Hiking: Should You Bring a Light Backpack or a Heavy Backpack?

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

When someone is going for a hike, they inevitably run into a decision to make: should they pack heavy and be sure they have plenty of supplies, or should they strip down to the minimum and carry a lighter load? It doesn’t take much thought to imagine that the heavier your bag is, the more supplies you’ll want to keep (such as food and water to remain hydrated and fueled). Is either strategy better than the other one? Let’s take a closer look.

Bringing a heavier bag will sometimes be necessary. If you’re going on a long hike, there are certain supplies you’ll need that you wouldn’t carry on a short hike. If you’re going on a weekend backpacking trip through the hills, you’ll want to carry supplies for camping at night, as well. If you’re just going for a quick jaunt up the hiking trail, you’ll only need a first aid kit, and some food and water.

General wisdom amongst minimalists who like light backpacks suggests that the lighter your load is, the less you’ll need to carry. To consider the alternative of wearing a heavy backpack, we’ll have to consider the benefits that adding extra supplies might carry with it.

Ultimately, the things you bring in your backpack should either be necessary for your survival - first-aid, food, water, etc. - or should make your life easier in some way. This brings us to the idea of technology.

Some gadgets, such as GPS navigation devices, can really make your life easier. However, they aren’t always totally necessary. The decision ultimately comes down to enjoying the convenience of a heavier load against depending on yourself with a smaller amount of supplies.

It’s recommended that you bring everything you need to keep safe, and work to keep it as simple and light as possible. For example, a GPS watch is easy to carry. Make a list of all of the things you’ll want to bring hiking, and then narrow it down to the bare necessities, or the excellent conveniences that don’t add too much weight to your load.

Ultimately, experience and skill will help determine how little you’ll be able to carry. Even if you want a very light load to carry, try going on a brief hike to see what kind of supplies are and aren’t necessary. Good hiking starts with you.

Photo Credits: rebonnett

How to Fix a Broken Tent

Sunday, February 26th, 2012

[The following is a guest post from How to Fix. There you can learn How to Fix a Dishwasher, how to fix a flat tire as well as how to fix a toilet]

Having a tent is an absolute necessity when you’re out in the woods – that is, unless you can find some other form of shelter. Tents keep moisture out, protect you from the elements, and separate you from the wild, even if the separation is a thin one. So if your tent breaks or tears while you’re out camping, you’ll probably recognize when it happens fairly quickly. The only question that remains is simple: how can you fix it without buying a new one?

There is no one answer to this question, because there is more than one way that a tent can be broken. But in this article, we’ll handle two of those ways:

Tent poles breaking or bending: The structure of the tent is generally held up by loosely-assembled tent poles. These aren’t always the most sturdy foundations to have with you, but they make for light packing and generally an easy tent setup. If one of them breaks, you’ll want to consider your situation. Can you possibly bend the pole back into place, or is it lost forever? If it’s totally broken, you may simply want to toss that pole out and keep your tent up with the rest of the poles. Your tent may be a little uneven because of this, but at least it will stay up, continue to shelter you from the weather, and will continue to work. Worry about a replacement pole or tent once you’re safely back to civilization.

Photo Credits: bgautrea

Five Essential Items For Your Camping To-Do List

Friday, February 24th, 2012

Have you ever gone camping before and felt, well, terrible at it? Sure, you might have packed well, but when your feet actually hit the great outdoors, you’re in a whole different world, especially if your experience is going to be truly rustic. Good camping comes with good experience, but it also comes with the right kind of knowledge.

If you ever feel lost camping, this article is for you. Here’s your checklist to kick off your camping trip right:

1. Shelter first. I was recently on a camping trip with some friends and we arrived in the twilight hours. Luckily, we followed the idea of “shelter first” by setting up our tents with the limited light we had left. By the time we were done setting up camp, it was dark out and we were getting our fire ready. If we had built the fire first, putting up the tents would have been a major nuisance.

3. Get warm. The fire is useful for keeping warm at night, but you’ll also want to be ready for sleeping out under the stars. Even on summer nights the temperature can drop drastically and you’ll want to make sure you’re properly insulated. Bring some heavy flannel clothes even for camping in the summer and be sure you have a sleeping bag that really traps heat well.

4. Plan for the next meal. If your shelter is up and you’ve got heat taken care of, plan for the next meal – even if it’s tomorrow’s breakfast. Check your cooler and make sure you have all of the utensils and goods you need. When you wake up tomorrow, you should be ready to start a fire and get the bacon crackling.

5. Set up your wants. The three needs of survival in the wilderness tend to go like this: shelter, water, food. With all of that taken care of (you brought fresh water, right?), set up your “wants.” Have the DVD player ready to go in your tent. If you brought an outdoor shower, make sure you found a suitable place to put it, and that it’s filled.

Photo Credits: tranchis

To RV or to Tent?

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

If you’ve been planning a camping trip and struggling with the question of exactly how much “civilization” to bring with you into the woods, you’re not alone. One of the most crucial questions parents will face when planning a trip into the great outdoors is whether or not they’ll spring for the luxury accommodations of an RV or even a cabin, or embrace the challenge of a more rustic camping experience.

Here is a quick look at the advantages and disadvantages of both options.

RV:

Advantages: The advantages of an RV are obvious – get a good enough one, and your “camping” trip can still get 200 channels. RV reduces the need to really “settle in” to the wild, while still giving you access to nature since it’s just a few steps away. Many families enjoy getting an RV because of pure convenience, as it allows you to forget the tents and simply get out there and drive.

Disadvantages: Cost. RV’s can be expensive, and there’s always a financial price to pay when it comes to those luxury items you can’t afford to live without. You have to consider the crucial question of “money spent, or convenience lost,” in order to ask yourself if you’re an RV or a tent family.

Tents

Advantages: Many people feel like you aren’t actually camping if you bring your house with you, and an RV does that in a way. The tent experience, however, gives you access to nature itself, letting you build your own site in the woods and living off of the land for a couple of days (or, at the very least, living off of the local convenience store). Tents are also low-cost compared to RVs, even if you acquire tents that do most of their setting up by themselves.

Disadvantages: What you gain in your checkbook, you lose in convenience, as you simply can’t bring a bed with you to your tent. You also can’t have running water or a bathroom, and if you have a lot of kids, this can turn into a problem quickly. Many people are willing to embrace these challenges as part of the “outdoor” experience, but to others, that sounds like a rationalization for being a cheapskate.

Now that you’ve had a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each option, it’s time to ask yourself what kind of camper you might be. Remember, there’s only one way to find out if you’re right: try out one of these options!

Photo Credits: blmurch

The Pros and Cons of Family Hiking

Saturday, December 17th, 2011

You’re out there on the trails, enjoying the feeling of an early-morning breeze and wondering why you don’t get out more often. When you look back to see the companion(s) you’ve brought with you, what do you see?

If you pictured a friend or a spouse, you may not have thought about how fun it could be to take your entire family hiking. And if you imagined your entire family – spouse, kids, and all – with you, you might have what it takes to be a great family hiker. But should you always bring your family with you on a hike? Here are some pro’s and con’s to help you consider the possibility.

Pros

• Exercise for the entire family – If you can get your kids hooked to physical activity at an early enough age, you won’t have to worry as much about their health and fitness. NOt only is exercising good for you, it’s good for the entire family, and promotes a sense of bonding that you can’t get at home watching television on two separate TV sets. Exercising is good, clean, honest fun – and it’s good for you, too.
• Teaching basic skills – the more hardcore family hikers will be able to relate certain skills to their children – survival skills and principles, the right mental attitude for tackling obstacles, and when they get older, even medical skills. Of course, in order to teach these skills, you have to know them yourself – why not making your childrens’ education a great excuse?

Cons

• Loss of solidarity – If you have a busy job that takes a lot out of you, sometimes a jaunt through the woods is exactly what the doctor ordered. As long as it’s alone. Some people simply need to get away, and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing: if you arrive back home re-energized and in a better mood, it will have been worth it. Sometimes you deserve to treat yourself to a good exercise session.
• Whining! Let’s face it: kids aren’t always angels. And when you’re trying to enjoy a camping trip, having two teenagers whine at you isn’t exactly what you envisioned. That’s why you’ll want to make sure you don’t force anyone into doing something they’re violently opposed to.

For many people, the positives of family hiking will far outweigh the negatives. For others, the negatives will outweigh the positives. Ask yourself what kind of experience seems most appealing to you.

Fun Things to Do On a Camping Trip

Saturday, December 3rd, 2011

In this digital age many people have no idea what they can do for fun on a camping trip in the great outdoors. There are so many possibilities for fun, whether you are a family with young children or a group of young adults, there is something that everyone can enjoy doing. This article will outline a few of the choices you have for having fun on your camping trip.

Fishing

If you go camping anywhere near a lake or body of water, why not try your luck in fishing? Many people find fishing relaxing and some people even find it to be a competition. ESPN has even aired shows where people are competition to catch the largest bass. You can teach your children how to fish, or you can turn your fishing experience into a competition of who can catch the biggest fish for dinner.

Go Exploring

Preferably if you’re camping you picked a location that is somewhere that’s not right next to a road. One of the biggest appeals to camping is the sense of adventure that you feel being alone outdoors. Kids and adults alike can appreciate exploring and finding neat animals, trees and streams in the woods. It is amazing how something like a climbable tree can go from being just a tree to being a discovery.

Scavenger Hunt

Can’t find a way to make your kids enjoy going for a hike? Why not try a scavenger hunt. All you have to do is compile a list of things that you want your kids to locate and watch as suddenly a boring hike turns into a fun game for them. Be sure to make the difficulty appropriate based on their age. If they’re young make it easy, and if they’re a little older make sure you make it appropriately more difficult.

Campfire Games

When it gets dark out that’s when there are all sorts of opportunities for fun games. You can tell ghost stories by the campfire or you can play flashlight tag out a ways. Be careful when it’s dark, however, as people can get hurt or even lost very easily in the woods. This is much more important if you’re camping in a habitat that supports animals like bears or any animal that poses a threat to humans.

With a little creativity you can turn a boring camping trip into a fun experience for your family or friends. Remember to keep the activities safe and make sure that everyone wants to do a certain activity; don’t focus on what just you want to do.

Photo Credits: wili_hybrid

Three Essential Camping Safety Tips for Families

Thursday, November 24th, 2011

Depending on just how daring you are, your camping trip with your family might or might not fraught with potential hazards. These hazards don’t necessarily refer to the minor inconveniences that come with bug bites or sleeping on a harder surface – instead, the more recklessly you camp, the more you expose your family to real danger. That’s why you’ll want to make sure you camp the right way from the first time on. These three camping safety tips will help you be prepared for camping hazards, hopefully leading to a safe and enjoyable camping trip for you and yours.

• Tip #1: Set clear rules for the campfire.
• One of the most obvious hazards involved with campfires. If you have smaller children who are in the stage of their life when their legspeed far exceeds their common sense and they feel like they have to explore, you’ll have to make it explicitly clear that the fire pit is not the place to explore. The campfire serves both practical and aesthetic purposes -it doesn’t need to be played with.

  Once you’ve established clear boundaries for your children, give them viable alternatives to enjoy when it’s time to light the fire. Toys, stories, and even a portable video game can help them keep their mind occupied – and away from the fire. Remember to be acutely aware of where your children are once you light the fire.

• Tip #2: Scout out water yourself first.

  If you’re near a new lake, pond, or river and aren’t exactly sure about issues like water depth, temperature, or potential hazards like animals or insects, you’ll want to take a dip yourself to make sure that everything will work well for your children. In destinations with higher traffic, this won’t typically be an issue. If you’re a little further out into the American frontier, however, you’ll want to make sure to act as the scout for your family.

• Tip #3: Make sure your children are aware of the dangers of provoking animals.

  Even seemingly harmless creatures might carry diseases, so it’s important to make sure your children know how to react when they come across an animal. Larger mammals like raccoons can be potentially deadly – don’t just leave these situations to nature. Even if animals are generally scared away when they detect human activity, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t let your children know about animals. Don’t send them into situations where they might confront a dangerous animal.

Photo Credits: Joi

How to Build the Ideal Campfire – Part I

Saturday, October 8th, 2011

Any dedicated campers out there know that the campfire is the lifeblood of your campsite. Without it, you can’t boil water, prepare food, or have heat on a cold night. With it, you’ll be able to do all of those things and more – but the trick is, you have to know how to make a good one.

This article is part I of II in a series on building the ideal campfire so that you can have the most thorough information possible. Since part of creating a great campfire is to be thorough in your preparation and your knowledge, this initial research will be an integral part of learning how to create a campfire that lasts, provides plenty of heat, and gives plenty of flame for cooking. Let’s take a look at the steps to accomplishing this.

First, let’s tackle site preparation. You’re not going to just pile up a bunch of wood and set it aflame – that might make a quick fire, especially if you’ve got lighter fluid with you, but it won’t make a great camping fire. The difference begins with the preparation of your campsite.

For your first site preparation step, choose a location for the fire. Typically, this will be lower than all of the other areas – including where you have already set up your tents. You’ll want to create as much space as possible around your fire so that you can bring plenty of chairs up to it when night falls. You’ll also want to avoid low, overhanging branches.

Second, clear this location of debris and any flammable items. Get rid of garbage and other objects that might get in the way.

Third, pick exactly where you fire will be and dig a large but shallow circle, square, or rectangle. Keep the dirt in a nearby pile – dirt can make a good fire extinguisher for later on. This in addition to the bucket of water you have prepared will help you contain the fire should the need arise.

Fourth, gather as many nearby rocks and large stones as you can and make a ring around the area you dug. This will create a barrier between you and the fire, and since rocks aren’t flammable, will help control the fire and keep it contained.

Like building a skyscraper, much of the work into a great structure goes into a solid foundation that will accommodate large additions. In the next article, we’ll use this campfire site as the foundation for a great campfire.

Photo Credits: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/wili/”>wili_hybrid</a>

How to Make Your Camping Trip More Exciting

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Camping trips are meant to be exciting whether you’re going with your family or with a group of friends. Whether your group is adventurous or just looking to brave the outdoors there is something for everyone. If you’re off to a bad start though, what can you do to make your camping trip more exciting? This article will list a few ideas that can get your camping trip back on the right track.

Go Exploring

If you’re already at the campsite what’s stopping you from going to explore the wilderness? You never know what you may find out there and it’s a good way to take your mind off any hardships you may be facing. It’s amazing how even the smallest discovery can be exciting when you’re out camping with a group of friends. It’s important that when you go out exploring that you at least bring other person with you in case you get lost. Two heads are better than one when trying to find your way back!

Play Games

Making up different games is half the fun when you’re out camping with your friends and family. There are all sorts of games that you can come up with using the environment that you may have found, whether that is trees or a lake. From freeze tag to racing the woods is a great environment to play all sorts of games. Try to keep them safe because it could be very easy to hurt yourself in the woods, especially if you’re playing in the water.

Try To Rough It

Many people like to rough the great outdoors when they go camping. To them this can either mean being completely helpless to just have to catch your own dinner, whether that is a fish or whatever. This creates a sense of isolation; some people love this feeling because camping is a way to get away from the hustle and bustle everyday life.

Look For Wildlife

Looking for animals is great fun in the woods because often times they’re smart enough to stay away from you making it hard for to observe them. This can even be turned into a competition of who can find whatever animal first. It’s important that if you do seek out wildlife that you don’t anger it. Even the smallest animals can be dangerous if they attack you, especially if you don’t have the proper first aid.

Remember, camping trips are meant to be exciting, don’t just go outside put up the tent and go to sleep. Try to have some fun, catch some dinner, explore, there are endless possibilities waiting for you in the great outdoors.

Photo Credits: TheNickster

Tent Product Review: Eureka’s Apex 2XT Adventure

Saturday, September 3rd, 2011

When it comes to camping, there are campers, and there are campers who enjoy treks through what’s known as the “back country.” Depending on what kind of camper you are – either a casual camper with a family in tow or a borderline professional – you’ll want to get a tent that’s right fo you.

The Eureka Apex 2XT Adventure 7-Foot by 5-Foot Two-Person Tent is a straightforward, no-thrills tent that emphasizes performance over entertainment: you casual campers might want to try a different one. But if you’re looking for a tent product that is lightweight, flexible, and sturdy, the Apex Adventure is a camping tent that you’ll want to take with you on those trips through the back country across North America.

What does a tent that offers “performance” really do? In addition to being lightweight – hence easy to carry – a tent like the Apex Adventure is built for ideal storage space and ventilation, allowing for comfortable nights that protect you and your equipment from getting wet.

A clothesline loop and flashlight loop are also included if you really want to get serious about your camping trip and, you know, do your own laundry.

What are the disadvantages to a tent like the Eureka Apex Adventure? Unless you’re a hardcore “casual camper,” this tent could also work wel for you because of its simplicity and its structure – built for durability even in tough winds.

This means it’s not, shall we say, built for recreational camping, the way you might camp if you’re just camping out with the kids in the backyard. Many of the options featured in the Adventure would be lost on these “urban” campers, as storage space would become less of a worry and entertainment would become the top priority.

The Eureka Apex 2XT Adventure also weighs in at a hefty 99 dollars or so, making it an expensive tent for a two-person option. There are better ways to spend your money if you don’t plan on camping that much in the future.

If, however, you’re looking for a tent that will last through several hiking and camping trips per year and will support you when you feel adventurous, you might want to look into a tent like the Apex Adventure. Durability and security become higher priorities for the camper looking to travel the back-country, more worried about keeping him or herself dry with a tent they can trust than anything else.

This leads to the conclusion that the Apex is a tent for the hardcore camper, the ambitious camper, but not for the camper with kids who’s looking for a more casual time.