Do Epic Shit! That’s what it says on the cool handmade coffee cozy by the knotworkshop. Of course, how you define epic is up to you. You’re in the outdoors, it’s where epic stuff happens so get on with it. The power boost from your coffee helps.

You can get one here at the knotworkshop. You might also want to check out some cool camping coffee stuff because you need a good cup of joe to do some epic shit.

3 parks with the most bear attack fatalities:

1. Glacier National Park – 10 fatalities
2. Yellowstone – 7 fatalities
3. Katmai – 2 fatalities

Glacier has the densest population of bears. Even though Yellowstone has more bears, they have much more room to roam in and therefore there’s less chance of encounters with human.

Read more at Backpacker.com

A bear kills a hunter, leaving his friends to ponder his fate.

The outdoors is good for the kids. Studies have shown that kids who spend a lot of time outdoors have a good foundation for health, fitness and self-confidence. Spending too much time indoors may result in a number of behavioral problems and obesity for kids according to Richard Louv who coined the term Nature-Deficit Disorder in his 2005 book, Last Child in the Woods.

Here are five tips for choosing the right hiking trail for your kids:

1. Know your limits
2. Choose the right distance
3. Pick a great destination
4. Pay attention to a trail’s difficulty level
5. Consider the view along the way

For more information go to FamilyCampMan.com

Traditionally, since many consider it to be the last day of summer, August 31st is the last chance for you to take out the camping grill and enjoy eating in the outdoors. You can do it right after work. If not, just eat your breakfast, lunch or dinner outdoors. It doesn’t have to be barbeque. What’s important is that you eat outside.

Looking for ideas if you decide to do some grilling after work? Watch this:

Have you ever thought that your boots could be causing environmental damage?

Felt-soled boots provide unrivaled grip on slimy rocks and boulders. In fact, no other type of sole even comes close. It’s dangerous to wade through river without felt soles.

New Zealand have banned the use of felt-soled boots since 1998 in an effort to stop the spread of didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) or “rock snot”, a microscopic pest that can be spread by a single drop of water. Evidence have shown that felt-soled boots carry these noxious microorganisms from stream to stream.

While not poisonous, it can be severely damaging to stream habitats and disrupts the sources of food for fish.

Alaska and Vermont have also banned felt-soled boots but there’s some resistance to it, most notably by the fishing community in New Zealand. I’m not sure how it goes but I’m betting that the resistance was futile.

via Technorati.

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Choosing a spot for your tent is an important decision; the wrong decision might have serious consequences. Here are some tips on choosing a spot to pitch your tent:

• Choose a spot close to a water source but not too close because water levels might rise when you’re sleeping. However, it’s a good idea to camp far from the water source if crocodiles, anacondas or something like them are known to exist in the area.
• Choose a spot that is sheltered from the wind but try to avoid camping near trees because it could fall unexpectedly.
• A flat area is ideal for setting up camp but if you can’t a flat area be sure you sleep with your head on the higher side and remember that when you sleep on a slope, you might slide a bit so be careful about your position relative to the campfire if any.
• Choose an area where there is little or no sharp objects like rocks and roots.
• Avoid areas where there are evidence of recent animal activities like foot prints, droppings, etc.

Do you have any more tips on choosing a spot for camping?

Making coffee is easier than ever, if you have the right gear that is. Here’s the top ten camping coffee gear in 2010:

1. Aerobie Aeropress
2. Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop
3. Bodum Columbia Thermal Press Pot
4. Finum Brewing Basket
5. Planetary Design Double Shot Travel French Press Mug
6. Coleman Camping Coffee Maker
7. Mypressi Twist
8. Handpresso
9. Thermos Leak-Proof Insulated Travel Mug
10. Planetary Design Airscape

You can find these camping coffee gear here.

Nothing serious, this is just too funny.

You might want to rethink about playing dead when you encounter a bear because it doesn’t work all the time. It might work if the bear is acting in self-defense but when the intention is predatory, playing dead is dangerous. Maybe the video below can give you some insight on the behavior of bears. No-one plays dead better than a car, don’t you think? Looks like one punk bear to me.

They’ve tried venturing the outdoor industry a couple of times before but now it looks like Adidas is serious about doing it right. I’m going to guess that they’re going to start with outdoor apparel because they’re essentially an apparel company but it’d be cool if they get into making tents next since the three stripes logo already looks like a tent.

Slingfin specializes in making high-end dome tents (at least so far) specifically for professional guides and serious users. Founded by designer/gearhead, Martin Zemitis and co-founder of Mountain Hardwear, Timothy Baka, the company is passionate about making the best-designed, highest quality outdoor gear the world has ever seen, unwilling to compromise in the name of monetary gain. These guys don’t even have a marketing department.

If that’s the case, I’m willing to do their marketing for them for free and I’m sure their fans will do the same simply because the world needs more of them.

Although the company is new, the people behind it has a lot of experience in the outdoor industry:

• Martin Zemitis – Founder/VP/Designer/Gearhead. Widely known as one of the best tent designers in the business. 33-year industry veteran and gear guru developed award-winning products for other well-known industry leaders. Co-founder of Mountain Hardwear. Now, he’s got his very own sandbox. Two SlingFin patents and more to come.
• Timothy Baka – Founder/President. Co-founder and “numbers guy” behind Mountain Hardwear. Past lives include investment banker and number cruncher. Lost the suit to start China-based sourcing and production business specializing in organic cotton. Likes to stick his fingers in the marketing pie.
• Jonathan Buck – Creative Director/Designer. Makes us look good. A great eye for design and photography. And check this out – he actually uses AND designs gear. Co-author of our ExoPak ™ patent. In charge of SlingFin’s look out of the blocks.
• Devin Swisher – Graphic Artist/Design Consultant. Made Mountain Hardwear look good for a decade. Artist extraordinaire. Idea man. Master of design and things Internet.
• Phil Scott – Legendary Designer/Production Guru. Outdoor industry man since the 1960’s. Never met a computer CAD system he couldn’t beat. Never met a marketing person he liked – reason why SlingFin has no “marketing department.”
• Robert Link – Professional Mountaineer/Design Advisor – Robert hast been kicking ass and taking names on many of the world’s highest peaks. Putting our ideas to work is his nugget. The design feedback loop from him is one reason we make the best gear ever.
• Lhawang Dhondup – Professional Mountaineer/Design Advisor – 30+ Himalayan expeditions under his belt. Climbing partner of Robert Link. Also kicks the shit out of our gear to make sure it works.

My personal favorite is the Bear Bag. Maybe it will keep us safe from the recent rise in bear attacks.

Here are some of the gear found at Outdoor Retailer Summer by the GearJunkie crew:

1. Petzl GRIGRI
2. SteriPen Sidewinder
3. The North Face DryWall tent
4. Helly Hansen Rainwear
5. Women’s Cirrus Wind Top by Rab
6. Earthkeepers Cupsole Sport Boat Shoe by Timberland
7. Wenger EvoWood
8. Patagonia Athletic Dresses
9. Brooks-Range Mult-Functional Plier
10. Sperry Top-Sider
11. Gerber’s Bear Grylls Survival Series Ultimate Knife
12. Stunt Puppy Collar

For further details go the GearJunkie.

I’m not a fan of coffee percolators but sometimes it’s hard to resist the bubbling sound that comes from the coffee in a percolator. The reason I prefer the french press is because not only does it make a perfect cup of coffee, it’s also much less of a hassle and cheaper too.

In case you didn’t know what a coffee percolator is, it’s a type of pot used to brew coffee as pictured above. The bottom section (A) is where you fill in with hot water. The water level should at least be above the bottom tube but not more than usually indicated on the pot, depending on how many cups of coffee you want to make. The middle section (B) is where all the ground coffee goes. The top section (C) is should be empty initially and that’s where the final product goes.

To use the percolator once you have filled the water up to the required level and put in some quality ground in the middle chamber (2 spoons per cup of coffee or however you like it), first boil the water by heating up the pot on the campfire or camp stove. Once the water has boiled, put the pot on the edge of the fire or turn the camp stove on low. Pressure will build up in the lower chamber (A) until there is enough to push the hot water through the spout and through the coffee grounds.

Allow to percolate slowly for 5 to 10 minutes. The resulting coffee is collected in the upper section (C). You can then remove the middle chamber and discard the grounds.

It’s now time to pour the coffee into your favorite camping mug and enjoy.

Note:

Definition of per·co·late: (of a liquid or gas) Filter gradually through a porous surface or substance

You might also be interested in other camping coffee gear.

When I saw the announcement at RohanTime.com about the Readers Choice Outdoor Innovations 50/50 award, I started thinking. Which one should it be? It’s not as easy as I thought.

While there are plenty of innovations in the outdoor industry but most of them are just minor. Lighter materials, fancy features, more comfort and better efficiency are all great but it’s not the level of innovation I’m looking for. The latest camping mattress like Exped’s SynMat 7 UL, may be lighter, more robust and packs smaller but the innovation to me is still small. I want to nominate something with a WOW factor. Innovations in outdoor gear, I thought, is not that great after all.

Other questions came to mind. Do I choose the ones that started the innovation or the ones that improved on it? Why 50 years? How could something NOT in the last 2 years (or even the last year) win on innovation?

This is really difficult. Maybe I should start listing out all the backpacking and camping gear categories and choose a few products in each that qualify as “innovative”. This is going to take a lot of work.

I’m starting to think about the problems I have when I’m in the outdoors and which gear could solve that problem. I think if I spend enough time on this I might just invent some new outdoor. I need a break…

I went outside for a smoke break and decided that I need some coffee when it suddenly came to me. People have probably been dealing with crap camping coffee for the most part of the last 50 years. The one thing that made me go WOW when I first saw it was Mypressi. I didn’t know about Handpresso until a few days later and it was probably the first portable espresso maker of its kind but Mypressi makes better espresso so there you go. I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to nominate Mypressi.

And to think that I was just about to go through some tents, sleeping bags, camping mats, camping stoves, etc and list out the ones that are the most innovative in each category and then painstakingly pare down to the one gear I would think is the most innovative.

I don’t know about you but I’m going over to RohanTime.com right now for my nomination. I don’t really care if I win but it would certainly be interesting to see which gear won in November.

UPDATE

You can actually put up to 3 outdoor gear for nomination.

You can do some pretty awesome stuff at the Outdoor Retailer Show, like building your own Victorinox Swiss Army Knife for example. The Victorinox Spartan costs about $25 but making it with your own hands makes it priceless. This is one camping knife that you would probably never want to sell. Watch the guys at Trailspace build their own Spartan:

Tents have come a long way since the classic A-frame tent. They’re stronger, lighter, roomier and have more features. Camping tent designs can be silly sometimes but most of the time they’re very good ideas. Tents like these, I think, are a preview of what’s to come in the future, at least some of them. I predict a few of them will be successful and some will evolve into different variations.

Here are some of the most unique tent designs today (one of them is not really a tent):

MyHab

Tent Dresses

Abrio Socio

Kahuna

See more amazing tent designs.

Games for kids are an important part of family camping. It doesn’t really matter if the kids learn more about the outdoors or not from these games. What’s important is that the kids enjoy playing them in the outdoors. If the kids learn more about the natural environment, that’s a big bonus. The main goal is for the kids to have fun in the outdoors. Portable video games don’t count because when kids play video games, they’re in another world of their own.

Some tips on camping games for kids can be found at TLC.HowStuffWorks.com and FamilyFun.Go.com

Single-wall tens, as the name suggests, are tents that only have a single wall that acts as a barrier against the weather. Double-wall tents are tents with an inner mesh wall covered by a waterproof rainfly. Both can be used for backpacking. But which one is right for you?

There are 5 reasons why  you’d want to choose Single-Wall Tents:

1. You don’t mind getting wet in the middle of the night when it starts to rain on you from the inside soaking your sleeping bag and pad
2. You’re camping in a dry environment where condensation is not very likely.
3. You love to keep your backpack light so you can hike further, faster and with less effort.
4. They’re cheaper than double-wall tents
5. They’re much easier to set-up than double-wall tents

And there are 5 reasons why you should choose Double-Wall Tents:

1. You’re only happy when you sleep dry
2. The extra weight is worth having a good night’s sleep
3. You’re going to camp in a humid environment
4. There’s no backpacking involved
5. You can afford a double-wall tent that’s lighter than some single-wall tents

For more information, read Single Wall Tents and Double Wall Tents.

You can mimic a double-wall tent with a bivvy and a tarp tent.

I wouldn’t exactly call them “campsites” because you don’t actually do any camping (not with a tent, or a sleeping bag or even outside) on them (at least on most of them) but the guys at Mirror.co.uk seem to think they  are.

Here are 5 of the coolest campsites (more like glamping sites) in the UK found with the help of Pitchup.com. (No tents or sleeping gear are required):

1. The Original Hut Company, Robertsbridge, East Sussex
2. The Treehouse, Halse, Somerset
3. Eskdale Pod Camping, Cumbria
4. La Rosa, North Yorkshire Moors National Park
5. Billycan Camping, Arundel Sussex

The bear that killed one and injured two other in a story published yesterday was captured by wildlife officials after it was lured into a trap “fashioned from culvert pipe and pieces of the dead man’s tent.”

The trap first attracted the female bear’s cubs instead. 2 of the 3 cubs were left in the cage while the other kept making loud calls through much of the day. The mother bear was eventually captured when it returned back to the sow.

The bear’s behavior was said to be unusual because it specifically targeted the three victims and went after them. Experts believe it was not the actions of a bear trying to protect its young especially since the victims were in three separate tents in different locations. Tent or sleeping bag fibers were found in the bear’s droppings.

Many in Cooke City who heard the news of the bear attack started carrying bear sprays. A couple had a bear spray within reach in their BMW convertible as they were driving through the park.

If the bear is confirmed to be the killer, it will have to be be put to the death. Officials have yet to decide the fate of the cubs.

A bear (or multiple bears – officials are still not sure) attacked two separate campgrounds near Yellowstone National Park leaving one dead and two injured. One of the victims, a woman, was smart enough to play dead and was left alone. Unfortunately, the woman didn’t do it soon enough and suffered severe lacerations and crushed bones from bites on her arms. The other survivor, a man, was bitten on his calf.

The CSI of bears have taken some samples of bear hair to their lab to determine the sex and species of the aggressive bear. If Henry Ostrander was there no one would be hurt.

Read the full story.

Meanwhile, celebrity wildlife educator Jack Hanna shared a story on CBS about his encounter with a female bear and her cubs on a narrow trail returning from Grinnel Glacier.

Hanna advocates the use of bear sprays over firearms in a public service announcement for the National Park Service.

Hiking with your dog can be a lot of fun for both you and probably the dog too. Here are 6 tips to make sure that your dog hiking trip is problem-free:

1. Keep Your Dog on the Leash

Courtesy is one of the most important consideration when you’re on the trail. Other hikers might not be into dogs as much as you are. Another reason for keeping your dog on the leash is safety. There are a number of cases where dogs have fallen off a cliff and other accidents can happen as well. The joy of seeing your dog roam free is not worth having them injured.

2. Monitor Your Dog for Signs of Heat Exhaustion

When your dog is exhausted, it will tend to drag its feet and walk slowly. In severe cases, the dog may injure its feet as a result of scraping against rough surfaces. Signs of exhaustion are slowed pace, hyperventilation, weakness, confusion and excessive panting. Remember to take frequent rest stops.

3. Keep Your Dog Hydrated

Keeping your dog hydrated will help prevent heat exhaustion. Most people think it’s ok to let their dogs drink from lakes and streams but research has shown that dogs are as susceptible to giardia (a parasite in water that could cause diarrhea) as humans are. To avoid problems, let your dog drink filtered water but don’t let it drink from your hydration pack.

4. Avoid Hazardous Trails

Avoid hiking up major volcanoes or where there’s known to ridden with poisonous snakes or other dangerous wildlife. If possible also avoid trails that have very little shade from the hot sun.

5. Take First Aid Kit for Your Dog

Of course you can share your first aid kit but be sure you have enough for yourself as well. Include in your kit Benadryl for bites and stings. A blanket or towel can be used in case you need to carry your dog.

If you’re reading this, you might also be interested in dog gear.

Video Summary – 5 Dog Hiking Tips

The Boy Scouts of America celebrated their 100th anniversary on 26th July 2010. Here’s an interesting timeline from DallasNews.com

1910: Boy Scouts of America is incorporated in Washington, D.C.

1911: BSA publishes first edition of Boys’ Life magazine.

1918: Scout troops help public-health officials fight Spanish influenza epidemic.

1920: First World Scout Jamboree is held.

1930: BSA launches Cub Scout program for younger children.

1941-45: BSA aids the U.S. effort in World War II by distributing war bonds, salvaging and recycling critical materials such as rubber and assisting firefighting brigades.

1950: U.S. Post Office issues first stamp honoring Boy Scouts of America.

1960: BSA membership soars as more baby-boom children become Scout age.

1967: BSA changes Cub Scout “den mother” position to “den leader” to make room for men.

1979: BSA National Council, the organization’s corporate office, moves to Irving, Texas.

1980: Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta creates a new Boy Scout uniform.

1982: Number of Eagle Scouts hits 1 million.

2000: U.S. Supreme Court rules that BSA can bar gays from Scouting.

2010: BSA celebrates 100th anniversary.

http://scouting.org/100years/100years/Default.aspx

I have to say it’s a pretty good checklist. Here are the 26 essentials for festival camping from A-Z according to Skiddle.com.

A – Alcohol: Make sure you find out how much alcohol is allowed to take in with you before you get there or risk them taken away by organizers.

B – Baby Wipes: For cleaning grime, dried mud and other stuff.

C – Camping Gear: Don’t forget the tent, sleeping bag, camping pillow, ground sheet, camping mattress, etc. Make sure your tent is bigger that what it’s meant for. If there are two of you, get a 3-person tent or better yet, a 4-person tent. You’ll appreciate the extra space. A cabin tent great would be great if you’re in a large group as long as there’s enough space on site.

D – Drinking Games: At least a deck of cards. Games are great for breaking the ice with your neighbours.

E – Entry Ticket: You don’t want to leave this one out.

F- Fancy Dress: Only if applicable.

G – Grub: Take your own food otherwise it’s going to be expensive. Bread, dried meat, dried fruit nuts, biscuits, Cheetos are great but if you want a hot meal take some instant noodles and/or backpacking food. Remember to take the camping stove. If disposable barbeque grills are allowed you can have one hell of a meal.

H – Hand Sanitizer: It’s important to keep your hygiene and avoid spreading diseases.

I – Ibuprofen: A remedy for many ailments.

J – Jumpers: In case it gets cold at night. A waterproof jacket wouldn’t hurt either.

K – King Size Blanket: Great for playing drinking games on.

L – Loo Roll: Always a good idea in case it’s in short supply.

M – Money: Don’t carry too much or too little and be sure to keep it safe. An excellent way to keep it safe is by keeping them in a flip-flop like the Reef Stash.

N – Night Light: a.k.a. flashlight. You need this to look for your tent at night.

O – Old Phone: Things get lost easily at a festival. Just to make sure that you don’t go crazy when you lose your mobile phone.

P- Plenty of Fags: For smokers, there’s a tendency to smoke when you see other people smoke.

Q – Quickies: This can mean two things. Condoms or portable camping toilets.

R – Rubbish Bags: R is also about respect. Respect others and keep your area clean.

S – Sun: Protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun. Remember to take sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. S is also for shower. You might want to consider taking a portable camping shower.

T – Toiletries: If you’re not in showers, at least brush your teeth.

U – Underwear: Pack plenty of spares. Wearing damp underwear is not good for you.

V – Vitamins: Optional but will help boost your immune system and possible help you cope with the ridiculous amount of alcohol you’ve been consuming.

W – Weather: Check the weather forecast or be ready for any weather condition. Take the windbreaker, wellies and waterproofs.

X – Xtra Chewing Gum: This will help with all the smoking and alcohol.

Y – Your Own Music: For the times when the band is not playing.

Z – Zzzs: Try to get some sleep whenever you can. You’ll feel much better.

See the original post.