Because 50-plus responses happen when somebody asked “Why am I Obsesed with a Bivy Sack?” (misspellings left intact to preserve our Geek Cred).

Hiker Deals links to attractive prices on Katadyn water filters, both the Hiker and the higher-capacity Guide. Without straying into the fray over whether to filter or to purify (or both, or neither), I can say I’ve had great luck…

Read the whole thing

Two-Heel Drive reader Erik Cox directed me to the site of a guy who has collected all 56,000 U.S. Geographical Survey maps and intends to make them available to the public. He’s already collected $1,600 to defray his costs and…

Read the whole thing

Outdoorhacks says 24 hours in a refrigerator might help dehumidify an electronic device that’s been under water. The trick is to make sure you remove the battery as soon as possible to prevent the combination of moisture and current from…

Read the whole thing

Field and Stream shows how to fit one into an Altoids tin. Link via Outdoor Hacks.

GoBlog points to the ultimate minimalist backcountry water filter: a straw.

You never know what you’ll end up getting the most use out of till you start, well using it. When I first started hiking I found I always wanted a soft seat when breaking for lunch, so I picked up…

Read the whole thing

St. Louis Post Dispatch has a how-to on buying hiking boots. “We start with the socks,” says Bono. “First thing we ask is how are your socked feet? Cold and clammy? Hot and sweaty?” After they set you up with…

Read the whole thing

Last time I went backpacking, I poked around for an hour looking for a campsite that might have ground soft enough to get a good night’s sleep upon. Such places were available, but only by trudging throug hip-deep, tick-infested grass.…

Read the whole thing