Camping with Kids: Dr. Felicia Wong

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.

The ultimate hammock basecamp We teamed up with TAXA Outdoors to put a Kammok spin on their Woolly Bear habitat. The result is a go-anywhere, do-it-all trailer that's ready for any hammock adventure. We could all use a little more time outside, and the Kammok Edition Woolly Bear is the perfect tool for getting out and staying out. The Camp Chef's Dream Kitchen One of the biggest barriers to getting outside is the comfort you leave behind at home, one of the most crucial being a fully functioning kitchen with everything you need at your fingertips. The Woolly Bear kitchen offers the best of both worlds, with clever organization, plenty of workspace, and the ideal outdoor setting. Now you can get outside with confidence and cook to your heart's content. A Gear Closet on Wheels The Kammok Edition Woolly Bear has a place for all your camping essentials. No more packing and repacking: Load up once, and you're always ready for the next outing. Introducing the Outpost We knew a Kammok Edition Woolly Bear wouldn't be complete without a robust, full-size hammock setup. The Outpost easily attaches to the cargo deck of any Woolly Bear and allows you to hang a full-size hammock in virtually any setting. The Outpost's lightweight frame make it a cinch for anyone to deploy, and the tool-free setup means it's ready to go with the press of a button. Adjustable legs and a 360 degree swivel mount allow you to hang your hammock on any landscape, from smooth blacktop to the roughest backcountry campsites. Create the ultimate hammock basecamp by attaching up to six Outpost hammock stands to your Woolly Bear. With the addition of a rooftop tent, your Woolly Bear can comfortably sleep up to nine happy campers. Arriving Spring '22: Outpost 2.0 will allow for attachment to your vehicle's roof rack or a single tree.

Last year, with everyone self quarantining across the country and all of our favorite parks closed, we kicked off National Camp at Home Day. We loved seeing the creativity you brought to your at-home campsite, and we couldn’t wait to bring the fun back. This year for National Camp at Home Day, as your favorite camping spots slowly begin to reopen and people are starting to travel safely again, we’re focusing on preparedness. Think of National Camp at Home Day as the perfect occasion to pull out all the gear and have a trial run before setting out on the next big adventure. Over the coming weeks, we’re going to lay it out for you: how to choose the right shelter, tips for gear prepping, perfect recipes for the Dutch oven, and everything in between. So hang the hammock, grab some fresh batteries for the headlamp, and settle in: the adventure starts here. If you’ve never been camping before, even the thought of walking into an REI can feel intimidating. With so much jargon tossed around and gear to research, the knowledge needed to make an overnight trip successful can seem overwhelming. It shouldn’t feel this way. Let’s get back to the basics, starting with styles of camping. Basecamp or Backcountry? You can think of Basecamp as the drive-in spot at your favorite national or state park. You’ll usually have the ability to bring more of the comforts of home, like comfy camp furniture and a broader kitchen setup, and you’ll still have access to the beauty of a place like Big Bend or Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you’re new to camping, this can be an easy introduction into the world of overnights. We recommend considering what your future goals are, and if backcountry camping is something you want to work towards, think about buying gear that can be used for both applications. No matter how you want to kick things off, there’s nothing wrong with starting small and working out the kinks. Basecamp can have awesome benefits like proximity to water and electricity while still being close to beautiful trails worth exploring. Backcountry, on the other hand, means you’ll be packing everything in on your shoulders, so a lot more attention must be paid to the weight of your kit. There are exceptions as well, like bikepacking and river trips, but for now we’re going to stick with these two basic categories. Backcountry camping can seem like another beast entirely, but with practice, it doesn’t have to be. There won’t be room in your pack for luxury items you might take to Basecamp, but the tradeoff is you can find yourself in remote places with spectacular views. Not to mention, the crowds disperse as you get further away from park headquarters. Backcountry camping allows you to cover ground efficiently and do things you may not be able to otherwise, like making a long, multi-day trek or waking up to an epic sunrise in the Tetons.  What shelter is right for you? No matter where you plan to lay your head in the woods, you’re going to have to choose a shelter. Each shelter has its advantages, and you’re going to have to weigh the pros and cons and decide what’s right for you and for the environment you’re camping in. First up: Tent camping. If you’re imagining yourself camping, this is probably what comes to mind. Tents offer considerable protection from the elements, are fairly easy to set up, and work virtually everywhere. Some drawbacks to consider are longer setup and teardown times, added weight in your pack in some cases, and their susceptibility to getting dirty inside or wet from condensation. Also keep in mind that finding the perfect tent site in the backcountry, or even while car camping for that matter, isn’t always so simple. You’ll often end up with a rock in your back or on an annoying slope that sends you sliding to one side of the tent all night. Still, it’s hard to beat the dependability of a faithful tent. Next: Hammock camping. No more long setups before sitting down to enjoy a meal, and you can forget about that rock in your back as well. With the addition of rainflies, bug nets, and plenty of insulation, you’ll feel right at home in virtually any conditions. A huge bonus is the level of comfort you’ll enjoy while sleeping in a hammock—the days of crawling out of your sleeping bag with a stiff back are over! There are downsides to consider, the most obvious being the question of where to hang your hammock. Camping in the desert is likely not an option, and although it’s rare, some parks ban the use of hammocks altogether. It’s always best to check for regulations before making any decisions about how you’ll utilize a park. Bottomline, with the right amount of trees, hammock camping is a solid option. For our grand finale: Cowboy camping. Everyone’s dreamed of sleeping under the stars, and with modern sleeping pads and camp quilts, you’ll sleep more comfortably than John Wayne ever thought possible. A key advantage comes into play after a long day on the trail when all you want to do is crawl inside your sleeping bag. Cowboy camping makes setting up camp as simple as possible so you can focus on the fun parts, like stuffing your face with granola bars and hiking until your heels bleed. Another huge plus as more and more of us move into light-polluted cities is the view of the stars without a rainfly or bugnet overhead. Drifting off to sleep with unmatched views of the Milky Way is an experience that’s truly hard to beat. Before we romanticize this too much, consider that cowboy camping leaves you exposed to the elements—bad weather and critters alike. The last thing you want to face in the middle of a deep sleep is a rain-soaked or scorpion-infested sleeping bag. Still, when implemented in appropriate conditions, cowboy camping can be the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors. If you’re still trying to decide what shelter is right for you, or even if you’re a longtime camper curious about a new setup, National Camp at Home Day is the perfect opportunity for a trial run. In the field, you want to be as familiar as possible with your gear to make setting up camp a breeze. Practice pitching camp at home so when the weather turns south and the wind and rains come, you’re able to get out of the elements and into your warm sleeping bag as quickly as possible. To learn more about hammock camping, check out these two blogs:  Four reasons to make Mantis your go-to sleep system Hammock Camping 101  

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.