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Camping can be very stressfull

By Brian on Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 | No Comments

By Benedict Smythe

Camping can be very stressful. Don’t let the stress get in the way of having fun and spending quality time with your family. Here are some stress-free camping tips that you can do to avoid any trouble.

Before going to a camping trip, check the rules and regulations of the camp site you are going to. Some forests and camp sites do not allow camping stoves to be used during fire danger periods. It’s better to check before your trip if the camp site allows camp fires and barbeques.

To avoid any kind of accident, keep your fire levels moderate. You do not need a raging fire to cook your food or keep you warm. Never leave a campfire or a stove unattended and avoid using cooking stoves when it is really windy. Keep your cooking area clean from flammable materials like matches, propane and papers. If you have children with you on the trip, remind them to not get too close to the fire and impose a three feet fire zone for them. Always have pot holders ready whenever you’re cooking. Keep water in hand to extinguish the fire or if you have one, bring a portable fire extinguisher. Do not set up your tent near the camp fire. Make sure your tent is flame retardant.

Do not over pack; over packing takes up a lot of tent space. If you’re going on a four day trip then bring clothes set for two days. Remember to bring a light jacket, warm sweater, shorts, shirts, pants and extra underwear. If you want to go hiking, bring hiking boots. Plan a camping menu so you know what food to bring and what to prepare during the time of day. Bring non-perishable food like bread and nuts. Store your perishables in a cooler filled with ice. Keep your meals simple and at the same time add your kids’ favorite meals. If you want to choose an easy way out, drive to the nearest fast food or burger joint and have your meals there.

Bring board games and sports equipment like Frisbee, soccer ball and baseball equipment. Also bring toys and books for the kids. Create a little play area near your camp site. Bring a fishing pole and teach your kids how to catch fish.

Spray your tent with rain resistant solution and bring an additional tarp to provide cover and shade. Make sure the tent is large enough to accommodate everyone going to the trip and have enough space for the equipment. Assign tasks to the children. Include them in the planning process. Have them help you in setting up the tent, cooking food and cleaning utensils. This way they can be part of the camping process and at the same time learn how to do different things. By doing this, they feel that they are important. As an adult, remember to supervise small children at all times to avoid any accidents. Do everything as a family. Bring swim suits and swimming gear if there’s a lake or ocean nearby. Take a nature hike.

Remember to have fun and enjoy the goodness of nature and also teach your kids about the importance of taking care of nature.

About the Author: This article was written by Benedict Yossarian. Benedict recommends Springfield of Burton for camping and military equipment

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=279057&ca=Recreation

Originally posted here:

Backpacking – Six Ways to Save Money

By Brian on Thursday, October 13th, 2011 | No Comments

By Steve Gillman

As pack weights get lighter and going into the wilderness gets safer, backpacking also is getting more and more expensive. How do you save money without giving up the ultralight equipment and safety gear? Let’s look at a few different ways.

Backpacking in the most remote places has become much safer now that there are personal locator beacons. One I recently saw advertised lets you call for help to 911 and family or friends at the touch of a button. It will even locate you on Google maps so others can see exactly where you are. Of course, at almost $200 for the device plus an annual fee of $100 per year for the service, it isn’t cheap.

My alternative? Just bring your cell phone and GPS unit. If you already own the phone you will only have to buy the GPS, and using it is free. When in trouble you can call for help on your phone and give the coordinates of where you are. They can type them into an online service themselves to see where you are on a map. Since your cell phone probably isn’t satellite based, coverage won’t be quite as good as the expensive locator, but it is a reasonable way to save money. Here are five more.

1. Buy used gear.

I would never buy an old sleeping bag, because the filling gets destroyed with time. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with used aluminum pans or tent stakes. I have seen both in thrift stores for a fraction of what they cost new. You can also find some decent backpacking equipment online at either Ebay or in outdoor forums which allow users to sell their old gear.

2. Stay close to home.

A big part of the expense of backpacking can be the travel expenses to get to the trailhead. But do you really have to go 2,000 miles to backpack somewhere beautiful? If you intend to eventually hike some of the trails closer to home, why not start with them? Inevitably there will be destinations you never get to, so why not have them be the more expensive ones?

3. Buy real foods.

Forget the expensive freeze-dried backpacker’s meals. Bring nuts, granola and other inexpensive real foods. For cooked meals, bring instant brown rice and a fast-cooking legume like red lentils. Noodles with olive oil, parmesan cheese and spices can be more delicious than a freeze-dried dinner and cost only a fourth as much. Many supermarket foods are better than specialty “backpacking meals” in my opinion.

4. Buy regular clothing.

Contrary to the impression given by outdoor clothing manufacturers, you don’t need a new high-tech wardrobe to get out into the wilderness. Instead of a $16 super-wicking t-shirt, try a 50/50 cotton polyester blend t-shirt from Wal-Mart for $4. It will probably be more comfortable, and dry almost as fast if it gets wet. In a warm climate with brief summer showers you can forgo the $120 waterproof/breathable rain jacket in favor of a $20 low-tech one, or even a $2 emergency poncho. There are usually ways to save a lot of money on clothing if you consider where you’ll be going and what is truly necessary.

5. Base camp.

If you just want to get out and hike, you might consider camping in your car or in a cheap tent next to it. You can hike all day with just water, food, and the few other things you need in any cheap day pack (buy it used at a thrift store to save money), and return to the car to sleep. You don’t need a great sleeping bag, backpack, tent or other expensive gear if you don’t plan to spend your nights out there in the woods. This technically isn’t backpacking, but perhaps the point for you is just to see and hike in some beautiful places, and on a budget.

About the Author: Copyright Steve Gillman. To get the ebook “Ultralight Backpacking Secrets (And Wilderness Survival Tips)” for FREE, as well as photos, gear recommendations, and a new wilderness survival section, visit: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=269307&ca=Travel

Read more here: Backpacking – Six Ways to Save Money

Backpacking List For Children

By Brian on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 | No Comments

By Sarah J Holt

Do you enjoy backpacking and want your children to experience it with you? Here is a backpacking list for children that can make this an easy and fun adventure for all.

First Aid Kit: Sunscreen, Bug Spray, Light Hat or Bandana – This is to help protect the head from the sun.

Mist Spray Bottle – If it is hot outside you can put a small spray bottle in a pocket on the outside of a pack so a hot child can spray themselves with water to cool off.

Water Bottle – They make small water bottles specific for children, but I prefer a regular sized one since children can drink as much water as an adult often times, and this will help prevent dehydration. I also bring along a water filter that is used to pump water from a stream, which the kids think is great fun, and allows me to keep their water bottles filled up.

Snacks in Plastic Bags – It is a good idea to carry a bunch of little baggies with snacks in an easily accessible part of your pack. Children often do not give warning of when they are getting hungry, and by the time they announce they are it is nice to have a quick stash of food for them to munch on.

Shoes – Make sure these are good quality and broken in before the trip. Bring along a blister care kit just in case.

Children Sized Backpack – If your children are 6 or 7 years old they can start to carry some of their own stuff. They make children sized backpacks with internal or external frames, and most of them adjust to fit kids up until they are into the small adult sizes. If you child is old enough and you opt to have them use their own pack, make sure that they do not carry too much, since this can injure them as well as guarantee that they will complain and not enjoy the trip.

Extra Clothes – Kids are more likely to get dirty and wet when backpacking, so it is a good idea to throw in a couple of extra shirts and socks. Make sure their clothes is a good quality. If you would not wear cotton, then do not buy cotton for your kids to hike in. It may seem like a lot of money to spend on fancy clothes, but it does not need to cost a lot. Your kids will outgrow these items, often times before they are worn out, but so will other kids. This means that it is easy to find secondhand backpacking clothing for kids by going online or looking in stores that sell gently used clothing.

Extra Food – Bring more food that the children would eat at home. They are getting a lot of exercise, burning more calories, and this often equates to a much larger appetite.

Sleeping Bag – There are many sleeping bags on the market designed for kids that have all of the wonderful features of adult sized bags. This is a great way to go, but can be costly if they need a new bag every year. Another option is to buy an adult bag and stuff the bottom with extra dry clothing. This way the child can grow into the bag and a new one does not need to be purchased every year.

Hat and Gloves – Even if it isn’t the time of year where you would bring a hat and gloves for yourself, it may be a good idea to bring them along for the kiddos. This is especially useful if they are sleeping in an adult bag and need the extra warmth at night.

Long Johns – Long johns are great since they can be worn under pants, shorts, or by themselves for sleeping in. They are compact, not taking up much space.

Walking Stick – While this is in no way a necessity, many kids will find having their own walking stick a fun addition.

Binoculars – Another fun addition that can entertain kids for quite awhile.

Flashlight- It is a good idea to provide each child with their own flashlight and backup batteries. They have fun with them at night and if they wake up scared they have easy access to light.

Using this backpacking list for children, along with consulting other books and resources, will insure that you have a successful time backpacking with children.

About the Author: Sarah Holt writes for The Ultralight Backpacking Site. To get the e-book “Ultralight Backpacking Secrets (And Wilderness Survival Tips)” for FREE, as well as photos, gear recommendations, and a new wilderness survival section, visit: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=203646&ca=Recreation

Excerpt from: Backpacking List For Children

Hiking For Skiers

By Brian on Friday, September 30th, 2011 | No Comments

By Syahrul Azlan Idris

You may think that you’re just gliding along the smooth snow when you’re skiing, and I‘m almost inclined to agree with you. Skimming along the snowy ridges and curves of the mountainside almost feels like you’re effortlessly sailing, but this is just a misconception. Experienced skiers know that underneath the surface, your leg muscles and your upper body are getting a tough workout.

You want proof? How about taking a gander at all those skiers who just dive in right away, then return several minutes later, moaning and groaning about how their legs hurt. You know that next day you’ll see them walking around with aching muscles all over their body. This is what usually happens every time a skier forgets to maintain his skiing muscles during the summer. Come wintertime, the muscles that you need for your favorite sport will definitely fall apart on you before long.

Hiking can play a valuable role in keeping your muscles healthy and strong, the same muscles that you need for skiing. Now how would you develop those muscles? Go up. Include hills into your hiking itinerary as much as possible. Start slowly, but do more intense uphill hikes as the summer draws to a close. Gradually increasing your effort will surely pay off the next time you visit your favorite ski resort.

When hiking uphill, though, remember to take short steps. Try to keep your weight even and don’t lean into the hill too much. When going downhill, be careful not to lean backwards too far, or you’ll end up falling on your rear end. This is especially true on wet terrain, so be careful.

Remember that your goal in hiking is to workout your core and leg muscles for skiing. So if you can hike around in a ski resort, so much the better. Several ski areas are open during the summer for hiking and mountain biking, so take advantage of it. Some of the resorts even run their ski lifts to bring tourists, hikers, and bikers to areas that are difficult to get to. Being above the tree line and seeing the slopes without snow will really make you see them in a whole new light.

Use hiking poles, not ski poles. Using a pair of hiking poles will give you an added bonus, since this will be very helpful in giving you an upper-body and respiratory workout, much similar to using a Nordic-Trak machine. Avoid using your ski poles as hiking poles, since continually stabbing them into the ground will eventually damage or break the tips. Your ski poles are not designed for that sort of treatment, anyway, so you’d be better off using a pair of poles specifically suited for the job.

Keep going, but rest when you have to. Bring along a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated. Wear gloves to keep your palms from getting blistered all over from holding onto you hiking poles. Don’t forget also to tie your boot laces tight and short. A big loop from your shoelace could and will get caught on something, probably resulting in a nasty fall. And with that in mind, bring along a first-aid kit and a multi-purpose tool, like a Swiss knife or something similar.

Look for good uphill hiking trails in your area, or ask your local tourism department for assistance in finding good places. Keep in mind that your goal is to build up your muscles for the great skiing ahead. So go out, find that hill, start hiking and think snow!

About the Author: Azlan Irda is the co-founder of http://www.campinggear247.com, which provides high-quality camping and outdoors gear. Visit us for all your outdoor equipment needs.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=139762&ca=Recreation

See the original post here: Hiking For Skiers

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