10 best books for the trail

Posted by: Hello Kammok • Tuesday, March 22 2016

At Kammok, there’s not much we love more than kicking back in the great outdoors (city or backcountry style!) with a book that challenges the mind and inspires the heart. After much debate, our team dog-eared these ten titles as our very favorite books for the trail. In no particular order...

1 | THE ALCHEMIST by Paulo Coelho

Why we love it: It’s the tried-and-true tome for living a life of adventure and mystery. Part fable, part spiritual memoir, Coelho’s short epic will be read by firelight for a long, long time. Our sales director Jason brings it with him on every trip: "It’s an inspiring book on how to live. How to walk through the open doors in this world. How to love. Most of all, it continually teaches me that the adventure and treasure is in the journey, not the destination.” Travis, our customer experience guru, also recommends this one, so technically...its the team favorite.

2 | DESERT SOLITAIRE by Edward Abbey

Why we love it: This bookshelf staple of Southwest nature writing is deep look into the life of deep-thinking author and environmentalist Edward Abbey and his time as a park ranger at Arches National Monument in the late 1950s. Here’s one of our favorite quotes: “Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread.” Teammate Haley read it during her 25 nights in Glen Canyon, Utah and says that Abbey's words gave her new sight for mystery and magic of the desert.

3 | BORN TO RUN by Christopher McDougall

Why we love it: In this modern runner’s manifesto, our sales director Caroline (who also qualified for the Boston Marathon!) finds real inspiration in the stories of the reclusive tribe of Tarahumara Indians, who happen to be world class endurance runners: “Hearing some of the stories of these runners with endless amounts of energy inspires me to see where my limits stand. Experiencing that alongside quiet and beauty reminds me of all we have right in front of us. Sometimes, it takes the trail for me to remember.”

4 | WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE By Po Bronson

Why we love it: Bronson’s collection of anecdotes seeks out an answer to these ever-present questions: How do we find balance, find our voice, and find what’s truly meaningful? His writing challenges everyone who reads the book, no matter your age or background, and is a catalyst for the kind of reflective moments the outdoors so freely give us. Son, our ecomm ninja, claims its a must-read.

5 | I AM COYOTE by Various Authors

Why we love it: This collection pulls together writings from the most admired adventurers of our time—think Walt Whitman, John Muir, and Mark Twain. I Am Coyote is an anthology that gets us packing our bags and lacing up our boots in no time. Our founder Greg loves how it connects him to sense of get-up-and-go: “We see nature's admirers thirsting for adventure and truth on land, river, sea, and ice.”

6 | IMAGINATION IN PLACE By Wendell Berry

Why we love it: Across 15 non-fiction essays, Berry traces the important connections between writing and the places that shape it—from Wallace Stegner’s allegiance to his American West, to the New England of Donald Hall’s childhood. Plus, Berry’s way of storytelling feels like your talking a long walk with the writer himself. Some of us are pretty obsessed with his prose.

7 | A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT By Norman Maclean

Why we love it: It’s a coming of age story set among the trout-fishing beauty of Montana, and a it’s portrait of family—in this case, the relationship between two brothers and their minister father, who all share a common love for fly fishing. The writing is timeless; the story heartbreaking and poignant. There’s not a better riverside read.

8 | MY FIRST SUMMER IN THE SIERRA By John Muir

Why we love it: Muir is a giant. And this volume, based on journals and sketches from his stay in the Sierras, is a field guide of natural wonders. No one finds all the tiny miracles in nature quite as readily as this bearded California wanderer.

9 | LORD OF THE RINGS By J.R.R. Tolkien

Why we love it: Greatest story ever told? It’s pretty close. Get wrapped up in the epic passages of Frodo, Gandalf and Tolkien’s magical band of characters across Middle Earth. This trio of books is perfect for longer trips, and for out-loud reading with a group – one of our favorite pastimes.

10 | TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY By John Steinbeck

Why we love it: Leave it to Steinbeck to retrofit a truck and hit the highways and backroads of America with his poodle. We love his ability to capture the inherent sense of place in each coastal village, mountain town, and Midwestern hamlet, as he searches for the heartbeat of our country. This is the bright-eyed alternative to Kerouac.

BONUS | AUSTIN BY WILDSAM FIELD GUIDES

Why we love it: This book is a collection of stories that document the shared narrative of our hometown city, Austin, Texas. Our team loves all things that celebrate #ATX: the gateway to the American West. "Far more than weird, Austin's sense of possibility feels a part of the limestone strata, cut long before taglines and tee shirts. You feel this independent vibe everywhere, from taco trailers to neon shops to live music every night of the year. As hotelier Liz Lambert says, “If you grow up in Texas, and you’re a little different, all roads lead to Austin.”

Back to The Outpost

The universal mount included with every Outpost is designed to be compatible with a wide variety of roof racks. What's Included: 1 detachable ball bracket 2 clamp plates 2 bolts for ball bracket 2 hex nuts for ball bracket 2 t-slot nuts 4 clamp plate bolts 4 hex nuts for clamp plates 2 foam pads for clamp plates Cross Bar Compatibility The image below shows how the universal mount is assembled for cross bar compatibility. This assembly utilizes all of the included parts except for the 2 t-slot nuts. Outpost is designed to mount to all standard cross bars as seen in the following image: Need more rack space? Outpost is designed to work with the universal mount attached on the underside of cross bars as well: T-Slot Compatibility The next image shows how the universal mount is assembled for t-slot compatibility. This assembly utilizes the detachable ball bracket, 2 bolts, and 2 t-slot nuts. Outpost easily mounts to your rack's t-slots as seen in this image: Additional Mounting Options The universal mount can also attach to these style racks using the two clamp plates: Platform-Style Racks Basket-Style Racks Truck Bed Cargo Racks Custom Mounting Additionally, the Outpost universal mount can be custom mounted to a variety of racks using the detachable ball bracket as seen below: Questions? For more information on how Outpost can attach to your vehicle, please reach out to us here.

Four reasons to make Mantis your go-to sleep system.

The Mantis All-In-One Hammock Tent epitomizes sleep versatility. Resort-level comfort and four-season adaptability combine for the most epic hang between two trees. Mantis is adventure ready for basecamp and backcountry, and easily sets up for a backyard nap. This thing can do it all—seriously. “I have taken the mantis out half a dozen times now. It’s become my go to hammock. It’s very well thought out and having a single pack for everything makes it light and small.” - Chuck H., Happy Camper Go-Anywhere Packability It’s time to lighten your load, camper. We know you’re always ready for the next big adventure, and with the Mantis All-In-One Hammock Tent, your kit will be too. The Mantis packs down smaller than your sleeping bag and is lighter than a one-person tent. Don’t need the rainfly or mesh canopy for this trip? Leave one or both at home for an even more compact carry. And when we say the Mantis will go anywhere, we mean it. It’s light enough for overnights in the backcountry, yet comfy enough for daily backyard hangs. Quick, Elevated Setup If you’re tired of trying to find the perfect spot for your tent, level and free of roots and rocks, then the Mantis is your solution. Elevate your campsite and sleep on cloud nine every night. The structural ridgeline takes the guesswork out of setup, providing the ideal hang every time. The knotless design means Mantis goes up in 60 seconds, allowing for more time on the trail and less time fidgeting with cumbersome tent poles. All-Weather Versatility You know what you need better than anyone, so we’re putting you in the driver seat with the Mantis’ versatile design. Take what you need, and leave the rest at home. The detachable Dragonet mesh canopy is essential in mosquito season, and the included rainfly makes for four-season adaptability. Pitch the fly close to the hammock body to stay dry through rain and snow, or use trekking poles for front-porch mode to wake up with a view. No rain in the forecast? Ditch the fly altogether and examine the night sky through the Stargazer panel. Whatever the outdoors throw your way, Mantis has you covered. Designed With the Camper in Mind After a long day on the trail, we know all you want is a comfortable bed to crawl into. The hammock body is made with our signature Gravitas™ fabric—silky soft and luxurious beyond comparison. Storage is a cinch with built-in pockets, and during our Father’s Day Sale, all Mantis purchases come with a free Ridgeline Organizer, giving you even more space for essentials like a water bottle and headlamp. Add one of our trail quilts and our Insulated Pongo Pad for an outdoor oasis like no other—resort level comfort between two trees.

Camping with Kids: Dr. Felicia Wong

Dr. Felicia Wong is a physician, outdoor enthusiast, and wellness blogger based in Southern California. Between her and her husband (also a physician)'s busy work schedules, raising two young sons, and running her popular Instagram account Everyday Adventure Fam and blog on adventure tips, she exemplifies what it means to live intentionally and joyfully with her family. The Wong family can be found hiking, biking, enjoying a day at the beach or skiing in the nearby mountains on any given weekend. However, one of their favorite activities is camping. In this blog post, Dr. Felicia Wong shares her experience gradually introducing the wonders of camp to her family. It can be done, and it can be enjoyable. This is the most popular post request I’ve gotten from our friends and the Instagram community. Disclaimer – I’m writing this post for those who have never camped before, who may not consider themselves “outdoorsy”, and/ or who might be feeling a bit intimated about staying anywhere other than a hotel (aka “camping phobia”). I recognize that there are many individuals and families who are camping experts, and whom I’d love to learn a thing or two from, but for this post – I’m sharing how my family went from hotel to glamping to camping enthusiasts. If we can do it, you can too! Growing up in New England, raised by immigrant Chinese parents , my exposure to camping was fairly limited. My parents did bring my brother and me tent camping a couple of times when we were little. But that promptly stopped after we were caught, unprepared, in torrential downpour which leaked into our tent and soaked us and our belongings. My interest in camping was piqued again years later when I went on overnight backpacking camping trips in West Virginia the summer after high school during National Youth Science Camp. During college, I intended to join the wilderness club. But then 1) The Blair Witch Project (for those of you who were born after 2000, this was a horror camping movie) came out; and 2) a dancing injury left me with chronic back pain for several years. These derailed my plan to get out and camp for a few years. Then medical school and residency happened, which meant not a lot of time for much else other than studying. Finally, in 2015, I decided it was time to give camping another go, and I dragged my entire family (husband, toddler, infant, and parents) with me. When our youngest son was 3 months old, we booked a glamping cabin at El Capitan Canyon . It was a perfect intro back into the “wilderness”. We purchased their BBQ Canyon Tri-Tip Kit, cooked it over an open flame, and then enjoyed S’mores and hot chocolate around the campfire. We not only survived this wilderness experience, we had a great time. The next summer 2016, we decided to try again. This time, we stayed in the most adorable and fun vintage trailers in a camp community set up by hosts Andy and Liz of The Holidays in San Clemente. The four of us stayed in the trailer, and my parents pitched a small tent next to our trailer. Our friends and their boys (new to camping) joined us on this trip as well. I think the pictures speak for themselves. We had a blast. We’ve returned to The Holidays every summer since. In 2017, my husband and I were trying to figure out what to do for our anniversary (which happens to be in August), and we decided it would be nice to share a new experience as a family. We chose the Crystal Cove Moro Campground as our inaugural tent campsite. We researched and bought recommended camp gear, and drove 20 minutes from our home to this bluff side campground with an ocean view. We braced ourself, thinking we’re close to home and it’s just one night. When morning came, we didn’t want to leave. Success! This is another campsite we’ve continued to return to each summer. Since then, we’ve done a few more camping trips throughout Southern California including at William Heise County Park in Julian, and on a private farm in Oak Glen via hipcamp. This past summer, we glamped at Under Canvas Zion. It’s safe to say, we’ve become camping/glamping enthusiasts and ambassadors. We love it, and have convinced several other friends and families to join us. We hope this post inspires you to give it a try as well! Summary of tips: If you’ve never camped before and/or do not own any camping gear, try easing into the camping experience with glamping. There are many great options available these days throughout the US and internationally. A good place to search is Glamping Hub. It’s important to prepare and invest in the gear that you need to be comfortable. For some, this means a tarp and sleeping bag. For others, it means an air mattress. There is no right or wrong way to camp. Do what works for you! Campsites with views (i.e. those near beaches, or in national or state parks) tend to be high demand. Research the booking window, and make sure you are ready to book when those dates open (for many places, it is 6 months to 1 year out). A great resource we love for private and unique campsites is hipcamp. For $10 off your first booking on hipcamp, you can use the code “EVERYDAYADVENTUREFAM“, or follow this link. There is a range of primitive camping to glamping options available on hipcamp. If possible, it might be good idea try booking your first camping trip close to home and/ or close to some amenities and civilization. This will reduce your “what if I forgot this, what will I eat, or what if the baby can’t sleep in the tent?” anxiety. We’ve never actually gone home to get anything while camping, but it is reassuring to know that we could, especially when travelling with young kids. When camping with 4 other families this past summer, we brought and cooked most of our camp meals, but it was nice to be able to order pizza for one of the meals. I repeat and stress. There is no right or wrong way to camp. What’s important, is that you try it. If you’re comfortable and prepared, you’ll enjoy it more. Here are some links to help with your planning. Happy Camping! Reserve California: https://www.reservecalifornia.com San Diego County Parks: http://reservations.sdparks.org El Capitan Canyon – Santa Barbara glamping: http://www.elcapitancanyon.com Under Canvas (Zion, Grand Canyon, Moab etc) : http://www.undercanvas.com The Holidays: www.theholidaysca.com, book on Reserve California Hipcamp: www.hipcamp.com ($10 off code “EVERYDAYADVENTUREFAM) Glampinghub: http://www.glampinghub.com Airbnb: http://www.airbnb.com ($40 off code with this link) has glamping options such as yurts and canvas tents. I've you've never been camping with kids, National Camp At Home Day is perfect excuse to build a campsite in the backyard and learn what you like and where you can improve before heading into the wilderness. Check out Dr. Felicia Wong's glamping gear guide to get started on your next adventure. For more family camping, traveling tips and inspiration, follow her Instagram account Everyday Adventure Fam and blog.