Glossary

3-Season Tent: a tent designed for use mainly during the spring, summer, and fall.
4-Season Tent: a tent designed to withstand the more severe conditions of winter.

A-Frame Tent: an older style of tent, usually with a ridge pole running the length of the tent for support, from which the tent walls drape forming an A shape when viewed from the tent ends.
ACE: the Army Corp of Engineers, which operates and maintains approximately 2,500 recreation areas within the U.S..
Adventure Camp: a camp for children to learn about and participate in outdoor recreation activities, such as camping, hiking, swimming, canoeing and kayaking, archery, rock climbing, snowmobiling, skiing, etc..
Anti-Wicking Fabric: a material (thread, webbing, or fabric) designed or treated to be water repellant, so it won't absorb water.

Backcountry: a generally uninhabited and remote area of public access lands with no maintained roads.
Backpack: a knapsack or rucksack, which is a bag commonly mounted to a frame with at least shoulder straps, for carrying camping gear on the back.
Backpacking: a backcountry hike with your gear in a pack on your back.
Bait: the food or lure used to attrack fish, when fishing.
Bearing: an angular direction from one geographical location to another determined by use of a compass.
Billy Can: an empty food or coffee can that can used for cooking or heating water over a campfire.
Biodegradable Soap: a low or no phosphate, environmentally safe soap that decomposes naturally.
Bivouac: a temporary encampment, also refers to a one-person tent.
BLM: the Bureau of Land Management is a federal agency, which manages many millions of acres of public land, mineral resources, and wildlife areas throughout the U.S..
Bowline Knot: a knot used to form a no-slip loop (aka: the yachtsman's knot), which will not slip under a load but unties easily when there is no load on the rope, and because it unties so easily, it is not recommended for rockclimbing without a "stopper knot" to prevent accidental loosening of the knot--excellent for anchoring a tent or shelter to trees and boulders.

Camp Stove: a portable, 1-3 burner, liquid or gas-fueled stove for camping that burns either propane gas or liquid fuel, such as white gas or unleaded gasoline; also, there are dual fuel camp stoves, which burn both liquid fuels.
Canoe: a far longer than wide open-hull boat, which is hand-propelled and steered with paddles.
Car Camping: a camping trip where you toss your gear into the car and head to the woods.
Cambrelle: a synthetic material often used for linings in hiking boots because of its ability to dry quickly.
CCC: the Civilian Conservation Corp (established to fight both rampant unemployment and devistating soil erosion, caused by unrestricted logging,1933-1942) recruited many thousands of unemployed, young men to help reforest more than twenty-million acres, erect almost 3,500 fire towers, build nearly 100,000 miles of fire road, and plant an estimated three billion trees--plus, fight fires and so much more.
Chuck Box: a box to stash your camp kitchen and dry goods in.
Cirrus Clouds: a high-altitude cloud formation that is typically thin and wispy, which is sometimes used to forcast a possible storm approaching within the next 24-36 hours.
Citronella Candle: an insect-repelling candle made with citronella, a light-yellow aromatic oil obtained from a tropical Eurasian grass.
Compass: a device for determining geographical direction in relation to magnetic north using a magnetized needle or pointer that can pivot freely.
Contour Lines: the lines on a map that show the elevation, the steepness (by how close the lines are), and flatness (by how far apart the lines are).
Cumulus Clouds: a white, flat-bottom, bumpy-topped, dense, fluffy cloud formation with an outline that is well defined, which is primarily caused from an ascending thermally-unstable air mass.

Declination: the deviation, in degrees, between true north and magnetic north.
DEET: a highly toxic chemical used in insect repellent--diethyl-meta-tolamide.
Dehydration: an excessive, life-threatening loss of water from the body.
Ditty Bag: a bag with a drawstring closure used to carry items, which probably was originally a bag used by soldiers and sailors for carrying sewing kits or toiletries.
Dome Tent: a geodesic domed tent supported by a series of apex-crossing support poles anchored in grommets from one side ti the other, which make the tent wind restant.
Double-Walled Tent: a tent with both inner and outer walls, usually refers to a tent with a rainfly.
Down: a superior insulating material made from the soft, fine, fluffy feathers that underlie the larger and coarser contour feathers of adult birds--primarily the down from geese and ducks; also, down is the first plumage of young birds.
Dutch Oven: a relatively large, cast-iron pot or chamber with a tight-fitting lid used for cooking over the coals; or an iron box or pot that is open on one side with shelves or racks inside and is placed with the opening toward the fire for roasting or baking; or a wall oven that bakes food by preheated brick walls.

Emergency Blanket: a compact and lightweight blanket made with a super-insulating material and reflective covering that protects against hypothermia and exposure.
Exposure: an orientation or direction, of a person or thing, in relation to a map point, or their orientation to the weather, or their being exposed to the elements of nature.
External-Frame Backpack: a backpack with its frame on the outside of the pack.

Family Tent: a tent which is large enough to shelter an average-size family.
Fire Ring: A steel ring, with a grate covering, used to contain a campfire.
Fly: a water-resistant, removable tent cover, which is spaced above and away from the tent to protect against the wind, rain, and condensation; also, a type of fishing lure that appears to be a small, flying insect.
Fly Fishing: a method of fishing using small, artificial, flying insects, which are cast into the water, then, quickly retrieved and recast in an attempt to lure fish.
Foil-Wrap Cooking: a meal that is cooked by tightly wrapping the uncooked food in, usually, at least two layers of foil, which is then placed into the campfire's coals until completely cooked.
Foam Sleeping Mat: a thin, lightweight, body-length mat, usually made of either a closed-cell or open-cell foam, used by backpackers as a portable mattress and as insulation from the ground.
Forest Service: the U.S. Department of Agriculture's public-land management agency.
Frostbite: a cell-damaging, medical condition to the skin, caused by prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures.

Gear Loft: a small net or mesh cloth suspended in the center of the tent and used for storage of small, lightweight items.
Giardia: a microorganism found in many streams, lakes, rivers, and untreated water, which causes intestinal cramps and diarrhea.
Gore-Tex: a breathable, water-resistant fabric that keeps the rain out but allows body vapors to pass through.
GPS: a satellite navagation system and an acronym for Global Positioning System (GPS).
Gray Water: the waste water from washing dishes, doing laundry, or taking a bath.
Grill Brush: a copper or stainless-steel wire brush used to clean cooking grills.
Grommet: a metal, reinforcing eyelet on the outer edges of tarps and tents, through which rope or other fasteners are passed to secure the edges, or eyelets to hold the ends of the tent poles.
Groundsheet: a tarp or sheet of thick plastic which is placed on the ground beneath a tent to protect the floor from being punctured by jagged rocks or small sticks, also known in some parts of the country as a "footprint."
Guy-Line: a rope used to anchor tents and portable shelters to keep them from being blown away in the wind.

Heat Exhaustion: a medical condition which may occur when people over exert themselves in a hot, and sometimes humid, environment and lose body fluids through sweating, causing the body to overheat--up to 104 degrees F.
Heat Storke: a life-threatening medical condition whereby a body's ability to regulate its internal temperature ceases to function, and the internal temperature can increase to the point of damaging the brain and other internal organs.
Hip Belt: a backpack's lower belt, which straps around the waist, just above the hips, to take some of the packs weight off the shoulders, making the backpack easier to carry.
Hollofil II: a synthetic, hollow-fiber material used as an insulating fill in many sleeping bags and is significantly warmer than an equivalent weight of solid fibers.
Hypothermia: a life-threatening medical condition where body temperature drops to dangerously low levels.

Internal-Frame Backpack: a backpack designed with its frame inside the pack.
Iron Ranger: a steel box at some fee campgrounds without full-time attendants, to collect the campground fees, on the camper's honor.

Kayak: a far longer than wide, closed-hull boat with a hole on top in the middle for the passenger/paddler, which is hand-propelled and steered with paddles, originated with the Eskimos--a covered canoe.
Kindling: the small, dry pieces of wood used to start a campfire.

Layering: a principle applied to dressing properly for the outdoors by wearing or packing at least three layers of clothing: an inner layer that can wick the moisture from sweat away from your body; a middle layer of insulating material for warmth; and an outer layer of a breathable and water resistant fabric.
Leave No Trace: a non-profit organization since 1994, which educates individuals in wilderness ethics practices and encourages low-impact, recreational-land use, and a concept conceived of by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service in the 1960’s based on hands-on, science-based observations of human impact on recreational lands.
Loft: the thickness of a sleeping bag's insulation when it is unrolled and allowed to decompress. To learn more about the Leave No Trace program, visit the Leave No Trace Programs page at http://www.lnt.org/programs/index.php.
Low-Impact Camping and Hiking: an outdoorsman/woman ethic; whereby, the natural environment is left as pristine as possible--Leave No Trace.
Lure: a fishing lure generally mimics an aquatic animal that is common as a food source to the type of fish you are trying to catch, by being shaped as a small fish or other aquatic animal or colored as such, or a lure is light colored and highly reflective to antagonize a fish into attacking.
Lyme Disease: an often fatal illness that is spread by tick bites.

Magnetic North: the direction a magnetic compass needle indicates as north, which is actually about 1,300 miles from true north.
Mantle: a small mesh bag in a lantern, which fills with gas and , when ignited by a flame, gives off brillant illumination.
Moleskin: a particular type of bandage to cover blister and reduce the friction between the blister and the shoe or boot.
Mummy Bag: a hooded sleeping bag, which is tapered at both ends reducing air space within the bag and thereby conserving body heat.

NFS: the National Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which manages public lands in national forests and grasslands, on almost 200 million acres throughout the U.S..
North Star: a star (Polaris) located at the end of the "handle," of the little dipper, which was historically used for navigation before the advent of the compass, and which can only be seen in the northern hemisphere, and is only off by approximately 3/4 degree from the celestial North Pole
Noseeum: a small flying, mosquito-like, blood-sucking insect, of the family Ceratopogonidae, commonly found during the summer months at beachs and in the mountains among moist leaves and soil or in almost any aquatic or semiaquatic habitat throughout the world, and may be carriers of disease-causing viruses, protozoa, and filarial worms.
Noseeum Netting/Screen: a mesh or netting which has 625 holes per inch, as opposed to 200 holes per inch for mosquito netting.
NPS: the National Park Service preserves and maintains almost 400 recreational, natural, and cultural sites within the U.S. for the recreational, cultural, and historical benefit and enjoyment of the public.

Oar: a device with a flat blade at one end, for propelling and steering small boats, used by dipping the paddle into the water on either side of the boat and pushing/pulling against the water in a direction opposite the direction of travel but parallel to the side of the boat--similar to a paddle but attached to the sides of the boat rather than hand held.
Orienteering: a competitive, individually-timed, cross-country foot race, where runners take off individually at staggered intervals and try to find their way across diverse terrain to various control points, then to a finish line.

Paddle: a hand-held device with a flat blade at one end, for propelling and steering canoes and kayaks, used by dipping the paddle into the water on either side of the boat and pushing/pulling against the water in a direction opposite the direction of travel but parallel to the side of the boat--similar to an oar but not attached to the boat.
Pack-It-In, Pack-It-Out: a hiking and camping ethic for all outdoor enthusiasts, which means if you brought with you, then take with when you leave.
Pannier: a "saddlebag," which are bags, baskets, or boxes that are paired and slung over the back of a horse or pack animal, a motorcycle, or bicycle, for carrying gear, food, tools,or clothing.
Pile: a soft, wool-like fabric, usually of polyester or cotton, commonly used as a liner in winter coats and vests.
Poison Oak, Ivy, and Sumac: a group of extremely noxious plants that secrete a sticky, resin-like substance that causes an itchy rash, in 90% of the population, when touched even slightly, by secreting urushiol oil, which can stay active on any surface, including dead plants, for as long as 5 years.
Polarguard: a synthetic, continuous-filament polyester, known for its durability and warmth and used in some sleeping bags.
Polartec: a high-performance, lightweight, fleece fabric often used for sports and outdoor recreation clothing.
Poncho: a simple, waterproof garment, with a hole for your head in the middle, which is usually hooded, intended to keep you dry in the rain.
Post and Grommet: the flat piece of fabric or webbing at the base of a tent, with a grommet to secure a tent pole; also, a water-repellant, or waterproof, hooded garmet used as a rain coat.
Primitive Campground: a campground without any bathrooms, electricity, or water.
Private Campground: a campground that is not managed by a government entity but, rather, by a business.
Public Campground: a campground that is managed, usually, by a government agency and open to the public.
*PVC: an extremely inexpensive, durable plastic (Polyvinyl Chloride), which can be either ridgid or flexable-- with the addition of plasticizers, and since the 1980s, PVC has been known as the "poison plastic," because it releases poisonous chemicals (mercury, dioxins, phthalates, and deadly hydrochloric acid, which is released when heated), which may (does!?) pose irreversible, life-long health threats and linked to cancer and birth defects, and which is commonly used (although there are safe alternatives) in childrens toys, infant products, shower curtains, water pipes in homes, and many outdoor products--*BEWARE - dispose properly, DO NOT burn.

Quiet Hours: a time, usually beginning between 9 P.M. and 10 P.M. to at least 6 A.M., when campers in "established" campgrounds should lower their noise levels.

Recreational Vehicle: a recreational vehicle (RV) is a vehicle used exclusively for recreational purposes,such as camping, which could be either a motor home or a travel trailer.
Reel: a part of the fishing equipment that attaches to the fishing pole, which has a crank operated spool for the fishing line, for casting and retrieval of bait, lures, or flys.
Ring and Pin: a pin attached to a ring that is used in-place of a grommet on a tent to anchor the base of a tent pole to the bottom of a tent.
Rip-Stop Nylon: a type of nylon fabric with heavy, criss-crossing fibers, which makes the nylon tear-resistant.
Rod: a fishing pole.

Screen Room: a tent room or a shelter with noseeum mesh, which provides shade from the sun and protection from insects.
Seam Sealer: a waterproofing coating that is applied to a tent's seams.
Shell: a thin, lightweight garmet, which is wind and rain resistant, and used as the top layer of outdoor clothing.
Sleeping Bag: an insulated, zippered, roll-up sack for sleeping in the great outdoors.
Sleeping Pad/Mat: a thin, insulating pad placed beneath the sleeping bag to prevent loss of body heat into the ground and to add some comfort to sleeping on a hard surface.
Space Blanket: a waterproof, lightweight, insulated and thermally-reflective, emergency blanket that is designed to conserve body heat.
Square Knot: a knot commonly used to secure two ropes together (though, not very securely, because of its tendency to slip under a heavy load) and is probably responsible for more amature, rock climbers' deaths than any five other knots' totals combined.
Stake Puller: a hooked tool for pulling tent stakes out ot the ground.
Stratus Clouds: a low-altitude, horizontally-layered cloud formation with a smooth bottom, which brings precipitation and, also, causes fog.
Stuff Sack: a close-fitting, nylon or cloth sack with a drawstring closure made for stowing tents, sleeping bags, folding camp chairs, etc..
Summer Camp: a supervised, extended-stay, camping and outdoor-recreation facility for children--Also See: Adventure Camp.

Tarp: a large sheet of waterproof or water-repellant canvas, polyethelene, plastic (including PVC), and even cloth, usually with grommets at each corner and along each outer edge; although, some either have a draw string, such as an automobile cover, or nothing.
Taut-Line Hitch: an adjustable-loop knot that can only slide one direction, which is often used to tighten guy lines on tents and portable shelters.
Temperature Ratings: the lowest temperature your sleeping bag or other piece of gear is rated to keep you comfortable.
Tick: a small, blood-sucking arnacnid, which buries its head into the skin, some of which are known to transmit Lyme Disease.
Tent Stake: a stake or spike used to anchor the tent's base and guy lines.
Tinder: a fine, combustable material that is first ignited to start a fire in the kindling, which greatly improves your chances of starting your campfire.
Topographic Map: a map that shows the topogragpy of the mapped terrain by use of contour lines and colored shading.
Topography: the study of the Earth's or other planetary body's surface features, including mountains, valleys, vegetation, roads, and articficial structures.
Travel Pack: a type of backpack that doubles as a suitcase as wells as a backpack.
True North: the direction indicated as North on most maps and the direction of Earth's northern axis--Also See: Magnetic North.

Upper: the top portion of a hiking boot or shoe.

Ventilation: a way to remove body moisture and excess body heat from your clothing or the prevent condensation within a tent.
Vestibule: a covered added on to the front a tent at the door for additional storage and a place to remove boots before entering the main part of the tent.

Water Filter: a device for removing bacteria and impurities from water, which would otherwise be unsafe for humans to drink, through sieving, adsorption, ion exchanges and other processes.
Waterproof: an ability to completely repel water.
Water Repellant/Resistant: an ability to partly repel or resist saturation by water.