Tentside Blog
Gear reviews, trail stories and backpacking guides.
5 Sites for Huge Discounts on Outdoor Gear
Ashli · February 1, 2026
Explore 5 sites for huge discounts on outdoor gear. See what each site is best for and where you can find the steepest deals.
Complete Women’s Hiking and Backpacking Gear List – 2026
Ashli · January 31, 2026
A backpacking gear list made just for women -- practical weight totaling less than 15 pounds for all of your gear -- pack confidently for your next hike.
The Best Trekking Poles for Women 2026: Top Picks for Every Trail
Ashli · January 31, 2026
Best Women’s Trekking Poles for 2026: The Complete Guide Trekking poles aren’t one-size-fits-all, and the difference becomes obvious after just a few hours on the trail. Women-specific trekking…
6 things you must do before starting your Appalachian Trail thru-hike
Daleen Cowgar · August 25, 2022 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking
Tiger Wall UL2 Solution Dye Backpacking Tent Review
Daleen Cowgar · August 1, 2022 · Backpacking, Gear, Gear Review
How I’m training to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail
Daleen Cowgar · June 20, 2022 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Thru Hike
UL Obsidian 1P by Featherstone Outdoor Gear: UL Backpacking Tent Review
Andrew Baldwin · May 14, 2022 · Adventure, Backpacking, Camping, Gear, Gear Review, Hiking
UL Granite 2P by Featherstone Outdoor Gear: UL Backpacking Tent Review
Daleen Cowgar · April 19, 2022 · Gear Review
How to pack a hiking backpack
Daleen Cowgar · April 7, 2022 · Backpacking
Best three-season backpacking tents for 2022
Daleen Cowgar · March 25, 2022 · Gear, Gear Review
10 best backpacking sleeping bags for 2022
Daleen Cowgar · February 16, 2022 · Gear
The Ultimate Guide to Backpacking for Beginners
Daleen Cowgar · February 6, 2022 · Adventure, Adventure Travel, Backpacking, Camping
Budget backpacking: How to start backpacking for under $500
Daleen Cowgar · January 17, 2022 · Backpacking, Gear
50 Best Gifts for Outdoor Women in 2022
Ashli · January 15, 2022 · Adventure, Gear
The 10 Best Lightweight Hiking Backpacks for 2022
Ashli · January 10, 2022 · Adventure, Gear, Gear Review
5 tips to stay warm on a winter hike
Daleen Cowgar · December 17, 2021 · Adventure, Hiking
Shanty’s SoBo Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Gear List
Andrew Baldwin · August 8, 2020 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Gear List, Thru Hike
The 5 Wilderness First Aid Books You Should Read
Ashli · August 3, 2020 · Adventure Travel, Backpacking, Gear
Classic Campfire Stories: Forty Spooky Tales
Ashli · July 18, 2020 · Adventure, Camping
Ham Radio for Overlanding – A Guide to Getting Your License
Ashli · May 25, 2020 · Adventure, Overland
“Take A Hike!” A Donkey-Donk Story
Ashli · May 7, 2020 · Adventure, Hiking, Pets
Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest – Full Review
Ashli · April 5, 2020 · Adventure
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10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Backpacking
Ashli · March 2, 2020 · Adventure, Backpacking
SOBO Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Part 4: The Race to Pennsylvania — 9/4/19 to 9/21/19
Andrew Baldwin · September 29, 2019 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail
SOBO Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike–Part 3: The Green Mountains of Vermont–8/16/19 to 9/2/19
Andrew Baldwin · September 4, 2019 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail
SOBO Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike–Part 2: The Mighty Mountains of New Hampshire–7/27/19 to 8/15/19
Andrew Baldwin · August 16, 2019 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail
SOBO Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike–Part 1: Maine’s Wild Woods–7/11/19 to 7/26/19
Andrew Baldwin · July 27, 2019 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail
Complete Guide to Hiking Mount Washington
Ashli · September 8, 2018 · Adventure, Gear List, Hiking
Black Diamond Cosmo Vs Petzl Tikka – Best Headlamp for Backpacking?
Ashli · February 4, 2018 · Backpacking, Gear, Gear Review
Zion National Park – 5 Hikes in 5 Days
Ashli · December 18, 2017 · Adventure, Adventure Travel, Hiking, Video
The 4 Best Women’s Trekking Poles for Hiking
Ashli · November 5, 2017 · Adventure, Backpacking, Gear List
How to Find Free Camping in the United States
Ashli · October 29, 2017 · Adventure, Adventure Travel, Camping
Book Review: A Walk for Sunshine | 20th Year Anniversary Edition
Ashli · October 18, 2017 · Adventure, Gear Review, Thru Hike
Mountain Hardwear Women’s Ghost Whisperer Review
Ashli · August 8, 2017 · Adventure, Gear Review
Exploring Ice Caves and Hiking on Mendenhall Glacier
Ashli · July 23, 2017 · Adventure, Hiking, Microadventure, Travel
How to Pick a Warm Sleeping Bag for Backpacking
Ashli · June 30, 2017 · Adventure, Backpacking, Camping, Gear
Rock Climbing and Hiking at Summersville Lake in the New River Gorge
Ashli · June 11, 2017 · Adventure, Adventure Travel, Hiking, Microadventure
The 5 Best Women’s Sleeping Bags for the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · April 30, 2017 · Adventure, Backpacking, Gear, Gear Review
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Backpacking Gear List – Before and After
Ashli · April 28, 2017 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail, Gear, Gear List
REI Magma 17 Women’s Sleeping Bag Review
Ashli · April 7, 2017 · Adventure, Backpacking, Camping
Peter Grubb Hut – Ski and Snowshoe Winter Trip Report
Ashli · March 27, 2017 · Adventure, Adventure Travel
Toyota 4Runner 5th Gen Sleeping Platform Build
Ashli · April 19, 2016 · Adventure, Camping
Paleo and Vegan Energy Bars
Ashli · March 30, 2016 · Adventure, Backpacking, Food
My AT Thru-Hike, One year later
Ashli · October 6, 2015 · Appalachian Trail, Thru Hike
4 Days in Breckenridge, Colorado
Ashli · July 21, 2015 · Adventure, Adventure Travel, Camping, Travel
Pinnacle Loop and Pulpit Rock Loop Hamburg, PA
Ashli · June 4, 2015 · Adventure Travel, Appalachian Trail, Hiking
Tattoos and Memories of the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · May 2, 2015 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail, Thru Hike
Appalachian Trail Volunteer Maintenance
Ashli · March 21, 2015 · Adventure Travel, Appalachian Trail
Sunset on the Susquehanna River
Ashli · March 4, 2015 · Adventure, Adventure Travel, Hiking, Microadventure
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Video
Ashli · February 24, 2015 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail, Hiking, Thru Hike, Video
5 Things to Expect on the First 5 Days of Your Thru Hike
Ashli · February 17, 2015 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail, Hiking
Winter Backpacking in Harriman State Park
Ashli · February 4, 2015 · Adventure, Adventure Travel, Camping, Hiking, Microadventure
Five Million Steps
Ashli · February 2, 2015 · Appalachian Trail
What is a Microadventure? Exploiting the 5-to-9
Ashli · January 28, 2015 · Adventure, Adventure Travel, Microadventure
My Worst Day on the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · January 21, 2015 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Thru Hike
6 Lessons You Will Learn on the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · January 7, 2015 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Hiking, Thru Hike
My Favorite Pics from the AT
Ashli · December 31, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Gallery, Hiking, Thru Hike
Fording a River on the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · December 24, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Thru Hike
Two Months Later, Dealing with the Post AT Blues
Ashli · December 18, 2014 · Adventure, Appalachian Trail, Hiking, Thru Hike
Danger on the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · December 11, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Hiking, Thru Hike
Essential Gear for Thru Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · November 26, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Gear, Gear List, Hiking, Thru Hike
Hostels on the Appalachian Trail Explained
Ashli · October 31, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Hiking, Thru Hike
Hiking the Appalachian Trail in Maine – the 300 Mile Long Finish Line
Ashli · October 13, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
Hiking The Appalachian Trail in White Mountain National Forest
Ashli · September 13, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Hiking, Thru Hike
Sunrise in the Green Mountains of Vermont
Ashli · August 24, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
Into Vermont, 11 States Down and 3 to go!
Ashli · August 18, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
Zero Day during a Thru Hike
Ashli · July 30, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking
Hiking in our Home State, Pennsylvania on the AT
Ashli · July 20, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Thru Hike
Reaching Harpers Ferry
Ashli · July 5, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
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Virginia Blues on the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · June 21, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Hiking, Thru Hike
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AT Thru Hike, Mile 546 1/4!
Ashli · June 9, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Pets, Thru Hike
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AT Photo Update: Trail Days and the Roan Highlands
Ashli · May 29, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
AT Photo Update: Max Patch to Erwin, TN
Ashli · May 9, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
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Meeting Miss Janet
Ashli · May 7, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
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We conquered the Smokies on the Appalachian Trail!
Ashli · April 30, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
2014 AT Thru Hike, Pics from Hiawassee
Ashli · April 16, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
Serendipity on the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · April 15, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
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Thru Hiker Trail Names
Ashli · April 15, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
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Starting my Thru Hike, Pics from Neels Gap
Ashli · April 11, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
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A Successful Start on the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · April 6, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Thru Hike
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Leaving to Hike the Appalachian Trail
Ashli · March 31, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Hiking, Thru Hike
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Northbound on the Appalachian trail
Ashli · March 26, 2014 · Appalachian Trail, Thru Hike