Going off the beaten track is possibly the most fun you can have on an adventure, finding somewhere new and using your outdoor skills to navigate your route; it's pretty epic stuff. I love doing this, it tends to be a lot quieter, adventurous and furthermore, the appeal of doing it, a lot greater. Needless to say, wherever you choose to lay your head for the night, you'll want to make sure you're safe and sound. I'm talking tents, you know, those things that can put a roof over your head in just about anywhere and just how important they really are. Tents are a tricky buy with not only different sizes to choose from but also different types of structures to them also; it's mind boggling stuf
When I was a kid and my dad would take me to play rugby, I learnt very quickly to check I had everything and ‘tick’ it off in my head ‘cause, there was nothing more embarrassing and frustrating than turning up with something missing. The way I did this was to visualise myself wearing my kit from toe to top… boots (tick), socks (tick), shorts (tick), under-shirt (tick), match top (tick), gum shield (tick), tape (tick) ….. towel (tick). I do the same when I prepare for a hike, particularly for the longer ones …. missing a critical item can be more dangerous than embarrassing! Although my personal visualising technique can still work, it takes practice. But what I have found being really usefu
Remaining hydrated is fundamental to health and life and is one of the key essentials when you’re off on your wild wonders. For over a hundred years the tin canteen was king but in this day and age it’s worth checking out the bladder packs. These ‘bags’ of H2O are stashed in a separate compartment of your back pack with a flexible hose running from the bladder bag to your shoulder making rehydration (taking a sip) quick and easy. No one enjoys having to take off your heavy pack in a slumber to retrieve your bottle for a quick sip and so the bladder popularity is on the rise; I certainly have identified myself with using it on all my adventures of late. Many modern-day packs you can find are
The search for finding the lighter alternatives to outdoor gear is endless, from featherlight rain jackets to toothbrushes chopped in half to save a few vital grams, whatever it is, it’s most likely being tried and tested as we speak. Today I'm talking about packs, hiking multi-day ones as well as day packs; what to look for when buying one and the attributes of it that could be handy! It’s a really odd feeling…. a heavy back pack. Somehow there is actually a sense of reassurance when we have a heavy pack upon our backs, the ‘right’ weight gives you a feeling of confidence too. Get it too heavy with unnecessaries and your experience in the outdoors quickly becomes a chore. There is an elem
