14/07/2025
Someone sent me a photo of this Campthropology sticker slapped on a trail sign.
First reaction? “Damn… that’s kinda dope.”
Second thought? “Damn… that’s kinda not.”
For those that don’t know, Campthropology stems from my study and love of culture. And this? This is what happens when cultures blend. Graffiti kids grow up and start hiking. Outdoor folks get curious about subversion. And suddenly LNT is staring at a handstyle in the wild… or in this case, a slap on a trail sign.
There’s a reason Facebook calls it a “wall post.” That witty comment? A digital tag. That introspective thought? A throw-up. That deep philosophical post? A mural.
Online or in the wild, we’re all trying to leave a mark in a world that moves too fast to notice.
But out here on dirt, sand, and stone? Nah, we’re supposed to disappear. We go to nature to lose ourselves. Every tag, every sticker, every mark disrupts that. It breaks the immersive spell.
And it snowballs. Ask any ranger or city worker. One sticker becomes a dozen. A tag becomes a trend. The Broken Windows Theory applies out here too! Trash breeds trash. Damage invites more damage. What starts as self-expression can quickly turn into the erasure of the landscape itself.
Do I get the impulse? Absolutely. I come from both worlds. That tension is Campthropology in motion. But knowing better means doing better.
So no. it’s not OK. Full stop.
But it is real.
And it is worth talking about.
Very soon I’ll be selling these stickers, and I wanted to be clear about their intention. These are meant for personal use…on water bottles, bear cans, coolers… your gear.
Out in nature the goal is to blend in.
But in the city?
Whelp…. 😈
