Gear
In Kurasawa’s classic film Dersu Usala, the two principle characters, Usala, the Mongolian guide…
For those of us up in the 'north country' where you trade your paddle for a set of ski poles, I…
It was a sad day when our local Scout leader plugged the "campfire" bulb into the socket of the church…
One of the most critical, and versatile pieces of kayaking gear is a workable length of line. Most…
I've managed to acquire quite a collection of books on outdoor wilderness skills. Some I've read from…
Ask any newcomer to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway or Boundary Waters Canoe Area what he or she fears…
Some years ago at Canocopia in Madison, Wisconsin, I chatted with a young man who had recently completed…
As avid paddlers, we know the importance of taking care of our environment. As a working part of the…
Blending with nature is part of what wilderness canoeing is all about, and for many paddlers this means…
I think it's a primitive act that comes out in all of us while camping; the desire to properly storm…
I advise people to put a waterproof plastic groundsheet INSIDE their tent, not under the floor as…
When it comes to cooking in the outdoors, you can't do good work without good tools. Badly designed,…
In the mid-seventies, I shared an afternoon with the famous woodsman, Calvin Rutstrum, whose flagship…
In an ideal distress situation - if there can even possibly be such a thing - a kayaker unable to…
Mention guns and canoe trips in the same breath and some folks are apt to go ballistic. Still, if you're…
Part way through a portage you come upon a group carrying a teenage girl on a stretcher. You determine…
A kayaking buddy, we'll call him "Ben", is one heck of a paddler. He's got years of big, blue water…
One day, it's bound to happen: your attempted beach landing in the surf fails and your boat is swept…
Christmas is just around the corner and you are again left wondering what to offer your favorite…
Drying is probably the most ancient way to preserve food for a very long period of time. You have…
When it's finally time to go on a weekend paddling trip or to experience the pure freedom of a…
If you want to make me really happy, you'll take me shopping at a well-stocked outdoors store. I…
One of the great companion activities associated with paddling is photography. The quietness of the…
Have you looked through an outdoor gear catalog recently? We are a highly specialized society – even…