This lightweight, durable MSR kitchen knife comes sharp and stays sharp.

You can also sharpen it quite easily.

I used to buy camping kitchen knives at the dollar store. I'd use them for a season, or part of a season, and then throw them away. They were cheap but unfortunately also disposable. Years ago this MSR Alpine Kitchen Knife came with a set of cooking kit. I have not needed a new knife since.

Good for chopping, paring, slicing and spreading -- this knife will do it all if I'm camping alone and not feeling like taking out silverware. Sure, I'll eat with the kitchen knife.

I have gotten a lot of use out of this blade and only had to sharpen it once. It holds an edge very well.

The Alpine Kitchen Knife is lightweight and has a bit of flex, but is a pleasure to work with. The knife comes with a lightweight plastic sheath for the storaging, as well.

MSR Alpine Kitchen Knife via Amazon Read the rest

Mostly for use during extended camping trips in my Volkswagen camper, I'm running a docked Nintendo Switch and 13.3" 1080p IPS monitor all off of power banks.

Spare me the horseshit about how awful it is I or my kid might play video games inside our camper van while camping. We like to play video games and we're spending a lot of time in our Westy this summer. I wanted my kid and her cousins to be able to play Mario Kart. I like to play Fortnite. This system is getting us hours and hours of playtime.

Nintendo is sensitive to the order in which these devices are plugged together. Failure to follow the correct order frequently results in starting over. I plug a stock Nintendo power supply into this 20,000 mAh AC Outlet bearing power bank. The power bank is rated to 100W and has some internal fans to cool down if it gets too hot. Thus far the Nintendo doesn't force it to cool very often. The Nintendo USB-C power supply evidently will draw a max of 39W and this battery should be more than capable of providing hours and hours of power. Playtesting has shown it to run down about 10% in an hour.

I plug the Nintendo power supply into a Nintendo Switch dock. I then plug an HDMI Cable into the dock. The other end of the cable connects to my 13.3" 1080p IPS display. I use an HDMI to HDMI-mini cable that came included with the monitor. Read the rest

These simple to inflate Air Chairs add a lot of fun to family trips. Read the rest

If you've ever stood in the camping section of a big box store and wondered how you could snag one of those miniature display tents for your pet, wonder no longer. Enter Cat Camp, an Australian company that has created teeny tiny tents for indoor cats. Their Cat Tents ($59.95) pitch like a human-sized tent but, to be clear, these are for inside the house, not the great outdoors.

We set out to create the most unique, high-quality cat bed. This product is modeled on full-size tent and made to look just like the real thing. Cat Camp is a great addition to any house and a cozy hideaway for all cats.

Cats love small, dark and comfy places - this behavior is instinctive so they can hide from predators and they naturally feel safe when the walls of a box or tent come into contact with their little furry bodies.

The cute, it hurts!

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Comfy kitty in her cat camp hideaway. http://www.catcamp.co Order yours today. #comfycat #comfycats #catcampco #catcamp #catstagram #catsofinstagram #cozycat #cats

A post shared by Cat Camp - Tiny Tents for Cats (@catcampco) on Feb 4, 2016 at 10:43pm PST

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Such a great photo of Gus. One of the best. Www.catcamp.co #caycee #cats #catcampco #catcamp #catsofinstagram #kitten #cutecat #lookatmykitty #cosykitty #comfycats

A post shared by Cat Camp - Tiny Tents for Cats (@catcampco) on Feb 6, 2016 at 5:22am PST

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It's just like a camp site.

Nissan electric cargo vans had become a favorite of people who wanted to convert them into electric campers, so Nissan has now come out with an official model. Read the rest

For part of the year, my wife has a gig that brings us into northern Alberta. To save money and make the most out of being here, we live off the grid in our RV for weeks at a time, relying on our rig's power system, propane and water tanks to keep us going. I connect to the internet through my T-Mobile phone plan. It’s quiet, I have a beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains and, when I want to go for a hike in the woods, all I need to do is grab my bear spray and step outside. There’s just one thing I’d change about being out here.

The frigging mosquitoes.

They’re plentiful enough that I can’t step foot out of the RV without for more than a minute in the late afternoon without being chewed on, instantly. They’re small enough that, even when I haven’t opened the door in 24 hours, they still manage to find a way inside. Today’s been a bad mosquito day: we had some pretty heavy rain last week, which resulted in a lot of big puddles being created around where we camp. Mosquitoes breed in standing water. There’s thousands of the little bastards outside right now. Despite having stuffed paper towel into the space between all of my screens and windows to buttress the weather stripping that’s already there, I’ve killed 12 of the buggers since I sat down to work, just over an hour ago. On days like this, I break out my Thermacell and set it up inside. Read the rest

I have wonderful childhood memories of Jiffy Pop over a campfire. They are absolutely false.

Jiffy Pop is the hardest way to make popcorn I've seen. Even stove top preparation is a pain. If you pay a lot of attention, and keep the pan in constant motion, Jiffy Pop on a gas stove is still a pleasure. The spiral aluminum top is just heaven to watch fill up.

Cooking Jiffy Pop over a campfire results in upset children. Jiffy Pop really can not be popped over dancing flames and massively uneven temperatures. If you really want to make campfire Jiffy Pop I suggest you dig some coals out of the fire, make a small pile, and try with more even heat.

I'm going camping, and I take Jiffy Pop with me! I just use a gas stove I use to pop it.

Jiffy Pop Butter Popcorn via Amazon Read the rest

Bucking the trend of non-stop adrenaline-fueled aesthetics, this short film about a kitesurfing adventure in Rugged Point Marine Provincial Park takes time to appreciate the stunning beauty of the Vancouver Island locale. Read the rest

Taras Kul tried out a "campfire in a can," essentially an enormous four-pound tea light used in places where firewood is unavailable or prohibited. Read the rest

In 1952, the U.S. military packed a sleeping bag in a tin that looks like a giant can of SPAM. Fast forward 65 years to when Taras Kul decided to open it, and he does not disappoint. Read the rest

Stock photography is always good for a laugh, as artistic license often gets in the way of reality. Instagrammer @YouDidNotSleepThere, aka Luisa Jeffery, finally got fed up and started cataloging the most staged campsite images. Read the rest

These easy to hang LED lanterns are great camping, working under a car, or really anyplace that is dark!

Invariably I am searching my tent or van for some small item I critically need, but can not find in the dark. These hanging lanterns make it easy for me to just turn on a light and find what I need.

Solidly made, I take one camping wherever I go and have put the spare in my emergency bug out bag.

2 Pack E-TRENDS Portable LED Lantern Tent Light Bulb for Camping Hiking Fishing Emergency Light via Amazon Read the rest

I've been in love with Coleman liquid fuel stoves since I was a boy scout. They are nearly indestructible and last decades with some simple maintenance. My old Powerhouse 414 was in need of some love, before serving a group of pals next week, and this video came in handy!

You can run any Coleman liquid gas stove on white gas or unleaded fuel, but the unleaded will clog up the generator after a while unless you have a dual fuel model. I prefer white gas and it stores very well, but the gasoline option is very nice.

If you need one, I recommend the 414 model. While it puts out slightly more heat, the real joy of the 414 over the 425 is space for 2 10" frying pans or pots. The 425 is very crowded.

Coleman Guide Series Powerhouse Dual Fuel Stove Read the rest

I love space saving gadgetry when camping. I fell for this collapsible silicone kettle.

This silicon kettle folds down for easy storage. I can boil water in a pot, but this adds just the missing touch to morning tea while camping.

LevelOne Collapsible Silicone Outdoor Camping Kettle via Amazon Read the rest

This converted Sea King helicopter on a camp site in Stirling, Scotland is available for overnight stays at the rate of ~$200/night. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the helicopter doesn't fly. From Helicopter Glamping:

We snapped up the decommissioned Sea King in an online MOD auction for £7,000 in March 2016. The giant helicopter was then transported 320 miles by road before being craned into position on our picturesque Thornhill campsite a month later.

Over the summer months, we have lovingly restored her exterior to its former glory. We sourced some original rotor blades and replaced her tail rotors with some we discovered on Ebay, as we wanted her to still look like a helicopter from the outside. Her once peeling paintwork is a thing of the past after several days spent sanding her down and completely repainting her, whilst making sure we kept all her original signage. We thought we might have trouble finding the right shade of grey, but it turns out farm oxide paint – normally used for farm buildings or fencing – is a perfect match for her military colour.

We’ve kept and restored all of her original lighting, so when you see her lit up a night she looks as if she is ready to take off. Meanwhile, we’ve transformed her spacious interior into a remarkable holiday home that sleeps a family of five (2 adults and 3 children) with a double and a triple bed as well as single bed in the tail.

(via Uncrate)

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I am very happy with the solar power solution I've adapted for my van camping needs. I can power all my toys! Read the rest

Amazon has a good deal on this four-pack of LED lanterns. They take 3 AA batteries and collapse to a compact size. With 350 reviews, they've got an average rating of 4.7/5 stars. Read the rest