Resources
The right gear may make all the difference on your next adventure.
A carefully curated selection of gear may be the difference between whether a journey is memorable for the right reasons or the wrong reasons. My approach to gear is to invest in those things that provide the most value or utility – and hopefully serve more than one function.
Some of the resources in this section may be affiliate links in which case I may earn a commission for the referral. I only recommend products or resources that I believe to be valuable and helpful.
Recommended Gear
Electric
Safety
- ACR ResQLink 400 Personal Locator Beacon
- Spot GEN3 – GPS satellite messenger to provide location updates or call for help when you don’t have a cell signal
Vehicle
- HeatShield – Window shades that are made to fit your vehicle
- Auto Ventshade – AVS side window rain deflectors
Navigation
- Garmin GPS – Satellite GPS navigation for those times when you don’t have a cell signal
- Benchmark Road & Recreation Atlas – Detailed paper maps for exploring the backcountry
Apps & Websites
Campsites
- Campendium – Free and inexpensive campsite directory. Available for iOS.
- iOverlander – Apps for iOS and Android with a focus on free, primitive campsites.
- Allstays Camp & Tent – Campsite directory from AllStays. Available for iOS.
- Allstays Truck & Travel – Directory of truck stops and travel plazas for overnight stops. Available for iOS.
- Park Advisor – Directory of RV parks and campgrounds. Available for iOS and Android.
Travel & Trip Planning
- US Public Lands – Interactive public lands maps from Two Steps Beyond. Available for iOS and Android.
- Avenza Maps – Interactive, downloadable maps to help you know exactly where you are traveling or camping. Available for iOS and Android.
- CoPilot GPS – GPS navigation for your iOS or Android device that works even when you do not have a cell signal. Download maps in advance and use the GPS features in your smartphone or tablet to reliably navigate wherever you travel.
- Google Maps – Perhaps the best known map application, Google Maps is our most-trusted and most-used navigation app. Google Maps is available in a browser as well as an app for iOS or Android.
- Coverage? – Cell coverage maps from Two Steps Beyond. Available for iOS and Android.
- GasBuddy – Never pay too much for gas again. Available for iOS and Android.
- Speedtest - This app by Ookla allows you to quickly test the data speeds of your cellular network. Avaialable for iOS and Android as well as on the web.
Phone & Internet
- Mobile Internet Resource Center – This comprehensive site by Cherie Ve Ard and Chris Dunphy of Technomadia provides top-quality information on cell/data plans as well as devices from hotspots to boosters. This is my go-to site for accurate and reliable information on all things related to cell/data plans and related devices. Mobile Internet Resource Center is a membership site, but there is a lot of free content available. It is probably worth joining though if you are concerned with the most up-to-date and advanced information.