Nothing serious, this is just too funny.

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:

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

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

A question was asked at Backpacker.com as to which one to apply to your gear first; waterproofing or bug spray? It makes sense to me that you apply waterproofing first because bug sprays are either touch insecticide or repellents so if you apply them first the waterproofing chemical would render them ineffective.

Here, a reader asks about using Permethrin (a touch insecticide) bug spray together with waterproofing solution.

It’s more like from A to W with some letters missing. It’s by no means a complete list of outdoors terminology (hammock is missing) but some of them I’m not familiar with (like Imu). Let’s see how many of them you know. Here’s part of the list:

- Anorak: A waterproof pullover jacket with a hood and drawstrings to keep in warmth.

- Back tack: A stitch sewn over a stitch to reinforce highly stressed areas where pieces of fabric are joined.

- Baffle: Fabric panels are sewn to the inner and outer shell of a sleeping bag. Baffles, used often with down-filled bags, keep the insulation in place. Most synthetic bags feature quilted insulation.

- Bannock: A traditional trail bread. Usually made in a skillet by a combination of frying and reflective baking.

- Cairn: A small pile of stones used as a trail marker.

- Catenary cut: The natural curve formed by a rope tightly strung between two trees. A tent which has a good catenary cut rigs more tightly (less sidewall sag) than one without.

- Compression stuff sack: A stuff sack with cinch straps that compress a sleeping bag or pad so it’s small enough to easily carry, and at the same time reduces the overall volume within the pack.

- Corduroy: A corduroy road or log road is a type of road made by placing sand-covered logs perpendicular to the direction of the road over a low or swampy area.

- Deadman: A log or rock buried in the ground to provide a solid point for anchoring a tent in ground too soft for stakes.

- Ensolite: A soft rubber material used as a lightweight comfortable mat under sleeping bags.

- Gear loft: An overhead shelf in a tent. Keeps small gear overhead, allowing for more floor space.

See the rest of the list.

Not really. Just found some of the coolest hiking cakes. Here’s a preview.

There are ten of these hiking cakes. See more.

“Frontcountry is composed of outdoor areas that are easily accessible by vehicle and mostly visited by day users. Developed campgrounds are also included in the frontcountry arena. Frontcountry locations tend to be more crowded and attract a wider range of visitor than backcountry.” – LeaveNoTraceDude

A backcountry is basically undeveloped wilderness.

Check out the full post at TrailSpace.

What’s your definition of backcountry?

Waterfalls are some of the most beautiful wonders on Earth. See more of these amazing wonders of nature.

Backyard camping is not only good for trying out new equipment before venturing out in the wilderness. It also encourages kids to spend more time outdoors and believe it or not, it helps preserve the outdoors because theoretically as more people go camping, more will value and care enough to protect the backcountry.

Read more of this at Trailspace.

While some countries are still trying to get someone to be the first person from them to get to the top of Mount Everest, some people want to be the youngest ever to do so. Jordan Romero, 13, from Big Bear Lake, California, is set to become the youngest person to ever conquer Everest. That’s if he makes it of course.

The youngster already has a list of achievements that most outdoor enthusiasts can only dream of.

“He was the youngest American, at age 10, to summit Africa’s 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro, that continent’s highest peak. The same year he added 7,310-foot Mount Kosciusko in Australia and Europe’s 18,510-foot Mount Elbrus to his summit accomplishments. At age 11 he set the age record for South America’s 22,834-foot Mount Aconcagua and bagged North America’s 20,320-foot Denali.”

More on this story.

Maybe Tiger Woods would like his picture taken swinging his club high up on a mountain like this.

Although the iPhone can be used in the outdoors, it’s not exactly designed to handle the rough and tumble of hiking in the outdoors. You might get a tough case but the sensitive touch screen can still break easily. You’d have to be really careful if you’re going to be taking the iphone on a hiking trip.

If you want something that’s really meant for the outdoors then you can’t go wrong with Samsung’s B2100. It’s so tough that you can treat it like a piece of rock (almost anyway) and waterproof so you can talk in the rain (if you can get a good signal in the middle of the trail that is). You can even submerge the phone in water so if it gets dirty simply clean it with water but the surface of the phone is so easy to clean that most of the time all you need to do is wipe it clean.

It doesn’t skimp on features either. The stylishly rugged B2100 comes with multimedia capabilities like music player and 1.3 mega pixel camera, extremely loud speakers, noise cancellation technology for crispy clear conversations, FM radio, basic web browsing and a very useful flashlight. The 128 x 160 pixel screen is clear and easy to see.

As you might expect from a tough outdoor phone, the B2100 weighs more than most normal phones at 106 grams. Fortunately it’s not a bulky phone compared other submersibles.

The iphone can be considered an outdoor gear if you have the right app for it like Memory-Map and Route Buddy. There are many other apps out there that allows you to navigate the outdoors and some are really clear and easy to read.

However, there are limitations to the iPhone’s GPS receiver but if all you want is to have your location known on the OS map then it’s sufficient for you. Anything more than that would require the talents of a full-fledged GPS unit. Memory-Map is one of the best because it has many great features but ViewRanger and Arquet might come up with something even better.

If you’re looking for simplicity then consider RoadTrip. It can import routes from the web from EveryTrail.com and allow you to follow them.

Unfortunately, the iPhone has limited battery life and it’s not likely to last more than a day. I would only use it as an emergency location device.

Family camping is a great way to strengthen the bond you have with your family. The things you go through on a camping trip like working together to set up camp, solving problems, playing, talking, eating together and all the other things you do at camp creates an experience that each member of the family will remember for life, good or bad.

Obviously you would want to have a good experience at camp and with a bit of knowledge you can have a family camping trip that runs smoothly. It takes more than just a good family camping tent. An article by OUTDOORSmagic teaches you how to instantly become an expert in family camping. It covers how to choose a tent, how to sleep well at night and how to keep everyone happy.

In truth, you won’t be an expert by just reading the article. You need to get out there and get the experience camping in the outdoors. You can at least try backyard camping and see how things go. The more experienced you the are, the easier the camping gets and the less you spend on camping gear and supplies.

A trail mix can really make a difference on the trail especially when you’re trying to cover as many miles as possible in a day. It gives you the energy you need to go on. It might not give you a boost like power bars do but the energy supply is there and the energy is slowly released. Trail mixes are not meant to replace meals but they’re great for snacking in between meals. You can buy ready-made trail mixes at the supermarket but making them yourself can be both tastier and healthier if you do it right and cheaper too.

Wherever you may be, you never really know for sure when a disaster will happen. When the giant tsunami struck Aceh, nobody knew it was going to happen but it did. That was years ago and the world has not ceased to be unpredictable. There’s never a time to panic or worry too much about what might not happen but it doesn’t hurt to prepare for  a disaster.

The Birmingham City Council and Birmingham Resilience Team in the United Kingdom have issued a leaflet advising families to stock up on “hurricane” survival kit which includes a sleeping bag, camping stove, first aid box and wellington boots even though Birmingham rarely ever suffers a natural disaster.

However, some survival experts say that this type of preparation is a bit extreme for a city like Birmingham. They say people shouldn’t spend a £100 on things they’re never going to use.

Since Haiti was hit by the devastating earthquake on on January 12, 2010, Kelty has donated about 300 tents to the people made homeless in the aftermath. Charity work like this is always good for making your brand known to the world. Richard Branson certainly brought Virgin Atlantic on the map when he helped rescue some hostages in Iraq.

The people at Kelty are hard at work to help those affected by the earthquake. They also had help from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of Haiti as well as Jenny Dubin (a volunteer who donated countless hours of her own time to help with earthquake relief), Partners in Health (an organization that brings modern medical care to poor communities around the world), and the Clinton Foundation.

A good number of these tents have been used to set up a village providing temporary shelter for 750-800 children who lost one or more parent in the quake.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Kelty uses the natural backdrop of the Rocky Mountains to test, create and continually innovate within their diverse outdoor product families of Apex, Backcountry, Trail, Basecamp and KIDS. Kelty combines the best in new technology with a healthy dose of common sense to create exceptionally made, affordably priced outdoor products. For more information on Kelty, please go to www.kelty.com, or call 800.423.2320.

Yesterday, March 3rd, Mike Hanson begins hiking the Appalachian Trail. The 2,174-mile hiking trail is one of the longest in the world. It takes the average hiker 6 months to complete the trail and more than 11,000 people have made it the whole way.

Maybe four or five of them are blind and Mike Hanson will be joining their ranks in about 7 months, God willing. The first blind person to hike the entire 2,174 miles was Bill Irwin, who did it in 1990 at age 50 with his guide dog in 8 months. Irwin is also the author of Blind Courage.

Hanson will be relying on his walking stick and the voice commands from his GPS phone to guide him. His journey will be filmed by Gary Steffens, of Fresh Image Video Productions in Mound but no one will interfere with the navigation. He expects to cover 15 miles a day.

Good Luck to Mr. Hanson. Hope all goes well for him.

Camping gear is expensive, especially tents and it’s probably the main reason why many are reluctant to go camping. It’s a big investment, more so in these tough economic times and a tough one to make until you’re sure you’re going to camp regularly. One way to know if you’re going to like camping is by cabin camping.

It’s cheaper in the short term but much more luxurious than normal camping. It’s not like sleeping in a cabin tent on a camping mattress. It’s more than that. The walls are solid and you’re going to be sleeping on a bed. Sometimes there’s a dining table or a small table. There’s even a couch in some cabins. It’s a great way to camp during winter.

These cabins are available in many state parks in the U.S.. They don’t completely eliminate the necessity of camping gear. You still need a camp stove and cookware for cooking, towel, flip-flops and toiletries. If electricity is available, you can bring some appliances.

http://www.koa.com/facilities/kabin/

According to eVent, their fabrics “lets sweat escape up to twice as fast as common waterproof/breathables.“. Now that’s a big claim but is it true? It seems to me that GoreTex “breathes” at the same rate judging from the video below. The only way to know for sure if this claim is true is by using a high-speed camera and timing it.

It may be just a slight difference but who knows how it performs in real life situations. That slight difference can be significant, or not. I have to say that it’s more of a magic show than real proof.

Hiking is tough on the knees, especially when you’re carrying a heavy backpack. Even when you’re young, it’s wise to go easy on your knees so that at a later age you can still enjoy hiking.

Thank God for trekking poles. By using these, you take some of the pressure off your legs when you’re walking. They give you a boost when you go uphill, absorb some of the impact as you go downhill and give you a better workout.

Trekking poles also help you establish a rhythm when you hike. Your hike becomes much more efficient when you have rhythm.

The trekking pole is one such important backpacking equipment.

Essex – Partners in Adventure is a unique camping experience that includes disabled and nondisabled youths. In this environment, children of different abilities learn to play with one another, accept one another and acquire knowledge that they can use later in life, Executive Director Deborah Lamden said.

More..

Going to the woods was once a part of what it meant to be an American. Visits to the National forests today have declined by 13 percent.

Factors that contribute to this decline are include rising gas prices, the popularity of video games and the Internet, and an increasingly urban and aging population less inclined to camp out.

Critics, however, blame it on fees charged for hiking trails and visitor centers, a proliferation of noisy off-road vehicles and the declining proportion of the Forest Service budget dedicated to recreation.

Read more from the Sun Journal.