Alec is a landscape photographer and outdoors storyteller with a zeal for pushing boundaries in the wild. He enjoys hiking, backpacking, and visiting remote places, allowing him to photograph locations the rest of the world shies away from. In addition, Alec loves to write about his travels and craft articles that help educate and inspire others to find their joy in nature.
What you need to know about picking a tent for car camping or backpacking
|
Happy Friday, ya'll! I'm currently in Bellingham getting ready to summit Washington's third-highest peak and volcano, Mt. Baker, in the North Cascades. It's my first true mountaineering trek, and I'm ecstatic and somewhat nervous about how my body will hold up. I've been hiking a ton lately, but this will be the most strenuous thing I've done since cancer and transplant 16 months ago. I'm going with a guide and team, so I'll have company and should return with lots of photos and memories! How to choose a tent?Today is the start of the REI 4th of July Sale. All of the tents listed below are either 30% or 40% off. Car Camping:When it comes to car camping, weight means little in the grand scheme of things. The most you'll have to do is carry your tent from the car to your campsite, which should be 10-20 feet away. Due to this, car camping tents are usually heavier and, thus, less expensive. Now, what size should your car camping tent be? If you have a significant other or family, bigger is better. I find no reason to have a small, cramped car camping tent. For me personally, my fiancee and I have a four-person tent with a queen-sized air mattress. This allows us to sleep comfortably even outside. If you have a larger family, you may want to upgrade to a six-person tent or get multiple tents, depending on how old everyone is. Lastly, for those car camping solo, a two or three-person tent is still fine. I recommend a full-sized blow-up air mattress so you can sleep better, as a queen mattress will not fit. Get the gear mentioned above:
Backpacking:All Big Agnes (30%) and MSR (40%) tents are on sale. In my mind, these are the cream of the crop. With backpacking, weight is almost everything. Depending on your distance, you want a lightweight tent that won't make you exceedingly tired as you tackle miles and miles. A general rule of thumb is a 2-person tent is good for one person, and a three-person tent is good for two people - especially if you're taller/larger than the average person. That said, my dad and I spent a night in a two-person tent (yes, it was tight), but we made it work. The same goes for my brother and me when we backpacked across the West in 2020. Since meeting Jaimie, we wanted a three-person tent and finally got one in 2023. Having a little extra space for her and me makes it SO MUCH better and comfier. If you have the money, upgrading to a 3P is worth it! I've written a couple of articles on these: Copper Spur Review, Big Agnes Vs MSR, Best Week of the Year to Buy a Backpacking Tent Get the Gear Mentioned:
Gear CornerAfter my transplant, I have to be more cautious with the sun. So, I've been wearing sunshirts and sun hoodies to protect my skin from the sun when I'm out all day. Here's the general page to browse and below are the ones I specifically have been wearing.
You can't go wrong with many of these! Get NatGeo Level Photos Delivered To You For Just $6/moI recently launched a photo of the day substack, which gives you exclusive photos every day for just 20/c per day! This is a great way to support my business, see amazing photos, and get inspired to explore the great outdoors. If just 10% of this newsletter signed up, we could have an INCREDIBLE AND THRIVING community! If you feel so inclined, please click the button below. You'll have to enter your email address, and then you'll be taken to a page to select your payment plan. The annual plan gives you two months for free!
Recent Articles You May Have MissedHere are a ton of my National Park articles to help plan your summer trips. Thanks for reading! Favorite National Park photos I’ve takenYour Guide to Kenai Fjords National ParkYellowstone 3-day itineraryZion to Bryce Canyon GuideFlightseeing Over Amerca’s Largest National ParkTop Things to do in Wrangell St. Elias National ParkOlympic National Park Itinerary and GuideNorth Cascades National Parks GuideMt. Rainer National Parks Hiking GuideYosemite National Park Hiking GuideSequoia National Park Visitor GuideDeath Valley National Park GuideYellowstone and Glacier GuideGreat Basin National Park GuideTheodore Roosevelt National Park Guide |
Hi! I'm Alec, an outdoor writer, photographer, and content creator.
Alec is a landscape photographer and outdoors storyteller with a zeal for pushing boundaries in the wild. He enjoys hiking, backpacking, and visiting remote places, allowing him to photograph locations the rest of the world shies away from. In addition, Alec loves to write about his travels and craft articles that help educate and inspire others to find their joy in nature.
I have no idea how it's already September. July and August skirted right along, and now we're experiencing the changing seasons up here in Seattle. A buddy and I backpacked 35 miles into an alpine mecca with towering peaks and rugged glaciers. It was a glorious place and an excellent way to disconnect from the world for three days. I hope you had a lovely Labor Day Weekend and that this week has been kind to you. New Photos of Alaskan Brown Bears Are Available I'm thrilled to announce the...
Chasing Fall at these 10 National Parks Here is a quick breakdown of 10 National Parks nationwide known for stunning fall colors! Do note that the times are historical estimates, and you'll want to do some research on the specific places, as the weather plays a big role in when colors change. 1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee/North Carolina) Peak Time: Late September to early November Details: The park has a wide range of elevations, so fall colors start in the higher...
Five Days in Alaska Jaimie and I just returned from five amazing days in the Alaskan wild. We spent four nights in Port Alsworth, a small community in the middle of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. From there, we took float planes to different Lake Clark and Katmai areas to watch brown bears in the wild and see the dramatic Alaskan scenery. This was my third time visiting Alaska, and it continues to dazzle. Seeing such remote places as they have been for hundreds or thousands of years...