You may already know that Outdoor Herbivore is against the use of heating foods inside of soft plastic. It doesn’t align with our view of producing backpacking food made from high quality, organic ingredients, and subsequently urging hikers to pour boiling water inside a plastic bag to reconstitute it. This is why we do not sell our food in stand-up cook pouches. But cooking liners are rated for much higher temperatures (up to 400 degrees F), so does that make them safer for hot food? Out of curiosity, we decided to look at the feasibility of using cooking liners as an alternative […]
Environment
24 posts
Although our routines may seem insignificant, the decisions we make in our daily lives impact the wellness of our health, family, community, and world. For instance, conserving energy by turning the lights off in empty rooms is a start to environmental awareness. This small habit is sensible because it saves natural resources and money. This action may lead to other changes, such as making non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning supplies using vinegar, baking soda, and lemon. Adopting more significant practices, like using a bike instead of a car for short-distance trips, could be next. Unsurprisingly, simple eco-friendly habits tend to blend across […]
I always find it ironic when I see someone on the trail wearing earbuds. It seems that while this person is taking the time to travel through the natural world, they are simultaneously filtering part of it out. We humans have had a lot of help tuning out mother nature, especially with the advent of portable electronic devices. It has become challenging to hear the natural world among the noise synonymous with modern life. On a busy road filled with traffic, notice how difficult it is to talk to a friend. You must raise your voice to compete with traffic […]
White gas, kerosene, isobutane, and denatured alcohols are common fuels for backpacking stoves. Fuel savings greatly depend on the efficiency of the cooking process, as well as the stove and type of cooking pot. One of the best ways to conserve fuel is to avoid energy loss during cooking. You don’t want to run out of fuel mid-hike and be left eating cold freeze-dried entrées. Here are a few strategies to conserve stove fuel. No flame in vain Only allow the fuel to burn when it is at work, or heating your food. Before preparing food: Collect all your camp […]
Autumn is a spectacular time of color in many areas of the Earth, and the U.S. Appalachian Mountains are no exception. From radiant reds to mustard yellow, the vibrant display of color is short-lived, earning leaf-peeping a peak priority. What causes such brilliant displays of leaf color this time of the season, anyway? Think you already know? We thought so, too. Here are a few things we learned after some quick research. Here is what we found – Leaf Foliage Fall foliage is a byproduct of chemical changes when deciduous trees prepare to go dormant for winter. The difference in […]