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Field Notes

Practical guides for people who would rather get it right the first time than learn it at 2am in the rain.

Mosquitoes, Ticks and the Twenty Minutes at Dusk

Safety

Mosquitoes, Ticks and the Twenty Minutes at Dusk

What actually works against biting insects, what does not, how to check for ticks properly, and why the worst twenty minutes of the day...

Sep 1, 2026·8 min read
Camp First Aid: The Ten Things That Actually Happen

Safety

Camp First Aid: The Ten Things That Actually Happen

Not a wilderness medicine course — the ten minor injuries that make up almost every camping first aid kit's real workload, and how to...

Sep 1, 2026·8 min read
How to Pack the Car (And the Departure Routine That Prevents Forgetting Things)

Planning

How to Pack the Car (And the Departure Routine That Prevents Forgetting Things)

Load in reverse order of use, put the sleep system where you can reach it, and run the same four-minute check every trip. Boring,...

Sep 1, 2026·7 min read
Shoulder-Season Camping: What Changes in Spring and Autumn

Seasons

Shoulder-Season Camping: What Changes in Spring and Autumn

Emptier campgrounds, no bugs, better light — and a twenty-degree temperature swing that catches out people whose gear is fine in July.

Sep 1, 2026·8 min read
Leave No Trace, Practically

Skills

Leave No Trace, Practically

The seven principles translated into things you actually do at a campground — including the three that most well-meaning people get wrong.

Sep 1, 2026·7 min read
How to Plan a First Camping Trip You'll Actually Repeat

Start here

How to Plan a First Camping Trip You'll Actually Repeat

Most first camping trips fail for the same three reasons, and none of them are about gear quality. Here is the 48-hour weekend planned...

Sep 1, 2026·9 min read
Camping With Kids: The 12 Things That Actually Prevent Meltdowns

Families

Camping With Kids: The 12 Things That Actually Prevent Meltdowns

Most of what makes camping work with children has nothing to do with gear. Here is what actually moves the needle, in rough order...

Sep 1, 2026·10 min read
Why You Were Cold Last Time (And It Wasn't the Sleeping Bag)

Sleep

Why You Were Cold Last Time (And It Wasn't the Sleeping Bag)

Temperature ratings, R-values, and the single cheapest fix for a bad night outdoors. A plain-language guide to why camp sleep systems fail and how...

Sep 1, 2026·11 min read
The Camp Kitchen That Fits In One Box

Camp kitchen

The Camp Kitchen That Fits In One Box

What to bring, what to leave behind, and the two-burner argument nobody needs to have. A working camp kitchen for two to four people,...

Sep 1, 2026·9 min read
Lighting and Power at Camp Without Carrying a Generator

Power & light

Lighting and Power at Camp Without Carrying a Generator

How much light you actually need, where headlamps beat lanterns, and honest arithmetic on solar charging. Everything after sunset, planned properly.

Sep 1, 2026·8 min read
Camping With a Dog: A First-Timer's Field Guide

Dogs

Camping With a Dog: A First-Timer's Field Guide

Heat, paws, water, wildlife and the leash rules that change campground to campground. What to check before you book, what to pack, and how...

Sep 1, 2026·9 min read