Three Steps for Packing Your Backpack

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Unbeknownst to casual or first-time hikers, the weight and quality of your backpack – not to mention what it contains – can be one of the most important predictors as to whether or not you’ll have a good time hiking. Why is this? Because backpacks that are too heavy or drag on the shoulders will wear you down, making you expend more energy than you need to and ultimately making it an uncomfortable experience. Here are three steps for packing your backpack in a way that won’t slow you down.

#1. First, make sure you have a decent backpack.

For the hiker, the backpack is the best “expense” to take an opportunity to really splurge on something of high quality. Backpacks with steel frames that rest on your back, distributing the weight of their contents can be highly helpful, and it might feel like you’ve got some extra support from somewhere as you carry it. A simply school backpack that only drags on your shoulders, pulling them tight and hurting them, simply won’t do here. If you’re going to overspend at any point here, spend more money on quality on a backpack.

#2. Plan in advance.

Planning in advance to fill your backpack with the essentials will help you make sure you cover your bases. Do a mental walkthrough of your planned hike and ask yourself what you feel like you’ll need. A cell phone or not? How much water? Some emergency food, or a meal? Depending on the length and quality of your hike, these answers will be different for everyone.

Planning in advance will also help you to pack more tightly, as you’ll be able to fit items better if you plan them out rather than simply “stuffing them in.” Stuffing them in will lead to an uneven weight distribution and will drag you down while you’re out on the hiking trail.

#3. Review and remove.

The key is to pack as light as you can, while not sacrificing any of the materials you know you’ll need. Water is kind of heavy, so that might be a necessary evil for you (unless you carry your own water filters). Do you want navigating electronics, or can you do without the technology? Review what you’ve got, try out your backpack and see how heavy it is. Try not to imagine how heavy it is now, but how heavy it will be after an hour of hiking. What can you afford to lose? These are important questions to consider – the key is to do most of the preparation and thinking before you take your hike so that later you don’t have to.

Photo Credits: richardmasoner

How to Save Money on Fishing

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

These days, finding ways to save money aren’t hard. Everyone’s trying to save money, whether it’s using coupons, cutting back on expenses, or just making clear-cut sacrifices. What most people get wrong is believing it’s necessary to go through a lot of pain in order to scrimp and save. Sure, it might take some thinking, planning, and preparation, but that’s it: really, in the end, the purpose of saving is to sustain a high quality of life.

You can do that while keeping your fishing outings. If you’re an avid fisherman, there’s no reason to cut back on a hobby you love simply because times are tough. Instead, follow these quick tips and you’ll be saving money on fishing in no time.

Tip #1: Catch or make your own bait.

Admittedly, a small container of worms won’t exactly set you back so far that you’ll never financially recover. But there are some forms of tackle that are simply too expensive to really give a care about. Dig a hole after a rainy day to find your worms and consider making your own tackle: some quick research will yield a treasure trove of fun ways to do this at home. You’ll also re-connect with your fisherman’s roots when you create your own tackle, as you can truly say you “caught your own fish.”

Tip #2: Buy used equipment.

This is a quick way to save money in any endeavor that requires purchasing new equipment on a semi-regular basis, and it holds true for fishing. If you don’t mind a scratch or two on your fishing reel, you can easily purchase some effective equipment that works just as well as new equipment – except for a few extra miles on the odometer.

Tip #3: Rent!

One of the most effective ways to save money in the short-term is simply to rent equipment you would otherwise purchase. When we’re talking about fishing, the term “equipment” can even refer to a boat. Only rent if you’re sure you want the experience that renting provides – don’t rent simply because it’s cheaper. Use “renting” as option of last resort when you have no other way to get the fishing experience you’re after.

Combining all three of these tips, you’ll find that you understand how to have fun, effective fishing trips that provide just as much of the fun fun for half the price. Consider applying these tips to everything – make your own tackle, buy a used fish detector online, rent a boat – and you’ll be living the high life for average-Joe prices. Isn’t that what we’re all looking for?

Photo Credits: Michael (mx5tx)