Weekend Outdoor Activities

On my first backpacking trip, I carried a $50 tent my parents bought me from Sam’s Club. Granted, I never weighed it, but it must have been five pounds or more and a bear to pack! Eventually, I started working in the outdoor industry. Since then I’ve slept in pretty much every shelter known to […]

Being an outdoor junkie doesn’t mean that you need to leave your furry friend at home. In fact, plenty of dog breeds make great companions on camping trips. And if you’re looking to get yourself a new pup, then we’ve got tips on the breeds that are best for those family camping trips. So, if

When you go camping, the point is to get away from it all. Not just from work, school, traffic and daily life, but from the chores that go along with it. That means cooking. While it can be a lot of fun to cook over an open fire – s’mores or hot dogs, anyone? –

Of the bigger islands – the Big Island, Oahu, Maui and Kauai – it is Kauai that gets the fewest number of visitors each year. Averaging just over 100,000 tourists per month, that makes the island a perfect snorkeling destination. Kauai gets a quarter the number of visitors of Oahu and less than half the

Snorkeling and scuba diving might seem like similar activities. And, in some ways, they are. Both sports are about exploring worlds beneath water, and both use breathing apparatuses to make that possible. However, there are major differences between snorkeling and scuba as well, from how you breathe to how much training you need to do

The best spot for snorkeling in Hawaii isn’t on one of its islands. It’s in a caldera off the southwestern coast of Maui. Molokini is a crescent or moon-shaped formation often referred to as a small island. But, technically, it isn’t. What you see jutting out of the ocean from Maui’s shores is the ridge

Maui, Hawaii has some of the most rugged, most alluring ocean scenery in the world. And some of the most active ocean wildlife. The last time we were in Maui, we saw whales, dolphins and schools of fish swimming just off shore, crabs crawling over the lava rocks, and turtles out sunning on the beach.

Though you might be wearing your rash guard and sunscreen before paddling out, there’s one place you might forget when it comes to sun protection. Your head. Even if you’ve got a head full of hair, the sun’s rays can still burn your noggin to a crisp. That’s why you need to wear a good

Do you pack a six pack of beer in your dry bag when you’re heading out on the lake or river with your kayak? And are you ever worried about getting ticketed for a DUI (driving under the influence) if you drink a little too much? I know, it’s sounds crazy right? If you can’t

Are you a side sleeper who has woken up in your tent feeling like someone slammed your shoulder into your neck? Or like your hip is digging into the hard ground? As a side sleeper myself, I know that feeling – sometimes it even happens in hotels when the bed is hard as a rock.

So, you’re planning a hike and you need a pack to carry your water, some snacks, and maybe some other things like sunscreen, a compass, and your cell phone. Do you just grab any old backpack out of your closet, or do you head to REI to get yourself a daypack just for hiking? Does

You’ve just gotten back from a camping trip where it rained the whole time, so here you are at home with a wet tent. What are you supposed to do with this thing now? Especially if you don’t have the space outside to let it air dry. Then you remember that you have that clothes