Plan the decision before you buy the gear.

Ridge & Route is an independent English-language guide to camping planning and gear selection. We focus on the reasoning behind a choice: conditions, capacity, weight, access, budget, rules, and a realistic backup plan.

What we publish

Our field guides explain repeatable planning methods and make assumptions visible. We use product specifications, official land-manager information, and clearly labelled examples. We do not publish invented field tests or pretend to have used products we have not verified.

How a guide is put together

Each guide begins with the decision, not the product. We work out which inputs actually change the answer (capacity, packed weight, vehicle space, access, weather, budget and local rules), then explain how each one moves the conclusion. A reader who knows their own numbers can follow the same reasoning to a different answer, which is the point.

Where a figure matters it is tied to a source you can also consult: a manufacturer specification, a land manager's published rule, or a standard. Guides are dated and rechecked when a specification or a rule changes.

What Ridge \u0026 Route is not

The site is an independent publication. It is not a retailer, it does not sell gear, and it takes no payment for a placement in a guide. It is also not a substitute for the official rules of the place you are visiting, which always take precedence over anything written here.

What we do not provide

Ridge & Route is not a substitute for local safety training, current weather information, manufacturer instructions, medical advice, or emergency guidance. Conditions change; check current primary sources before a trip.