Camping

Of the eight Channel Islands flanking our Southern California coast, it’s the northern ones, like Santa Cruz and Anacapa Island, that get the most attention from adventurous hikers. But there’s a southern Channel Island much closer to us, and more easily accessible from our ports: Catalina Island. Though it has an ideal four-day thru-hiking trail, the Trans-Catalina Trail, few Catalina Island visitors I’ve spoken to have hiked it. Maybe it’s the steep single tracks or the lack of sun protection from trees, which can make…

Q: My son’s baseball season just started. I want to support him, but having to sit for hours on my cheap outdoor folding chair is testing my patience. Know of anything better?A: I don’t envy you. The only part of baseball I enjoy is the fried foods, and I can’t imagine the concession stands at peewee games offer much there. But you are a good parent, so let’s find something to protect your posterior.What's NewsSee MoreWhat's News Q: My son’s baseball season just started. I want to support him, but having to sit for…

If you drive a Tesla Model Y, then get ready for summer fun, happy camper! Popular accessory maker Tesloid has a camping tent that’s custom tailored to fit the Model Y like a glove. Plus, Electrek readers can save 10% on their order with promo code CAMP10. The Tesloid Model Y Camping Tent is, as the company describes it, a “very big tiny home.” It fits all model years of the Model Y, and the tent features a 7-foot ceiling and nearly 50 square feet of indoor living space, along with 25 square…

Volkswagen’s electric version of its iconic microbus, the VW ID. Buzz has just gotten even more adventure-friendly. Custom German auto tuner ABT revealed today it has developed solar modules to fit on the roof of the ID. Buzz to add roughly 1,800 miles (3,000 km) per year to the vehicle’s battery or for off-grid power. The Volkswagen ID. Buzz was officially unveiled last March after the German automaker teased the electric version of its famed minivan for several months. Volkswagen’s electric…

It’s a common refrain I grumble to my husband: Why is quality outdoor gear so expensive? His response: Stop complaining and find a solution.He’s right. We’re REI Co-op members — a $30 lifetime membership you pay for only once (and one that keeps giving, with regular sales and coupons mailed to us). I firmly support the company’s mission of outdoor conservation, and I get excited every time there’s a sale. During the most recent, I took advantage of the 20% off coupon (typically members are offered four 20% off coupons a…

Two iconic brands synonymous with design and function, Airstream and Porsche, teamed up to build a camping trailer concept that’s sure to quench your wanderlust with a modern, aerodynamic design and lighter weight that’s optimized for EV towing. And perhaps the best part – you can store it right in your garage. Airstream, Porsche reveal camping trailer concept for EVs In a relationship one could only dream of establishing, the famed aluminum “silver bullet” travel trailer is getting a…

"Honda" isn't a name we see very often stamped on the front of a camping vehicle, but when we do, it's usually something rather extraordinary – like a fast-converting Odyssey camper minivan or an adorable micro-pickup with matching trailer. The Deck One from Japan's White House Camper is the latest evidence of this unwritten rule. Based on the Step Wagon minivan, the pop-up Deck One camper offers four sleeping berths, up to eight seats, an interior dining area, and one of the most adorable tailgate kitchens you'll ever…

In Kingston upon Thames last week, a group of teenage girls lay on the floor in sleeping bags and swathed in blankets in sub-zero temperatures. To the average passer-by, they might have appeared homeless. But those who saw the music venue a few yards away would have realised they were camping for a gig.They were braving the cold to get to the front row of one of three sold-out, intimate gigs by former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson. But the group made headlines after the local record shop Banquet Records, the show’s…

If you spend enough time trying to snag one of the very limited camping spaces inside Joshua Tree National Park, eventually you’ll run into some helpful advice from a park ranger or fellow camper: “Head to BLM land.” That’s what avid camper, hiker and L.A. furniture maker Josh Jackson heard from a friend as he struggled to find a last-minute campsite for his family in 2015.BLM, or the Bureau of Land Management, is a federal agency that oversees 245 million acres of public land and 700 million acres of mineral estate.…

Many small camper vans are built to double as everyday three-row MPVs complete with seven or eight seats. Typically such camper vans require removing or installing seats and other equipment when switching between camping and daily driving modes. A new Toyota HiAce camper van from Japanese aftermarket parts and conversion shop UI Vehicle makes it even easier, switching modes in seconds without the need to remove or install a single piece of equipment. It's both a full-time camper van and a full-time passenger van, with…