Gear

We get excited about a lot of gear here at Terradrift, but we may never have gotten as excited as we got when our Tentsile Connect arrived at our door. I mean, until that point, we had only drilled over photos online and debated whether we should go for it and get one of our own. Because, honestly, we have a great tent and we love our Kammok Mantis camping hammock, so how many sleep setups do we really need? At least one more, that’s how many. And we’ll tell you why it immediately became our very favorite camping equipment the first time we hopped up into that open, airborne structure in this here Tensile review.

Let’s talk about underwear. It’s not weird. We all wear them. Well, most of us wear them. If that’s not you, well, feel free to totally disregard this article. But for the rest of us, underwear is a necessity that many of us don’t give a second thought to when it comes to sustainability. But if you’re seeking out the most eco-friendly sleeping bag insulation, organic cotton jackets, recycled polyester bags, and Bluesign Approved hiking pants, doesn’t it make sense to gird your loins in eco-friendly undies, too? Well, luckily for you, we’ve rounded up 3 of the most comfortable and sustainable underwear for men that you’ll ever own so you can reduce your footprint, all while you keep what needs supporting, well, supported. You know, without all the constant adjusting and itchy fabric and chafing and what not…

When it comes to sustainable outdoor gear and clothing, we love companies who care about the materials they use and the footprints they leave. Brands like Patagonia, BioLite, Toad&Co and Cotopaxi. But while buying new gear from brands who care about the planet is an excellent choice, there’s another option that’s even more eco-friendly (and cost-effective): buying used gear and clothing. Here’s why (and how).

It’s still summer. In fact, we’re sliding into August, which is typically the hottest month of the year in most places in the Northern Hemisphere. Which means if you’re playing/hiking/cycling/backpacking outside, you’re probably sweating. A lot. And a lot of sweat means your body is losing a lot of H20 (and other stuff). Which means your risk of dehydration is higher. So you need to drink more water. But here’s the thing: if you’re out working hard and sweating for over an hour at a time, your body needs more than water to keep itself functioning properly. It needs salt and minerals like potassium. It needs electrolytes. But not all electrolytes are created equal. So if you’re looking for better electrolyte drink mixes without all the artificial color, flavor, additives or sweeteners, we’ve got you covered. Here are 5 sports hydration mixes that aren’t Gatorade so you can hydrate and keep wandering on.

Does anyone like DEET anymore? I mean, I know people who swear by it, and it’s certainly proven effective, but nobody likes it, right? By now, we all know that it dissolves plastic (and rayon and spandex…). And frankly, anything that does that to synthetics, I’m not too keen to inhale and spread all over my largest organ (that’s skin, for those of you who have forgotten 7th-grade science class), even if the EPA has cleared it as a safe and effective insect repellent. But what are the alternatives? And do they work as well? We’ll break them down in this round-up of the 5 best DEET-free bug spray brands for those of us who would prefer to skip the harmful chemicals.

Want to get into backpacking? We understand why. The call of the wild, sleeping under a canopy of stars, communing with nature, testing your survival skills, it’s a balm to the soul. But a lot of folks aren’t sure where to start when it comes to preparing for their first backpacking trip. Well, fortunately for you, we’ve put together this handy list of 10 backpacking essentials to help you on your way in our first of a series of Backpacking 101 posts. So gear up and wander on!

It’s summer! Which means a lot of folks will be heading out to the river/lake/ocean/stream or whatever body of water is nearby for some aquatic fun and recreation. Personally, we’ve been taking our kayaks out since January, but we live in Texas so we can do that without full wetsuits. But if you’re new to kayaking or think it’s about time to level-up your water recreation game, you may be wondering what to bring kayaking when you head to the launch site. Well fear not! Because we’ve compiled a checklist of kayaking essentials so you can go prepared!

Now that summer is nearly here, it’s time to break out the hiking sandals! Here are the 4 best adventure sandals of 2020!

When it’s time to shop for a new sleeping bag, there are two main considerations for selecting the right bag for you: type of insulation and temperature rating. Every bag has the latter, usually right in the name of the bag, but those numbers may not mean what you think they mean. In fact, they could be up to 20º off, meaning you could be spending a very chilly night in the woods if you’re not careful! So allow us to enlighten you. Right here, right now, we’ll break down sleeping bag temperature ratings and help you find the right sleeping bag for you by explaining what the temperature ratings actually mean. That way, you can sleep comfortably in the great outdoors any time of year.

Maybe this is the first time you’re hearing of BioLite. Maybe you’re a fan from afar but haven’t yet acquired any of their dope, eco-friendly products. Maybe we can help with that. We recently tried out the BioLite CampStove 2 Bundle and if you were hoping for a review, wish granted. We’ll break down what’s included, how it functions, and who might want to grab one for themselves in this here review. So grab the popcorn and watch the vid or read on to find out more!