Gear & Packing
Drying Out a Mildewed Tent in a Miami Carport
August 5, 2025We packed the tent wet after O'Leno and found spots ten days later. How we cleaned it, what worked and the drying rule we follow now.
Packing a Honda Pilot for Two Weeks, Two Kids and a Tent
June 9, 2025A roof bag, four bins, one duffel per person and a hard rule about the third row. Our packing list and the load-out order we settled on.
Ice Math and Our First Good Cooler
May 20, 2025We spent $189 on a 45-quart hard cooler before the Smokies. How we figured the ice savings and what we'd tell our cheap-cooler selves.
Secondhand Sleeping Pads and the End of Our Air Mattress Era
March 11, 2025We popped three air mattresses in two years. Two used self-inflating pads from Marketplace cost $120 and fixed how Dana and I sleep.
A Jump Starter Now Lives in Our Glove Box
February 4, 2025After a dead battery at Long Pine Key, we bought a small lithium jump starter. What it does, what it doesn't and where we keep it now.
Replacing a Leaky Tent After the Flamingo Downpour
January 14, 2025Our first tent gave up in a November storm at Flamingo. What we wanted in the replacement, what it cost and the backyard test before our next trip.