Henricks Outdoors

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Guides, gear, and stories

Everything we've published — guides, gear reviews, recipes, and field notes from the outdoors.

CampingJanuary 8, 20256m

Winter Camping Essentials for Families: Stay Safe and Warm

Family winter camping basics: choosing an accessible site, four-season tents and cold-rated sleeping bags, the three-layer clothing system, tricks for staying warm like the hot water bottle method, and spotting hypothermia and frostbite early.

HikingJanuary 7, 20253m

Avoid Getting Lost While Hiking

Practical steps to stay oriented on the trail: study maps ahead, carry a compass and paper backup, stick to marked paths, set a turnaround point, and avoid mistakes like relying only on your phone.

BackpackingJanuary 7, 20256m

Choose the Perfect Hiking Boots

How to choose hiking boots by matching them to your terrain, pack weight, and climate—lightweight shoes vs. midweight boots vs. mountaineering boots—plus fit checks for toe room, heel lock, and width, and how leather and synthetic materials compare.

HikingJanuary 6, 202510m

Day Hiking Checklist: Everything for a Safe Adventure

A day-hiking checklist covering ten essentials—daypack, water, navigation, footwear, layers, food, first aid, sun protection, a headlamp, and a multi-tool—plus prep steps for trail research, weather checks, and common packing mistakes.

CampingMarch 12, 20248m

Eco-Friendly Camping: A Guide to Sustainable Adventures

Sustainable camping practices built around Leave No Trace, plus a gear list—biodegradable soap, solar lanterns and chargers, reusable bottles, bamboo utensils—and common mistakes like soap in streams or leaving food scraps behind.

CampingNovember 16, 20238m

Set Up Your Tent: A Step-by-Step Guide

Walks through pitching a tent from site selection to safety check — ground prep, poles, stakes, rainfly, and guy lines — plus strategies for setting up in wind and rain and fifteen common mistakes that leave campers wet, cold, or sliding downhill.

BackpackingNovember 15, 20235m

Select and Use Hiking and Trekking Poles

Why trekking poles are worth carrying — stability, up to 25% less knee impact, energy savings — plus how to choose between foldable, telescoping, and fixed poles, pick a grip material, size them correctly, and use them on climbs and descents.

CampingNovember 14, 20238m

Find the Perfect Campsite for Every Camping Style

Covers 30 camping styles from backpacking to glamping, a nine-step process for matching a campsite to your style, and a long list of search and booking sites — The Dyrt, Hipcamp, iOverlander, Recreation.gov, and more.

CampingOctober 13, 202310m

Choose a Hammock for a Restful Camping Experience

How to pick a camping hammock: single vs. double sizing, fabric denier and length, accessories like straps, underquilts, tarps, and bug nets, hammock tents vs. modular sleep systems, and setup tips like the 30-degree hang rule.