When you’ve spent hours swinging a Pulaski or hauling chainsaws through the forests of the North Cascades, quality sleep isn’t a luxury. While leading backcountry trail work hitches requires packing light, running a front-country crew demands a different strategy. In those setups, weight doesn’t matter, but quality sleep does. Over a full summer of testing, bouncing between extended work hitches and casual weekends, the REI Co-op Westward Dreamer Self-Inflating Bed became my go-to basecamp setup. At 4 inches thick, it provides the restorative sleep needed for working hard outdoors, and at $199, it’s affordable enough to snag on even a…
It’s been nearly four years since gun control activists were able to put a permit-to-purchase law and “large capacity” magazine ban in place in Oregon, but Measure 114 has been tied up in court ever since. Since then, voters haven’t had any firearm-related referendums on their ballot. This year, though, a group of animal rights activists introduced Initiative 28, which would (among other things) remove the exemption for hunting, fishing, and trapping from the state’s animal cruelty laws. The backers of I28 proudly state on their website that “any practice that involves the intentional injury…
A new report from the Crime Prevention Research Center argues that America’s murder problem is far more geographically concentrated than many people realize. According to researcher John Lott Jr., more than half of all murders recorded in 2024 occurred in just 63 counties nationwide. At the same time, more than half of all U.S. counties didn’t record a single murder. The report is based primarily on the FBI’s 2024 Supplementary Homicide Report, with Florida data supplemented using the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s incident-based reporting system because of incomplete FBI submissions from that state. Murder remains heavily concentrated The numbers…
BEIRUT (AP) — The United Nations’ human rights chief said Monday that Israel must end its occupation of large areas of southern Lebanon and halt the demolition of homes, days before Lebanese and Israeli officials are set to hold another round of direct talks. Volker Türk spoke to The Associated Press as he wrapped up a visit to Lebanon, his second in just over a year. He met with government officials, civil society representatives and Lebanese people displaced by the war between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group. The visit came about a week before Lebanese and Israeli officials are…
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Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More Reconsider Jamaica when it’s time to plan a trip built for ocean activity. Start with the surf — it’s friendly around the nearby island nation. That goes for the breaks, which cater well to longboarding beginners, predominantly. While experienced surfers can still score at select swell exposures, friendly also goes for the lineups. Visiting riders won’t sour at “locals only” attitudes that often prevail in the crowds of well-known surf destinations across the Caribbean and Middle America. Simply put, there’s plenty to go around.…
Anti-gun lawmakers are bound and determined to try to force 3D printer manufacturers to install software that prevents people from making guns. In theory, that might sound fine if you’re not a fan of people making firearms on their own. After all, 3D printers make it a lot more accessible than it’s been in the past, and while these become so-called ghost guns, so have every homemade firearm since the dawn of time. One massive problem with the proposal, beyond the First and Second Amendment concerns, is that it’s very difficult for a bit of…
Star Wars Zero Company is getting a Collector’s Edition from Limited Run Games, which includes a variety of physical goodies for fans to enjoy. Credit: Image via EA Originally published by Game Rant The Collector’s Edition of Star Wars Zero Company was officially revealed during a panel featuring the game’s cast and crew at San Diego Comic Con 2026. Produced by Limited Run Games, Star Wars fans can pre-order the Star Wars Zero Company Collector’s Edition from now until August 23, ahead of the game’s August 27 release date. This edition of the game will set fans back a hefty $299.99,…
The Ebola virus is continuing its spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cases have now topped 3.200 while deaths are at 1,405. The outbreak has now spread across 48 health zones in five provinces. The official statistics put the overall case fatality rate at 43.9%. Currently, only 571 patients have recovered, while 773 people remain in isolation or are hospitalized with an ongoing infection. Uganda has recorded 20 confirmed Ebola infections, including two deaths and 18 recoveries, according to official figures. France has reported one imported case linked to the outbreak, with the patient having since recovered. According to…
When people think about prepping, their minds usually jump to expensive gear like generators, tactical bags, and water filter systems with price tags in the hundreds. But some of the most useful items for riding out a disaster are already in your house. These everyday household items are cheap, easy to find, and usually overlooked, which is exactly what makes them so valuable. This list of inexpensive prepper items comes from the YouTube channel The Provident Prepper, and it’s packed with practical uses you may not have considered before. You can watch the video and see the list below. 1.…
CAIRO (AP) — Mediators have achieved progress in efforts to get the United States and Iran back to negotiations and avert an all-out war in the Middle East, two regional officials said Monday, with a pause in attacks coming after a period of rapidly escalating tensions. The comments came after neither the U.S. nor Iran reported carrying out any attacks for three straight days — a respite after about two weeks of sustained bombardments that had led to increasing fears of a return to all-out war. The two regional officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive…
Every year, people wait on summer for a chance to relax and unwind. Days are longer, the weather is warm, and the outdoors beckon. Kids are out of school, and the vacation countdown begins. There’s a general feeling that things are easier. And in many ways, it is easier. But summer brings its own set of problems, and most people don’t prepare for them. Summer preparedness mistakes don’t involve big disasters. They cause inconvenience, discomfort, and escalation of problems stemming from heat, crowds, traffic, and overscheduling. Here are the ones people overlook most. TL;DR: Summer preparedness mistakes rarely look like…
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A new veteran-founded nonprofit is trying to turn race registrations into a route back to structure, purpose and community. Operation WarriorFit, based in North Carolina, provides free or substantially discounted entries to veterans, active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and first responders. Founder and Executive Director Jonathan Milkovich told Military.com in an interview that the organization’s immediate goal is to remove the financial barrier that can keep people from committing to races and other active events. The organization has held federal tax-exempt status since October 2025. From Airborne Infantry to Endurance Racing Milkovich said he served five…
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) announcement earlier this month of 11 nations’ support for the procurement of Saab GlobalEye aircraft as NATO’s new Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) is drawing varied reactions, with one former U.S. official warning that the path forward is an “easy button” that puts other aspects of the broader alliance in danger. The decision, announced July 7 during the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum in Ankara, is described by NATO as a significant step in modernizing the alliance’s airborne surveillance and early warning capabilities by replacing part of the alliance’s aging Boeing E-3 fleet.…
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Watch full video on YouTube
Watch full video on YouTube
