Hi @Dad_Aint_Hip , hopefully I'm not too late to the party. This is a great question! I would say that to come to the answer of your question, you should think about the following things: How tall are you? Would you have ample room (for you) in the one person tent, including with whatever gear you want to place inside with you? Personally, I am 5' 5"-6" and about 145 pounds, and find that a one person backpacking tent is a great size for me. I love being able to sit up and not have my head hit the ceiling. The one person tent I have also allows me about 2 feet of extra foot or head space that I can use as gear storage. Thus, I am able to fit my entire pack inside with me if I desire. Think about how much room for movement and comfort you would like to have inside the tent. The two person will obviously give you more, but if the smaller tent still gives you enough room, cut the weight and get the one person. What sort of weather will you potentially encounter when using this tent? If you think there's even a slight chance you will encounter rain (that's more than a sprinkle), and you can't fit your entire backpack inside the one person with you, go for the larger tent. You may add 1.5 pounds to your back, but imagine how much weight you save by not having to carry a bunch of soaked gear (which can happen, even if you place the pack under the tent fly). Is there a possibility that someone else might join you on the trail and share your tent? If you think you might bring someone along with you, and that a two person tent could fit both of you, get the two person tent. If you think you will be alone or have someone with you but in a different tent, get the one person. Do you have room in your backpack? Remember that getting a two person tent instead of a one person will not just increase the tent's weight, but its volume as well. Make sure you have space that you can set aside in your pack for the larger two person tent.   These are just a couple of things that I think about and suggest anyone thinks about when deciding between one and two person tents for solo backpacking. Hope this helps! ... View more

What a great topic! I just got an air fryer and discovered how easy it is to roast almonds in it. So I can buy a large bag of raw almonds from Costco, roast enough for a batch or two of trail mix, and save a lot of money.  In my mix, I add dried strawberries and blueberries (also from the big C), dark chocolate chips, and peanuts. ... View more

Hey there, @SailinDave! How exciting to move to a new city! We just made a move this summer as well and it's been fun to explore some new places and learn where the trails are. What city did you move to? We've got a pretty broad representation of geography here in the community, someone may know a few cool spots for you to check out. Also, how old are your kids? Mine are 8 and 5 and the youngest is just getting big enough to walk a good distance on his own...although he is still small enough to think he needs to be carried! ... View more

First of all, as a Dad and former Suburban Scouter (Eagle Scout!), I can say that dads ARE hip and being a dad is punk as **bleep**!  Secondly, I started off with my dad doing car camping, and it's what turned me in to the backpacker, snowshoer, car rambler I am today. Your kiddos are gonna be awesome! I wish you could see them talk fondly about these 100' hikes with their friends when they are your age.    ... View more

Thank you @Dad_Aint_Hip. So, you are saying Gaia GPS can integrate already established trail routes and work in the backcountry on a phone in airplane mode? Or is it only compatible with Garmin GPS units? ... View more

Hi @Heathertinseth627 .  I can't dispute any of the advice provided so far, but would like to add some additional thoughts for your consideration.  I personally own some Mountain Hardwear and some Patagonia, as well as some other brands such as Outdoor Research and Sierra Designs. I can say that the fit, aside from your own personal preference and appearance, will affect how it performs under the conditions you intend to use it in.  A snug fit in a down jacket may look more flattering, but could compress the down such that it minimizes its ability to insulate.  A loose fit may allow for more layers, but allow drafts when those additional layers aren't used. Next thing to consider are the features such as breathability, pocket size and placement, hood adjustability, ability to stretch and flex.  This falls squarely into what @Philreedshikes mentioned about your intended activity.  If you are climbing, flexibility is paramount, as is a hood designed for a helmet.  Backpacking may dictate pockets positioned to accommodate a hipbelt on your pack.  For bushwhacking or labor-intensive activities you may want something with a more durable face fabric. I hope this helps.  Good Luck!  ... View more

Nice!! ... View more

I have spent extensive time in bear country and fortunately have never had an issue. Having said this, when going into higher bear density area, I carry spray as a lucky charm ... View more

Others have said some good stuff about snacks/activities and keeping it short enough for their endurance, but I want to address the other side of backpacking: namely, the sleeping. With the nap and sleep needs of young toddlers/infants, that could be a very tricky part of the proposition as well. It depends on the kid, but for ours anyway she could fall asleep in the carrier/car/bike trailer but it was never a long or very good nap. And never according to your usual home schedule, the new environment is such a routine buster for littles. And overnights add the challenge of do you haul a heavy portable crib too, or could the kid handle co-sleeping? That said, it's no reason not to take them out into nature, but you can definitely ease into it with car camping at a state park or forest. I think ours was about 9 months for our first outing, with a spacious REI Base Camp 6 tent to set up the pack n play crib. We draped a sheet over it, hung with a carabiner from the ceiling, as a light-blocking curtain. We used our phones to play white noise as a sound machine, so a battery pack came in handy for recharging. More challenging than any of the camping/hiking was pushing through the 2.5hr drive to get there. Our latest big outing was this summer with a 4 day/3 night adventure on Lake Superior's North Shore, at about 1.5 years old (by chance when that comet came by, such an incredible sight in dark skies!). She did quite well, but as mentioned, we totally blew her naps, none of us got great sleep overnight, and were ready to be done by the end of it even though it was definitely a good trip. It's also shocking just how much additional gear comes along for a toddler, that we're now looking into a roof cargo box because the car was absolutely stuffed for that trip. She's just turned 2 now, and I'd say she's good for ~2-3 miles of hiking/balance biking on her own before she's hit her limit. Could definitely go more in the carrier, but now mommy and daddy hit their limits because 32lb of small, wriggling human is not exactly light... but I think we've managed upwards of 10 miles in a day as the most we've done. One thing she absolutely loves is trekking poles, trying to copy what we're doing. A regular adult pole in its collapsed state is actually a pretty good length for her. A bit double edged though because our pace absolutely plummets as she repeatedly drops it and has to pick it back up. But really it all comes down to patience. Patience with the activity itself, and patience that they'll work their way up to longer adventures as they grow. Keep it enjoyable for them to build a lifelong love for it, rather than pushing them away from pushing them too hard. ... View more

Hey @TAZ I can totally relate. Not that long ago, I was trying to find a size 46 hiking pant (and a 46 was snug!). Most outdoor companies make clothing for the people already in shape and that was both frustrating and angering. @REI-JohnJ has already mentioned a couple options that REI has. FWIW, I found it wasn't worth buying the quality stuff at first. Okay, I didn't buy the quality stuff because, like you, I couldn't find it. I ended up buying my stuff at Costco for a while. They certainly don't have a huge selection (whatever they have that day is what they have) but, this year, they always seemed to have some type of trekking pant or a variant that was suitable for hiking. And they always had larger sizes. A couple pair I bought in the Spring are already wearing out (seams are letting go) but they were cheap. So if you can't find something from REI, I would suggest checking out one of the box warehouse stores if there's one nearby and if you have a membership (or have a friend who does). Good luck! ... View more

@Dora_the_Explorer one additional thought - make sure you check out our Georgia boards! ... View more