How to Level Up Your S'mores

Written by 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 ideas to help you celebrate National Camp At Home Day!   Our family loves to camp - at home, close to home, in state and national parks, or off grid.  We started glamping as a family 6 years ago, and have gradually worked our way from glamping to car camping, to boondocking and backpacking!   One of my favorite things to do, aside from planning our own camping trips, is to encourage more people to give camping a try.  National Camp at Home Day - March 27 - is a great time for new campers to do a practice run, and for seasoned campers to test out and inventory gear in preparation for the spring/ summer camping season!  To help you get ready for this fun weekend, we have come up with some ways to enhance your camp at home experience:   Turn off your electronics and set them aside. Consider turning off your wifi.  Unplug. If weather and space permits, consider camping outdoors on your patio or in your yard.  If you have one, get cozy around an outdoor firepit with some camp blankets!  If camping inside, you can create a nice camp ambience by moving some houseplants around your tent. If you have a fireplace, set up your Swiftlet hammock stand and hammock nearby.   Play “camp games” . Our kids love card games like War and Go Fish! When it gets dark out, turn off the lights and use your camp lanterns, flashlights, headlamps. Treat yourself to classic camp treats like s’mores and hot chocolate with mini marshmallows No campfire at home… No worries! Here are 3 methods to make S’mores at home!  S’mores on the Stovetop: If you have a gas stovetop, you can roast marshmallows just as you would over a campfire.  Put a marshmallow on a skewer and set the stovetop burner on low heat. Use care while slowly turning the marshmallow over the heat to your desired doneness. We recommend this method for adults, as it involves an open flame. S’mores in the Oven:  Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.  Break the graham crackers into halves, and place half of them on a baking sheet. Top each graham cracker with chocolate, and then a marshmallow. Bake until the marshmallows are puffed and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Top with the remaining graham cracker halves and press to flatten. If you prefer your marshmallows extra toasty, you can also use the broiler following the same steps, but will need to watch them very closely, because they can burn quickly. Serve immediately while the S’mores are still warm! S’mores in the microwave: Place chocolate and marshmallows on up to four graham cracker halves and put on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 15 to 20 seconds, or until the marshmallows puff. Top with the remaining graham cracker halves. Learn more about how to participate in this year's National Camp at Home Day here. Happy camping!

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  

Kammok Outsiders know the feeling of connection that comes from stepping into nature. It’s the first breath of fresh air when we get out of our cars and into the mountains. It’s the audible sigh after jumping into the ocean where all we hear are the rhythmic waves crashing onto white sand beaches. However, there’s no doubt that these spaces and experiences away from our screens are in danger due to climate change.  Our commitment to protecting the environment for current and future generations extends beyond Earth Day. We’ve announced our commitment through our partnership with Climate Neutral (read more on it here). We know that for there to be any hope of surviving the climate crisis, we have to take action as both a brand and as individuals. Earlier this month our team at Kammok paused work at the office and hit the trails, but this time we didn’t camp or climb. Instead, we decided to pick up the trash that humans have left behind along a local trail.  We spent our day walking the Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin and picked up a surprising amount of dog poop bags, styrofoam cups and plastic wrappers that were bound to end up contaminating waterways, buried in the soil for hundreds of years or in the stomach of wildlife.  For anyone who spends time outside, we urge you to take another look at the seven principles of Leave No Trace. They have great educational resources about the importance of creating minimal impact in wild places.  Still have questions or aren’t sure why this is important? Drop us a message on Instagram, we’d love to hear from you!  After our team outing on the greenbelt, we decided to get the community involved. For this cleanup, we wanted to hit the streets instead of a trail. So much of the trash that ends up in the wild actually comes from urban areas. With heavy rainfall, winds and waste transportation, a lot of it makes its way to natural areas.  We put out an invitation for people in Austin to join us in cleaning up our neighborhood. We set up outside and welcomed new and familiar faces to the Gear Shop for a trashy adventure.  We split into two groups and made our way East, trash bags in hand, gloves and grabbers at the ready, we walked along the streets picking up plastic wrappers, cigarette butts, old shoes, rags, glass bottles, and styrofoam.  Along our route, we were pleasantly surprised by the number of people who stopped to thank us for picking up trash. People know it’s a problem, it’s a matter of getting out and doing something about it.  Protecting our planet is not only an environmental issue but as our founder Greg McEvilly says, is a human issue. It affects our way of life and it’s our responsibility to do something about it. While picking up trash may not be a long-term solution, it’s a small action we can each take in addition to lowering our consumption of single-use products, using alternative modes of transportation, and choosing to support brands that take climate change seriously. At the end of the day, we didn’t just spend a Thursday evening cleaning up trash, but also connecting with people who understand the power of collective action.  Thank you to those who showed up for our first community cleanup in Texas. We can’t wait to organize more in the future and expand to other locations. Stay tuned for future events in Austin by following @Kammok_ATX on Instagram.    

Our outdoor community is built on seeking adventure. Sometimes this means spending time in harsh weather conditions and challenging ourselves physically, while other times it means having difficult conversations and changing our perspective. In this three-part series, we'll be sharing the stories of individuals redefining what it means to be outside. Written by Luisa Vargas. At the beginning of February, we witnessed the power of community. Slim Pickings Outfitters is the first Black-owned outdoor shop in the nation. They’re a fellow Texan business whose home is not too far from ours in Stephenville, TX. Their mission is bringing diversity to the outdoors and building a space where everyone feels welcome and supported. Like most small businesses, the pandemic hit them hard. When The Outbound Collective caught hold of Slim Picking’s struggles, they quickly set up a Go Fund Me, and with the help of social media, in just three days they raised over $100,000 and hit record sales. People saved Slim Pickings Outfitters and everything they stand for. This brings me hope. It’s proof that collective power is real and we each have a part to play in it. If you’re reading this, you likely want to do something to help, and I’m here to remind you that you can. You can start by supporting organizations and businesses led by Blacks, LatinX, Asians, Muslims, Immigrants, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities. It’s in the intersectionality of these groups that we will bring about transformational change. Today, we’ll be learning about Aleshea Carriere’s life. Listening is one small thing we can all do, but actions still speak louder than words. At the end of this post, you’ll find a list of resources and things you can do to help others like Slim Pickings Outfitters. For now, let’s dive into the story behind Glitz n Grits. Aleshea at Guadalupe Peak: 8,749 feet Aleshea Carriere was 5 years old when she came home from school with a Girl Scouts flyer asking her mom if she could join a troop. This didn’t mean she would automatically be participating in outdoor activities, but her mind was set on being outside. Alesha’s mom volunteered to lead the new group of 20 girls who wanted to take part in this adventure. While Aleshea’s sister’s troop focused on more scientific learning, Aleshea was adamant about getting to do the adventurous stuff.  Girl Scouts became Aleshea’s way of exploring the outdoors. Aleshea and her Girl Scout troop on her first campout at Eisenhower state park Aleshea studied history and political science in college with ambitions to go to law school, but after interning with a law office, she realized it wasn’t for her. Aleshea says she accidentally stumbled into a teaching job but continued to spend her free time in nature and taking pictures. After working seven years in education she decided that it wasn’t a job that fueled her. She decided to quit her job, and that summer Glitz n Grits was born. What started as a food blog quickly developed into a travel and outdoor adventure blog as well. “I heard the song ‘My Texas’ by Josh Abbott after college and realized I had lived here my whole life and hadn’t done half the stuff in Texas,” Aleshea says. She started sharing the outdoor activities she was doing and recognized that she was an anomaly. People were asking her why she was spending so much time outdoors, and that’s when she connected the dots. “The Civil Rights Act wasn’t passed until 1964. So when people ask why Black children are nine times more likely to die from drowning, I explain that my mother was born before 1964, so there was a time she wasn’t allowed in public swimming pools or public places,” Aleshea says. As she began sharing more, more people wanted to learn more. Aleshea enjoying a day of exploring Texas Eventually, Aleshea was asked to come back to Girl Scouts and help plan trips to places such as Arches National Park. Before the pandemic, she led a backpacking troop in Plano. When Aleshea sat down with the girls and asked them what outdoor activities they wanted to do, there were many responses. Aleshea said a little Black girl told her, “I want to climb a mountain.” To which Aleshea responded, “Okay we can do that.” Aleshea recalls that the girl’s eyes lit up as she asked, “Really? You can take me to climb a mountain?” Aleshea replied, “Girl, we’re going to climb a mountain.” Partly, it’s businesses that fail to show a wide range of humans on their platforms. Another part is that people don’t see different kinds of people out on the trails. Not only different races but ages, abilities, and genders.   Aleshea volunteering at Day Camp Aleshea shared several instances where people have stopped her on the trail asking her if she knows where she’s going or what she’s doing. “The number of people that stop us to make sure we know what we’re doing. I think, do you not see the backpacks, poles, and water bottles?” Aleshea says. She also shared that on a trip to Caprock Canyons State Park, she was with a friend who is white and LGBTQ+, and people were shocked when he said he was an Eagle Scout. “When I say yeah people who identify as LGBTQ+ can be in Eagle Scouts, they’ll just look at me,” Aleshea says. At Girl Scouts they have a saying, “you can’t be what you can’t see,” and Aleshea says that can be applied to diversity in outdoor spaces. If we don’t see others who look like us climbing mountains, we begin to believe that’s not a possibility for us. While there is still so much work to do, Aleshea shares the progress between generations. “I was joking with someone that this is my ancestor’s wildest dreams. I’m getting to do things they probably never got to do or would’ve thought of doing,” Aleshea says. Organizations to support: GirlTrek Adaptive Climbing Co  Indigenous Women Hike Check out Trailey’s guide of resources here.