Wish you could go back to a simpler time, when man didn’t need to concern himself with things like taxes or mortgages… Back in the good old days, all a man had to worry about was filling his belly for the night (and disease, famine, the weather, millions of naturally occurring poisons, other humans, the wrath of the Sun God, bears). And there’s no better way to experience that kind of simplicity than camping – and isn’t that what camping is all about? The great outdoors. The fresh air. The peace and tranquility. The miles of forest separating you from the people with a warrant.

So You’re Going Off The Grid… well, congratulations. First things first, you’ll need some Camping and Survival Gear. Because man is cruel, but Mother Nature is a goddamn sadist.

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

Mmm, swamp water! Why is everything delicious always bad for you? Just like in Tijuana, drinking the water may be dangerous. But if you have the LifeStraw Personal Water Filter, the world is your malted milkshake just one straw away from being in your stomach.  This thing is better than chlorine for disinfecting water, and a lot more tasty.

Check Amazon for the LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

Swedish FireSteel Strike Fire Starter

Yeah, after seeing Castaway, we’re not thrilled about starting our own fires.  But when the nearest convenience store is many moons away, getting a lighter might now be an option. While the Swiss have their army knives, the Swedes have their Swedish FireSteel Strike Fire Starter – light your tinder in a few strikes. No frustration, no blood, no Wilson.

Check Amazon for the Swedish FireSteel Strike Fire Starter

4-in-1 Woodsman

Sorry, we take back what we said before… the truth is, this is what camping is about: hacking, slashing, cutting, and pounding! In fact, this is what life is about, and we’re tempted to buy the 4-in-1 Woodsman as a toy instead of a tool.

Buy the 4-in-1 Woodsman Here

Klymit Inertia Camping Mattress

All that running from the law must have done a number on your back, but sleeping bags are a far cry from your posturepedic support mattress. If you’re looking to soften your roughing it experience, the Klymit Inertia Camping Mattress features a body mapping capability that molds to your body.

Check Amazon for the Klymit Inertia Camping Mattress

ZODI Hot Camp Shower

I know what you’re thinking… “But the best part of camping is not showering!” Before you scoff, I want you to consider something:  Week 10, when you’re more pit stain than person. You’ll be glad you packed the ZODI Hot Camp Shower then.

Check Amazon for the ZODI Hot Camp Shower

Tree Tent

You’ve heard the park rangers say to tie up your food in a tree so bears can get to it, right? Well, to a bear, you are also food. Ipso facto, get your ass up in a tree before a bear eats you! The Tree Tent is more than just a tent, or a tree – it’s a home! The 3-meter sphere features a floor plan with a sleeping area, a cooking area, a dining area, and a “mess” area (think about it). We’re going to wait for the version with a foyer and wine cellar.

Buy the Tree Tent Here

Going Off The Grid: Essential Camping and Survival Gear

There are a lot of reasons people love spring, but one of the best is the return of Major League Baseball. Nothing is quite the same as sitting in your favorite ballpark as the weather warms up, especially on Opening Day. The first home game of the year is always special. And if you’re looking for cheap Opening Day tickets, we have five ideas for you to try!

1. Stand Outside the Stadium

You’ll have to invest a bit of time to try to receive a cheap Opening Day baseball ticket using this method, and it’s not a sure thing. But if you like to haggle and the thrill of the chase, this is the way to go.

There’s always tickets for sale outside the stadium from people who have extra tickets. Just hold up the same number of fingers as tickets you need and wait for those with extra tickets to approach you. Stand near a main traffic area where people approach the stadium, maybe from trains, the subway, or buses. (Wear the home team’s gear, too, even if you’re a fan of the opponent; it helps.)

Some people want to sell their extra tickets as quickly as possible, so they don’t miss any of the game, meaning you could receive a bargain on a ticket quickly. And if the weather is cold, it becomes a buyers’ market. More commonly though, you’ll have to have patience. The closer the start of the game, the better chance you’ll have of receiving a cheap ticket. People with extras may look to make some money early on, but by game time, they just want to receive something for the tickets. You may miss the first inning or two, but this is the cheapest way to find a ticket.

2. Look for Singles

If you’re trying to find cheap Opening Day baseball tickets outside the stadium for a set of friends, you’re going to struggle to find three or four tickets all together and still receive a good price. Instead, look for those selling single tickets.

People having one extra ticket is common outside a baseball stadium. Maybe they had one friend back out at the last minute. Whatever the reason, they’re likely going to just try to get rid of the ticket quickly, meaning you should receive a good deal.

With the way many Major League Baseball stadiums are constructed these days, you don’t have to sit in the seat you just purchased and see the game. Just use the ticket to get inside the gate. You and your companions can all buy single tickets and then meet up inside the stadium and walk around for a few innings or find some unused seats in an outdoor bar or restaurant area and still have a great view of the action.

The same reasoning applies to tickets you’ll find on the secondary market. Singles are always cheaper than three or four tickets together, because singles are harder to sell.

3. Secondary Ticket Market

There are plenty of secondary ticket market sites on the Internet, and you’ll find plenty of Opening Day tickets for sale on these sites. StubHub, MLB Ticket Exchange, SeatGeek, Rukkus, Vivid Seats, and CheapTickets are some of the most popular national sites. You may have some popular sites that are local to you too.

Be patient with these sites. Most tickets are expensive until about 24 hours before the game. Then the prices start to drop. The longer you can wait, the better deal you’ll receive. Keep in mind that you may need to stop somewhere and physically pick up the tickets, although most of these sites allow you to print tickets at home or display them on your smartphone screen.

Watch out for fees involved with these sites. Unfortunately, these sites aren’t always up front about the extra costs involved. Some of the fees won’t pop up until you’re on the checkout screen.

Additionally, check Groupon for MLB tickets, as the coupon site does offer deals on tickets from time to time. It’s unlikely you’ll find Opening Day seat deals, but you never know. Other sites to check include eBay and Craigslist.

4. Find a Working Season Ticket Holder

If your favorite team has an afternoon Opening Day game, you may be in luck. Some people who have season tickets will surely have to work that day, meaning their tickets are up for grabs. If you know a few people who have season tickets, casually mention to them that if they ever can’t make it to a game, you’d be interested in their tickets. Then casually mention that you noticed Opening Day is an afternoon start time. (Hopefully subtlety is your strong suit.)

To sweeten the deal, offer to give back to the season ticket holder any special giveaway items you receive. You may get lucky and receive a ticket for free!

5. Turn to Social Media

Follow entities involved with your favorite team on social media. The team’s flagship radio and television stations may give away tickets in contests throughout the days leading up to Opening Day. The team itself may offer some ticket specials that they announce on social media. Business partners of the team also may have tickets to give away.

Finally, mention on your social media feeds that you’re looking for Opening Day tickets on the cheap. You might be surprised which friend of a friend of a friend comes through for you!

Nobody Bats 1.000

If you use the tips listed here, we can’t guarantee that you’ll receive Opening Day tickets. If you’re trying to find cheap Opening Day baseball tickets, you may strike out.

There’s always tickets for sale somewhere, but if demand is high, it’s a sellers’ market and the cheap tickets won’t be there. So if you want to go to Opening Day more than you want to save money, just be prepared to pay face value or higher, and you’ll have little problem finding a seat.

Have some patience and be prepared to wait until the last minute, though, and you may be able to accomplish both goals.

MLB ’17: Five Ways to Find Cheap Opening Day Tickets

If you’re like most people, you’re about to participate in one of the most frustrating exercises known to Americans: Filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket. And whether the typical winner of your office pool is the person who knows every team and player intimately or the person who picks teams with the best mascots, it’s frustrating to lose to either one of them every year. So if you’re like most people and you don’t follow college basketball enough to make well-reasoned choices, try our 12 NCAA Tournament bracket analytics tips to help you have a better chance. We’re confident you’ll at least beat the guy who lets his dog make his picks.

1. Pick the #1 Seeds in First Two Rounds

Might as well get the gimme out of the way first. In the 10 NCAA Tournaments we studied (2007-2016), the #1 seed defeated the #16 seed in the first round every time, going 40-0. In fact, since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 or more teams, the #1 seed is 128-0 against the #16 seed.

You won’t have a surer thing in your bracket than picking the #1 seed over the #16 seed. (Then again, if you would consider betting on the Washington Generals against the Harlem Globetrotters because “Washington is due,” that #16 seed may be really tempting for you.)

Additionally, the #1 seed does really well in the second round, winning at a 90% clip (36-4). And when the #1 seed is a power conference team (more on them later), the winning percentage in the second round increases to 94.6% over the past 10 years. So you can feel pretty comfortable taking that #1 seed through to the Sweet 16.

2. Pick the #2 Seeds Too

The #2 seed has a 90% winning mark in the first round, posting a 36-4 record against the #15 seed. All time, the #2 seed is 120-8 against the #15 seed (93.8%). Everyone loves to pick upsets in their brackets, but don’t do it here.

Now if you want to take an upset for the #2 seed, you may be able to find one in the second round. The #2 seed is 26-10 in the second round over the past 10 NCAA Tournaments for a 72.2% winning clip. On average, that says one #2 seed won’t make the Sweet 16. The trick is finding the right one.

3. Home State Teams Win a Lot

NCAA Tournament rules prohibit teams from playing on their home floor for the tournament, but sometimes teams are placed into sites that are in their home states. These teams often win, and it doesn’t seem to matter if they’re high seeds, low seeds, power conference teams, or non-power conference teams. They all win at a high clip.

Teams playing somewhere in their home states at any point in the tournament have a record of 69-12 in the past 10 NCAA Tournaments. That’s an 85.2 winning percentage, making it one of the surest things in the bracket.

This does make some sense, as the NCAA Tournament selection committee often rewards the highest seeded teams by allowing them play as close to home as possible, so the best teams in the tournament often are the ones playing in their home states.

4. Pick High Seeded Power Conference Teams

In the first round, when a power conference team is seeded #1 through #4 and is playing a non-power conference team, the power team wins at an 88.4% clip, going 129-17 in the 10 years studied.

5. When to Pick Non-Power Conference Teams

Sticking with the first round, when a power conference team is seeded #5 through #12 and is playing a non-power conference team, it’s basically a coin toss situation. The power conference teams only win at a 52.9% clip in this situation (45-40). So if you want to pick some upsets, here’s a good place to try. After all, it’s the little school knocking off the big boys that makes the NCAA Tournament so great.

6. Power Conference Teams Win More As They Advance

Once you get past the first round, the power conference teams dominate non-power conference teams. From the second round through the NCAA Championship Game, when a power conference team plays a non-power conference team, the power conference team wins at a 72.6% clip (77-29). That’s nearly three out of every four times. So when you have these matchups on your bracket as the tournament advances, stick with the power conference team most of the time.

7. The Magic 5/12 Games … and 6/11 Games

If you watch the NCAA Tournament enough, you’ll hear plenty about how “a #12 seed always beats a #5 seed” from commentators. And they’re basically right. In eight of the last nine NCAA Tournaments, at least one #12 seed has upset a #5 seed in the first round. In the past 10 tournaments, the #5 seed won only 55% of the time in the first round against a #12 seed.

But the #11 seed does even better in the first round against the #6 seed. The #6 seed wins only 52.5% of the time in that matchup. In each of the 10 NCAA Tournaments we’ve studied, at least one #11 seed defeated a #6 seed.

So both the 5/12 and 6/11 seed games in the first round are essentially coin flip games. Pick a few upsets here … and hope that you picked the right ones.

And when you really think about it, it makes sense. The #11 and #12 seeds often are among the best non-power conference teams. These teams may not have the strength of schedule of power conference teams, so they don’t receive a favorable seed. But just because they play in a weaker conference, that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t have done well against tougher schedules.

And if you end up with a power conference team at the #11 and #12 seed lines, these often are teams that had to play really well against a tough schedule down the stretch to gain one of the last at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament, and they’re able to maintain that high level of intense play through the first round of the NCAAs.

8. More Coin Flip Matchups

Not surprisingly, when teams play in any round where the two seeds are consecutive — #8 versus #9, #4 versus #5, #2 versus #3, et cetera — the games are basically a coin flip, no matter in which round they are played. So don’t fall in the trap of just picking the higher seed every time you have one of these games. In these types of games over the past decade, the better seed wins 53.9% of the time (55-47).

9. #1 Seed Vs. #2 Seed

The only time a #1 seed can meet a #2 seed in a region is in the regional final. In the 10 NCAA Tournaments we studied, it happened 15 times out of the possible 40 (37.5% of the time). So if your bracket has more than two #1 versus #2 matchups in the regional finals, you may want to rethink it.

And perhaps more surprisingly, in those 15 games between #1 and #2, the #1 seed only won six times (40%).

10. Final Four Picks

People who win their NCAA pools do a great job of picking the Final Four teams. It’s easier said than done to find the right mix though, meaning many people just go with primarily #1 seeds.

But in five of the past seven NCAA Tournaments, only one of the four #1 seeds has made the Final Four. And in another one, zero #1 seeds made it. So if you’re picking all #1 seeds in the Final Four, you’re probably in trouble.

Now that doesn’t mean you want to pick a bunch of double-digit seeded non-power conference schools to make the Final Four either. Of the 10 NCAA Tournaments we studied, only nine teams seeded #5 or worse made the Final Four (out of 40 total spots). So that’s about one per year. The other 31 Final Four participants were seeded #1 through #4, roughly three per year. Of those 31, 16 were #1 seeds.

So it’s not out of line to have one surprising team (#5 seed or worse) in your Final Four, one or two #1 seeds, and one or two teams seeded #2 through #4. That would pretty closely match the average in the past 10 NCAA Tournaments.

11. Seeds Still Matter at the Final Four

If you compare the regional seeding of the teams playing in the Final Four, the team with the better regional seed won 16 of 20 games in the Final Four over the past 10 seasons, or 80%. (In the other 10 Final Four games during our studied time frame, the two teams playing had identical regional seeds.) So if you have the #2 seed in the West playing the #4 seed from the South in your Final Four bracket, the better seed has been winning that matchup at an 80% clip.

12. The First Four Winners

The NCAA expanded from 65 to 68 teams in the 2011 tournament, meaning eight teams play in four games called the First Four in Dayton, Ohio. Two of the games feature the four lowest seeded teams that received automatic bids, all of which have been seeded #16 in their regions. Two of the games feature the last four teams that received at-large bids, and these teams have been seeded anywhere from #11 to #14 in the region. The four winners of the First Four games then advance to the first round. (Most NCAA Tournament bracket pools don’t ask you to pick the First Four games.)

Of the teams that won the First Four games that received automatic bids, they went 0-12 in the first round games. Of course, those teams were all seeded #16, so them being winless really isn’t surprising, as they’re always matched up with a #1 seed in the first round.

However, of the 12 teams that received at-large bids that won their First Four games, six of them have gone on to win their first round games, despite being underdogs as double-digit seeds. And three of those six went on to reach the Sweet 16 (#11 seed Tennessee in 2014, #13 seed LaSalle in 2013, and #11 seed VCU in 2011). This means 25% of the at-large bid First Four winners have advanced to the Sweet 16 as double-digit seeds. VCU in 2011 even made the Final Four. So if you’re looking to pick a surprise team, keep an eye on the First Four games.

Want Office Bragging Rights? Try Our NCAA Tournament Bracket Analytics

If you are gearing up for the start of the new baseball season, what better way to get into the mood than watching some of the greatest baseball films of all time. Of course, we’ve also rounded out our list with the five worst baseball movies so you don’t spend your time watching drivel.

However, be sure to check out our full list of the five best and five worst baseball movies of all time:

Five Best Baseball Movies

1. Field of Dreams

This is one of those movies that you just have to watch when it’s on TV and epitomizes all the nostalgic feelings that we associate with the father / son dynamic. Completely implausible premise, but one that we all wish could happen.

2. The Natural

While it drags a bit from time to time, The Natural is one of the finest comeback stories ever told and expertly weaves mythology into the game. Similar to Field of Dreams, there are epic scenes that have to be watched when the movie is on TV, especially the final 15 minutes.

3. Pride of the Yankees

If you haven’t seen Pride of the Yankees yet, you are missing out. One of Gary Cooper’s most memorable roles, it tells the story of Lou Gehrig’s rise to greatness on the Yankees and ends with a scene that’s been immortalized in movie history.

4. 42

One of my favorite movies of 2013, 42 tells the story of how Jackie Robinson became the first black baseball player and rose to play in the Major League. Despite an average script, both Harrison Ford and Chadwick Boseman bring this true story to life.

5. Eight Men Out

Somewhat relevant to the first movie in the list, Eight Men Out details when the Chicago White Sox, extremely underpaid at the time, accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series. It’s a tale of the darker side of baseball, but definitely interesting.

Honorable Mention: Moneyball

Definitely one of the most interesting modern-day baseball movies, it’s about how Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane used computer analysis to generate a winning baseball team for minimal cost.

Five Worst Baseball Movies

1. Ed

Joey from Friends is on the same team as a chimpanzee playing third base. And they become the best of friends. It’s his replacement Chandler.

2. The Babe

Ugh, John Goodman is simply unlikeable as Ruth and  the movie drags on for nearly two hours. It’s an unwatchable mess.

3. Any Major League Sequel

Loved the first one. Everything after it is a long downhill slide into utter mediocrity.

4. Rookie of the Year

A 12-year old kid can suddenly pitch like a Major Leaguer after breaking his arm. Yeah… Oh, and Gary Busey is in it as the kid’s mentor.

5. The Scout

What, a pitcher that can pitch perfect games every time and hit multiple home runs in the game? Sounds plausible…

Dishonorable Mention: Summer Catch

What, a pitcher that’s throwing a perfect game decides to leave the ballpark in the ninth to chase after Jessica Biel? Actually, that’s slightly plausible.

Top Five Best / Top Five Worst Baseball Movies

Just a heads up to all the outdoorsy folks, Backcountry is joining the Thanksgiving retail fracas with tons of sales that will appeal to anyone looking to get out into the snow this winter.

Some of the deals on Backcountry.com include 20% off on Burton gear, up to 30% off on Mountain HardWear gear and up to 25% off on Marmot gear.

You will also find select gear up to 50% off for their Thanksgiving sale and up to 70% off on the previous season’s gear within the BackCountry Outlet.

If you are looking for a specific brand, you can find tons of popular brands there including Columbia, The North Face, Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Nike, Black Diamond, Icebreaker and Oakley. You can find a full list of brands here.

And if you need something to get you in the mood:

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