Packing a Backpack

By GORP Hiking Expert Karen Berger

There's no one right answer to this question: It depends on what kind of pack you have and where you're going to hike. The general principle is that lighter-weight items go at the bottom, heavier items are at the top and close to your body. However, if you are going to be scrambling or hiking off-trail on rough terrain or snow, you might want to pack some of the heavier items a little lower to bring down your center of gravity.

Sleeping bag.

Most packs are designed with a compartment at the bottom for your sleeping bag. If your pack has dividers that separate the sleeping bag from the rest of your gear, use them to take some of the weight off your sleeping bag. (Overly compressing a down sleeping bag can damage the down, resulting in less loft and, thus, less warmth.)

Clothes go in next.

But it's a good idea to stash a few of your warm clothes—hat, gloves, and an insulating layer—and your rain gear in an outside pocket where you can easily get them.

Tents and tarps.

There are a couple of choices for your tent or tarp. Most packs have a separate compartment (where the sleeping bag goes) that is accessible via a zipper. If your pack has such a compartment, see if you can stuff the tent under your sleeping bag. That way, you don't have to unpack everything to get your tent out if it's raining when you want to make camp. This placement also works for packing a wet tent because it won't drip on everything. Be sure, however, that the tent and sleeping bag are in waterproof stuffsacks. Tent poles go strapped to the outside: Tie them on tight!

Food, fuel, and cooking utensils.

Store the fuel upright and away from your food, in case of an accidental spill. Many hikers put their bottles in an outside compartment. Some utensils can have hard or sharp edges, so be sure they're not poking at your pack.

Personal items.

Squeeze these in wherever they fit.

Outside compartments.

Use these for items you'll need during the day: rain gear, a few warm clothes, pack-cover, water filter, water, lunch, snacks, TP, sunscreen, mosquito goop, and your camera.

Mattresses.

Most hikers roll up their sleeping pads and strap them to the outside of the packs. Some smaller mattresses fit inside a backpack, where they are better protected from accidental encounters with cactus needles and barbed wire fences.

Links : http://gorp.away.com/gorp/activity/hiking/skills/packing.htm

Selecting the Best Clothes for Hiking

by Brian Johansson

When preparing for a hike you will have to customize your wardrobe to accommodate the conditions you are going to be dealing with. Clothes to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The better prepared you are for your hike the more enjoyable your experience is going to be. You should make sure to avoid clothes that are going to be uncomfortable in during an active day of hiking. You should also take the time to choose your hiking boots carefully. Your clothes and your hiking boots are going to be the two most important factors in enjoying your hike.

When choosing your clothes you should avoid cotton at all costs. As you sweat cotton clothes absorb the sweat and dry incredible slowly. Cotton clothes will absorb your sweat and hold the moisture next to your skin. There are breathable clothing lines out on the market that are designed to pull moisture away from your body and dry quickly. Lycra clothing and any type of swimming shorts are good choices as they dry fairly quickly. Dark clothing dries faster so if you sweat heavily you might want to stay in this color range. However the lighter the color of your clothes the less attracted bugs are going to be. You should make sure to research the area you are going to be hiking in to decide which strategy works better for you.

If you are hiking in cold weather make sure to layer your clothes. You are going to need a layer close to your skin that is pulling the sweat away from your skin. Again avoid cotton because it will hold the moisture next to your skin and will pull heat away from your body. You should have a layer over that to keep you warm and a layer to repel water from the outside. Make sure to wear clean clothes and bring several changes of socks.

About the Author
Brian is a professional outdoorsman who enjoys sharing his experiences with other enthusiasts. Visit his website http://www.go-hiking.info/ for more information!

How To Have a Comfortable Sleep When Camping!

by Trevor Kassulke

The last thing you want to happen when you're 20 miles into the woods is to find your sleeping bag is not warm enough. You will be facing a very long and restless night which can ruin your spirits and sap your strength for the next day.

So how do you make sure you've selected the right sleeping bag for your needs? There are several aspects to consider:

GOOSE DOWN or SYNTHETIC?

There are pros and cons to most of the options available in sleeping bags.

Goose down is very warm. It is lightweight to carry and can be easily compressed for travel and quickly regain form when shaken out. It is by far a better choice for backpackers who intend to carry the bag with them for extended trips because of the lighter weight and smaller packing. However, goose down is also more expensive and loses its insulating properties when wet - a consideration if sleeping outdoors or travelling in inclement weather.

Synthetic filled bags are cheaper than goose down and retain their warmth even in wet conditions. They dry faster than down and are good choices if travelling by boat or sleeping outdoors on the ground. However, synthetic bags are heavier and larger which can be a downside if you are hiking long distances with the bag.

For the average family camper synthetic bags are the least expensive and least affected by wet conditions. If travelling by car to a campground the size and weight of a synthetic bag should not be a problem.

RECTANGLE, TAPERED or MUMMY BAG?

As with the insulating materials, the shape of bag you choose will depend on your specific needs with pros and cons for each type.

Rectangle bags are most similar to bed sleeping and most familiar to the average user. They permit room for movement and you can easily zip two bags together for shared sleeping. However, rectangle bags are the biggest and not the best option for carrying on extended hikes.

Tapered bags are somewhat narrower towards the feet area of the sleeping bag. This shape provides less freedom of movement but more warmth because of the restricted space.

Mummy bags are the smallest and lightest to carry. They are very snug to the body (as the name suggests) with a hood that can be fitted around the head to conserve the greatest amount of body heat. While the average user may find the mummy bag uncomfortable to sleep in because of the restriction, they are the best choice for cold weather camping and long hikes because of their warmth and small size.

WHICH TEMPERATURE RATING?

Sleeping bags will list the coldest temperature they are suitable for sleeping in. Depending on if you are camping in the summer or colder months you will need to choose a bag accordingly. Also take into consideration if you are normally cold or hot when sleeping and make the adjustments.

In most cases it is recommended to choose a warmer bag since you can always open it for venting if it is too warm. The temperature rating is based on using a sleeping pad under the sleeping bag which conserves body heat from the ground.

ADDITIONS:

If you frequently camp out you may want to consider a liner for your bag which will increase its warmth and can be washed separately, saving your sleeping bag from extra wear and tear.

You can also purchase sleeping bag covers. Some of these can substitute for a warm weather sleeping bag and can extend an all season bag into a cold weather bag by increasing the warmth. They can also provide extra protection from wet conditions and are a good choice for protecting goose down sleeping bags.

How comfortable you are when you sleep will drastically affect your enjoyment of a camping or hiking trip. Saving five or ten dollars at the expense of a good nights sleep will not seem like a good idea when you are tired and cold out in the woods, so choose wisely.

Basic First Aid Kits

by Corie Marks

There are numerous first aid kits on the market that are relatively inexpensive to purchase and are small enough to put in a fannypack or a daypack. But what if you'd just like to throw some things together that you might already have in your home? What items would you want to make sure you had on your hike? I'm glad you asked, because I'm going to help you out with that.

How much you take along in a first-aid kit really depends on where you will be hiking, and is this a day hike or a multi-day backpacking trip? Also to be considered is who will be going with you. Do they have asthma or allergies? Are they prone to getting sick easily? Are they rather clumsy on the trail? Is this their or your first time hiking? Experienced backpackers will already have an idea of what first-aid items they generally use during a backpacking trip, but it never hurts to be prepared for an emergency.

For the short day hike or a hike in a relatively moderate terrain with little or no elevation, boulders, or slippery territory, you can get away with the bare basics kept in a Ziploc bag. For this you should include: * A small assortment of Band-Aids * Moleskin for blisters * 3-inch Elastic bandage for sprains * Povidone iodine swabs * 6 tablets of aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen * ½ oz. tube of triple antibiotic ointment * You can add an antihistamine medication if anyone in the party has allergies. * Tweezers for splinter removals. * Q-tips * Peroxide placed in a small bottle-great for cleaning wounds and if you wake up with a sore throat, you can gargle with a solution of ½ peroxide and ½ water, but be sure not to swallow any.

For those longer hikes that will be a week long or entail traversing some rugged terrain, you will need more items. You could add to the above with the following items: * Steri-strips-found at drug stores, these help to hold closed a wound that would otherwise need stitches, if it is not too large-say a couple of inches long * Spyroflex Blister Dressings-5-pack. These are great for covering wounds to promote clotting and providing a water-resistant covering to protect wounds from contamination. * 1 Sawyer Extractor-for snake bites or other poisonous bites * 1 Sam Splint-a malleable aluminum/foam splint that stores flat or rolled, so it is not bulky to carry * A couple of pairs of protective gloves * 1 CPR disposable mask * 1-4 inch elastic bandage * Small assortment of medications for constipation, diarrhea, nausea or motion sickness, cold tablets, sugar tablets for diabetics, insect bite relief, and antacids * Scissors * Thermometer

Another thing you might want to invest in, if you don't already have a pair, is walking sticks. These not only help prevent you from tripping and spraining that ankle, they can also help get you off the mountain if you do have a sprain.

As with any gear, make sure you are familiar with everything in your kit and know how to apply the dressings and elastic bandages. As an intensive care nurse, we were always encouraged to know what was on the crash cart. The knowledge of your kits will make emergencies less stressful. That way, when an emergency occurs, you will be able to react confidently and hopefully, calmly.

About the Author
Corie Marks works for Adventure-Crew.com, a website dedicated to outdoor adventure in the national parks, monuments and wilderness areas. Her job entails marketing, sales, writing for the website and doing field work with her husband Stu, who also works for Adventure-Crew as the art director. She is also an intensive care registered nurse.

The all important camping checklist

Anyone that has been camping has experienced the sudden feeling that comes over you when you realized that you forgot the potato salad at home in the fridge, the can opener for the pork and beans, or a coat for those cool summer nights.

No matter how well you plan your camping trip, there always seems to be something that you end up forgetting. The use of a good camping checklist will put an end to ever forgetting anything again.

Well, I may not be able to promise you that you will never forget anything again, but using a camping checklist will help you better prepare for your camping trips and make sure that you can enjoy your trip instead of worrying about something that you forgot.

A good camping checklist will have all of the important items that you would ever need for a camping trip to the great outdoors.

A good list would cover all of your food items including the pots, pans and utensils required to prepare the meals.

It would cover such items that you thought you would never forget such as your tent, sleeping bags, your favorite pillow and some extra tarps just incase it starts to rain.

And don't forget the items you would need for a young child, including games for the kids to play both young and old.

You should even have items on your camping checklist for any pets that you will be taking along.
Whatever you do, always make sure that you have your camping checklist with you when planning your next camping trip.

You should always bring your checklist with you on your camping trip just incase there is something you do forget so you can add it to your list at that time.

About the Author
Mark Neustedt has had a life long love for the outdoors and spends a great deal of his free time camping in the beautiful North Cascade mountains of Washington State. He is the webmaster of www.The-Ultimate-Camping-Experience.com.

Outdoor Canopy

by Puja

Outdoor Canopy - a shield to protect you from different weather elements

You can enjoy the great outdoors with your friends and family by protecting them from the harsh summer sun with the outdoor canopy. There are different canopies, one with pole fittings and polyester fabric or the heavier canvas canopies and other are like the pop up type canopies that make it easy to erect.

A canopy shields protects your guests from the sun warm rays or from a cool & summer rain. It's a cozy fort for grown-ups -a restful retreat set in a wooded glen, where the finches provide the background tunes. In the evening, lit by candles and the moon, the canopy becomes a softly illuminated nook ideal for champagne toasts especially the outdoor canopy.

Outdoor Canopy is equipped with heavy duty galvanized steel tubing and is 100% waterproof. The tarp tent canopy cover can hold up against heavy sun wear & tear. So, if you need a canopy for rain, sun, or any events, outdoor canopy is the best.

There are a huge selection of Outdoor Canopy, Party Tents, and Portable Canopies. You can get tent canopies or outdoor canopies in different size, color, or type.

There are some outdoor canopy which are like a beefed-up version of the King Canopy The sides are almost a foot taller than the Original King Canopy, and the white polythene cover comes with drawstring ends and curtain clips to keep the sides from flapping in the wind. It is a perfect temporary shelter for picnics, camping, and cars.

Tips Time for Summer

By Neisha Bjorklund

Time for summer! Here are the top 20 pool tips to ensure all your family and friends' safety.

1. A person must learn to swim and always swim with a buddy, never swim alone.
2. Swim in areas accompanied my a lifeguard.
3. Be observant and read and obey all pool rules and posted signs.
4. Children or beginner swimmers should wear a floatation device in and around the water.
5. Set water safety rules for the entire family based on their swimming abilities.
6. Become informed of the water environment you are in and its potential hazards. This may include it's deep and shallow areas, it's currents, etc..
7. Check out the local weather conditions and forecasts prior to swimming.
8. When entering the water, use a feet-first method.
9. Dive only when the area is clearly marked for diving.
10. Do not consume alcohol while swimming, diving or boating.
11. Know how to prevent, recognize, and respond to all emergencies.
12. Never, never, leave children alone next to a pool. Children are very curious individuals and may fall within a fraction of a second.
13. Install a phone next the your pool area and post a 9-1-1 sign in clear view.
14. Learn how to perform CPR on all individuals and post the instructions in clear view for others to refer see and learn as well.
15. Wear sunscreen. Protecting your skin from UV Rays in very important.
16. Drink a lot of water even if you don't feel thirsty. This can prevent heat stroke.
17. Always keep basic life saving devices near the pool, such as a rope, a pole, or a personal flotation device.
18. Completely remove your pool cover before allowing anybody to enter the pool.
19. Don't leave pool furniture close to your fence, this would enable a child to climb.
20. Don't ever run near a pool, the wet ground can cause an individual to slip and fall.

About the Author
Neisha Bjorklund is the webmaster for http://www.myaquaproducts.com. Check out our selection of pool and spa chemicals and accessories. Pool lighting, pool alarms, pool cleaners, etc..