I've lit more than a thousand campfires over the past 15 years, and I'll tell you something the marketing photos never mention: most fire starter kits fail when you actually need them. A soggy ferro rod, a striker that throws weak sparks, a tinder cube that crumbles in your hands — these are the realities […]

I tested these alarms across 90 days of trail use, including solo day hikes in the Cascades, a 5-day group backpacking trip in the Sierras, and early-morning runs near grizzly country in Montana. After pulling the pin on each one at least 50 feet from my tent, I can tell you exactly which ones scare […]