US Life Post » Camping

The Camping Gear You Can Not Forget To Bring

Tiffany Ellis — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 07:21:46 +0000

Some camping trips can definitely be more fun than others. Getting where you are going and not having everything you really need can be a big bummer. The one sure way to make sure you take everything necessary is to make a check list right from the start. As important as the tent you take along is, there are other things you must have just as much.

At the very top of your camping check list should be a very well equipped first aid kit for sure. Just because you don’t think anything will happen like an accident or illness, does not mean that it will not happen anyway. A lantern is another essential piece of gear because you never know if something might happen during the night when you would need to see a bigger area than a flashlight or fire could provide.

Having comfortable chairs is important just because it can be very uncomfortable sitting on the ground the entire trip unless you are a kid. You might not want to sit so close to all of those creepy bugs on the ground. A grill and a rotisserie for the campfire is essential too for cooking food, but it is smart to also have a camping stove just for some reason you can not get a fire going and sometimes it is just easier to use a stove than a fire..

Having an air bed that you can inflate easily will make it a lot more pleasant when you are trying to sleep. Having to sleep on the cold and hard ground is not many people’s idea of a good time and will often contribute to making you cranky and ill. No one wants to have to deal with a cranky camper so a sleeping bag alone might not be the best answer for some.

Two more things you might also want on your check list is a tent fan and a tent light. Trying to sleep in a hot tent can also keep you from resting well. Tent lights are great to have just to be able to see at night. Waking up and knowing there is a bug crawling on you somewhere can be even more frightening if you can’t see it! These are the basic essentials you will need for any enjoyable camping trip. You should always make up your own check list because what one person might not need could be essential for you.

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Sleeping Bags : A Short Guide

Mark Walters — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:22:22 +0000

If you spend a lot of time outdoors camping, then you know how important choosing the right sleeping bag can be. When looking to buy a sleeping bag there are many choices that you have to make in order to get the one most suitable for you. You need to decide what size and style you want. You need to determine what type of filler and lining you want. You need to know how warm / cold the climate is that you will be using it in.

Once you decide on the style of your sleeping bag, it can help to make the rest of the choices a little easier. There are three basic shapes to choose from – mummy, rectangle and combination. The mummy sleeping bag is generally the warmest as it conforms to the contours of your body leaving considerably less room for cold air to be trapped compared to other styles. It has a hood to cover your head, and an elastic or drawstring draft collar to keep the warm air inside the bag from escaping past your neckline.

Again, you should take a look at all the styles available before making your choice and deciding which sleeping bag is best for you, but if it is comfort you are most concerned with, rectangular bags are wider than the others and can be joined by zipper with another rectangular bag to allow two people to snuggle up. But you may just find the combination bag to your liking as it combines the best features of both of the other styles, giving you the best of both worlds and a great night’s sleep when out enjoying nature.

Once you have chosen the style you want, the next step is to choose a lining and filler. The filler is especially important if you are allergic to down, or have a particular sensitivity to down with asthma or other respiratory conditions. There are two fillers to decide on – synthetic and down. A synthetic fiber filler is generally heavier than down but when wet, it does not absorb water so therefore insulating ability is not reduced. A down filler is lighter than synthetic fiber but it requires more care and you must not get it wet or it will be useless.

Always look at the temperature ratings that the sleeping bag is designed for. If you are usually cold, then aim for a bag which is designed for temperatures colder than the environment that you will be staying. It is much harder to warm up if you are cold then it is to cool down if you are too hot. As a final point, an important and obvious factor many people seem to miss when deciding on the correct sleeping bag is size. Always ensure that the length is a few inches more than your height so you have room to stretch if needs be. There is nothing worse than trying to sleep in a sleeping bag that is too short!
Read On : Camping Tents

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Properly Skinning a Deer

Blake Benson — Mon, 03 May 2010 07:52:00 +0000

Bowie knives have long been associated with outdoor activities. They’re ideal tools for skinning a deer. The following assumes that you’ve already field dressed the animal. Hang your deer with the head facing upward and make sure that your Bowie is sharp. You’ll also need a saw, unless your Bowie has a tool or a serrated edge on it that is strong enough to cut through bone. Remember that it’s better to use a hacksaw for this task than to stress the blade on a good knife.

You should have a cut that goes up to the animal’s rib cage, at least, from when you field dressed it. Bowie knives will work well for the next cut. Make a cut around the animal’s neck and continue down to the cut where you field dressed it. You’re now going to peel the skin down the animal as far as possible, which will usually be the front legs. You use the hacksaw to cut off the legs, right above the knees, and then continue pulling the skin off of the carcass from that point. The next challenging areas are near the tailbone and the back legs.

The bladder of the deer is located just where you’d think, near the genitals. The intestines are also located here. Do not puncture these organs. If you do, the meat is useless. You can get a skin, but you’ll have wasted the entire animal. You may have to gently slice away some organs to remove them. If you do taint the meat by piercing organs, do not attempt to use it for food; it is potentially deadly.

Deer have a pair of glands called tarsal glands on their back legs. Their coloration is slightly darker in this area. Cut off the legs above the glands, and then take the rest of the skin off of the animal. Make sure that you hang the skin up right away.

Your deerskin is now ready to be treated or tanned however you like. You’ll want to hire a professional for this. There’s also a technique called brain-tanning that you can try, but this takes a lot of knowledge and training to do correctly. Bowie knives provide excellent tools for skinning, but make sure not to use your blade for very rugged purposes.

Blake is a business consultant for an online bowie knifes store featuring survival knives.

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Camping And Snowmobiling

Wayne Torres — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:28:05 +0000

Adventurous snowmobilers often add an extra measure of excitement to their snowmobiling vacations ” camping.

Sleeping in the outdoors can be extremely discomforting for some considering you risk the chances of frostbite or hypothermia out there.

If you think the cold temperatures when you go snowmobiling during the day is uncomfortable, you better believe that the night hours are worse without the warm sun beaming down on you.

However, camping during the winter can still be an enjoyable experience as long as the campers take some necessary precautions.

Don’t get caught up in all the excitement of a winter excursion too early as there is plenty of planning that is necessary.

Number one in your planning agenda should be to scope out the region you plan to visit and get a good idea of how the winter weather is like in the area so you can properly prepare yourself.

You may want to gather information such as the average amount of snow you should expect as well as how the routes that you may or may not want to take look like. Knowing the experience of the other campers in your group should be a must as well.

For instance, planning a snowmobile vacation that involves camping overnight with young children would not be an ideal scenario as they are generally more susceptible to exposure from the frigid winter elements.

Keep in mind that camping during the winter months will take a toll on your body and cause it to lose body heat in abundance. This is why good planning from the very beginning is essential.

Thermal clothing is an absolute must when you are sleeping outdoors in such frigid temperatures. They’re not just for snowmobiling during the day.

It is also important to use the layering method. The idea behind this method is to wear several loose layers of clothing, each layer providing more insulation for the body.

The great advantage of layering is the ease that it provides you when you need to remove clothing if your body overheats. A sweating body tends to dehydrate faster than a dry body.

Of course, make sure that you and your group bring a good amount of food with you. Although things like marshmallows are a popular item, winter campers especially need to include nourishing foods.

You need to eat to stay nourished during the day so bring rather appealing foods as well as nutritional since appetites tend to die down when we are cold.

The diet of a winter camper should include a lot of dry foods with high nutritional value such as oatmeal, granola, and cheese.

Camping and snowmobiling can lead to a great time for all groups but it will take some careful packing and planning. Do so and you can enjoy it many times over.

This article was written and provided by Wayne Torres; if you got a kick out of it or found in interesting, you can visit Wayne at Watch the Inbetweeners Episodes Online and Watch the Sopranos Episodes Online.

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Synthetic or Down Sleeping Bags

Ron Jackson — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:28:18 +0000

by Ron Jackson

When you’re camping, one object you should certainly carry with you is a sleeping bag. No matter where you might be going, whether it’s in the forest or up the mountain, you should ensure that you have a sleeping bag with you. Sleeping bags are not only providers of comfort, they serve a much more crucial purpose, and this is to give insulation. You’ll be shocked at how cold it can get during the night when you’re in the wild. Warmth becomes a very important commodity. And a sleeping bag with nice insulation may just become your best friend during the cold evenings. But there are two types of sleeping bags to pick from, one is the down sleeping bag and the other one has synthetic filling.

Down Sleeping Bags

As far as usefulness goes, most people prefer down sleeping bags. This type of bag is filled with goose feathers or, as it is called, goose down. It provides the best insulation as it traps air quite nicely. You can be sure that you’ll have a warm and comfortable night if you have a down sleeping bag with you. Also, down sleeping bags are also rather light. Bringing them along would save you a lot of energy because of their low weight. They’re quite compact and can be rolled quite tightly, which makes them easy to haul around. Indeed, for the camper, down sleeping bags have the most benefits, most especially if the location they’re going to is in the mountains or in other cold areas.

Another good point about down sleeping bags is their good quality. Even if you keep them for years and years, as long as they don’t get too tattered, they will still serve their purpose of being wonderful insulators.

Perhaps, the biggest disadvantage of down sleeping bags is that they don’t do well in places where the atmosphere is damp. Once the bag gets damp, it loses its power to insulate. So, if you can’t keep your bag safe from water, it’s best to use the other type.

Synthetic Sleeping Bags

Although weightier and bulkier than down sleeping bags, synthetic sleeping bags actually have their good points too. For one thing, their performance in wet climates is better than that of down’s. Also, this type is hypoallergenic so they’re best for people who are allergic to feathers. They’re also much cheaper. So if price is a big consideration for you, then it’s best to go with synthetic.

About the Author:

Before buying a down sleeping bag, you just have to read Ron’s recommendations on what to buy and what not to buy when it comes to down sleeping bags and sleeping bags liners.

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Motorhome Rental Holidays are Credit Crunch Holidays Credit Crunch Holidays by Motorhome Rental Motorhome Rental for Credit Crunch Holidays

Rick Lomas — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:26:02 +0000

by Susan Lomas

With the poor exchange rate of the pound sterling against the euro, British residents will get much less for their money in Europe unless the present situation improves. We saw some recovery this year, but it is still about 1.12/1 between the pound sterling still.

As a result of this many British people will still not be considering not going abroad for their 2010 holiday unless the situation improves.

This is why a really smart move is to have a motorhome holiday in 2010. If the pound to euro exchange rate does not improve before the summer then a motorhome holiday in the United Kingdom makes good financial sense.

If the sterling/euro exchange rate should improve in the pound sterling’s favour then you could still take your already hired motorhome to Europe and make the most of getting more euros for your money. Countries such as Spain and also the former Eastern block countries such as Croatia have great cheap campsites and meals out are inexpensive.

Better fuel prices: It is worth noting that economic and political circumstances surrounding America and the Middle East have meant that fuel prices have stabilized during the autumn of 2008. Petrol and diesel are less expensive than they were a few months ago, a situation which looks likely to last into 2009 and a factor that is very important if you are considering a touring holiday.

Investing in Britain: If you do “holiday at home” in England, Scotland and Wales, you will be aiding small businesses in your own country. You may be helping other people just like you to provide for their families. You will be making a “ecological choice” too by not flying to your holiday destination.

When you hire your motorhome in the United Kingdom and you pay in pounds sterling, you are not affected by fluctuations in the European exchange rate.

Families love motorhome holidays: kids love camping, caravan and motorhome holidays but sometimes parents find the “under canvas” variety somewhat lacking in luxury!

About the Author:

When it comes to motorhome rental uk (book by calling 0800 612 8719 – booking line is open 24 hours a day/7 days a week), getting the right information can be a daunting task. That’s why we put together this confidential report for you at motor home hire

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Ten Must Have Hiking Ingredients

admin — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:17:00 +0000

by James Warner

These are the most important items in your pack. Applicable to both dayhikes and backpacking trips, these will improve your safety, comfort and quality of your outdoor adventure.

One of the most important things is having a map of the trail you will explore. Get one at the park visitor center or find one online that you can download. This will keep you from getting lost, help you identify new trails to check out and possibly help rescuers locate you if you’re in trouble.

Get yourself a good map reading compass. Using the map and compass together, you can orient your map to your direction and surroundings, choose the correct path and keep yourself on course.

Always carry two, one liter water bottles. Two liters is the minimum daily intake but chances are you will require more. Hiking is a physical activity and through perspiration, exposure and climate you can become dehydrated quickly. Bring some type of water purifier with you. For personal use, I take liquid treatment with me. Although you can survive a month without food, you will only last a few days without water.

Have extra food with you. Enough so that you could get through another day if necessary. Some companies produce compressed whole food bars that serve as complete meal replacements. My favorite is called the Pro Bar. Taking a few of these with will extend your energy levels if you need them.

Bring a couple more layers of clothing. These will serve to keep you warm and dry should the temperature drop unexpectedly, you somehow become wet or both. Choose layers that are synthetic. Most of them will still retain some insulative quality even if they are wet and they tend to dry a lot faster.

Pack some sort of light source like a headlamp or flashlight. If you are forced to make camp or hike out in the dark, you will be able to see trail debris an obstacles that could cause danger.

Have a personal first aid kit and know how to use everything in it. Suffering an injury in the wilderness is no fun. You can assemble your own with supplies from home, but include triangular bandages and moleskin or mole foam. You may want to consider taking a basic wilderness first aid course.

Matches, a lighter and or candle as firestarters. Be certain to keep them in a waterproof container. Only light a fire in the wilderness if it is a matter of survival, not just simply staying warm if an additional layer of clothing will do. Prevent wildfires, use caution!

A folding camp knife will serve many a purpose. Be sure that the one you choose has a blade that locks when open. I’ve seen knives that don’t lock take off finger tips.

Don’t forget the sunblock. Bring some sunglasses as well and you may want a cap with a visor or brim for extra UV protection. Your skin and eyes will be much happier.

About the Author:

James Warner is a hike leader who believes that outdoor adventure can improve one’s life mentally, physically and spiritually. If you liked this article and want to learn more about hiking and backpacking, please visit: beginner hiking and backpacking guide

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Camping Out Knowledge To Allow You To Enjoy Your Trip

admin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:06:07 +0000

by Isaac Connor

Camping Out tips will save people’s life. It can make a critical difference between a good camping holiday and one that people would not enjoy. But camping pointers are simply that; pointers. Camping tips are not principles you should live by. Although several camping out pointers are meant to be complied to by the word, not all of them will apply to your situation.

Camping Out pointers are useful but realize that there is invariably a stronger and easier way of doing stuff. Especially in the wild where it can get pretty unpredictable, some camping tips may appear like a smart thing to comply with but if affairs don’t turn out well you should consider other alternatives.

Never disregard a viable way of managing things just because of some camping out pointers. Don’t forget that it’s the wild outdoors and an opportunity to turn constructive. In no way am I advising that you disregard all of the known camping out pointers. As a matter of fact I am encouraging you to search them out before you leave for a camping holiday. I’m simply articulating you should be open to different possibilities, fresh ways of managing things with healthier and more advanced camping equipment (or even without it).

Many camping out pointers may be unaltered however and might keep you from producing mistakes that may place you in peril or make your life miserable. An example of a camping out holiday that is timeless is making a camping list when you ready your camping gear, equipment and provisions in front of the camping out holiday. Camping checklists are critical to everybody’s success in camping and they develop as you grow more seasoned and are applicable to various matters.

To bring what you need or what you’re apt to require with you can quite possibly mean life or death in particular if you’re hiking in the wild where camping and hiking gear is more vital, unless of course one is a member of the army’s special forces. However you ought to understand that even experienced hikers/campers who have been doing it for ages still refer to camping out checklists for their camping and hiking equipment, paraphernalia and provisions readiness.

One of those camping out tips that veterans like to lecture about first and for an essential reason is the necessity of hiking boots. If one is only camping along a campsite where not a lot of walking is required you can generally use whatever footwear you like. If one is camping, it’s fundamental that you wear a great pair of hiking boots that are cozy, protects your feet, reinforces one’s feet under heavy burdens, has healthy ventilation but also is resistant to water and adjustable enough that it promotes your foot’s normal movement.

About the Author:

To read about many of the best camping knapsacks on the market, have a look at this Swiss Regular Army knife history by reading http://swissarmy.tumblr.com to learn all about camping out bags of all sorts.

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What to Consider When Choosing a Hiking Tent

admin — Sun, 17 May 2009 03:48:52 +0000

When going on an extended hiking trip, carrying a heavy tent is the last thing you need. So what do you in this situation? Well comparison-shopping is a good start. The size of the tent depends on the amount of people that are involved in the trip and the amount of other equipment you are bringing. So your tent(s) need to be lightweight. Listed are some recommendations in the tent department, going from small to large, styles and weight.

Small…Velo, these were designed for the solo hiker or two people that don’t mind cramped quarters and need room for gear. This tent comes with a vestibule, full rain-fly bathtub floor, and taped seams. This tent weighs nine pounds and eight ounces. This one is needs to be divided between people.

Medium size…The Kelly Gunnison four person tent offers a full rainy. This one is still a bit heavy for one person to carry so needs to be divided between several people since it weighs eight pounds and eleven ounces. This tent features DAC aluminum poles are some best available with increased durability.

Also offered is taped seams, a bathtub floor, a full rain-fly, vestibule and storage pockets. A four-person tent is great for two people with their gear. There is a smaller version of this tent if you do a lot of solo backpacking and hiking. This tent offers the same things as the larger size but at five pounds and eleven ounces.

The Kelty Crestone 2 tent…This tent is ideal for 2 people to share while backpack hiking. This tent has two doors to get in and out along with two vestibules for storage, aluminum poles at only at four pounds twelve ounces.

When shopping for tents, you will come across many names like North Face, MSR tents, Kelty, Eureka, Sierra Design. Eddie Bauer, Colman, EZup, Wenzel, Hillary and Wenger tents.

The commonly know Pup tent, which also is call an A-frame. These tents usually are just a single wall between you and the great outdoors, supported by one or two poles with guy lines. Pup tents have a problem with sagging inwards, which means that when it is raining, the tent is going to leak. Cabin Camping tents…are way to heavy to go on a hike since they weigh between 35 to 100 pounds.

Dome Camping tents…These are very popular. They are good at shedding snow and rain, and they resist wind very well with a special rain-fly. They also come with aluminum poles; this tent is free standing, meaning it doesn’t have to have guy lines or tent stakes to keep upright. But they do offer plenty of headroom.

Summer camping/hiking tents…these are lightweight, good ventilation, designed for warm weather. They aren’t quite as versatile as several of the other tents but a great choice for hot weather.

Tunnel or hoop tents…These tents are straight, narrow and lightweight however, not as sturdy as others that has more poles.

Then there are the junior tents…designed for small children. So these are ultra-light.

Bivy sacks or shelters…this is a small shelter designed for someone that is concerned about weight or that where they are going larger tents are not going to be appropriate. These are only big enough for you and a sleeping bag. These weight for less then one pound up to three.

So as you can see if you do a bit of comparison-shopping and research you will be able to find the tent that is going to fit your needs, budget and weather. Also do not forget how much weight that you can carry because as you can see tents can get quite heavy; which is fine if you are going with a group of people and are able to split the weight.

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What to Look For When Choosing Binoculars

admin — Sun, 17 May 2009 03:48:49 +0000

When going out for a hike or bird watching, wouldn’t it be nice to have a pair of compact binoculars. Sometimes the price can prevent you from doing so. One of the solutions for this problem lies in Tasco. They hay been in the business of manufacturing quality optical products for over 50 years. Which means that Tasco is affordable to the American family, and also are the favorite choice for sport binoculars.

Tasco has exacting quality control standards in place and utilizes the latest advancements in optical capabilities and they are built to last a lifetime. No matter what you need binoculars for, they make models that are ideal for bird watching and sports, and work good in low light or bright light and any other adverse viewing conditions. They make a variety of fixed and variable models that offer magnification ranges from 7x up to 30x.

Ranges of Fixed Magnification:

6x, 8x, 10x, 12x, 16x
7x is all that is available in the Offshore model.
The widest variety of magnification is in the Essential series.

Essential and Sonoma series have variable magnification that goes up to 16x magnification. The Sonoma series has three models with variable magnification available: the two 8-20×50mm and the 7-21X40mm. 8-24×25mm, 10-30×50mm and 8-20×50mm are available in the Essential series.

The most popular for the sport viewer is the Tasco Essentials 8-24X25 Porro Compact zoom binoculars. This little beauty is a mere 10.3 ounces but there is a lot of power and extras built into it. Like variable zoom, the casing is made of rubber to absorb impacts, is somewhat weather proof because of the rubber casing. But it is not waterproof. The objective lenses are Rubicon coated and the range of view is 212 feet at 1000 yards. Included of course is the pouch and strap to carry the binoculars.

Another highly recommended binocular is the Bushnell Elite. This is the latest version of the old and much revered Bausch

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Bushnell Binocular