Why I walked away from a 25-year technology career to build a camping gear company Who would do this? Walk away from a career that had provided a good life for more than 25 years. Walk away from the stability, the paycheck, the experience, and the professional identity you spent

The buckle broke at mile four. I was on the first section of the Appalachian Trail north of Amicalola Falls, hiking out and back to test some new gear. I picked that stretch on purpose. The climb to Springer Mountain is steep, and it stays steep for miles. If something in your ki

Five thousand years of carrying things, and what really separates a great backpack from an expensive one There is a particular sound a backpack makes when it fails. It is not dramatic. It is a soft tick or snap . One reinforcing stitch lets go at the base of a shoulder strap, or

Are You Physically Ready for the North Georgia Loop? The North Georgia Loop is close enough to metro Atlanta to feel approachable, but the physical demands are very real. This is not a casual camping weekend or a scenic walk with a backpack. It is a multi-day mountain hike with r

Three July 4th Camping Trips Worth Planning a Whole Year For If you're reading this and you haven't booked a July 4th campsite yet, stop scrolling and do that first. The best spots are gone by Memorial Day. I've had three Fourth of July camping trips that I will tell my grandkids

The Greatest Camping Trip in American History By the time the Corps of Discovery walked back into St. Louis in September 1806, they had been camping for two years, four months, and ten days. They had buried one man, fired a shot in anger only once, and brought back 178 new plants

This started with a simple question: what would I want to carry on a serious 3–5 day hike? Not a casual overnight. Not a quick walk-in campsite. I mean something like the North Georgia Loop. The kind of trip that takes 4–5 days if you keep moving, or 5–6 if you want time to stop,

Introduction to the North Georgia Loop Hike - Not for Beginners There comes a point in life when the calendar starts talking back... My oldest son just got married. My youngest is halfway through college. I’m soon to be 58 years old, living in North Metro Atlanta, and somewhere b

The Complete Hiker's Guide to Tick Behavior, Biology, and Field-Tested Protection Field Intelligence Report | Trail & Terrain Outdoor Pursuits --- You're deep in the woods, moving well, when you brush a low branch along the trail's edge. You don't think much of it. But someth

Robert/03-18-2024

Camping.Tools is for Saving Memories A few days ago, I had breakfast with a mentor and friend, and he asked an important question. Why did you create the business? This is a seemingly simple question. But as I start to unravel the answer I'm learning that the answer is not so simple. The truth is that "the business" has evolved from a personal passion into something that I believe can lead to many good things. My writings here on Camping.Tools begin with my attempt to explain how things started,...