Posts Tagged ‘backpacking’

A Tent for Your Camping Trip

March 8th, 2010

Hiking and camping out are favorite activities for individuals who love the open air. Regardless of whether you enjoy camping out along with your family, another friend or solo camping out it is crucial for you to organize your gear before you set out on your journey. The main item of apparatus if you’re planning to rough it, would be the kind of tent that you choose to set-up. Obviously this will likely end up being mostly determined by the amount of people who will be sleeping, however, if it is just you and one additional individual you may want to consider the Mountain Hardwear EV 2 tent as a sturdy, light and quality 2 person tent option.

In this article, we will talk about some points to take into account when selecting an ideal tent for your camping or trekking experience.

As mentioned above, the most important element to consider is the dimensions of the tent that you will require. That is partly determined, of course, by the number of people that you will be camping out with. Make sure you also consider how much extra tools and items that you will have along with you while walking. This is partly due to weight restrictions of what you could comfortably carry plus the real storage room required within the tent.

When looking for tents, you will notice them described according to the number of people that they will accommodate. For our illustration here, the Mountain Hardwear EV 2 includes a two person capacity. Remember though this is really geared towards backpackers that will be journeying really lightly with out very much gear. That 2 person criteria explains how many individuals the tent can sleep with out gear. If you’re a family of 4 that is additionally going with a lot of equipment, a four person tent capacity probably would be a little snug and also you ought to aim to go a little bit larger than the particular quantity of people might be.

Then, you will probably want to pick the tent’s shape that will end up being most suitable for your needs. Standard tents come in four common shapes. The most popular form is probably the A-frame tent which you would most likely identify as the pup tent. A wall tent appears like the A-frame but usually it consists of side walls and is much bigger than the standard A-frame. Typically the most popular tent for family camping out or for easily sleeping a bigger amount of people, is the umbrella shaped tent. This one consists of big windows and is tall enough for standing. Lastly, there is the geodesic shaped tent which looks like a bunch of various sized connected triangles and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Finally, you will need to consider the climate conditions of the spots where you will be laying out your tent. When possible choose resilient and strong materials that will withstand pretty much any type of climate condition. The Mountain Hardwear EV brand name is a good illustration of a very strong tent which will endure just about any climate situation and is well worth the more expensive price. We believe that you would agree that the last thing that you would certainly want while camping out by yourself, with a mate or your loved ones would be to have rain leaking straight into your tent.

Happy camping!

Are You Ready To Go Camping?

February 22nd, 2010

The time will be here to hike and camp again before you know it. In order to be ready and organized, let’s create some checklists of our camping items so that we have everything we need to look for and organize in one place.

In order to alleviate the potential stress of stuffing everything into your vehicle, you may need to have a look at something similiar to the Yakima Skybox Pro 21 as a cargo solution. By the time we get this camping list together, you will see the great thing about having everything stored on top of the car or truck in this big compact rooftop carrier.

Now let’s start with the packing list. Of course this will change as your hobbies and likes may be different but we will assume that hiking, fishing and outdoor activities are high on your list of things that you enjoy doing while hiking in the woods.

1. Good hiking shoes or boots. This is a must if any real trekking is likely to occur. Note that you will not want to wear a brand new pair of boots without first breaking them in at least just a little. This is important because if you don’t follow this guideline you could end up with some very sore feet, putting a stop to the weekend camping excursion.

2. Gear right for the weather and trails you’ll be hiking. If you think there may be rain at all, be sure to include some decent rain attire as trekking in these conditions while wet can get miserable pretty quickly.

3. A backpack that is size appropriate depending on how long you will be climbing at a time and if the hikes will include sleeping somewhere overnight. Be sure that you can easily carry with you food, an extra layer of shirts, a small kit of medical items and water to name a few items.

4. Don’t forget to bring some medical supplies just in case of an emergency. This kit should include any prescriptions that you are currently taking, aspirin or tylenol, antibacterial wipes and cream, band aids and of course bug repellant and sunscreen.

5. A tent if you are tent camping. Also if you are tent camping, of course you will need a sleeping bag, pillow, and items to light your campfire. These bigger items will fit very nicely on top of the car in your Yakima Skybox cargo storage unit so you need not grow frustrated about the kids fighting for space in the backseat of the vehicle.

6. A totally charged cell phone and maybe a good portable gps device if you will be trekking in low populated areas.

7. Any maps regarding the area that you will be trekking in. You might also consider bringing a compass if you want to do it the old fashioned way without today’s technologically advanced gps systems.

8. Depending on what you like to do, bring all your fishing gear, hunting equipment, swimsuits, the canoe…you name it. Bring those items that will keep you, the kids and the dog happy. Hint…don’t forget the dog treats if you are bringing the family pet along.

Begin getting your hiking checklist together that includes all of the items that are critical to you and your family. Before you know it, it will be time to pack up the kids, the truck and the Yakima Skybox 21 on top of your car and off you go. We hope that this information will get you started and that you have many wondeful trekking adventures ahead of you.

Why A Netbook Is An Essential Backpacking Item

January 26th, 2010

The essence of backpacking is to take all that you need for your trip in a single bag that can be carried on your back, and therefore taking unnecessary items is not an option. Most people would agree though that a computer is an essential item these days.

Still, you might not be convinced that it really is a necessary item to take on a trip away. After all, by packing a netbook, something else will be have to be left at home. So, here are some reasons why netbooks are so great for backpackers…

Reason #1 – Cost

Netbooks continue to be inexpensive relative to traditional notebook computers. A decent netbook can be had for between 0 and 0, depending on the specific features you want.

You might think – why not just save an extra 0-400 by not taking any computing equipment at all? However, you will then find yourself paying by the hour, on probably a daily basis, to use computers in Internet shops, and those hourly costs soon add up

Reason #2 – Portability

Another big selling point for netbooks is their compact size. Generally around 7″ to 10.1″ in size and weighing only a pound or so, they are easy to transport and store.

A larger laptop is not only heavier, it is also more difficult to conceal, whereas a small, discrete netbook can be hidden away from the eyes of opportunistic thieves.

Reason # 3 – Features

Netbooks continue to pack in more and more features these days. Just a few things that backpackers can use them for include writing emails to keep family and friends up-to-date with their adventures, uploading photos to Facebook, writing a travel blog, or phoning home on Skype.

Then there is the ability to access and download a variety of useful information and tools. Research can be carried out, itineraries can be planned and accommodation can be booked.

Now, check out this buying guide, which gives unbiased reviews on cheap netbooks and cheap laptops.