Gear Reviews

Cell service drops the moment you cross into most state […]

Plenty of state park land sits well outside cell tower range on

A fed bear rarely gets a second chance — once it

Many state park lakes ban gas outboards outright, allowing

Anyone who has dragged a loaded utility wagon onto dry, fluffy sand knows the moment: the wheels stop rolling, start

Anyone who has shaken out a cotton towel in a state park parking lot knows the problem: sand rides home

Shade is the scarcest resource on a state park beach. The sand at Holland State Park radiates heat by 11

Two people, one tent, and a night that is only as good as whatever is between you and the ground.

A kids’ metal detector turns an ordinary park afternoon into a mission: the beep, the dig, the muddy quarter. The

Pick the wrong family tent and you find out at 7 p.m. on a Friday, when the cabin tent you

On a lot of the best fishing lakes in the state park system, you never hear an outboard. Electric-only regulations

The Best Bear Spray for 2026: EPA-Registered Cans That Actually Meet the Standard If your summer plans include hiking in

A bad back changes the math on camp furniture. The fire ring at a state park comes with a picnic-table

A beach umbrella that holds in wind is safety equipment, not a comfort item. Onshore gusts at ocean and Great

A hatchet is one of the most misunderstood tools on a state park packing list. You don’t need it to

A backpacking thermometer is one of those tiny pieces of gear that punches far above its weight. Knowing the real