Number Of Products & Number Of Hours Expert Has Tested: 100+ products, 1,000+ hours
Experience & Certifications
Years of Writing: 10+
Certifications: EMT-B, United States Army Intelligence Training
Previous Publications: Scientific American, Popular Science, Nature, and Men’s Journal
A Word from Ian Graber-Stiehl
I got into bushcraft at around 7 years of age watching Survivorman. By the time I was 9, I had gotten my first hatchet. I would make lean-tos along old logging access roads in Louisiana longleaf pine forests. In high school, I got into foraging and bass fishing. When I joined the Army, I got into camping, hiking, and mountain biking. After my exit, I got into bikepacking (before I ever knew the name for it) and backpacking. As of today, I am a backpacker, bikepacker, bushcrafter, angler (spinning and baitcasting, with some fly fishing and bowfishing experience), archer, forager, canoer, and hammock devotee. I am also a former amateur bladesmith of 2 years and have been a professional sharpener of knives, swords, axes, chainsaws, and more for nearly 10 years. I have also gone through EMT-B training, and intend to work on a Wildland Firefighter crew. I’m a gear obsessive. I spent at least 60 days afield annually, and have hiked everywhere from Sedona to the Ozarks, in Missouri, Lousiana, and Illinois.
Versatile, lightweight hammocks can be a great alternative to tents when camping in the backyard or the backcountry. Check out the best options for 2024.
With the most storage capacity of just about any stock hammock, multiple suspension options, and best-in-class comfort, the weight of spreader bars is beyond worth…
The REI Co-op’s Trailmade collection has made a name for itself in budget and beginner-friendly products. With more sizes than ever before, the Trailmade Sleeping…
With bass being arguably the most-studied game fish in North America, there’s little reason we can’t bring research to the table when deciding on bass…
Khukuris are more than the love child of hatchets and machetes. After several months of testing, here’s what’s so unique about this custom heavy chopper.
REI’s Trailmade collection aims to usher new blood and more diversity (in all shapes and sizes) into the outdoors. The Trailmade pack hauls with comfort…
Mystery Ranch’s latest expansion into lightweight packs offers a combination of its classic tri-zip design with a running vest-inspired suspension. The result — a versatile…
The Bridger series combines overbuilt experience and lightweight leanings in a nontraditional pack intended to offer traditional backpackers premium comfort and configurable carry.
Granite Gear’s undyed Virga3 brings inclusive, adaptable sizing to an ultralight package. It’s smartly designed and well-priced — with a few growing pains.
