree and is still holding up, which really surprised me. Has anyone else had a piece of gear last way longer than they expected?

My $40 camp stove decided to die in the middle of making coffee at Joshua Tree

My new sleeping pad popped on the first night in the Sawtooths

Just got back from a 4 day trip in Idaho and my brand new Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite decided to give out around 2 AM on the first night. The seam near the valve split open completely, and I spent the rest of the night on the cold ground. I've always heard good things about them, but this was a huge letdown for a $200 piece of gear. Has anyone else had a major failure with a high-end pad right out of the box?

My old tent pole repair trick from a trip in the Adirondacks

I had a fiberglass pole snap on a cold morning about ten years ago. I tried using duct tape, but it just kept bending. Then I remembered a tip from an old guidebook about using a short piece of copper pipe as a splint. I cut a two-inch section from my water line repair kit and slid it over the break, then wrapped it tight with tape. It held for the rest of that week and two more trips after. Has anyone else found a good field fix for broken poles that actually lasts?

My sister said my 'go-to' sleeping pad is basically a pool float and I'm still mad about it

Honestly, I was packing for a weekend in the White Mountains and pulled out my old foam pad, the one I've used for like 8 years. My sister saw it and just laughed. She said, 'You know that thing has the warmth of a cereal box, right? You're sleeping on a pool float.' Ngl, it hit different because she's not even a big camper. She just got back from a trip with a fancy inflatable pad and said she slept warm for the first time ever. I always thought gear upgrades were for weight, not comfort. Now I'm rethinking my whole setup. Is a good pad really that big of a deal for warmth, or is she just being extra? What's your take on foam vs. inflatable for cold weather?

That time my tent zipper gave out during a storm in the Adirondacks

I was camping near Lake Placid last fall when a surprise rainstorm rolled in around midnight. The main door zipper on my 3-year-old Marmot tent completely jammed, then the slider came off in my hand. I spent a cold, wet hour using a carabiner and some paracord to jury-rig the door shut from the inside. Has anyone found a reliable way to fix a busted tent zipper in the field, or is it just a sign to replace the whole rainfly?

Pro tip: I finally learned how to pack my tent the right way

I was always just stuffing it in the sack after a trip, which took forever. A friend in Bend pointed out my tent poles were bent from the pressure, and showed me how to fold it loosely first. How do you guys pack your tents to avoid damage?

My cheap foam sleeping pad popped on a cold night in the White Mountains

I bought a basic foam pad for $25 last year, thinking it would be fine for a few weekend trips. On a hike near Mount Washington, the temperature dropped to 28 degrees overnight. I woke up freezing because the pad had lost all its insulation where I was lying. Turns out the thin foam just couldn't handle the cold ground, even with my sleeping bag. Has anyone else had a pad fail like that in the cold? What do you use for a reliable backup?

Just tested two different 20-degree sleeping bags on a trip to the White Mountains.

The one with a proper draft collar and continuous baffles kept me warm all night, while the cheaper one with sewn-through seams left me cold by 3 AM. Anyone have a solid budget-friendly bag that actually uses a real draft tube?

Pro tip: a chat with my nephew about his new tent made me feel old

He got this fancy 3-person tent from REI with a built-in LED light strip and a phone charging port. I told him my old Coleman from 2005 just needs a flashlight, and he looked at me like I suggested using a rock to start a fire. It hit different because he wasn't being rude, he just genuinely didn't see the point of gear without tech. Has anyone else had a kid make their trusty old equipment seem like a museum piece?

Figuring out my hammock's sag made all the difference for comfort

No more back pain from sleeping too tight or loose, lol.