Madison Carter

I have been the person standing at the check-in counter watching the scale tick over to 8.2 kg and realizing my “small” backpack was about to cost me extra. I have also been the person breezing through arrivals with a backpack on my shoulders, skipping the baggage carousel entirely. Both trips taught me something useful … Read more

Buying a backpack based on your height is the number one mistake hikers make, and it leads to shoulder pain, lower back aches, and miserable trips. Your torso length, not your overall height, determines which pack size fits you correctly. Two people who are both 5 foot 10 can have completely different torso measurements, which … Read more

My brand new hardshell suitcase came back from its first flight looking like it had survived a boxing match. Black streaks across the front, white scuff lines along the corners, and a long scratch that ran parallel to the zipper. I stood at the baggage claim at Soekarno-Hatta watching other travelers pull out equally battered … Read more

If you’ve ever stood at a national park entrance wondering whether to pay the per-vehicle fee or shell out for an annual pass, this guide is for you. The America the Beautiful Pass is the single best deal in US outdoor recreation, but only if your travel plans actually match what it covers. I’ve used … Read more

I learned this the hard way in 2022. I drove 7 hours to Glacier National Park in mid-June, convinced Going-to-the-Sun Road would be open. A ranger at the gate told me the road was still buried under 30 feet of snow and would not open for another 19 days. I spent 4 days driving around … Read more

Securing a backcountry wilderness permit for a multi-night trip has become one of the most common hurdles modern backpackers face. Every year, thousands of hikers lose weeks of planning time, hundreds of dollars in lottery fees, and countless nights of sleep trying to win a single permit for places like Yosemite’s Half Dome or the … Read more

I have spent more than a decade camping in black bear and grizzly country across the Sierra Nevada, the Northern Rockies, and the Appalachian corridor, and food storage is the one topic I get asked about more than any other. Learning how to store food in bear country where hanging is still allowed is not … Read more

Picture this: you arrive at the gate two hours early, boarding pass in hand, only to hear the dreaded announcement that the flight is oversold and the airline is looking for volunteers. If nobody steps forward, someone is getting left behind. Knowing how to handle an involuntary bump when a flight is oversold can mean … Read more

Getting through TSA with a laptop is one of the most common slowdowns at airport security, and the rules are not as obvious as they look on the signs above the belt. If you have ever stood in line watching people fumble with bags while you held up the lane, this guide is for you. … Read more

If you have ever stood in the TSA security line wondering whether your prescription liquids will get confiscated, you are not alone. Thousands of travelers every day need to fly with prescription medications and medically necessary liquids through US airport security, and the rules can feel confusing at first glance. The good news is that … Read more