How to Level Up Your S'mores

1. 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible - Netflix Nirmal Purja has to be the most inspiring mountain climber to rush onto the outdoor scene in recent years. In his film, 14 Peaks, he attempts to conquer the impossible task of summiting the world’s tallest 14 peaks. And even if you have no ambition of summiting a mountain any time soon, Purja’s enthusiasm, generosity, and kind spirit is an inspiration for all of us. 2. Torn - Disney+ Talk about an emotional roller coaster. Max Lowe takes a deep dive into his family to further examine how they dealt with the death of their superhero, mountain climbing father. Strap in for this one, and bring a box of tissues to the couch with you—you may need ‘em. 3. Liv Along the Way - Youtube (free) From 2017, this film accompanies Liv Sansoz as she sets out from her base in Chamonix, France to attempt to climb all 82 4,000 -meter peaks in the European Alps in a single year. As with all high-alpine climbing, she hits a few bumps in the road and then some. 4. The Alpinist - Netflix Similar to Alex Honnold’s Free Solo, Marc-André Leclerc rose to legendary status climbing insane routes without protection. Unlike Honnold, however, Leclerc runs under the radar and out of the spotlight. The feats Leclerc pulls off are mind bending, and The Alpinist is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. 5. Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey - Amazon Prime Video You won’t find a more interesting character on this list than Fred Beckey—the original dirtbag climber. Beckey began climbing as a child and achieved hundreds of first ascents of some of the most classic climbs in North America. Dirtbag is the first view into Beckey’s wild life of adventures, full of hilarious stories from friends and a deep dive into some of his most incredible accomplishments. 6. The Ghost - Vimeo (free)  If you want to get jacked up on thru hiking, check out this awesome short film from Gossamer Gear. The Ghost follows thru hiker Heather Anderson who Gossamer Gear isn’t shy about praising, saying she “may be the greatest hiker to ever walk the earth.” And for good reason. Stream The Ghost for free to learn more about Anderson’s journey of world record breaking hiking. 7. Break On Through - Redbull TV (free) Another freebie! And lucky you, because it’s an exceptional film from a previous Reel Rock. Follow along as American climber Margo Hayes attempts to overcome two of the most revered climbs in the world – La Rambla in Spain and Biographie in France. Hayes is an absolute crusher—watch her attempt to make history.    Learn more about making the most of National Camp at Home Day here.

It’s that beautiful time of year again where sunny days and crisp spring air are inviting us outside. Here in Austin the wild flowers are blooming, and the creeks are filling with fresh rain—hopefully enough to keep the limestone falls sustained through the summer. Christian, our teammate up in Denver, just marked the coming of spring by waxing his skis and putting them away, trading them in for a pair of hiking boots he’ll be tackling some fourteeners with on the weekends. We hope you’re taking note of similar changes wherever you are, maybe the snow melting in the mountains, clearing the way for your next summit or filling the rivers for your next white water trip. Whatever the case, it’s time to start making those campsite reservations and packing up for the next adventure. Photo by @MoonMountainMan. Swiftlet & Roo Single No car camping site is complete without a comfortable place for an afternoon siesta, and we all know that means bringing a hammock along. If you’re going to a beach or desert campsite, the Swiftlet is the perfect solution for a treeless hang. Even in a pine forest, finding the two perfect trees for your hammock isn’t always easy. A Swiftlet combined with a Roo Single gives you the versatility you need to hang anywhere. Use the short bar for chair mode at the picnic table, and then switch to the long bar for lounge mode and a post-lunch nap. At night, you’ll be able to hang by the campfire or lay back and star gaze if the conditions are right. Shop our Memorial Day Sale for 20% off Roo Singles! Mantis One of the most convenient shelters you’ll ever pack is the Mantis all-in-one hammock. Ditch the bulky ground tent and opt for the minimalist camping approach. The Mantis is perfect for spring with a breathable body that allows you to enjoy the breeze while also sporting a built-in bug net to keep out pesky insects. If rain or high wind is in the forecast, the rain fly will make sure you stay out of the elements. Clear skies ahead? Keep the fly in the stuff sack, take in the view, and fall asleep under the stars. The Mantis’ ease of setup and all-in-one design make it the perfect choice for new hammock campers and experts alike. Now through May 31, get a free Ridgeline Organizer when you purchase a Mantis—the perfect place to stow your water bottle, headlamp, and other essentials you want easy access to. Firebelly 30 Trail Quilt This may be the most fought-over item at your campsite. The Firebelly is made with buttery-soft fabric that is just as durable as it is snuggly. Poncho mode makes it perfect for wearing around camp, and just like the name suggests, you’ll stay warm with or without a blazing campfire.The Firebelly is also adaptable to any condition: Use it as a top quilt in warmer conditions or as a minimalist sleeping bag on those especially chilly nights. If you’re hammock camping, the Firebelly 30 can be used as an underquilt as well, ensuring a warm night no matter what. This trail quilt might exchange hands quite a few times at camp, but if your name’s on the tag, you’re the one that gets to take it into your tent at night—lucky you.  Insulated Pongo Pad and Puffin Pillow Camping has a bad reputation for leading to rather uncomfortable sleeping. From day one here at Kammok, we’ve been designing products with the aim of changing this misconception, and our Insulated Pongo Pad and Puffin Pillow are no exception. No matter your preferred shelter, the comfort that this dynamic duo provides is unparalleled. The Pongo offers three-season support, with insulation for those colder nights and warm weather comfort as well. Add the Puffin to your kit, and you have a velvety-soft pillow that you can inflate to your liking. And you won’t believe what these two will do for your hammock game. Both the Insulated Pongo Pad and the Puffin Pillow fully integrate with our hammocks for a bed like no other. The comfort level is so high that you may prefer it to your plush pillow-top mattress at home. During our Memorial Day Sale, get 25% off our Spring Camp Kit that includes the Pongo, Puffin, and a Firebelly 30 for the ultimate sleep combo. A Frisbee and a Deck of Cards Camping lends itself to lots of down time—slow afternoons spent enjoying nature with your friends. That's why we love it! A frisbee is easy to pack and makes for a fun activity that everyone can be a part of. A Kammok fan reached out to say they always bring a frisbee to camp and pointed out that they can never go flat (major bonus points, especially where there's an abundance of cacti). We love having a frisbee on long road trips when all you want is to stretch your legs and get a break from driving. Similarly, a deck if cards is lightweight and takes up minimal space, but the payoff is huge. We love Uno, but a standard deck is great for all sorts of games. Personal favorites of ours are Spades, Euchre, and Tiến lên, or Vietnamese cards. Cards are great for rainy nights in the tent or around the table after dinner, and if you always have a deck in your pocket, you're always ready for a game. Hopefully all this talk of camping has gotten you jazzed for the next adventure. Now seriously: Head over to your favorite park’s reservation site and plan your trip.

While all our gear is made to last, the thin mesh fabric of insect netting may get tears from being out in the elements, being stored next to sharp objects or accidents that are bound to happen while spending time outside.  We prefer using patches to fix small holes in mesh fabric. This is something you can do at home to extend the life of your gear. If the insect netting on your Kammok gear has large tears or seems irreparable, remember Kammok gear has a lifetime warranty. To repair holes in your Dragonfly, Mantis or Sunda insect netting, we recommend using the Gear Aid Mesh Patches for a quick fix. Here’re step-by-step instructions on repairing your bug netting.   Step 1: Lay your ripped mesh fabric onto a flat surface. Step 2: Open your Gear Aid Mesh Patches and peel one of the patches.  Step 3: Center the patch over the damaged area and press firmly for about 30 seconds to apply the first patch.  Step 4: Flip the mesh fabric over and peel the second Gear Aid Mesh Patch.  Step 5: Repeat the process on the other side. Lay the second patch evenly on top of the first one and press firmly for about 30 seconds to apply. Give is a good rub to make sure the patch is firmly applied.  You’re all set! The mesh fabric is now ready for the next time you want to spend time outside.

As many as 300,000 Americans contract Lyme disease from infected ticks each year, according to CDC modeling. Much of the Eastern half of the country has a large chunk of these cases.  However, only a small fraction of Lyme cases are reported to federal health authorities. Elsewhere in the United States, people contend with potentially fatal tick-borne illnesses like Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Mosquitoes inhabit every corner of the country, spreading potentially serious pathogens like West Nile and Zika viruses and general bite-induced misery. Meanwhile, fire ants terrorize backyards in the southern United States. And they’re joined by too many other insect pests to name. In this year of social distancing, backyard camping is a great way to spend time with your family and enjoy the outdoors. The good news is that suppressing outdoor pests isn’t as difficult or costly as you might imagine. And there are natural ways to get rid of these annoyances. These natural backyard pest control solutions will increase your enjoyment while keeping your kids and pets safe from harm. 1. Moisture Control and Standing Water Management Mosquitoes love standing water. It’s where adults breed and lay their eggs and where larvae spend their lives before transitioning to adulthood. They don’t need much water, so it’s important to identify and control sources of moisture and standing water, even if they don’t seem troublesome. You can’t do much about standing water beyond your property lines. If you live near a pond or swamp, you’ll need to get used to mosquito activity. But you can follow these tips to make your yard as inhospitable to breeding mosquitoes as possible: Dump and Scrub. The CDC recommends dumping standing water from human-made vessels, such as birdbaths and flower pot saucers, at least once per week and thoroughly scrubbing the empty containers. No soap is required, though nontoxic insecticidal soaps can help. Add Oil. If you don’t want to dump the water, drizzle about one teaspoon of olive or vegetable oil into standing water. The oil kills larvae without harming birds or plants. Add Vinegar. Another solution if you don’t want to get rid of the water is to add vinegar to standing water sources. You want to achieve a ratio of about one part oil to five parts water, so this isn’t practical for larger bodies of water, but it should work fine for your birdbath. Mosquito Dunks. These “bacteria bombs” kill mosquito larvae without harming kids or pets. Add them to standing water and let them work their magic.   2. Brush Management Standing water is to mosquitoes as dense underbrush is to disease-carrying ticks. During the cool season, ticks retreat to leaf litter for warmth and protection. They lurk on grasses and ground-hugging vegetation in warmer months waiting for unsuspecting mammals to brush by. Homeowners keen on making their backyards safe for camping need to reduce or eliminate places for ticks to breed and ultimately to find new victims. Here’s how: Edging. Take a trimmer to high weeds and brush along the perimeter of your yard at regular intervals throughout the growing season. Mowing. Mow your lawn regularly, keeping grass ankle-high or lower. Gravel Borders. Create a gravel barrier at least 3 feet wide between your yard and surrounding wooded areas. If this is impractical, use wood chips instead. Stacking Wood. If you keep firewood or downed wood on your property, stack it neatly to discourage tick-carrying rodents from setting up shop. Raking. Rake your grass and cultivate areas to remove leaf litter, grass clippings, and other tick-friendly habitats. 3. Fire Ant Suppression Years of steady northward expansion have brought invasive fire ants, known as red imported fire ants, into contact with backyard campers across a broad swath of the southern United States, from central Texas to Virginia. According to the World Health Organization, fire ants sting as many as 60% of people living in colonized areas. Backyard campers eager to avoid joining their ranks can try two eco- and people-friendly remedies to suppress their colonies: Hot Water. This remedy is only kid- and pet-friendly when kids and pets aren’t around. For each mound you’d like to treat, you’ll need to heat several gallons of water to a near boil, then pour it slowly onto the mound to drench and hopefully penetrate the soil. This measure will also kill nearby grasses, but that may be a small price to pay. Organic Treatments. Though they’re not as effective as EPA-regulated chemical pesticides, two compounds do work to suppress fire ant colonies: d-limonene (citrus oil extract) and spinosad (a microbial byproduct). Follow package instructions carefully. 4. Encouraging Predation Insect-loving predators are the ultimate backyard pest control solution. Bats are voracious consumers of mosquitoes and other biting flies. They’re polite enough to do their work at night too. To encourage them to frequent your yard, Good Housekeeping recommends doing the following: Plant Night-Blooming Flowers. A night-blooming garden should draw night-feeding insects, which in turn will encourage bats to hang out. Popular options include primrose, honeysuckle, dahlia, and raspberry. Put Up a Bat House. Place a bat house (whether purchased pre- or partially assembled or built from scratch) on a south-facing second-story wall or exposed pole near your yard’s edge. The optimal height is 15 to 20 feet above the ground. Final Thoughts Your backyard is yours to enjoy. You shouldn’t have to live in fear of it. Nor should you feel compelled to invest in drastic pest control solutions that could put your children and pets at risk. Thankfully, these kid-friendly pest mitigation solutions really do work. Get started today, and look forward to making your backyard yours once more. Jeremy Kallen is a freelance writer and outdoor enthusiast who uses a number of strategies to watch out for ticks and pests.