Guides

Written by the people who run the site, for the moment right before you spend money. No affiliate links inside the guides; the links go to our own deal and kit pages.

• How to tell if a gear deal is real

  What a list price means, why we only publish 30% off, and how we check that a price is still true.

• Base weight, and what it is actually for

  Base weight exists so you can compare one setup with another and make the comfort-versus-miles trade on purpose. How I use it, and how the kits use it.

• Trekking pole tents versus freestanding tents

  The biggest single decision in a kit, what each type costs and weighs, and when the cheaper one is the better one.

• Quilt or sleeping bag, and what the temperature rating means

  How to read a 20°F rating, why the pad matters as much as the bag, and where the sleep deals actually come from.

• How big a pack you need

  Litres by trip length, why frame type matters more than features, and the one thing to check before you buy a pack on sale.

• When outdoor gear goes on sale

  The sale calendar that actually repeats every year, from the May anniversary sales to the autumn closeouts, and what to wait for.