You wouldn't naturally think so, but selecting socks is even harder than buying boots. There are so many good models and manufacturers of good boots. If you find ones that are sturdy and fit well, you'll probably be pleased. But, socks? That's tough.
Socks are socks, right? Not when it comes to hiking, no. Sports socks are not hiking socks. You don't want to wear the same socks you use to play tennis or soccer when you set out on a long hike.
A good hiking sock will be thick, incredibly...

Outdoors

GPS is an acronym standing for Global Positioning System. Though there are lots of components, the essential parts are a series of satellites and the units people carry. Three satellites are used to locate your position across the Earth's surface and another can be used with them to calculate your altitude in a process called triangulation.
GPS units come in an array of prices, with the higher priced models offering more features. A very basic unit will have a display and controls that allow...

Outdoors

There are times while hiking when it's a good idea to be able to fall back on traditional navigation techniques.
Modern maps, compasses and especially GPS units are great. But you can lose your maps, break your compass and run low on batteries. Also, GPS units don't always work - sometimes the signal gets blocked by, of all things, trees. Well, there tend to be a lot of trees around in hiking areas. As the Boy Scouts say, be prepared.
The best way to be prepared is simply to have some...

Outdoors

The old-fashioned practice of using a compass is rapidly giving way to GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation. But, compasses are still often cheaper and it's a good idea for hikers to be familiar with how to use one.
Thousands of years ago humans first observed that a certain kind of metal floating on a leaf in a pond would always orient itself to point in a particular direction. It was only a few centuries ago that it was discovered that the Earth's magnetic field is responsible. The...

Outdoors

Even experienced hikers will rely on maps or GPS units to navigate along trails and through wilderness areas. In fact, it's the MORE experienced hikers who tend to do this and the beginners who think they can just wing it.
Amateurs will often reason that they can stick to well-traveled trails and forego the hard work needed to learn how to use maps. As the saying goes, 'Good luck with that. Let me know how that works out for you.'
Sarcasm aside, you really can get seriously lost, even...

Outdoors