Wilderness Safety

The Open Canoe Roll

Rolling practice… It’s been 20 years since I last rolled a small whitewater canoe equipped with a saddle, thigh straps, and airbags, so I headed

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Raingear for Canoe Expeditions

In this video I chatted with Canadian explorer Adam about rain and cold weather gear for expedition canoeing… Adam normally goes super minimalist, but hypothermia

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Intuitive Navigation, Or Why You Shouldn’t Rely On Your GPS in the Wilderness

I recently spoke with explorer and author Adam Shoalts about the role intuitive navigation plays in the wilderness. Here’s the video of that conversation, and

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Your Number One Tip to Stay Safe in the Outdoors

Adam Shoalts is an accomplished Canadian explorer with many big expeditions under his belt. He’s been a guest on my podcast (The Strenuous Life Podcast)

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Type 1, 2 and 3 Fun

Type 1, 2 and 3 Fun Not all fun is created equal. Sometimes the word ‘fun’ really does mean that something is fun, and sometimes

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How to Get Started in Canoeing, Featuring Mikaela Ferguson

Getting started in something new is always daunting, and this especially true if you’re talking about canoeing, paddling, and other watersports. There is steep learning

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My Favorite Bear Alarm

The PakAlarm is an affordable and reliable way to bear proof your camp. Basically it allows you to run a tough monofilament line around your

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Know When to Walk Away, Know When to Run…

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Stephan Kesting (@essentialwilderness) It’s just not worth getting hurt when you’re just training. I bailed off

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Things I Carry in My PFD on a Wilderness Canoeing Expedition

A personal floatation device keeps you on the surface of the water and stops you from drowning, but it’s also SO much more than that,

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5 Ways to Screw Up Bear Spray

Bear spray is an important piece of wilderness equipment.   I’ve carried it in black bear, grizzly bear and polar bear country and it’s always added

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