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Are white-gas stoves allowed?
Q. Dear Gear Guy, I recently inherited a Coleman white-gas stove from my father; he has been using it since he was a Cub Scout with my grandfather in the 1960s. I would love to bring this to camp, but...
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Stuff We Like: Teva Universal Sandal
Way back when, your Gear Guy was a whitewater raft guide, and these were the very same sandals I wore at work every day. The Teva Original Universal Sandal ($40, teva.com) was designed 30 years ago but...
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Skateboard knee pads are super-smelly
Dear Gear Guy, I’ve been skateboarding on my friend’s ramp a lot. I always wear my elbow and knee pads and helmet, but they are starting to really stink. I guess I’ve been sweating in them a lot, and...
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Clean sand out of a knife
Q. How do you get sand out of your knife’s insides? — Sandy Adam, Amherst, N.Y. A. Hey Adam. Sand is definitely a big problem when it comes to folding pocketknives. And it doesn’t really take much sand...
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Cleaning a hydration pack
Q. How do I clean out my Camelbak hydration system? – Manky Water Matt, Savannah, Ga. A. Good for you for actually cleaning your hydration pack. If you don’t clean those things, nasties can grow inside...
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Why is my pack so heavy?
Q. I’ve been in Scouts for about a year and I was wondering why my backpack is so heavy. I only pack about two pairs of jeans, extra socks and two shirts. I also pack a mess kit and a flashlight plus...
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Where to find cheap, decent hiking boots
Q. Hey Gear Guy, I was really unsmart on my first campout and brought sneakers! My Scoutmaster said I had to get hiking boots, but my family doesn’t make that much money. Do you know of some really...
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Stuff We Like: WD-40 Bike Chain Lubricant
You’ve probably heard of WD-40. It’s a spray-on lubricant that has been around forever and is useful on nearly everything — except bike chains. Some say that using it will actually just make more dirt...
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How to remove mold from sleeping bag
Q. I went camping, and a few days later I found the bag for my sleeping bag has an orange sort of mold on it. Help me! – Worried Joshua, from the Internet A. Uh-oh. Orange mold does not sound like a...
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What’s the correct walking stick height?
How tall should a walking stick be? – Walking Wyatt, El Paso, Tex. A. First thing to consider is how you’ll be using your stick. If you plan to hike with it, look for a tall and straight stick. Here’s...
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Headlamp or flashlight?
Q. What’s better for the outdoors: a headlamp or a flashlight? – Looking-for-a-light Larry, Orlando, Fla. A. Larry, this is a good question. The biggest benefit to using a headlamp that’s strapped to...
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Itchy groin after swimming
Q. Dear Gear Guy. My friends and I do a lot of swimming in saltwater in the summer, and a common problem we have is the infamous itchy groin. Is there a solution? – Itchy Ian, Baltimore, Md. A. Hey...
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Lighting stoves without flare-up
What’s the best way to light a camp stove without getting too big of a flare-up? I have an MSR WhisperLite. – Phil the Fireball, Johnstown, Pa. A. Good question, Fireball. For this one we turned to...
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Keep kayak paddles from slipping
Q. When I’m kayaking, my paddle is always slipping through my hands. Can you help me? – Slippery Trey, Covington, Va. A. As an avid kayaker, I’ve experienced the exact same problem myself. There are a...
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What’s a Boston valve?
Q. Hey Gear Guy! I am thinking about buying an inflatable boat. I checked all of the safety regulations, laws, details, etc. The only thing I’m not quite sure about is how to inflate it. It says it...
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How to clean a sticky knife
Q. Whenever I go camping I always cut oranges with my knife. But then my knife sticks and is hard to get open. What is the best way to de-stick my knife? – Sticky Fetzko, Munhall, Pa. A. First, try...
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Reduce sweating in your lifejacket
Q. My family has a great sit-on-top kayak and I love paddling it around the lake in the summer but my parents make me wear a lifejacket and my back gets totally sweaty and gross. Please help me! –...
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How to tell if bike tire is full enough?
Q. Yesterday my friend told me my bike tires needed air, but I don’t think so. How can you tell if a tire is pumped up enough? - Deflated Dan, Atlanta, Ga. A. Proper air pressure in your bicycle tire...
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Stuff We Like: Sharkies Organic Kids Sports Chews
It’s a special day when “tastes good” and “mom-approved” can be used in the same sentence. And that’s why we’re stoked on Sharkies (less than $2/package, sharkiesinc.com). These things make your...
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How to repair rubber rain boots
My favorite rubber rain boots have a hole in the side. Now they aren’t dry at all. They weren’t really expensive, but I don’t want to get new ones. How can I repair my boot? Please help. – Wet Wade,...
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What to pack in a daypack?
Q. What should you pack in a daypack at Scout camp? – What-to-Pack Zach, Bay City, Tex. A. Hey Zach, Thanks for the question. Well, what to pack really depends on what you’ll be doing at Scout camp...
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Prevent chafing on the trail
Q. My troop just went on a weekend camp-out. After we climbed this big hill, I started chafing in my groin area. It itched so bad, it was really uncomfortable. My friends were making fun of me because...
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Effective bug sprays
Q. My Scout Troop took a four-day backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The mosquitoes were the biggest problem on the trip. I used several different bug sprays, and only one of them worked....
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How to fit a backpack
Watch as Eagle Scout Jon Almquist, who works for national outdoors retailer REI, shows you how to fit a backpack in this exclusive BL video....
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De-Stinking Water Bottles
Q. Gear Guy, How do I prevent the nasty odor and taste that I get when I store my Nalgene bottle with the lid closed? – Dirty Bottle Daniel, Huntington, W. Va. A. A stinky, sour water bottle is no fun....
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Avoiding mosquito attacks
Q. I feel like a mosquito magnet. Seems like every time I go on outings with my troop, I’m the only one who gets bitten. What can I do? Help! – Badly Bitten Ben, Smyrna, Ga. A. Luckily there are some...
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Hate leaving the tent to pee at night
Q. When I’m camping, I hate having to get up in the middle of the night to go outside and pee. Sometimes it’s too cold or I’m nervous about what I might step on in the dark. What should I do? –...
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How to keep pots clean
How do you keep pots from your mess kit from turning black when using them over a fire? – Seared Sandi in Hamburg, N.Y. A: Don’t cook over a fire! Just kidding — sort of. Actually, cooking over a camp...
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Waterproof or water-resistant?
Q. Hey Gear Guy, I have a question for you. What’s the difference between waterproof and water-resistant? I see it on lots of outdoor gear but I’m not sure which is which. – Soggy Seth, Portland, Ore....
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Sharpening a pocketknife
Q. When and how should I sharpen my pocketknives? – Dull Dale, Colts Neck, N.J. A. How often you sharpen your pocketknife depends mostly on how often you use it. Basically when the blade feels dull to...
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Stuff We Like: UCO StakeLight
If you’ve ever tripped over the guy lines of your tent in the dark, or gotten a little turned around on your way back to your tent after a midnight trip to the bathroom, then you know exactly why the...
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Basic rock climbing equipment
Q. What kind of basic equipment do I need to go rock climbing with some friends? – Bouldering Brandon, via email A. If you’re headed to a climbing gym, it’s easy: Most gyms rent everything you need. If...
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Most important survival item?
Q. In a survival situation, when you are all alone in the Northern Tundra with only a T-shirt and pants, what one thing would you want? – Curious Koen, via email A. I’d want a helicopter, so I could...
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Repairing a sleeping bag
Q: My dad gave me an old Marmot sleeping bag, and it has two small holes in it and some down feathers are coming out. The sleeping bag works just fine, but how do I stop the feathers from coming out?...
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Keep food from getting soggy in a cooler
Q. My dad and I went on a camping trip. We brought a big cooler full of food with lots of ice. But it was super hot, so the ice melted and swamped our food. The buns were soggy, and my graham crackers...
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Find a cheap, good-quality hammock
Q. Dear Gear Guy, Where do I go to find a cheap, good-quality hammock? I have been looking all over the Internet but I can’t find one for under $100. Please help me. — Sleepy Ryan, Murfreesboro,...
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Buy a sailboat without breaking the bank
Q: Hi Gear Guy, I want to buy a sailboat but don’t want to break the bank. What is an affordable 35 to 40-foot boat with a nice cabin I can sleep in? — Captain Theodore, Trenton, New Jersey A: Wow, a...
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Stuff we like: Riviera Select 8′ Stoft Top Standup Paddleboard
By now, you’ve probably heard about—or even tried—standup paddleboarding (SUP). If not, the basics are you stand on an oversized surfboard and stroke with a long canoe-like paddle. You can do it on...
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SOL Origin Survival Kit: Worth the Price?
Q. Hey Gear Guy, I bought the SOL Origin Survival Kit, but my friends told me this was a rip-off. Do you think it was worth it? — Concerned Kenya, Sunnyvale, California A. Hi Kenya. Thanks for the...
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A good, durable camp saw
Q. Hey Gear Guy, I want to buy a camp saw that will really last. Something that can take a beating. It doesn’t need to be lightweight for packing since we usually drive to our campsites. Any...
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Stuff we like: Patagonia Kids’ Capilene 3 Midweight Crew
The key to dressing for the outdoors in cool or cold weather is wearing a base layer that╒s warm and wicks sweat away from your body. The best base layers are made of either wool or synthetic fabrics....
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Organize your stuff
Q. I have a lot of gear at my house. But all of it is just shoved into a box in my closet. I wind up losing a lot of stuff and it looks horrible. Is there any cheap, easy and effective way I could...
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Preventing soggy socks
Q. On winter hikes, my socks always seem to get wet and soggy. How can I prevent that? – Soggy Sam, Fort Collins, Colo. A. Try wearing boots, Sam. Just kidding. Actually, I know exactly what you’re...
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Cold weather hats
Q. What is the best hat to hold in the heat while hiking in the snow or really cold weather? – Cold Cranium, Issaquah, Wash. A. Dear Mr. Cranium, you obviously have your thinking cap screwed on tight...
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Good base layer to keep warm?
Q. Hello Gear Guy, My friends wear Under Armour with shorts and a T-shirt and say they are warm when it is 30 degrees out. Meanwhile I’m freezing with long johns and my uniform and a jacket on! I was...
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White gas stoves more versatile
Q. Why are white gas stoves more versatile than butane, propane, or other canister stoves? – Chef Robert, Round Rock, Tex. A. Thanks for the question, Chef. White gas stoves are indeed more versatile...
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Choosing a kayak
Q. I am looking to buy a kayak but there are so many possibilities. Which one should I pick? Help me! – Kayakless Cameron, Sandown, N.H. A. You’re right Cameron, the number of kayaks on the market can...
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Winter jacket for hiking
How can I find a good winter jacket for hiking at a good best price? Chilly Billy, Pipersville, Pa. Well, Chilly, the short answer is there isn’t one best jacket that does it all. Buy a layering...
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Fix a torn stuff sack
Q. I’m having problems with the stuff sack that holds my backpacking tent. It’s wearing out on the bottom, and I was wondering what would fix it. – Samuel Stuffsack, Troop 535, Monroe, Ga. A. Well, at...
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Fast-drying boots
Q. I’m going to Northern Tier High Adventure Base this summer and need a pair of boots that can dry quickly. They need to be light, closed-toe, fast-drying and fast-draining, considering I might be...
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