Tamia Nelson's Outside » Evaluations: Hiking & Camping Gear

You’ll Never Go Hungry With John Wayne on Your Side

Tamia Nelson — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 07:01:59 +0000

If you've ever read Three Men in a Boat you may remember the scene where the three protagonists try to open a tin of pineapple without a can opener. Don't let this happen to you…

In Search of the Ideal Tent

Tamia Nelson — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 07:01:58 +0000

Shopping for a tent is a lot harder that it used to be, when the choices pretty much boiled down to a pair of GI shelter halves or an unwieldy fabric barn intended for a family of car campers. But even with the hundreds of alternatives confronting today's shoppers, it's not mission impossible to find your ideal match…

The SteriPEN Reconsidered by Farwell Forrest

Tamia Nelson — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 07:01:42 +0000

Back in the day, Farwell took a cursory look at the then newly introduced SteriPEN water purifier. He thought it was a clever gadget, and he was impressed with the manufacturer's exhaustive documentation, but he didn't think it was very practical. So in the end, he rang up No Sale. Now, however, he's taking another look…

What a Sleeper! To Knit Up the Ravell’d Sleeve of Care

Tamia Nelson — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 07:01:11 +0000

You'd have to call it a sleeper. When my recent column on camp bedding triggered an avalanche of reader mail, I wrote a second one. And when that one was followed by another outpouring of experience and opinion… Well, you can guess, can't you? I wrote a third, with a little — no, a lot! — of help from readers. So if you've ever tossed and turned all night and then had to get up at dawn to hit the road or the trail then you'll want to check this out…

Headlamps to Dispel the Dark

Tamia Nelson — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:01:42 +0000

The ability to light up the night at will is one of our species' defining achievements. And nowhere is this more apparent than in camp, where the need to turn night into day is ever-present. A flashlight can do the job, but it quickly becomes a nuisance when you tackle anything requiring two hands…

Now I Lay Me Down… Sleeping on Air

Tamia Nelson — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:01:10 +0000

Whether you're a cyclotourist, a paddler, or a backpacker, we all start from a common ground of agreement: A good night's sleep helps you cope with whatever the new day holds in store; a bad night ushers in a day of misery. …

Strike a Blow for Comfort—Send in Big Agnes

Tamia Nelson — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:01:45 +0000

None of us is getting any younger, and I'm no exception. The cold, hard ground isn't getting any softer, either. Which makes the choice of sleeping pad one of the most important decisions facing every comfort‑loving trekker. Years ago, I rejected air mattresses in favor of the first in a long line of foam pads, and I never looked back. Till now…