Gear Aid Health and Safety

How to Choose First Aid Kits

Learn how to choose and resupply a first-aid kit for the outdoors or make your own from scratch.

How to Choose Insect Repellents

Learn how to combat mosquitoes, ticks and flies with DEET, picaridin and natural lotions, air-emitted repellents and permethrin-treated clothing.

Wildfire Safety Tips for Outdoor Recreation

Wildfires are becoming more common; learn how to plan for and avoid them, and get tips on reading and reacting to wildfires when you’re outdoors.

Wildlife Safety Tips

Seeing wildlife can be a highlight of a day outside. But some up-close encounters can be a nuisance or dangerous. Learn more about wildlife encounters

Wilderness First Aid Basics

Learn the differences between wilderness and urban first aid. Also get care tips and find out how to assess a patient in the backcountry.

What is Reef-Safe Sunscreen?

Chemicals in some sunscreens are harmful to coral reefs, leading sunscreen makers to offer "reef-safe" formulas. What does "reef-safe" mean? Find out.