Enjoying the great outdoors is both amazing and satisfying. It's an excellent way to rejuvenate the mind and body. Whether you see it as a hobby or a lifestyle, it needs its own corner of news, tips, and conversations. For this niche, information websites and blogs open the door to information, as well as ways to stay connected with the community.
Experts and novices alike can use these as a resource to get more information. You get a chance to learn some tips that you may have missed. After all, there's always room to grow. Information, discussions, and reviews of new gear and products keep you in the know.
And here's the big one: finding spots for your next trip. I’ll admit, the latter is my primary motivation. However, I do enjoy the chance of learning new things and being “in the know” about new gear.
So here they are, my top 9 outdoor blogs to follow and read for information and fun.
REI is perhaps the best known and well-liked outdoor gear store. Apart from being a purveyor of outdoor goods, REI Co-op also has a pretty amazing blog. The blog is full of information, ideas, and yes, it occasionally weaves into products available on their store. It’s useful to the reader and it's good marketing for them. So I guess that's a win-win situation.
For some reason, their store makes me think of Tim Allen and Outdoor Man. Not that they’re similar, but someone really should do Outdoor Man’s angry vlogs in the real world.
This blog is exactly what its name implies. If you're looking for information and reviews on outdoor gear, they've got it. They've also got some pretty cool travel stories to destinations and experiences. Gear Junkie practically covers it all. News, deals, vacation ideas, gear, and more.
The website is fairly extensive and regularly updated. It's a great place to stay “in the know”. And maybe take a stab at one of their contests and see if you win something!
Outside Magazine is another publication that’s basically about everything and anything outdoors. If it has something to do with the outdoors, I’m pretty sure you’ll find it there. The website is full of fresh content and they talk about everything from gear and vacations to audio and video.
They’ve also got a podcast, opinion, ideas, so you can pretty much consume their content any way you like. I like their interface, it is well-organized and there’s a lot of information that you can find right on the front page.
Deep Blue Mountain is full of information and tips & tricks. They have a clean, minimalist interface and the website and its content are all easily available and right in front of you. The blog has a lot of ideas and information that could help you pick your next destination.
They’ve got quite a lot going on about outdoor gears and options as well, with an insightful and well-rounded approach. There’s quite a lot of information on camping and outdoor gear in general, which seems like a pretty good way to narrow down options for the gear you really want.
5. The Morning Fresh
I like this blog's name, it seems like it holds promise with the title. The blog is presented as a nice chunk of information for gear and adventure. And for that, I really enjoy their travel guides and tips. It seems full of information and ideas, and in a way, brimming with energy. The product reviews and notes on gear on this blog are pretty useful as well.
Founded by Steve Casimiro, Adventure-Journal is all about the spirit of adventure and fun. They’ve got pretty exciting stories, content enjoyable and worth learning from, and an approach that’s worthy of admiration. The writing style is phenomenal and Casimiro sure knows how to transport the reader to a different world with words.
The Trek is simple, straightforward, and focused. While there is a lot of information on this blog, their sights are set on three trails. If you want information and ideas about the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail, no other site has the information, depth, and variety of ideas like this blog.
Blister Gear has well-thought takes on outdoor gear and their in-depth reviews add to their credibility. Their podcast about gear is fairly helpful and you can likely shortlist a few products you’d like to consider.
Outdoor Gear Lab is another place to see and learn about the gear you’ve always wanted and needed. Heck, it’s pretty good and finding gear you didn’t even know you needed. Yes, small quality of life changes do matter even in the great outdoors. And they stay relevant whether you decide to camp in luxury or go primitive.
