Clik here to view.
Gear Review: Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 4 Tent
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 4 Tent Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 4 $600, 5 lbs. 10 oz. (tent, fly, poles) bigagnes.com My wife and I are delighted that our kids are big enough to backpack and are eager...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: Brooks-Range Foray Tent
Brooks-Range Foray Tent Brooks-Range Foray $425, 2 lbs. 10 oz. (tent, fly, poles) brooks-range.com This sub-three-pound, two-person tent defies preconceived notions of an ultralight tent: it has...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: Exped Mira II Tent
Exped Mira II Backpacking Tent Exped Mira II $379, 3 lbs. 14 oz. exped.com Rain, hail, snow squalls, strong winds, temps below freezing, as well as dry, calm nights in the 40s and low 50s—I saw it all...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Flash 2 Tent
Sierra Designs Flash 2 Three-Season Tent Sierra Designs Flash 2 $340, 3 lbs. 15 oz. sierradesigns.com As a violent thunderstorm ripped the skies open in Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness, on the second...
View ArticleAsk Me: Got a Family Backpacking Tent Recommendation?
Hi Michael, We discovered your website about a year ago, and have loved getting inspired by your stories! We have planned a family backpacking trip on the Teton Crest Trail this August, based on your...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ask Me: Which Tent is Better, Sierra Designs Flash 2 or Exped Mira II?
Hey Michael, I saw that you subsequently reviewed the Sierra Designs Flash 2. Which of these tents are you packing now? For the Flash 2, with the side vestibules not touching the ground in areas,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: Big Agnes Slater UL 2+ Tent
Big Agnes Slater UL2+ Tent Big Agnes Slater UL 2+ $390, 2 lbs. 11 oz. (tent, rainfly, poles) bigagnes.com My first impression of the Slater UL2+ was formed before I even pulled it out of the stuff...
View ArticleAsk Me: What’s A Good Tent For Cold, Wet Weather?
Michael: I just got turned to your site today and have enjoyed reading your gear reviews. I plan to return for more reading soon and learn of your adventures. I noticed that we like a lot of the same...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Flash 3 Tent
Sierra Designs Flash 3 Three-Season Tent Sierra Designs Flash 3 $400, 4 lbs. 15 oz. (tent and poles only) sierradesigns.com Backpacking with my kids amplifies a challenge any backpacker faces: finding...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Review: Sea to Summit Escapist Tarp
Ultralight TarpSea to Summit Escapist Tarp$230, 12 oz. (large)Sizes: Large 10 ft. x 10 ft./3x3m, medium 6 ft. 6 ins.x8 ft. 6 ins./2×2.6m ($200, 9.5 oz.)backcountry.com When rain began falling while a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: MSR FlyLite Tent
MRS FlyLite Ultralight Tent MSR FlyLite $350, 1 lb. 9 oz. (not including stakes) moosejaw.com More backpackers are realizing what tent makers have known for years: The smartest way to reduce pack...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ask Me: Tips On Gear For an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike
Hi Mike, I am 63 and retired. I have done multiple bicycle tours up to 600 miles around Lake Ontario. Now this boy in and old man’s body wants to hike the Appalachian Trail in the spring of 2016, at...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: Tarptent Double Moment Tent
Tarptent Double Moment Three-Season Tent Tarptent Double Moment $349, 3 lbs. 4 oz. tarptent.com With a preference for backcountry tents that are lightweight and stable, I’m willing to sacrifice...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Tensegrity 2 FL Tent
Sierra Designs Tensegrity 2 FL Ultralight Tent Sierra Designs Tensegrity 2 FL $390, 2 lbs. 10 oz. (without the included stuff sack and nine sturdy stakes, which are needed to pitch the tent)...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: Exped Mira II Hyperlite Tent
Exped Mira II HL tent. Ultralight Tent Exped Mira II Hyperlite $429, 2 lbs. 14 oz. (without the included stuff sack and eight sturdy stakes, at least six of which are needed to pitch the tent)...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Looking For Reviews of the Best Gear? Look Here
By Michael Lanza I take a bit of a different approach to testing and reviewing outdoor gear at The Big Outside. I don’t try to blanket my readers with reviews of every new piece of gear hitting the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: Sierra Designs Flash 2 FL Tent
Sierra Designs Flash 2 FL. Three-Season Tent Sierra Designs Flash 2 FL $400, 3 lbs. 10 oz. (not including stuff sacks and stakes) ems.com The rain started as we searched for a campsite by Utah’s Dirty...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Buying Gear? Read This First
By Michael Lanza Are you in the market for a new pack or boots for hiking or backpacking, or a new tent or sleeping bag? How do you find something that’s just right for you? What should you be looking...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 mtnGLO and Fly Creek HV UL3...
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL3 in the Panamint Range, Death Valley National Park. Ultralight Backpacking Tents Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 mtnGLO $440, 2 lbs. 1 oz. (not including stuff sacks and stakes)...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gear Review: MSR Freelite 2 Ultralight Tent
MSR Freelite 2 Ultralight Backpacking Tent MSR Freelite 2 $440, 2 lbs. 7 oz. (not including stuff sacks and stakes) backcountry.com How important is low gear weight to you—and what are you willing...
View Article
