On our last 50 Campfires Field Trip to New York, we needed gear. We usually do because flying and camping can get a little tricky. We were going to be spending two days at a place called Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve, so we decided to stop up at Ramsey Outdoor! What we liked most about [...]
Batoning wood with a knife is a great way to make kindling at the campsite. Before I talk about how to do it, let me first talk about when you would not want to baton wood. It is not meant for splitting firewood. If you have unsplit wood on your property, you would never use [...]
Batoning wood with a knife is a great way to make kindling at the campsite. Before I talk about how to do it, let me first talk about when you would not want to baton wood. It is not meant for splitting firewood. If you have unsplit wood on your property, you would never use [...]
Lionfish are an invasive species that have been plaguing the Gulf 2010. Will Patterson of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab is studying reef fish communities and the dramatic effect these non-natives are having.
A few years ago I was camping with some friends, and as soon as we got there, one of the guys started carving a spoon. I soon learned that he does this every time he goes camping, and I thought it was a pretty cool way to spend time at the campsite. I’ve always wondered [...]
If you love mini-boats as much as we do, you’ll love this quick list of 15 cool mini boats and watercraft. 15: Craigcat E2 Elite – the king of the Craigcat fleet, weights in 550 lbs only. 14: Hison Mini Speed Boat – speeds of up to 50mph, 661 lbs! 13: Sparky, a DIY Electric [...]
One of our favorite things to do is introduce people to fishing. The look on their face when the bobber goes down is priceless, and if they are lucky enough to catch a few fish, they’re likely hooked for a lifetime. On our last 50 Campfires Field Trip to New York, we had a chance [...]
How to Choose Binoculars A good pair of binoculars should be part of every hiker’s kit. They can allow you to get a better look at the wildlife, or to zoom in on natural features like waterfalls and cliffs, which may not be safe to approach. For bird watchers and hunters, binoculars are practically mandatory. [...]
Do I need a bear canister? That’s a good question. When you’re camping in bear country, it’s important to remember that bears have a strong sense of smell. Scratch that. Bears have a very strong sense of smell, about equivalent to that of a bloodhound. Did you ever watch a police procedural where the detectives [...]
Here’s something that I’ve noticed over the past few years: I don’t usually need a large knife for most camp tasks. I’m usually cutting rope, carving a marshmallow stick, or opening a package of hotdogs. In all of these cases, a smaller two to three-inch blade works great. I also want it to be accessible, [...]
