Capture The Wind Tour Travel Tips

Posts Tagged ‘gear’

If you spend any amount of time in the backcountry at all, it will rain on you. Remember this – rain is a good thing; without it there wouldn’t be much backcountry to enjoy. How you prepare for rain and how you handle yourself and gear in the rain, makes the difference between a great experience and a horrible one. Here are some great ideas for ensuring your backcountry enjoyment when mother nature rains down on you.

Our best tips for enjoying the backcountry in the rain can be separated into two categories. The first pertains to getting ready to hike, camp or whatever else you love to do outdoors. Here are the Best Outdoor Preparation Tips:

? Always check the weather forecast. Understanding the type of rain to expect may even determine whether you go or not. If the forecast calls for severe thunderstorms with tornados, you will probably plan differently than you might for scattered showers. Check before you go, and check when you’re there. A good weather radio is an essential piece of gear for backcountry recreation.
? Store everything you take in re-sealable plastic bags, especially socks, matches, flares, food, maps and your first aid kit.
? Pack your sleeping bag in a large plastic trash bag or a specially designed waterproof bag.
? Pack a brimmed waterproof hat and jacket. Always have rain gear with you, even if it is only a large trash bag.
? Treat your tent, hat, jacket and pack with waterproofing spray – even if they’re called “waterproof” to begin with.
? For two weeks prior to your trip, be sure to take your multi-vitamins. You should be doing this regardless. A good immune system is an outdoor enthusiast’s best friend.

So now you’re packed and out the door. Once you’re there, common sense and a few tricks of the trade will help you get through unscathed. Here are the Best Outdoor Rain Tips:

? Never camp in a low lying area. Look for a durable surface which will allow water to run off more effectively.
? Look for a campsite this is somewhat protected from wind, flooding and heavy rain fall. Under a group of small trees is ideal. Keep away from the tallest tree in the forest – that’s where lightning likes to visit.
? Place a mat outside the tent door to collect debris. If you are base camping, the weight of the mat is not worth the benefit – so use rocks instead.
? Do not touch the walls of your tent when it is wet. This will adversely affect the water resistant capability of the tent. That is – you can create a leak.
? Use a tarp under your tent. You should do this regardless of the weather, but when it’s raining it becomes important.
? Sleep. There’s nothing better than sleeping in a tent when the rain falls.
? Check the forecast every hour. If the storm is worsening, you need to know about it. Do you have extra batteries for your weather radio? Read the rest of this entry »

With inflatable kayak reviews, we can take some of the top kayaks and inflatable boat models and break them down into categories such as function, size, and style that will suite your boating needs the best, and provide you an informative review of each kayak!

The inflatable boats market is increasing dramatically due to the flexibility and price of many kayaks and boats available today, and for people that enjoy spending time in the outdoors, they can really take advantage of the features they offer.

Now whether you’re a sports junkie or a seasonal leisure enthusiast will be the determining factor on which inflatable kayak is going to be right for you. You may go camping only once a year, and your active lifestyle is casual and more laidback. With that in mind, you would consider a boat that is based more on the pricing, and you won’t have as much concern about the material quality.

On the other hand, if you’re planning on kayaking class 4 whitewater or you plan on using your inflatable boat for some serious fishing activities, then you will be considering more heavy duty reinforced boats with greater flexible features, and kayak accessories and necessary options to meet your demanding outdoor requirements.

Our Inflatable Review Will Help You Determine Which Kayak Meets Your Recreation Needs

Many manufacturers and outfitters have done a great job in creating a wide variety of options, and understand that the boat features must be different for each boating individual. They have designed everything from casual recreation models, to the extremely durable paddling features that many hardcore sporting kayakers require.
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Time out of doors is a precious commodity to the outdoor enthusiast – but are we getting the most out of this time. One way to ensure maximum backcountry enjoyment is to get the most possible value from the gear you acquire and use. Here are 5 ways to get the most out of your backcountry gear – and your backcountry experience.

- Purchase the best gear you can possibly afford. If you are going to spend a year planning your next excursion on the continental divide, spend three months getting into great shape, take three weeks vacation when it’s time for the hike, purchase an airline ticket, and so on – then why are you using the cheapest backpack you can find? A good backpack will make all the difference in the world. This applies to all of your backcountry gear. Whether its your GPS unit, sleeping bag, rain gear or dual-fuel portable stove, be sure to carry good equipment in order to get the most value for your money. Don’t buy cheap!

- Learn how to use all of your gear correctly and practice using it. When you are completely lost, it’s not the time to learn how to navigate with a compass and map. When you and your firewood are wet, it’s not the time to learn how to start a fire with the flare you’ve been carrying for 5 years in your pack. Take time to learn all of the features of your gear. You might be surprised to learn just how useful your GPS really is when you understand how to use the backtrack feature. You’ll be mighty thankful when you learn the proper weight distribution for your backpack. Take time to learn – practice around your home before you venture into the backcountry.
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Can you name the number one spectator sport in North America? It’s not baseball, figure skating or racing. It’s bird watching. That’s right, more people are watching birds than football and hockey combined. With so many people hoping to see a bird they’ve never seen before, it’s not surprising to see a clamoring for the latest tips and tools to get the job done. Here are my top five tips for getting the most out of your birding experience.

#1. Get to Where the Birds Are! This sounds obvious, but many birders spend the majority of their bird watching time and energy on poor locations. Some folk have the advantage of looking out of their windows into the back yard to observe nature’s best. The rest of us need to get moving. I would highly recommend visiting a National Wildlife Refuge. There are over 500 of them across the United States. To find one near you, visit http://refuges.fws.gov/

#2. Know What Species to Expect. There are approximately 900 species of birds in the United States and recognizing each of them is nearly impossible. So when you visit an area, do a little research first. You may find that perhaps only a few species actually inhabit that particular area. With a little preparation, you will be able to more readily identify bird species from each other. Keep a list of successfully viewed species – we’ll call this tip number two and a half.
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