Pursuit
Camping
Car camping and basecamps — comfort, camp kitchens, and site craft.
About camping
When weight stops mattering, camping becomes about comfort and systems: a kitchen that works in the dark, a site that drains, and a setup you can pitch and strike without arguing.
Season: Year-round with the right shelter and sleep system.
Learn these first
- Pick a site that drains, catches morning sun, and blocks prevailing wind
- Run a two-bin camp kitchen so cleanup never stalls dinner
- Build a fire that lights in wet conditions and dies out cold
- Leave No Trace at a basecamp scale — greywater, waste, and firewood
Kit that matters
- Tent or canvas shelter with a full footprint
- Cot or thick pad, plus real bedding if the car is right there
- Two-burner stove, cast iron, and a hard-sided cooler
- Lighting: lantern for camp, headlamp per person
Honest hazard notes
- Carbon monoxide from stoves or heaters inside a closed shelter
- Food and scented items left out in bear country
- Site drainage — pitch above the low spot, always
Plan a camping trip
Camping reading
The Drenched Truth: Hydrophobic Down vs. Untreated Down in Persistent Humidity
Seven nights in the damp without sun. We put hydrophobic down and untreated down head-to-head to see how each holds up when the moisture just won't quit. The results shed light on real-world performance.
Knife Steel Guide: 100+ Blade Steels Ranked by Edge Retention, Toughness and Corrosion Resistance
MagnaCut wins overall, MagnaMax leads edge retention, 14C28N wins value, 3V rules hard use, Vanax and LC200N own saltwater. A ranked, comparative guide to 100+ knife steels with T/E/C data.
How to Plan a Stargazing Camping Trip
A good stargazing camp combines dark sky, clear horizon, weather, moon phase, legal access, warmth, and patient eyes. The telescope is optional; a blanket, red light, star map, and binoculars can reveal plenty. The greatest technical challe
First-Time Camping Checklist: What You Need and What You Can Leave Home
A first camping trip should test a simple system, not your ability to relocate the contents of a house. Bring reliable shelter, sleep equipment, weather protection, water, food, illumination, first aid, and a plan. Most comfort problems com
Leave No Trace Camping: Practical Habits That Protect Campsites
Low-impact camping is not a performance of purity. It is a series of practical choices that reduce damage, protect water and wildlife, and leave room for other people. Plan ahead, use durable surfaces, manage waste, leave natural and cultur
Build a Camp Kitchen That Is Safe, Fast, and Easy to Clean
A useful camp kitchen turns meals into a short, controlled process instead of scattering food, flame, knives, and wildlife attractants across the site. Plan the menu around the equipment, create clean and dirty zones, protect cold food, and
How to Set Up a Tent in the Rain Without Soaking Everything
Rain does not ruin a tent setup; disorganization does. The objective is to keep the tent body and sleep system protected while anchors, poles, and rainfly go into place. Practice the sequence before the trip, pack components in the order th
How to Sleep Better While Camping: Warmth, Comfort, and Quiet
Most poor camp sleep has a mechanical cause: inadequate insulation, a poorly fitted sleep system, a bad site, moisture, noise, or a routine that keeps the body alert. Improve those inputs before buying a thicker pillow the size of a small o
Family Camping Without Chaos: A Practical Guide for Parents
Family camping succeeds when the trip fits the youngest participant’s needs, adults share the work, and expectations leave room for mud, delays, and unconventional dinner. The goal is not to reproduce an adult expedition with smaller sleepi
Camping FAQ
What's the single biggest camp comfort upgrade?
Sleep. A thick pad or cot and a proper pillow changes more about a weekend than any other purchase.
How do I keep food safe overnight?
Hard-sided vehicle storage or a certified canister in bear country, and never inside your tent — including toothpaste and wrappers.