Sierra Designs makes a lot of outdoor gear, but their booth at the 2016 Summer Outdoor Retailer was dominated by tents. They are coming out with a whole new line that will be available Spring, 2017. Summer Moon 2 Sierra Designs claims that the Summer Moon 2 is the lightest, sub $200, fully freestanding dome…
Category: Camping
Mountain Hardwear Hotbed Flame 20° sleeping bag review
Cold spots are the source of my bad experiences with any sleeping bags. Poorly constructed baffles, bunched up insulation, and even a lack of good zipper draft tubes have all been culprits that let cold air in. But the big story with the new Mountain Hardwear Hotbed Flame 20° sleeping bag, is that they claim…
MSR Windboiler Stove review
A hot meal in the backcountry can cure almost everything that ails you. Sore feet and cold bones melt away when you’re enjoying spoonfuls of your favorite dish. But before you dine, you must cook…and for that you’ll need a reliable stove for your travels. With a bevy of backpacking stoves lining store shelves, it…
Alite Designs Monarch Chair review
Multi-day backpacking excursions generally require you to sacrifice comfort in return for a lighter pack. One of the first things to stay at home is the camp chair. But with the Alite Designs Monarch Chair, you don’t have to rely on fallen logs to sit around the campfire. The Monarch is super light and packs…
Hike to Ibantik Lake in the Uinta Mountains
There’s certainly no shortage of picturesque lakes to visit in Utah’s Uinta Mountains. With literally thousands of choices, it can be tough to select any one body of water for a destination. Ibantik Lake, nestled below the mighty Notch Peak ridgeline is definitely the hike. Choose this trek and you’ll enjoy a pristeen lake in…
Klymit Insulated Static V Lite camping pad review
Let’s face it: the worst part about backpacking is sleeping on the ground. Sure, you can pack a cushy, heavy sleeping pad to keep rocks and roots from digging into your back, but most are too heavy to carry miles into the mountains. But the good folks at Centerville-based Klymit have been offering super light…
Big Agnes Slater UL2+ Tent review
Desert camping has been challenging for me. While I love to set out on multi-night adventures in red-rock country, I’ve always had issues with my tent. The desert is sandy and windy. Most tent have lots of mesh. Sand and mesh do not mix. Nearly every trip into southern Utah, I would end up with…
Kelty Discovery 4 Tent review
No one wants to go camping. That was my life before making the move to Utah. For starters, camping was not as readily available back east. Also, the gear which my friends and family owned was a step above pathetic. The whole idea of going camping sounded fun but setting up camp drove me away…
Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Courses in Utah
Accidents and injuries happen in wilderness settings everyday (just watch a good carnage video if you need convincing). Knowing what to do in these situations can not only be the difference between life or death, but more often the difference between quick and effective treatment or a time-consuming, painful, and expensive rescue. One of the…
Winter backpacking (in August) at Kamas Lake
Months before planning a backpacking trip to Kamas Lake in the Uinta Mountains, it seemed August would the the ideal time of year. Temperatures should be just right, an afternoon thunderstorm would be likely but not a concern, and the fishing should be hot. But as I exit my tent in the dawn hours and…