What You Need To Know About Buying A Sleeping Bag
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With camping season upon us, it’s time to take the gear out of storage and take a look at what is probably the most important piece of equipment for your comfort: your sleeping bag. If your current sleeping bag is worn, it may be time to choose a new one. When you are shopping, look for one suitable for you and your needs, of the right size and style, and with the proper filler and lining, which will determine if it is warm enough for the climate you will be in.The first decision is to choose the shape or style. Once this decision is made, the others fall into place more easily. The basic choices are mummy, rectangle and combination and each addresses different preferences of each individual user. If warmth is your primary concern then the mummy style may be just what you need. It adapts and molds closer to the body and allows less space for cold air to get in than other styles while the drawstring hood or draft collar keep warm air from escaping around your neck.Rectangle bags allow more space for ease of movement but forfeit the hood or draft collar which allows considerable heat loss. Rectangle bags do have the advantage having the ability of zipping two together to accommodate two people. Combination bags are mixtures of the features from the other styles and allow you to choose the best fit for your needs. It is definitely advisable to look at all styles in order to know what is available and what would work best for your camping style.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!
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The Joys Of Going Camping In PA (Pennsylvania)
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The next time you go camping in PA (Pennsylvania) there are some things you should consider. When you think of camping and the outdoors most think of Yosemite Yellowstone and large famous parks. Pennsylvania, though not on the top of the list has other attractions that you should be aware of.
Most campers go out for the campsites in the spring and summer. Pennsylvania has three state parks that are open year round. These parks include Little Pine, Promised Land, and Ole Bull. Since this location is in the upper northeast, these parks get a taste of all the different seasons.
There are numerous different activities to do in winter months then during the regular season. Campers enjoy cross country skiing, twenty three miles of snowmobile trails and ice fishing. Promised Lake is 422 acres large. During the winter this becomes a heaven for ice fishers.
Seasonal parks in Pennsylvania have other attractions. Among these seasonal state parks are Parker Dam, Shawnee, Prince Gallitzin, Champan, Gifford Pinchot, Pine Grove Furnace and the large Pymatuning. Tourist and avid campers alike flock to Pymatining State Park. It is one of the most visited parks in Pennsylvania. This maybe due to is vast size of 21, 122 acres and its reservoir that is over 17, 000 acres. Both being some of the biggest Pennsylvania state parks have to offer.
Before any camper voyages to their campsite, they must know the rules and regulations. Pennsylvania parks have textbook rules. These are rules such as no unauthorized fires, this is a for obvious reasons. No alcoholic beverages are allowed at the campsites or the state parks. This may be a bad thing for a few campers, though there are plenty of campsites outside of the state parks where having alcohol is legal. On the up side, the state parks allows pets on premise as long as it is a dog, cat or small caged animal.
Pennsylvania has populations of black bears and coyotes. This is state land that the elk are free to roam and graze about. An elk is much bigger then a deer. A typical male elk can reach a thousand pounds.
If hunting isn’t on the menu, but observing wildlife is you can visit an elk range. Elk are larger then deer and males can weigh up to a thousand pounds. You can drop by one of the ranges near your campsite.
Camp Gear Is Endless And There Are Many Options To Choose From
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Are you a beginner or an avid camper? No matter which one you are I am sure that you feel overwhelmed when trying to determine which camping gear to buy for your great adventure outdoors.
Camping is becoming more popular because it is a great way to spend some good quality time together as a family no matter what your age may be. Older couples may enjoy RV’s while younger generations may prefer a tent no matter which route you go I am sure that you will have guaranteed fun. Camping allows for family time, relaxation and is all inexpensive.
Any store that you go into rather it is a retail store, sporting store or outdoor store there are aisles and aisles of camping gear and accessories. It all varies on how much you want to spend and what you are looking for.
As a rule of thumb many people take the smaller items from home and buy the larger ones such as stoves, tents and sleeping bags but this can be time consuming. By purchasing camping gear you can keep it all in one place so you don’t have to take days or hours packing all the little things. I like to keep all my camping supplies down to extra toiletries together so when we say let’s go all we have to do is grab some clothes and hit the road.
There are so many things from pots, pans, grills, containers, lanterns, food, tents, sleeping bags and everything in between that it makes it a whole lot easier just to purchase them all and pack them up so you can keep it all together as you need it.
Most families for instance keep all their camping together packed up and kept in a closet, storage shed or garage so they can pull it all together in a hurry. It saves time because you can throw together a camping trip in a matter of hardly any time.
Tents, stoves, sleeping bags, pots, pans, toiletry items, tables and air mattresses are just a few items that can be purchased before a camping trip they are all known as being a good investment because of the tough terrain they are made for and the durability that they must be able to endure.
The time spent with your family and friends roughing it are something that you can’t place a price tag on no matter how hard you try. The feeling of warmth as all of you sit around a campfire and enjoy each other’s company is great.
To Break The Monotony Of The City Try Camping
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I was full to the top with aggravation and the monotony of life. So I decided to go camping. Yes, getting outdoors and away from the house would be a good way to unwind and get a new perspective on things. I had my camouflage pants and shirt on already, so all I needed now was my brown boots. They were there in the back of the closet, where they had been for a very long time.
Soon I had a collection of items on my bed. There was a box of matches, a flashlight, a sleeping bag, a lantern, mosquito repellant, and binoculars for scanning the countryside. I liked to see if I could spot wildlife from my camping spot. I grabbed what I could carry on my first trip and proceeded through the house toward my truck parked out front. I was already sick of any influence from the city, like the home decor accents that had just been added a couple of weeks ago. I threw the first pile of gear into the bed of the truck.
While returning for the second load, It came to me I had stored the small little tent in its box in the basement. I thought I might take it along to keep out the mosquitos. The bulb was burned out in the light, but there was enough seeping through the single window for me to see and retrieve my tent. With tent in hand, I attempted to climb back up the fifteen stairs, and resume packing. But in my haste, I tripped over the dyson upright vacuum cleaner that was right off to my side. I dropped the tent onto the blade of an old sickly that was supported upwards by an old paint can.
I took the tent out to examine it, and it was punctured through in several places. Too raggedy for me to really use. So I decided I would just sleep on the ground, close to the camp fire, and rough it, like I did when I was young. I would brave the mosquitos and other bugs that came with camping out Hillbilly style.
I put down the tent over in a near corner, but the side of the box just caught the edge of a paint thinner can and turned it over. Naturally, the lid was not on it very good, so immediately I was met with the fumes of paint thinner everywhere. I quickly grabbed for the can, sat it upright, adjusted the lid, and went to find rags to soak up the thinner. I found an old rag box and got as much as I could up. I knew what was left needed to be diluted with water. I opened the window and headed outside to put the garden hose through and water down the spill.
I soon had the basement floor diluted and well rinsed. At least now the basement was not flammable. I was free now to go back to loading my gear. But something had happened since I first came into the basement. I could barely see at all now. I had taken so long with my mess, that it dusk had fallen, and it was too late for me to take this camping trip.
It was dark before I got the gear out of the truck and returned into the house. In spite of all my efforts, I was not able to pull off this camping trip. It was just too late to head out. I had to laugh at myself when I thought about the events of the day. But one thing about it, this camping trip was anything but monotonous.
Options For The First Time Outdoorsmen
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It’s a shame to come to the realization that many of us will go their whole lives without ever really getting to experience and appreciate the beauty and majesty of the great outdoors. Mother Nature is all around, a short drive for anyone to appreciate and yet so little do in comparison to those that don’t. My hope through this article is the change of priority to encourage those who normally wouldn’t to find something worth trying outside.
I could simply say, ‘you should get out there and do something amid nature’, but that wouldn’t really give you any indication of what these types of activities could be if you weren’t already an outdoorsy kind.
The first thing to suggest might be the most complicated in terms of planning and execution, but it might be the most satisfying when it is all said and done. Taking a camping trip with some friends or your family could really get you back in touch with the world around you as well as those people that are around you. There is an indescribable bond that occurs with those spending time together camping, and it is something magical for whole families to experience.
You might be among the many that simply cannot take off for a few days and rough it out with your family in a tent. So something you could do is to hop on your Yamaha ATV and hit some trails with your close buddies. Anyone could tell you that an all terrain vehicle beats running yourself to death on fitness equipment any day. So get your heart racing because of the thrill of a hill climb, not because you ran two miles on a treadmill.
Many of you simply cannot forego exercise as part of their daily routine. I have an answer for this as well. You can get out there with some friends or family and go on a hike. Every state offers miles of beautiful hiking trails waiting for you to discover. These trails range in skill levels, so educate yourself as to what you can handle. The best is to find a trail with a lookout point. This attraction gives you the perfect opportunity to whip out your Canon SLR camera and remember that climb for as long as you live.
Another route you can take, to get yourself tuned back in with the great outdoors, is to go hunting or fishing. There is nothing that can get someone back in touch with his or her ancestral instincts like a classic battle of man vs. The wild.
You can find something for any kind of person who wants to get out into nature and appreciate it. Every one can appreciate the great outdoors, and I hope if nothing else, this article assured you of that.
Armed With Your Camping Checklist
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Those months of camping will be upon us before we know it and it’s a great time to begin getting together your checklists and hiking gear so that when the time comes, you will be fully prepared to load that car up and go.
In order to alleviate the potential stress of stuffing all of your gear into your car, you may want to have a look at something like the Yakima Skybox Pro 21 as a cargo solution. By the time we get this packing list together, you will see the beauty of having everything stored on top of the car or truck in this big compact rooftop carrier.
Now let’s start with the packing checklist. Of course this will vary as your hobbies and likes may be different but we will assume that hiking, fishing and outdoor activities are high on your list of outings that you enjoy doing while staying in the wilderness.
1. Sturdy hiking boots or shoes. This is necessary 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 critical because if you don’t follow this advice you could end up with some very sore feet, putting a stop to the weekend camping excursion.
2. Gear right for the weather and terrain. 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 old pretty fast.
3. A sturdy pack that is big enough, but not too big, depending on how long you will be hiking at a time and if the hikes will include sleeping somewhere though the night. Be sure that you can easily carry with you food, an extra layer of shirts, minimal medical supplies and water to name a few items.
4. An adequate first aid kit that includes band aids, antibacterial cream, bug repellant, aspirin and any additional prescriptions that you may need while away.
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 build your campfire. These larger things will fit very nicely overhead in your Yakima Skybox cargo storage unit so you need not worry about the kids fighting for room in the backseat of the truck.
6. A fully charged cell phone and maybe a good handheld gps gadget if you will be walking in low populated areas.
7. If you do not have a gps device, the next best thing to include would be any maps that you must have and a compass if you are skilled in that arena. The last thing you want on your excursion is to be lost in the woods somewhere, so it is good to guard against that happening.
8. Depending on what you like to do, bring all your fishing gear, hunting equipment, swimsuits, the blow up raft…you name it. Bring those items that will keep you, the children and the family pet happy. Hint…don’t forget the dog treats if you are bringing the family pet along.
Start getting your hiking list together that includes all of the things 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 atop your truck and off you go. We hope that this article will get you started and that you have many memorable trekking adventures ahead of you.
An Outdoor Vacation Is A Must For All Families
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It’s that time of year again. Everyone is on vacation and you are totally lost in where to take your family this year. You want to do something really special and totally different from the norm. But what? Why not consider camping combined with skiing. It will get the family bonding and chatting and laughing again in no time.
Once you have decided when to go and you have worked out where you are going on a map, you need to do some careful planning. Here again you could make it a family issue whereby the children get certain things to pack and organize. Boys will remember to bring their men’s sport watch for instance and girls will remember to take their digital book reader, for the unexpected rainy day. They could also plan certain meals which will included a few marsh mellows to toast on the fire a night.
We are partly to blame for our children’s inability and lack of luster to be in the outdoors, because we want our children home where we can see them and know that they are safe. So we get them internet, and computer games and phones to text each other and a myriad of other gadgets to keep them busy. It’s a noble idea, but it makes them lazy and takes them away from the outdoors.
The truth is that our children need to be outside more often. It will give them a better outlook on life as they intermingle with other people and animals. A trip to the zoo once a year will not cut it and they will not appreciate nature and all it has to offer them. We need to get our children back to being children again, playing outside and just being silly.
If you have snow nearby, you could combine a camping with skiing and have double the fun. Take your alpine skiing equipment along and show off in front of them a bit, or even better, provide them with laughter as you come tumbling down a slope, looking rather odd.
The huge plus of course is you will be exposed to the sun’s UV rays, and it will provide that all important Vitamin D which we all are so deficient in. This all important vitamin helps us to absorb calcium better which in turn keeps our bone structure healthy and especially helps growth in young children.
This is good news for growing children as they will grow strong bones. So taking the family outdoors has so many benefits that you cannot go wrong. Enjoy.
Camping and Survival is Fun and Educational
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Many people love television shows like ‘Ray Mears Extreme Survival’ and ‘Bear Grylls Born Survivor’ so perhaps this shows how many of us would like to get away from our modern, technological lives and get back to nature. Maybe this is one of the reasons why camping has become increasingly popular over the past five years.
But many people don’t like to be detached from the comforts of home. Many like to use recreational vehicles and camper vans as these provide a comfortable, portable version of their home environments. Some are even equipped with widescreen televisions, flush lavatories and carpeting. They like to visit camp sites that are set up for camper vans, often including mains electricity supplies and show blocks.
But for hard core campers organized campsites like this are to be avoided. For them the best form of camping involves only the most essential pieces of camping equipment, shelter, sleeping bags and warm outdoor clothing. They want to learn survival skills, how to start a fire and keep it going without matches or a lighter, how to track animals and how to identify edible berries and plants.
One of the best ways to gain these skills is to attend one of the many survival courses available today. Many instructors on these courses are true survival experts. Some have gained and tested their skills in the armed forces. They will often have studied the survival skills used by indigenous people who have learned to survive in some of the world’s harshest environments. By studying their skills they have learned what it takes to survive in some of the worlds harshest environments. Skills which most of us simply haven’t learned in school.
Children are always keen to hear about how indigenous people and our ancient ancestors once lived. How they hunted animals,m identified edible plants, found water, made fire and built shelters. Survival skills training courses and camping provide parents with a great way to bond with their children.
The Pleasures Of Setting Up Camp In Pennsylvania (PA)
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Yellowstone and Yosemite are some of the most renowned and most known by outdoor lovers. Camping in Pennsylvania is not as well known as these other places. Yet, for campers and outdoor lovers alike there are things you should know about the camping and state parks in Pennsylvania.
Most campers go out for the campsites in the spring and summer. This is due to the seasonal campgrounds. Pennsylvania has three state parks that are year round ventures. These parks are Little Pine, Ole bull, and Promised Land. The cold might be a factor for some campers. The state is located in the upper northeast and winters see snowfall and cold temperatures. This can be remedy by the cabins available at the campsites.
There are numerous different activities to do in winter months then during the regular season. Campers in Pennsylvania enjoy cross country skiing, twenty three miles of snowmobile trails and ice fishing. Promised Lake is 422 acres large. During the winter season ice fishing is also a big hit among visitors. That is not the only attraction during the long winter months. There are hundreds of trails open for cross county skiing. Twenty three miles of trail is also open for snowmobiles. Along with the trailers and RV you can take to the campsite log cabins are available.
The seasonal state parks have just as much to offer. The top seven state parks are Champan, Parker Dam, Gifford Pinchot, Shawnee, Pine Grove Furnace, Prince Gallitzin, and the huge Pymatuning. Each park has a different flavor. Records show that Pymatuning is one of the most visited parks in Pennsylvania. It is by far the biggest state park in Pennsylvania being 21, 122 acres. The park has one of the biggest lakes that is well over seventeen thousand acres.
There are some rules and regulations, just like at any state park for camping. Pennsylvania parks have textbook rules. Such has no unauthorized fires, this is a for obvious reasons. No alcoholic beverages are allowed at the campsites or the state parks. This may be a bad thing for a few campers, though there are plenty of campsites outside of the state parks where having alcohol is legal. On the up side, the state parks allows pets on premise as long as it is a dog, cat or small caged animal.
Another large attraction for campers is the elk ranges. This is state land that the elk are free to roam and graze about. An elk is much bigger then a deer. Hunting and game is another activity that can be done in the state park system. You will need the proper permits paper work and hunt during the right season. The most usual game include wild turkey, whitetail deer, grouse, and pheasant.
If hunting isn’t on the menu, but observing wildlife is you can visit an elk range. Elk are larger then deer and males can weigh up to a thousand pounds. You can drop by one of the ranges near your campsite.
Store Aisles Are Overflowing With Numerous Kinds Of Camping Gear
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Whether you are an experienced camper or a first timer looking for camping gear can be overwhelming. It is up to you to decide what is right for you and your family when it comes to camping supplies.
Camping is entertainment and something that people of all ages can do. Lying under the stars, sitting around a campfire listening to the crickets chirping and birds singing is a peaceful and serene feeling. Camping also has many perks such as being inexpensive.
Retail stores, outdoor stores and camping stores are all alike they seem to have an endless selection of camping gear so how do you know what to buy and what to leave on the shelf? It is all up to you the consumer to determine which ones you want to leave and take home.
Many families purchase a few larger items such as tents, sleeping bags, lanterns and camping stoves and take the smaller items such as pots, pans and toiletries from home to save some money but everyone is different and likes to do it various ways. I like to keep all my camping supplies down to extra toiletries together so when we say let’s go all we have to do is grab some clothes and hit the road.
There are so many things from pots, pans, grills, containers, lanterns, food, tents, sleeping bags and everything in between that it makes it a whole lot easier just to purchase them all and pack them up so you can keep it all together as you need it.
Most families for instance keep all their camping together packed up and kept in a closet, storage shed or garage so they can pull it all together in a hurry. It saves time because you can throw together a camping trip in a matter of hardly any time.
Tents, stoves, sleeping bags, pots, pans, toiletry items, tables and air mattresses are just a few items that can be purchased before a camping trip they are all known as being a good investment because of the tough terrain they are made for and the durability that they must be able to endure.
The time spent with your family and friends roughing it are something that you can’t place a price tag on no matter how hard you try. Costs, quality time and enjoying the outdoors are just a few of the perks associated with camping.