A Tale of the 2 Plus Campfire Guy Here. All of my camping experiences have been intense. Wait for it. I promise the jokes are only going to get better worse. As I like to be reminded, I have at times, been a serial gear returner. The gear that didn’t get voted off the island gets put to good use and has met my lofty expectations. One of those pieces of gear is the REI Half Dome 2 Plus. I…
Campfire Guy Loves Him Some Campfires! Campfire Guy here. If there’s one thing I like to do, it’s start fires. (No your honor, I’d never actually be silly enough to put that in writing!) To build a campfire you need tinder, kindling, and firewood. Unless your idea of a nice evening is to sit around a pile of unlit wood, with cold, sad marshmallows on the end of your stick, you need a way to get your campfire started. Enter the UCO Gear…
I’m Down With Down Campfire Guy here. One of the single most important pieces of camping gear you’ll buy is a sleeping bag. Having spent my share of cold nights in one I’m inclined to agree. We still have a few old reliable synthetic bags for car camping, but lately, I’ve been on a down bag kick. For the weight, warmth, and compactability (pretty sure I just made up a new word), down is hard to beat. The downside is…
Find the Right Shoe for the Right Situation Campfire Guy here. I was asked a question on my Facebook Page last week about hiking shoes. It reminded me of the stress of trying to buy the right pair of shoes. As with most of my gear, I’ve bought and returned an embarrassing amount of hiking footwear. I truly am like Goldilocks. They have to be near perfect. If the shoes aren’t comfortable walking around the house, no way they are…
A Few Things I Wish a Man From the Future Had Told Me Campfire Guy Here. I’ve spent a lot of time in the outdoors over the past six years. Along the way, I’ve made a ton of mistakes. From packing too much or buying then returning an embarrassing amount of gear, I have done a lot of failing. Fortunately, I have managed to learn a few lessons along the way. After popping out of a Delorean, here are five things…
Next to Making Dad Jokes, Sleeping Outdoors is My Favorite Campfire Guy here. After a long day on the trail or herding a Pack of Cub Scouts on a campout, one of the things I most look most forward to is when I can finally crawl into my tent and curl up in my sleeping bag. I like this form of curling since it doesn’t require a broom or an ice rink. Hard to Pronounce, Easy to Use My…
Outdoors is Better Than Indoors Campfire Guy here. Some of my favorite memories growing up took place in the great outdoors. While I never had the pleasure of being chased by a bald headed bear or matching wits with trash can-dwelling raccoons, I hope to pass on my love of nature to our kids. So Much Concrete, So Little Space to Roam Living in a suburb of Dallas,TX it’s easy to forget that there are some great places close by where…
Pros CheapDurableEasy to set up Cons The dimples can be hard to cleanThe pad doesn’t come with a strap to keep it closed Ground Control To Mattress Pad Campfire Guy here. If a sleeping bag keeps you warm and a tent keeps you dry, what keeps you comfortable in the outdoors? Unless you are a hammock camper, sleeping outdoors often means sleeping on the ground. No offense to the ground, but it’s generally cold, hard and pokey. Ground speed aside,…
Headlamp Woes Got You Down? Campfire Guy here. Have you ever sung the headlamp blues? Did it squeeze your watermelon sized head and give you a headache? Were replacement batteries too expensive and hard to find? Were you 106 miles to Chicago, with a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, in the dark, wearing sunglass and lacking a good headlamp? Enter The UCO A-120 Comfort Fit. My mission today is to enlighten you on a unique…
So You’ve Got This New Scout, Now What? Campfire Guy here. One of the questions I get asked by families joining a Boy Scout Troop is, “What kind of gear are we going to have to buy”. Gone are the days of Cub Scouts where you crammed the family truckster full. Packing for Boy Scouts is going to look a little different than what you may have been used to. Here’s What You Need Below represents what most Troops will…