Sure, you know how to use Google Maps to get your overstuffed Subaru to a car-camping site. And that's great: We applaud whatever methods you employ to get outside. But as our recreation habits evolve, we risk losing other skills teetering on the brink of obscurity—like how to navigate sans phone or weather spells of boredom without it. Fear not: We've assembled more than 20 masters of their craft to help you relearn those simple pleasures.
Build the Only Repair Kit You Need
We spoke with Patagonia's Worn Wear crew about the tools they use to keep stuff looking good and working well for decades
When your favorite jacket rips or the zipper on your sleeping bag starts to stick, you could pack up the gear, send it to the manufacturer, and wait six weeks for it to come back. Here’s a better solution: Fix it yourself.
Keep Your Cool, No Matter What
There's not much that will make you panic after ten years of dogsledding in the wilderness. And there are lots of ways to feel equally calm in all kinds of outdoor emergencies
When I started dogsledding ten years ago, I dreamed of one clean run. A run where nothing went wrong—the sled didn’t break in half with 14 huskies attached to it, or a blizzard didn’t close in, or the dogs didn’t get stuck in a river. I loved the sport, but I was always holding my breath for the next crisis. Because at its core, dogsledding—traveling through subzero wilderness by tying yourself to a team of very strong, very manic dogs—is a practice in chaos management.
Start a Fire (Plus 15 Other Outdoor Skills That Aren't Complicated)
Pitching a tent, healing a wound, and finding your way are about the most important things you can learn how to do. They're also the easiest
Because having fun outdoors shouldn’t be complicated, here’s a reminder that even some of the most important skills are simpler than we often make them out to be.
Use a Real Camera
And stop taking goddamn selfies. Award-winning adventure photographer Krystle Wright lets us in on nine of her secrets
You did it. You stepped up and bought a real camera. Not just some accessory lenses for your phone—a real, honest to goodness camera with a detachable lens and manual control. Now it’s time to learn how to use the thing.
Make Friends with Strangers
We aren’t perfect, but most members of our species are worth knowing
Travel is one long introduction to the broadest of humanity. To meet those neighbors, follow these simple rules.
Pitch the Perfect Campsite
Six tips to follow, whether you're pitching your tent in a national park or in your backyard
First, find a legal spot.
Read a Proper Map
Or, the greatest oversimplified explanation of how to navigate ever written
Once you’re outdoors, you can’t rely on technology anymore,” says Christiaan Adams, developer advocate for Google Earth. Being able to read a good old-fashioned paper map is one of the most fundamental outdoor skills.
Train Your Dog to Walk Off-Leash
Having an off-leash companion in the outdoors is the whole point of having a dog
Right now, my girlfriend and I are busy turning our 15-week-old puppy from a tiny ball of furry terror into a trustworthy adventure companion. And a big part of that is making Bowie reliable off-leash.
Get Your Shit Together
Tidying guru Marie Kondo lets us in on how to declutter our closets and our lives
Taking the time to reflect on what gear you really need and what you don't has the potential to change your life.
Make Two Plants from One
Making your favorite tree or flower reproduce itself is easier than you think
Years ago, my father-in-law, Jerry, was walking along the Clark Fork River in Missoula when he noticed a beautiful flower—no one in the family can remember what kind—beside the trail. He knelt down and cut off one of its stems. Then he folded the cutting into a damp square of toilet paper, tucked it into his breast pocket, and brought it home to his rock garden, where it thrived.
Find Lost Things
Seek and ye shall find, writes Ian Frazier
We accept that the universe is chaos. As for my own excursions into the outdoors, they produce entropy in such abundance that I even lose the list of things I’ve lost.
Make a Gourmet Meal
Pro chef and cookbook author Nikki Fotheringham on the number one recipe you should have in your arsenal, plus other camp tips
Nikki Fotheringham, editor of and author of , wants to help campers make flavorful foods easily, many miles into the backcountry.Here’s what she suggests.
Tell a Great Campfire Story
A sneaky ghost is good. A real mystery backed up by history is even better.
Want to rivet your audience? Here’s one true short story that will do the trick.
Have (Good) Sex in a Tent
Quietly, is the short answer. Or as loud as you want, if you're way out in the middle of nowhere
I guess the truth is that a tent isn’t going to be the limiting factor to banging in the backcountry, but there are still some tips and tricks for maximizing the fun.
Buy a Tool That'll Last the Rest of Your Life
What to buy and how to treat it right
A knife is the fundamental tool for the outdoorsperson for many reasons. It’ll help you start a fire. It’ll help you build a shelter. It’ll help you make dinner. It might keep you alive. A knife is also incredibly simple—a sharpened piece of metal with a handle on it—which means it should last forever.
Stay Warm
The number one most basic, most important camping skill
Don’t rely on your fancy tent and minus-15-degree sleeping bag to keep you warm in the backcountry. Sure, those things help, but your comfort, possibly even your survival, comes down to the basics: the clothes on your body. We spoke with professional ski mountaineer Hilaree O’Neill about her apparel system, gear hacks, and love affair with wool.
Find Joy in Every Workout
Kathrine Switzer on the lessons she's learned after a lifetime of running. Nonrunners, take note
We asked the 70-year-old icon what she’s learned from her lifelong relationship with her sport.
Make Your Own Gear
Our savvy, Norwegian-folk-school-trained writer shows you how to craft your own skijoring belts and mid layers
Camping and backpacking are empowering, because they help us break down perceived barriers: we don’t actually need to sleep in a bed or use electricity. And making your own equipment helps to break down another mental barrier: the idea that we need to buy special equipment to be comfortable in the wilderness.
Go Anywhere ϳԹ
From rafting trips to big-wall climbs, here's how to do it just about anywhere outdoors
No matter the sport, there’s a clean, quick way to take care of business, and no one should allow a fear of poop to keep them from trying something new.
Brew a Great Cup of Coffee No Matter Where You Are
Six tips from James Freeman, coffee drinker extraordinaire and founder of Blue Bottle
Brewing great coffee doesn’t have to be complicated. The key? Go with a pour-over. While the term may evoke images of mustachioed baristas, this highly portable, completely analog tool is easy to learn how to use and just at home on the trail as it is at your local café.
Ford a River
Advice from a longtime NOLS instructor on when and how to cross a river, without drowning
Imagine you’re backpacking with a few friends in the mountains. Then imagine that the thin blue line on your map indicating a stream turns out to be a river blown out by snowmelt when you arrive at its banks. Perhaps the trail you’re following disappears at the water’s edge, continuing on the other side. You’ll need to cross the water.
Weather a Storm
In other words, how to not lose your mind to boredom, according to polar explorer Eric Larsen
I have literally spent years of my life in a tent, caught in storms, on one adventure or another. During that time, I’ve gained a few insights into the best strategies to overcome the boredom and anxiety that can ensue. After all, learning to deal with delays is just as important as knowing how to tie a figure-eight knot.
Plan a Last-Minute ϳԹ
Baja: The ultimate weekend escape. And it’s way easier than you think to get here.
Last Wednesday, I bought a truck. Friday morning, I loaded it up with camping gear, my dog, and a girl, and drove to Baja. By lunchtime, we had a beach all to ourselves.