Author: Alisha McDarris

Alisha is a freelance outdoor journalist and photographer based in Ogden, UT. She loves backpacking, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and snowboarding (even though she's terrible at it). She’s also pretty sure she’s addicted to coffee. alishamcdarris.com

Lifestyle | Sustainability Spotlight

Sustainability Spotlight: prAna Sustainable Clothing for Positive Change
ByAlisha McDarris March 25, 2021March 25, 2021

We love shining the spotlight on cool, sustainable brands here on Terradrift. And there aren’t too many brands more responsible than prAna. They’ve been leading the way in eco-friendly clothing manufacturing for decades now, and we were thrilled to get to learn a bit more about the brand and some of their dope clothing recently. Ready to learn more? Sure you are. Check out all the cool stuff the brand is up to and all about prAna clothing and how it contributes to positive change.

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Lifestyle

National Park Shirts: Outdoorsy Brands that Give Back to Parks
ByAlisha McDarris March 23, 2021July 2, 2025

These days, more consumers want their purchases to do good. And more brands are realizing they have the power to make a difference. So these brands are giving back to the natural places and spaces we all love, donating a percentage of every purchase to parks, forests, and public lands with every item sold. So what are you waiting for?! Wear your love for the outdoors on your sleeve (literally) and support outdoor initiatives with every purchase with these outdoorsy brands that give back to parks. Clothing yourself in dope gear never felt so good!

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Gear | Lifestyle

Trail to Tavern: 10 Stylish and Sustainable Hiking Pants
ByAlisha McDarris March 18, 2021January 30, 2024

Gone are the days of baggy zip-offs, cheap nylon fabrics, and ill-fitting hiking pants. Welcome to the age of trail to tavern hiking pants: coverage for your legs that doesn’t look like you just returned from 9 months studying worm habitats in the Amazon. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. We’re big fans of worm habitats and the people who study them. Or we would be if we ever met them. But many of us prefer something a little more stylish and versatile these days. Namely, hiking pants that function as well on the trail or on the river or at the crag as they do heading out for drinks or dinner or tapas afterward. Because who wants to go home to change after a little ‘ol day hike just so the restaurant host doesn’t seat you at that corner table right next to the bathroom? And who doesn’t love a single pair of pants that can do it all? So don a pair of these stylish and sustainable hiking pants and enjoy wherever your adventure takes you.

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Gear | Sustainability Spotlight

Undyed Outdoor Gear: Is White Gear More Sustainable?
ByAlisha McDarris March 16, 2021July 2, 2025

We’ve noticed a trend taking root recently. Maybe you have, too: Stark white gear. White sleeping bags and tents and backpacks and more. But if our mothers taught us anything, it’s that white gets filthy, and fast, right? And outdoor activities certainly aren’t free from filth. So why are gear manufacturers ignoring this fact and starting to offer stark white, undyed outdoor gear that will definitely get smudged and sullied their first time out? Because they respect the planet, that’s why.

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Gear Reviews

The Decathlon 2 Second Easy Tent: Easiest to Set Up and Super Dark
ByAlisha McDarris March 11, 2021July 2, 2025

It’s quick! It’s easy! It pops up in 2 seconds…ish…It’s the Decathlon 2-second Easy Tent! And this car camping tent might be the easiest to set up, highest quality tent out there for all your car camping adventures. This thing is made of high-quality materials, can withstand wind, rain, and whatever other elements Mother Nature might throw at it, and–here’s the kicker–it’s made with blackout fabric for a dark, private sleeping experience outdoors! I know, right?! Read on to learn all about it and what we thought of the tent.

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Gear | News

REI Used Gear: How to Trade in Your Used Gear For REI Gift Cards
ByAlisha McDarris March 9, 2021December 11, 2025

REI announced some good news for Co-op Members recently: they can now send in their used gear in exchange for an REI gift card! But that’s not the only place online you can sell your used outdoor gear. We’ll explain how the new REI used gear trade-in works, plus where else you can get cash for the stuff you no longer use!

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Adventure | Education

Backpacking 101 – An Intro Guide for New Backpackers
ByAlisha McDarris March 4, 2021July 2, 2025

Ready to start backpacking? Here’s our intro to backpacking guide to get you started out on the right foot. Or the left foot. Whichever foot you want to start on is fine. We don’t discriminate between feet.

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Gear Reviews

Haven Tent Review – An Uber Comfy Lay-Flat Camping Hammock!
ByAlisha McDarris February 25, 2021July 2, 2025

We’ve reviewed a couple of lay-flat hammocks (like the Tentsile Una and Connect) in the last year, but the Haven Tent is one impressive model that combines the best of a tent and hammock into one amazing sleeping experience: an exceedingly flat sleeping surface and an exceedingly comfy hang. Wanna know what we though about it? Watch our video or read on for our full Haven Tent review!

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Adventure

These Black Outdoor Bloggers are Diversifying the Outdoors
ByAlisha McDarris February 25, 2021June 29, 2024

In honor of Black History Month, we thought we’d celebrate some of the adventurous and exceptional black outdoor bloggers and Instagrammers that are diversifying the outdoors and fighting for equal access and a brighter future for everyone on trails near and far! Because the truth is, the outdoors isn’t welcoming and accessible to people from all walks of life (unequal access to the outdoors is real), and we can’t abide by that. So as outdoorists and adventurers ourselves, we want to lift up the voices of those who are walking a different path than we are and promoting a more diverse and inclusive outdoors, one we can all enjoy. We follow and keep tabs on all of the wonderful people and organizations on this list and think you should, too! So follow along with their adventures, learn from them, laugh with them, and let’s hit the trail and together!

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Gear

Sleep Warm with these 4 Sleeping Bag Liners
ByAlisha McDarris February 23, 2021March 24, 2026

Winter and cold-weather camping is still far from over in most parts of the country. So if you’re done being stuck in the house and are ready to spend a few nights out of doors, then don’t be afraid of a little cold! Grab a winter camping tent, a warm synthetic sleeping bag, and one of these cozy sleeping bag liners to give that bag’s temperature rating a much needed boost!

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