Ask the Gear Guy – Boys' Life magazine

How to Avoid Ticks on Hikes

Q: I keep getting attacked by ticks on hikes! What can I do?

Help! How Can I Stop Smelly Gear?

All my gear reeks! How can I prevent that smell?

Which Lightweight Jacket is Best?

Q. What kind of jacket do you recommend for a spring trip to Philmont? If possible, I need it to be lightweight and around $100.

How to Fuel Your Body in the Backcountry

Q. What's the trick to having enough energy while on a big outing?

How Do I Store a Camp Kitchen?

Q. I have everything I need for my first camp kitchen except for a good way to store it. Any ideas?

How Tall Should a Walking Stick Be?

Q. I'm making my own walking stick. How big should it be?

Do I Need to Pack a Pillow?

Q. How important is it to pack a pillow for my upcoming backpacking trip?

3 Tips for Setting Up Your Tent

Q. My friends keep telling me I'm setting up my tent wrong. How should I be setting it up?

How to Keep Dirt Out of Your Tent

Q. I hate when the inside of my tent gets filthy. I always track in dirt from my boots. Any tips for keeping it cleaner?

Comfortable Camping With a Bad Back

Q. I have a bad back. I don’t care if it’s a mat or a cot, but I need something to keep me more comfortable while camping.

Stuff We Like: Phoozy

The Phoozy is a thermal capsule that protects your smartphone from heat or cold.

How Do You Keep Food From Getting Soggy in a Cooler?

Q. When the ice melts in my cooler, it gets everything all wet and soggy. What can I do to avoid this?

How to Keep Pots From Turning Black

How do you keep pots from your mess kit from turning black when using them over a fire?

Need Good Boots That Aren’t Too Expensive

Q. The bottoms of my boots wore off, so I'm in desperate need of some good boots that aren't too expensive.

Prevent Tripping Over Tent Guy Lines

Q. How can I keep people from tripping on my tent guy lines at night?

4 Tips to Make Your Tent Last

Q. Hello Gear Guy, I just got a new tent. What can I do to make sure it lasts me the longest amount of time possible?

How to Replace a Broken Tent Pole

Q. Yo Gear Guy! This weekend when I was setting up my two-man tent to air-dry, one of the fiberglass poles broke. Any places that I could go to get a replacement?

How to Clean a Dirty Pocketknife

Q. Dear Gear Guy, I got a pocketknife from my grandfather, and it's all dirty and rusty. Can you tell me how to clean it, please?

How to Prevent Smelly Gear

I'm going to the 2017 National Jamboree. What is the best way to prevent my gear from getting smelly as I use it?

Best Tent for a Good Price?

What's the best tent I can buy for a good price?

Tips to Lighten a Backpack

Q. My troop likes to go backpacking. I’d like to participate, but my pack is really heavy. How do I lighten it?

Best Way to Build a Survival Shelter

Q. What is your best idea for a survival shelter? How would you build it?

Looking for Durable and Comfortable Pants

Q. I'm looking for pants durable for trail building and comfortable for wearing around camp. Ideas?

Blow-up Sleeping Pads

Q: Is it worth it to buy a blow-up sleeping pad?

Best Way to Get Ready For a Long Hike?

Q. My troop is going on a 25-mile hike soon. What is the best way to prepare for it?

Good Shoes For Both Hiking and Gym

Q. I'm looking for a good pair of hiking shoes I can wear to gym class. Ideas?

Staying Warm in a Hammock

Q. I think hammocks are comfortable, but I don’t like being cold at night. What’s the best way to stay warm in one?

How to Tell if a Bike Tire is Full Enough?

Q. Yesterday my friend told me my bike tires needed air, but I don't think so. How can you tell if a tire is pumped up enough?

Will my sleeping bag be warm enough?

Q. My dad says my sleeping bag will be fine in the cold, but I’m not so sure. What do you think I should do?

How to Minimize Sleeping Bag Odor

Q. Whenever I go camping my sleeping bag gets all smelly. How do I make it smell better?

Storing Backpacks During Wintertime

How should I store backpacks during wintertime to keep them in good condition?

How to Wash a Smelly Camp Pillow

Q. When I wash my camping pillow, the material inside lumps up and gets uncomfortable. What should I do?

Difference Between Tent’s Trail Weight and Packed Weight?

Q. Most tent labels list two weights, a trail weight and a packed weight. What's the difference?

Looking for the Best Portable Speakers on the Market

What are the best portable speakers on the market?

Looking For a Lightweight, Packable Electric Lantern

I am looking for a lightweight, packable and budget-friendly electric lantern. Suggestions?

What’s the correct walking stick height?

How tall should a walking stick be?

How to Get Back to Your Car at the End of the Trail

Q. We plan to backpack a 24-mile point-to-point trail but only have one car. How do we get back to our car?

How To Clean Your Lantern

Q. I have a lantern that has a removable glass covering, and it has soot all over it. How can I get it off?

Cot or bedroll?

Q. On camp-outs I see some boys with cots and others with bedrolls. Which should I use?

How to clean a sticky knife

Q. Whenever I go camping I always cut oranges with my knife. But then my knife sticks and is hard to get open. What is the best way to de-stick my knife?