Basement Buzz » Camping, Hiking & Travel

Camping, Hiking & Travel

What better way is there to enjoy the outdoors than by hitting the trails? We love to share our experience and our expertise, and we’ll be happy to help send you on your way, whether you’re heading to the trails right out our front door or traveling much farther afield.

Backpacking, hiking, car camping, trekking, snowcamping: you name it, we do it. We hope you’ll be inspired to get out there, too.

Are there camping, hiking or travel topics you’d like to read about? Leave a comment to let us know.

Gearing up for spring camping and climbing

San Francisco is a beguiling place to be in April. Summer is tip-toeing around, showing up for days at a time before being shoved out of the way for spring rains to come a-pouring. The seasons are transitioning in fits and spurts, and, as anyone who’s recently been at Sports Basement can tell you, that [...] Posted on April 30th, 2012 by Ian Heid

Climb, hike or sail, we’ve got you covered for summer

We’re starting a new series of articles to bring you seasonal department highlights straight from our Buyers. Enjoy the behind-the-scenes look! ********************************************** Our Backcountry departments are gearing up for all sorts of summer activities, and we’ve got the gear you need for everything from scaling Half Dome to sailing on San Francisco Bay.Our two San [...] Posted on April 16th, 2012 by Dorothy Spatafore

Ten small, inexpensive Burning Man essentials that you might not (yet) know you need

Sports Basement is a great place to shop for Burning Man -- or any other weeklong, scorching hot, dust-stormy, Mad-Max-ian, metropolis-themed camping trip or festival. But we're going to be the first people to recommend that you not come in and buy a bunch of nice new camping equipment to take out to the Playa. Posted on August 16th, 2011 by Ariel Parrish

WFR contest winner #3: Dark Days

Bartlomiej Jan Skorupa's story about a medical emergency in Madagascar is the final winning entry in our Wilderness First Responder contest. Bart's experience led him to start Groundwork Opportunities, a non-profit micro-development organization with projects around the globe.

WFR contest winner #2: On a Rock

Peter Winkler's story about breaking his ankle in the Yosemite backcountry is the second of the winning entries in our Wilderness First Responder contest. Peter will be learning to apply some of the techniques that were used on him in RMI's class.

WFR contest winner #1: Mountain People

In December we held a contest to give away entries to a Wilderness First Responder course offered by Remote Medical International. This story by Wendy Hazard McClain is the first of three winning entries. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Tell us a story for a chance to win a Wilderness First Responder Course!

We looove a good story... so much so that we're offering two spots worth $695 each in the upcoming Wilderness First Responder Course by Remote Medical International at Planet Granite in the Presidio in return for the two best stories about wilderness adventure! Posted on December 14th, 2010 by Aaron Schweifler

Basement Gift Guide: Great gift ideas for travelers

We're all travelers at some point, aren't we? These gift ideas work for the once-per-year holiday flyer and the road warrior alike. Posted on November 30th, 2010 by Ariel Parrish

Basement Gift Guide: 10 great gifts for hikers & backpackers

We aim to help you find something for everyone on your list with our Gift Guide series. Stay tuned for more guides in the coming weeks! Posted on November 29th, 2010 by Lynell Lacey

Summiting Everest: Flashbacks in the Death Zone

Here’s some good reading for when you’re curled up on the couch with the Snuggie after your rainy escapades this weekend. We hope you’ll get inspired to plan your next adventure. The following excerpt is from a work in progress about climber and guide Robert Chang’s adventures and efforts to promote cancer awareness through climbing [...] Posted on November 5th, 2010 by Robert Chang

The Basement guide to becoming a rock climber

I'm a Climb-a-holic. They say the first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem. My addiction started with visits to the local climbing gym. I was quickly hooked by how much fun I would have while working out. Posted on October 1st, 2010 by Anthony Biolatto

Road trip! Get outside with Stu’s fall favorites

The kids are back into school and oh what a relief it is! Imagine the climb up Half Dome without the throngs of people or hiking into Devil's Postpile without passing dozens of other hikers. Imagine cruzing into a camp ground without a yearlong reservation – That is Fall in California. Posted on September 20th, 2010 by Stuart Nuttall

Recycle your propane canisters at our SF stores

Our Presidio and Bryant Street stores now accept small, empty gas canisters for recycling. Posted on September 10th, 2010 by Ariel Parrish

Lynell’s big car camping checklist

Getting ready for your first camping trip in years? Using this guide to help you pack your gear should help you relax, so you can wonder what's for lunch, instead of scrambling around trying to find something to hold your coffee because you forgot to pack a mug. Posted on June 21st, 2010 by Lynell Lacey

Basement guide to Yosemite, part 1: Where to stay

Yosemite National Park is one of the treasures of America. It is located just three hours from the Bay Area and is one of my favorite places in the world. Posted on April 16th, 2010 by Eden Slezin

Lynell’s big backpacking checklist

Over the years I’ve pulled together many a camping and backpacking trip. And each time I found myself scrambling to remember all the bits and pieces I'd need to make my trip successful and fun. Posted on April 7th, 2010 by Lynell Lacey

Camping, Hiking & Travel: taking your hints!

Are there camping, hiking or travel topics you’d like us to write about on the Basement Buzz? Specific checklists you’d like to see? Trails you’d like to learn more about? Leave a comment here to let us know. Posted on March 1st, 2010 by Ariel Parrish