Camping Generators: Models That Are Lightweight And Quiet

Posted on November 16, 2011 by joe

When it comes to camping generators, they can be a huge nuisance. For instance, they are noisy. Or try this. Imagine you are at the coolest campsite ever, and your camping neighbors ask you to leave because your generator is too noisy.

If you had a generator that wasn’t so noisy, you’d be able to bring your little power supply everywhere you wanted. And you’d have power at your fingertips. Quiet power.

… in the past, generators didnt have noise suppression, but those days have changed …But why is it that most people don’t have this? And why are most generators so loud? Well the answer is easy. It’s because in the past, generators didn’t have noise suppression parts. But let me tell you, those days have changed.

So what I want to share with you briefly is a little about generators that are quiet and generators that are lightweight and portable. In other words, generators that are easy to move around without breaking your back.

And after reading this article, you’ll have more knowledge about the latest developments in generators. I’ll give you a few choice units that have low noise levels. And I’ll share with you some lightweight units. You wont have to be a mountain man to move these around.

QUIET GENERATORS AT UNDER 60 dB

We all know how annoying it is to hear clatter from the campsite next door. Now imagine that you are the source of that noise. If its your generator, then in no time flat, you’ll be evicted. At the minimum, you’ll get evil stares from your neighbors. Quiet is good and quiet is essential.

imageA great example of a quiet generator is the Honda EU2000i. It has sound reducing characteristics and sound shields built into it. For instance the Honda 1600 watt EU 2000i runs almost 10 hours on 1 gallon of gas at 25% load. Guess how loud it is? It’s a super quiet 49-59 dB. If you don’t know what that is, think about a conversation 3-5 feet away…It’s a super quiet 49-59 dB. If you don’t know what that is, think about a conversation 3-5 feet away…. That’s about 56-62 db. What’s nice is that the alternator is built into the engine. that’s part of what makes it quiet. Also you can run 2 of these in parallel with the special kit they have available.

Another example of one of the newer breed of quiet generators is the KIPOR IG1000 inverter generator. This comes in at 54db. Simply stated…. Quiet is good!
So lets move onto our next concern… portability.

GENERATORS WEIGHING LESS THAN 30 POUNDS

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Another important feature to look at with camping generators is portability. It’s an essential factor because most generators are bulky and heavy. With camping, you need something that’s easy to move around. And believe it or not, there are some very cool portables on the market. For instance, I have one of those monster generators. The one I have is the Generac 4000XL. And at over 100 pounds, I don’t think this beast is going to a campground any time soon.

One great example of a lightweight generators is the Hyundai 1000si at 30 pounds. Again, this is an inverter type and so that means low noise as well.

Another example is the Kipor IG 770 which provides 600 watts. How does a whopping 23 pounds sound to you? Pretty light huh? That’s a serious lightweight generator.

Alright, we’ve talked about portables. We’ve talked about quiet generators. What’s next?

GENERATING POWER FROM THE SUN

Now, if you are assuming everyone who makes generators also makes solar generators, then forgetaboutit! Look again! Matter of fact, very few manufacturers exist. But let me show you a few that are solar.

Lets start with the Portable Solar Generator SunXgen. 800, 80W monocrystalline solar panel, 800W power inverter and 105 Amph deep cycle battery package. Its a little pricey at over $1000. But, it has the equivalent to an 800 watt or 1600 watt peak generator. This baby holds 20 hours of power. No noise. No gas, and totally off the grid. Its built like a rock too.

Two other great examples of solar power generators are the Solar Stik and the SunRunner. What’s unique about these are they are modular. The SunRunner can even let you modify your charging options. So you can use hydro, wind, solar and other options. Its pretty advanced.

Generators aren’t the same old clunky things they’ve been for so many years.…Generators aren’t the same old clunky things they’ve been for so many years… With low noise construction and lightweight portability, you can use them anywhere. And especially in a camping setting.

Here’s what you’ll want to do to get one of your own. The thing to do now is to look at these 4 generators. I’d go onto Amazon and first check out the Kipor IG770. Its lightweight and puts out a good amount of power. Start there and move onto the others. And if you get a chance, check out the Hondas.

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Freeze Dried Foods: Making, Buying And How It Is Done

Posted on October 22, 2011 by joe

IN the movie MoonStruck, Cher is heard saying…”You make good coffee . . . You’re a slob, but you make good coffee.” Yeah… but was it freeze dried? The idea of freeze drying was first developed in WWII ..The idea of freeze drying was first developed in WWII..when medical supplies needed to be transported to Europe without refrigeration. Not long afterwards, the freeze-dry process was applied to other medical applications. Since then, its been used to preserve a wide variety of products like coffee, fruit, juice, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, eggs and dairy products.

While reading this article, you’ll to appreciate this very cool way of processing and storing food. For camping, you might even be convinced to start using freeze-dried foods

With freeze drying, the key things to know are what the freeze-dry process is, how to make your own freeze dried foods, and the kinds of items that are available to buy.

Shortly, you will learn some of the benefits of freeze dried foods and be able to lighten your load by eliminating some of the unnecessary water weight that normal foods have. But let me back up a moment, and explain the process first.

What Is The Freeze Drying Process?

First, its important to know that freeze-dried foods have a nutritional value almost equivalent to the foods in their original state…freeze-dried foods have a nutritional value almost equivalent to the foods in their original state…. Matter of fact, Freeze dried foods have 100% of their nutritional value. dehydrated only keep 80% of their nutritional value. this includes fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products. What’s really nice is you don’t have to cook them. just add water. its already cooked.

Also, freeze dried foods properly stored, can last up to 20 years and sometimes longer. Now for the process. It involves a number of steps, but in its most simple explanation here’s what happens. First the food or product gets frozen. Then it gets heated, but in a very strong vacuum.

While its heating in a vacuum, the water in the food melts, but it becomes a vapor instead of a liquid. This leaves all of the nutrients and minerals of the food still intact and dry. Pretty cool huh? In it’s simplest description, that’s it.

When you compare dehydrated food and freeze-dried foods, the latter have a slight advantage. This comes in weight savings and taste. And when you throw in a long hike or camping trip, the weight alone could be a big positive factor.

Can I Freeze Dry My Own Food?

The thought of making your own freeze dried food is exciting. Although the process is basically simple, in reality you can make it complicated. Remember, there are two drying processes and then the freezing process. Now let me show you 3 ways of a DIY approach to this.

First, you can build your own freeze dry machine. There are 3 types of machines. The rotary style, the manifold style used in laboratories or a tray style which is larger than the manifold types. So back to making your own. If you want to go that route, there’s a softcover book written in 1986 by David C. Newcomb that shows you how to do this for under $2000. Its 29 pages and is very affordable at around $10-$15 per copy.

The second method is to just go out and buy the equipment. You could cut a check for a Hull 24 FS 40 with 24 sq feet of space. But you’d need a room to hold it. Another brand of equipment is Atlas. They process almost all of the freeze dried coffee in the world. But I’m thinking… that might be a little overkill for your next camping trip…. or?

Now here’s a cheap experiment that you can try .. To freeze dry your own foods,Now here’s a cheap experiment that you can try .. To freeze dry your own foods…. without the use of a huge and expensive Cuddon FD1000 freeze dryer machine. First get a perforated tray. A metal mesh tray is perfect. Now cut an apple or potato into paper thin slices.

The thinner the better and the less time this will take. Put the slices on the tray and then put the tray in the freezer. In about a half hour, look in on your slices. They should be frozen solid.

For the next week, look at the slices. Depending on how cold your freezer is, the slices will be completely dry. To test them for complete drying, take one slice out and let it thaw. If its not completely dry it will turn black. when all slices are dry, you have freeze dried apples and potatoes. Reconstitute them by putting the slices in a bowl and add a little boiling water. Soon, you’ll notice that they look and taste pretty much like they did originally!

Being able to make your own freeze dried food is a lot of fun. But maybe you aren’t the kind of person who wants to break out a drill and saw to build your own. Then what other options exist?

Sources For Buying Freeze Dried Foods

Try buying. Freeze dried foods come in many varieties and most if not all are openly available to you in the market place via direct retailers or the internet. There are complete meals, snacks or even individual ingredients that can be tailored to your exact needs.

Let me share with you some sources that you can buy pre-prepared freeze dried foods from.

At Costco for under $1000 you can buy a years worth or almost 5000 servings of dehydrated and freeze dried food for 1 person.

SurvivalCave has a very good value in their 90 serving kit for just a little over $100. In it you get 2000 calories per day of freeze dried food for 7 days or 1000 calories per day for 15 days. There are 19 gourmet meals includes with oatmeal, eggs, soups, drinks, veggies, beans and rice.

My favorite spot though is FreezeDriedFood.Com. You can buy food in pouches, cans or buckets. So you get just what you need. Their 90 serve grab n go bucket has Blueberry Pancakes, Granola, Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal, A La King, Macaroni & Cheese, Alfredo, Teriyaki, Tomato Basil Soup, CreamyNoodle,Stroganoff. Yummy!

Ok, since coffee is so widely freeze dried, and I love coffee, we cant ignore this.

The most obvious option is Tasters Choice Gourmet Roast. Lets get a little more exotic though.

If you like Expresso, check out Café DeAmore Bellagio with roasted Arabica beansIf you like Expresso, check out Café DeAmore Bellagio with roasted Arabica beans. Another one is Cafe Direct Machu Picchu . What’s cool about this is its grown in high remote valleys overlooking the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu and has a little bit of a chocolate overtone which comes from that region.

Ok, now here’s my last coffee suggestion. First, let me say, I love Vietnamese Coffee. The french roast with cream over ice is… The best. So check out Trun Nguyen’s G7 gourmet instant coffee. They even have a thing called a 3-in-1 coffee that has the creamer and sweetener all in one. But remember, we’re talking about freeze dried here.

When it comes down to it, freeze dried foods are a fantastic option in camping, hiking and outdoors. Its lightweight, nutritious and very easy to prepare.

As you consider freeze dried foods, just keep in mind that you can make your own with the right equipment, or make your own on the cheap or.. Just buy the packages from a vendor online. Either way is fine.

This week, check out some of the packages that the online vendors have. Or go to your local outdoor store and buy yourself a freeze dried ice cream!

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Camping Water Purification: Filters, Tablets And Tips That Increase Your Survival

Posted on October 20, 2011 by joe

Imagine being in the wilderness. The only thing available is contaminated water. After 3 hours in the hot sun, you stumble on a bubbling, cold stream running before you. Now the question. Do you drink it? What After 3 hours in the hot sun, you stumble on a bubbling, cold stream running before you. Now the question. Do you drink it? if it has animal feces from further up the stream? How do you know its safe? You’re stuck. No matter what… .Don’t count on visual observation to tell if its safe to drink or not.

As soon as you finish this article you’ll quickly have an idea of how water purification can be done in a remote setting. And near the end I’ll tell you about my absolute favorite way of water treatment that costs nothing, and is used around the world and gaining popularity even as we speak.

First you want to be aware of the different techniques to purifying water. Next, check out the idea of different kinds of filters and finally, you may want to consider using tablets. Each of these methods has its own pros and cons.

You’re going to have a better appreciation for the different types of purification that exist. From there, you can choose what best fits your situation… and know that it will work, when you need it. The bottom line is…. You might not get a second chance.

General methods of purifying water

Picking the right method is important, because your location might limit what you have available. The most obvious type of purification is boiling. Boiling water for just 60 seconds kills viruses like Hepatitis A. But there are still other viruses, bacteria and parasites. Ever heard of Giardia Lamblia? But that’s not the only purification method that exists. There are other things you add to the water, things you do to the water, things you put into it and things you put it into. Let me explain

The first general method is treating the water with some kind of additives. This might be tablets, chlorination, bleach, fluoridation or some other substance…the first general method is treating the water …might be tablets, chlorination, bleach, fluoridation or some other substance…. Effectively, this alters the water its self. So you want to be careful about what it is you are adding, because you’ll be ingesting the water ..And.. The additive.

The second general method is to treat the water. This might include boiling, filtering or exposing the water to special kinds of light for a period of time. There’s even a third method. But this only works if you have trees with green leaves nearby, and a plastic bag.

Here’s how it works. Get the plastic bag and put all of the fresh green leaves you can.. inside the bag. Now sit the bag out in the hot sun, tied shut. After a short while, the sun will heat up the bag and evaporate any water from the leaves into the bag. I’m not saying it’ll be alot of water, but I’ve seen this done and in 30 minutes, there was a small amount of water in the bag. Its pretty amazing to see.

Now that we know about the general techniques of filtering, lets talk about some specifics.

Filters: membranes and make your own

One of the ways to purify water is to filter it. This is a key point with purification in general because different filters take out different things from the water. Here’s what I mean…

One type of filtering is a membrane type. This doesnt come close to reverse osmosis, but its a start. With this kind of water purifying, you pass the water through a membrane that will let water molecules through, but not other things. For instance if you are going to boil the water, pass it first through a cheese cloth or a clean cotton cloth. This filters out the obvious bad stuff.…if you are going to boil the water, pass it first through a cheese cloth or a clean cotton cloth. This filters out the obvious bad stuff…. When it comes to membrane filters and drinking water, they can remove almost all particles larger than 0.2 um. That includes giardia and cryptosporidium.

A great example is the Katadyn Pocket Micro filter Camping Filter has a .2 micron filtration and a 1 liter per minute flow rate. If you are looking for a gravity type for camping check out the Katadyn Drip Ceradyn (Gravity Container) System, which filters up to 40,000 gallons. Also check out the Sawyer Inline Water Filter with 34-Ounce Bottle. Its got a .1 micron inline filter that takes out cholera, botulism, typhoid, amoebic dysentery, streptococcus, salmonella, giardia and cryptosporidium.

Sand or sediment filters remove large stuff like sand, dirt and rust. They are basic filter systems. And they pretty much dont remove heavy metals, pesticides or microbial contaminants. But, if you are in a life and death situation, here’s what you would do. You’re going to use the ground itself as your water filter. Now if you are near a source of water that you aren’t sure of, walk about 50 feet or so from the standing water. Start digging.

After a bit you’re going to see water. If it doesn’t look clean, wait a few minutes. Or, you can keep scooping out water and discarding until it clears up. Believe it or not, this same method works for sea water too. But, for seawater, move maybe 50 yards or so before you start digging. At that point, you should hit fresh water..

So we know about filter types. What other method exists for water purification?

Tablets, bleach and the sun

Tablets are one of the coolest ways to purify water. They are an essential element of any survival or camping situation. The reason why is they are so small and light to carry, and yet they can have such a big impact on your situation as you are needing drinkable water. They aren’t the only way to modify the water though. Of course there is the bleach method where you add just a very small amount into your water. Lets talk more about tablets first.

The biggest type of tablet system is iodine based. Polar Pure is a crystal type product. Potable Aqua is a tablet and is very popular. What’s particularly nice is its easy for kids to understand. The only thing though is it only lasts so long on the shelf, whereas Polar Pure has a longer shelf life

As for the bleach method here’s how it works. Take a gallon of water and put 8-16 drops or about 1/4 of a teaspoon of bleach. You can use regular household bleach. If the water is cloudy, then double that amount. Now shake it, and for about 30 minutes just let it sit. After you’ve treated it, the water should have a slight chlorine smell to it. If not, then do the process all over again. Now that’s just one method.

When it comes down to it, water purification is a key with survival in emergency situations. When you’re in a corner, don’t just start drinking anything in sight…when it comes down to it, water purification is a key with survival in emergency situations. When you’re in a corner, don’t just start drinking anything in sight…. Be ready and be aware of the different methods of purification.

The key to all of this is to know that purifying water in a survival, emergency or camping situation can be done with a number of techniques. These include filtering and tablets. Of course, the one I haven’t mentioned yet is actually my favorite, the Sodis Method. What is it? First you get a 2 liter soda bottle, and clean it out. Put the water you want to treat inside. Fill it up about 2/3 full. Close the lid. Now shake the bottle for 20-30 seconds.

What this does is improve the oxygen level in the water now fill the bottle to the brim, leaving absolutely no air in the bottle. Put the bottle on a black surface or a metal roof. And sit the water there for a minimum of 6 hours on a sunny day. The combination of heat and ultraviolet from the sun will kill pathogenic germs. Cool huh? The world health organization recommends this method worldwide.

So there you have it. Some ideas on how to purify water in special situations. This week, go to your local outdoor store and pick up some water tablets. Test them out and see what you think.

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Camping Stoves: 3 Dangers With Using White Gas, Multi Fuel and Propane

Posted on October 19, 2011 by joe

There’s a saying….”If you’re not in New York, you’re camping out.” I’ll agree with that! As a kid, I remember seeing my first gas stove at my grandmothers apartment in New York City. It wasnt a camping stove, but it kind of felt like camping out, in that there was a fire and you cook over it. But the camping experience ended there. hanging out on the fire escape is fun, but … you know what I mean?

Whether its gas, propane or white gas, with a portable camping stove, just a few things can go wrong. And after reading this article, I hope you’ll better appreciate your stove while outdoors.when it comes to safety and your camping stove, there are three essentials.

First, if you have a liquid fuel burner stove or a gas grill, don’t even think of heating your tent with one of these…don’t even think of heating your tent with one of these…., watch when you first light your stove and finally, keep kids and young ones clear of your stove as you are cooking or boiling.

In reading this, you’ll gain a finer appreciation just for what a camping stove can bring in terms of danger. From now on, you’ll have a better respect for these amazing little gadgets.

CAMP STOVES: ARE NOT FOR HEATING YOUR TENT

Imagine its cold outside, and your family retires into the tent. On your way in, you bring your brand new portable stove into the tent, to heat things up.. You put the camp stove on the low setting, and things seem pretty warm.

Until the next morning…… Let me explain.

Portable gas stoves are convenient but they arent fail safe. The biggest issues come from people not paying attention to the danger and risks. Or, when outdoor cooking they might be careless in the operation of their gas stove.

Countless stories exist of people who have turned their camping stove on as a heating device in their tent, and never woke up againCountless stories exist of people who have turned their camping stove on as a heating device in their tent, and never woke up again. The closed space in the tent requires ventilation. otherwise carbon monoxide builds up and the results can be life threatening.

Another one is when its raining. It can be very tempting to cook inside of your tent. But the risk of setting your tent on fire is real. To avoid situations like this, use your stove exclusively outside of your tent.

This will keep gases from building up in one spot and suffocating the crew.

OK, now we know that bringing a stove grill or your single burner into your tent for heating or cooking is not a good idea. What else could be dangerous?

DANGER: CAMPING STOVE BALL O’ FIRE

One of the nice things about propane camping and gas stoves in general are that they have a great heat to weight ratio. The fuel is plentiful and its pretty cheap. But the bad part is that it can get dangerous and messy.

For instance, flaring can occur on some propane stoves when firing them up.

Imagine starting up your new stove and within seconds a huge yellow flame explodes without warning. And it burns off the handles off your new Titanium cooking set. For inexperienced campers, flaring isn’t unusual. Matter of fact, this happened to me one time. When I started up my multi fuel MSR WhisperLite, I just turned the fuel knob on full.

Then I lit the stove. The minute the match hit the gas, a ball of flame flew out.Then I lit the stove. The minute the match hit the gas, a ball of flame flew out. Why? I had too much gas coming out of the feed line. What I should have done was opened it up once, and then turned it down to limit the gas going to the stove. When I lit the match, all the extra gas caught on fire, and it took a little while for it to burn down. With white gas and gasoline ultralights, this happens every now and then.

So, if you have a camping stove that takes a bottle, make sure you use something similar to the MSR bottles with the valve handle at the top. The valve lets you control the amount of fuel going to the portable stove. This in turn controls the size of the flame. So once the fire is lit, you can turn it off quickly or keep it low and slowly take it up to where you need it.

Once I figured out how to use the valve control, I’ve never had a problem since.

You wouldn’t think this could be an issue, but every once in a while it can be. And if it is, it can go south quickly. So watch out!cooking can be dangerous to your health

COOKING FOOD ON A PORTABLE GAS STOVE CAN BE DANGEROUS

This one is pretty important because on campouts, the fire or stove is the center of activity. Your friends and everyone love to hang around the stove or watch the food cooking. After all, there’s nothing much else to do! Right?

So, here’s a little test. The next time you light your portable stove, watch the flame. When you see a yellow flame, that indicates poisonous carbon monoxide’s presence. Otherwise known as COWhen you see a yellow flame, that indicates poisonous carbon monoxide’s presence. Otherwise known as CO. What you want to do is adjust the flame so you are cooking with a blue flame. Another situation that can go south is where things get knocked over.

Because many of these portable stoves have a small footprint and the pots and pans can be large at times, sometimes the cooking gear can get top heavy. If you are boiling water, and someone knocks it over, it could easily burn the kids or anyone near the flame.

One camping stove that helps greatly with this is the JetBoil. The cooking unit is attached to the burner which is attached to the fuel canister.

You can put a cover on the cooking unit, so if anything gets knocked down, it wont spill out. And the fuel canister wont spill if it turns over.

Camping stoves can add a lot of convenience and fun to your outdoor excursions, but they can also be a dangerous thing.once you arrive at your camping site, and start up your portable stove, just keep these three things in mind.

Whether its a propane stove, gas grill or camp oven, don’t heat your tent with the stove. Next, watch for flaring when you fire the stove up for the first time, be aware of carbon monoxide from the flames and keep people safely from the stove to avoid a spilt pot of boiling water.

Camping is fun! By keeping it safe, it can be a long lasting memorable experience.

Posted in Portable Stoves | Leave a comment

Dynamo Radios: Combined With Solar Can Be A Lifesaver

Posted on October 18, 2011 by joe

There are no guarantees in life. And that includes batteries. I cant count how many battery driven devices exist in my parents home. Too many to count and when the batteries die, they just buy another product and more batteries! Its crazy!

Lately I’ve discovered the dynamo radio and have been sharing this very cool product with my relatives. Think about this. Imagine for a minute, a disaster strikes, and the grid goes down. And no more batteries, and the stores are all out. What then? Imagine for a minute, a disaster strikes, and the grid goes down. And no more batteries, and the stores are all out. What then?Thats where the hand crank emergency radio comes in.

After reading this article you’ll never have to buy a battery again for your radios or flashlights. You’ll be using the wind up radio. Also known as a hand crank radio.

So just to get going, I want to show you why dynamo power makes sense as part of your emergency gear, how a windup dynamo radio works, and where dynamo power originated, finally how solar might be a good accessory to a windup/dynamo radio.

Once you are done, you’ll have a better appreciation for the dynamo wind up radio. You might even find that it can turn a stressful situation into a very comforting one. Let me show you what Im talking about.

DYNAMO CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND IN THE MIDDLE OF A DISASTER

A dynamo power radio can be critical in the middle of a disaster. Lets say a hurricane has just hit and pretty much wiped out the power grid locally. Think you’re going to head to the local grocer to pickup batteries? Far from it. They are probably sold out! So how do you get radio or weather reports? As you can see, having communications without having to rely on batteries is essential…having communications without having to rely on batteries is essential….

That exact situation happened with me. When the power went down during a recent hurricane, I broke out my Eton dynamo radio, started winding it up and voila, I had news and weather and… light from the built in flashlight. No batteries, no hassle. Just wind and roll. It gave me great confidence when everything around me was shut down, to know that I still had communications with the rest of the geographic area.

Here’s another example. We also had an earthquake ….um… that same week! Although everyone did ok, what if the power grid had of broken down? How fast do you repair a power grid after an earthquake? I have no idea, but my Eton FR360 SolarLink would have taken the front seat for me if there had of been any issues.

The truth of the matter is, any radio or flashlight that relies on the crank dynamo mechanism or is a wind up, can be an essential lifesaver in any emergency or survival situation.

WINDUP: HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

Over the last decade or so, dynamos have become critical to so many people. Its important because its become a game changer when it comes to powering radios and lights. Let me show you where it originated and how it works.

In 1993 Trevor Bayliss from England was watching a TV show which inspired him to develop the wind up radio.

In 1993 Trevor Bayliss from England was watching a TV show which inspired him to develop the wind up radio.Here’s how he did it. Basically it used a clockwork mechanism with a spring. He would ..wind the spring up, and as it unwound, the radio would start running. On his first try, a 2 minute windup powered his radio for 14 minutes!

If you are wanting to see a few examples of dynamo radios, be sure to check out the granddaddy of them all…. the FreePlay radio. They were the first to work with Trevor in helping him commercialize this great idea. Then there’s Eton, Kaito and a few others. These are really taking off and I think the battery powered radio may be a thing of the past in the not so distant future.

DYNAMO RADIOS AND SOLAR COMBINED

What’s really interesting is we’re beginning to see the combining of the crank dynamo radio technology and solar power technology.

The interesting thing about alot of the dynamo radios is that they have a solar component. For instance, the Kikkerland Dynamo Solar on Amazon is very cool. Looks like it was designed in the Korean war, but it works, and has great reviews. Another great radio is the Kaito KA500-BK Voyager 5-Way Powered Emergency AM/FM Noaa Radio with very solid positive reviews.

Basically, the solar dynamo radio is an alternative to powering your radio in addition to the dynamo mechanism. The same goes for a dynamo flashlight. Of course, with this method, you’ll need time for the solar panel to accumulate enough power for the battery to power the radio. With my Eton it takes a while.

Once you’ve checked out dynamo radios, you begin to see the real impact they can have in unexpected situations. They are built and operate so simple that a kid can run them.

Matter of fact, get your kids and grandkids to use up their own energy to wind these up!

But the important thing to know is that solar powered emergency dynamo radios can be an essential help in disasters, the crank up mechanism is what gives it the power it needs, and its also possible to augment them with a solar panel.

This week, why don’t you check out other dynamo radios and hand crank radios. Better yet, go to your local outdoors store and ask them if they would show you their dynamo radios. You’ll be impressed.

Posted in Communications, Solar | Leave a comment

Good Hiking Boots: Do They Even Exist?

Posted on August 26, 2011 by joe

There must be a reason why some hikers and backpackers can go for 15 miles without a blister, when everyone else is in pain and suffering from the awful feeling of skin peeling off of the back of their feet.

Said some other way, if all things are equal, then why does one hiking boot go forever when another turns out to be a painful torture device.

Knowing the answers to these questions can save you lots of money from having to buy replacement boots.  It can also save you time from having to buy ointments and band aids and trips to the doctors.  And I’ve not even talked about the pain of having to cut your camping trip short because of the blisters.

So that you can make the best decision in finding not only a good hiking boot, but a great one, there are a few factors that you need to consider.

And after you read this article you’ll know about the three essential keys that make a good hiking boot.  You’ll know about boot sizing and support, traction and finally durability.

TIP #1: FIT AND SIZING ARE IMPORTANT
Imagine a last minute hiking boot purchase.  You didn’t even give them a break-in. You just went with your normal shoe size and zipped home to start packing.  When you are on the campout, you discover, they are too small.  Now what?

Boot fit and sizing are important because if they don’t fit, you cant wear them for any length of time, before they cause a problem.  I’ve had this problem in the past, and I got to the point where I was willing to go barefoot before I would walk 1 more mile in those ill fitting boots.   I was willing to do anything to get rid of the hot pain.

In my case, my feet started out with no problems.  In other cases, the hiker has special foot issues going on. For instance, wide or narrow feet, flat feet, bunions, bone spurs or even weak ankles.  So boot sizing might not just be about sizing, but also ankle support, cushioning and snug fitting.

TECHNIQUE FOR FITTING BOOTS
Here’s a quick tip for fitting hiking boots eliminating blisters on the trail.  First, use your shoe size only as a guide.  Start with that and make adjustments.

Next, put your foot into the boot.  Push towards the front.  If you can fit one finger in the back of your foot in the boot then you have a possible good fitting boot.  If you can fit two fingers, then its going to be too loose.  If your finger is squeezed, then the boots are too small for you.  The rule of thumb is that once you are walking around, your toes shouldn’t have to touch the front of your boots.

EXAMPLE OF A GREAT FITTING HIKING BOOT: VASQUE SUNDOWNERS
There is one boot that has been a hit with hikers.  Matter of fact, there are lots of backpackers who have kept their Sundowners for 5, 10 and even 15 years, they were so comfortable. I don’t know anyone who keeps shoes for over a year these days!

So that’s one key to a good hiking boot…. Sizing and fit.   What else is there?

GOOD HIKING BOOT TIP #2: GOOD TRACTION
Good traction is essential.  Whether its in a desert area, walking downhill on a mountain trail or trekking outdoors through the water.

Its key because without it, even in the best hiking conditions, you’d be slipping and falling in the mud and on wet rocks.
 
And there’s one company that stands out above the rest for traction.  The company is Vibram.  It was a tragic and fatal  accident in the Italian Alps that led Vitale Bramani to develop an all purpose, lightweight sole for climbing, traction and resistance from abrasion.

Let me share with you a few examples of some of the best hiking boots with excellent traction, using the Vibram soles.

One sole that Vibram developed is especially well suited to wet environments. The sole is called the IdroGrip.  And Vibram created IdroGrip to give hikers a 30% improved grip when it comes to wet surfaces.   And one hiking boot that features this sole is Cabela’s Guidewear Pro Vibram® Wading Boots.  They have sizes from 8 all the way up to 14.  They help you keep your footing in wet mud or rocks by the water.

Another example of very good traction in a boot is the Cloudveil Snake River Wading Boot.  Even though its made for anglers, you know it works, because they have their feet in the water all the time.  The IdroGrip compound used in the soles will help you keep your grip on wet surfaces.  What’s extra nice, is it has drain holes in the toe, heel and mid foot.

Now traction is important.  But what if your hiking boots fall apart?  A lot of them do.  And to find a good hiking boot that is rugged and stays together is hard to find.  So let’s talk about the last thing that makes a great hiking boot,  durability.

TIP #3: GREAT HIKING BOOTS DON’T FALL APART
You can have hiking boots that fit great and perform outstandingly.  But if they fall apart under adverse conditions, then you’ve wasted your money.  Some people have their boots for 2 weeks and the sole starts falling off or pulling away from the toe.

One of shoes with the worst reputation is Ecco.  They have a reputation for crumbling and falling apart.

But in all honesty, sometimes the hiker doesn’t help the process either.  Let me explain, and then I’ll show you two examples of great boots that last and are durable.

For starters, the reason why hiking boots come apart is because they’ve gotten wet and were dried the wrong way.  They might have been put by the fire, radiator, wood stove or any other heat source to speed up the drying.  If you allow them to dry at normal temperatures, then you’ll be ok.  But rushing it is not healthy for your hiking boots.  

What it does is weakens the glues that hold the shoe together.  Sometimes it shrinks the upper part, which can alter the nylon reinforcements that are built into the shoe.  This can ultimately change the fit of your shoe.

Here are two examples of durable hiking boots.  First is the Berghaus Explorer GTX  goretex  boot. They have great lacing, a good grip and are water resistant.  The other shoe that’s worth checking out is the Asolo PowerMatic 500 Backpacking Boot.  There are people on rescue teams that beat these things up in extremely bad conditions and they still hold up. Just make sure you give them some break in time though.

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3 Highlights From Mens Hiking Boot Customer Reviews

Posted on August 24, 2011 by joe

On my very first campout as a teenager, I wore loafers in the freezing snow.  Learned very quickly that a good hiking boot would have been the ticket to a much more enjoyable trip.  Now I know that being prepared is first on the agenda.  And part of preparation is doing your research and checking up on reviews of the gear you are considering.  When checking out hiking boots, there are 3 things that keep coming up.  The 3 big highlights are materials and waterproofing, soles and traction and finally fit and support.  

Materials and Waterproofing

While reading this article, you’ll learn about some valuable features in hiking boots, and I’ll give you some recommendations specific to the feature I’m sharing.   So lets get started!

A good example of a great waterproof shoe is the Kenetrek. Part of their waterproof magic is that they have no seams all the way down to the tongue of the shoe.  Other shoes may have sealed stitching or something specialized to keep the boots dry.  But problems come up the minute a needle or hole punctures an area on the boot.  This allows water to enter.  Even something as simple as a stitched seam can cause weak spots in the boot. That’s why a shoe with no seams like the Kenetrek is so valuable.  Basically you want to find shoes with as few seams as you can find.

So we know that waterproofing is important.  What’s next?  Traction.

Soles and Traction

You can have the best boot in the world, but if you are slipping and falling all the time in extremely tough terrain, you’ll get hurt sooner or later.  Carrying lots of weight on long trails can give anyone trouble.  Especially in water.   

But there are some companies that focus only on the soles and treads of shoes.  Vibram is one of these companies. They specialize in soles that work well over slick, wet or icy surfaces.  Let me tell you about one shoe that features a Vibram sole. 

Vibram has developed a sole just for wet surfaces. It’s called the Idrogrip.   And there’s one hiking boot that features Idrogrip.   Its the Simms G4 Guide Boot.    These things have very deep treads that grip on mud and rocks.  The G4′s have Nubuck leather uppers too.  

Ok, we have waterproofing and traction figured out.  But what if your hiking boot doesn’t fit well?  Then you can end up with blisters and foot issues.  So lets talk about support and fit.

Support and Fit

A good boot when it properly fits is snug, but not too wide. Your boot needs to support your ankles and soles without producing blisters, even in the toughest terrain.   A great example of a very good fitting hiking boot is the Keen Voyageur.

Specifically, backpackers love the roomy toe box which keeps your toenails in the right place. You can go for 15 miles treks for days and they stay very comfortable and roomy.   Some hikers say that they stay cooler than Gore-Tex boots.  They even look so good that hikers wear them as normal day shoes and also wear them to the gym.

Well there you have it. If you are looking for reviews on hiking boots you’ll probably find these three features over and over again.  Waterproofing, Size and fit and soles and traction.   Each feature alone is very important, but together they really make a great hiking boot.   Go pay a visit this week to your local outdoor store.   See if they will help you test out a pair with the Vibram Idrogrip.   You’ll be amazed at the different places they can take you.

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Don’t Ever Attempt This With A Portable Gas Stove

Posted on August 23, 2011 by joe

Portable gas stoves are a hot commodity. They keep getting smaller and smaller. And they keep getting more and more portable. But this can come at a cost. By not paying attention, a nice peaceful campout can turn into a horrendous nightmare ending up in the Er..…a nice peaceful campout can turn into a horrendous nightmare ending up in ER.

The main things that get campers and hikers into trouble are 1. using a propane gas stove to heat their tents, 2. not controlling the flame on their stove and 3. letting others hang around too close to the camp stove while cooking.

After reading more about these dangers, you’ll know how to avoid a disaster. Just a few pointers will give you a peaceful campout.

So let me show you what these dangers are.

Heating Your Tent?

Imagine its cold outside, and a family retires into their tent. They want to take the heat from their new portable stove into the tent. They put it on the low setting. And things seem pretty warm. Until the next morning. When they don’t wake up from carbon monoxide poisoning in a confined space.

Portable gas stoves are convenient but they aren’t fail safe. Issues come from people not paying attention to the danger and risks. Or, they might be careless in the operation of their gas stove.

It can also be very tempting to cook inside of your tent. Especially when the weather is bad. But the risk of setting your tent on fire is real. In order to avoid situations like this, make sure your gas camp stove is used exclusively outside of your tent. This will keep gases from building up in one spot and suffocating the crew.

Danger: Ball Of Fire

One of the nice things about portable gas stoves and gas stoves in general are that they have a great heat to weight ratio. The fuel is plentiful and its pretty cheap. But the bad part is that it can get dangerous and messy.

For instance, flaring can occur. Imagine starting up your new stove and within seconds a huge yellow flame explodes without warning…within seconds a huge yellow flame explodes without warning…. It burns off the handles off your new Titanium cooking set. For inexperienced campers, flaring isn’t unusual.

I have an MSR Whisperlite portable stove, and the first time I lit it up, the same thing happened to me. A huge flaming ball. But after two or three tries, I figured out the valve setting on the fuel bottle and how it works.

If you have a camping stove that takes a bottle, make sure you use something similar to the MSR bottles with the valve handle at the top. The valve lets you control the amount of fuel going to the portable stove. This in turn controls the size of the flame. So once the fire is lit, you can turn it off quickly or keep it low and slowly take it up to where you need it.

Once I figured out how to use the valve control, I’ve never had a problem since.

Cooking Can Be Dangerous To Your Health

Cooking food on a portable gas stove can be dangerous. Its pretty important because on campouts, the fire or stove is the center of activity. Your friends and everyone love to hang around the stove or watch the food cooking. There’s nothing much else to do!

Here’s a little test. The next time you light your portable stove, watch the flame. When you see a yellow flame, that indicates poisonous carbon monoxide’s presence…when you see a yellow flame, that indicates poisonous carbon monoxide’s presence…. Otherwise known as CO. So you’ll want to adjust the flame so you are cooking with a blue flame.

Another situation that can go south is where things get knocked over. Because many of these portable stoves have a small footprint and the pots and pans can be large at times, sometimes the cooking gear can get top heavy. If you are boiling water, and someone knocks it over, it could easily burn the kids or anyone near the flame.

One stove that helps greatly with this is the JetBoil. The cooking unit is attached to the burner which is attached to the fuel canister. You can put a cover on the cooking unit, so if anything gets knocked down, it wont spill out. And the fuel canister wont spill if it turns over.

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3 Hot Complaints About Mens Hiking Boots And Backpacking Footwear in General

Posted on August 12, 2011 by joe

Imagine backpacking in Oregon with Mt Hood standing in front of you. As you walk downhill through some pretty rough terrain, you start sliding forward, slip and fall. Here’s where the problems start. Now you are feeling blisters on your heel. And the complaints start about….. your mens hiking boots.

..they complain about backpacking boots just falling apart..I’ve complained about mine. That’s for sure. Here are 3 issues that men have with their hiking shoes. First, they aren’t breathable, next they fit badly and finally they complain about backpacking boots just falling apart.

If you’ve never had these problems, then read on and find out why they happen. Maybe after you’ve read this, you’ll avoid the pain and suffering that a lot of men have gone through.

Breathability

First, one of the biggest complaints from men is that their hiking boots aren’t breathable.

Hiking boots and outdoor gear were meant to go through trails, downhill, uphill, cold winters, hot sweltering deserts, rainy camping, rough terrain and more. Through all of this, your boots need to breathe. And it turns But when you improperly waterproof a leather boot… then the shoe interior wont be able to dry out…out that lots of boots either don’t breathe, or are treated with waterproofing so that they cant breathe.

But when you improperly waterproof a leather boot, for instance, then you seal the boot up. If it gets wet inside from a hard walk in extremely wet weather, then the shoe interior wont be able to dry out. Moisture keeps bacteria inside.

Even if they fit properly, it wont matter. After a while, they will just start stinking or falling apart.

Bad Fit

The next complaint from men about their boots is that they don’t fit right and don’t have enough padding.

Boot fit is a big one. Even if you’ve done a quick try on at the store, your new boots may change on you during the next hike. That’s where problems develop. You want to prevent blisters and problems up front.

To correct the problem, go to your local camping or hiking store. The better ones have a little testing area that you can try the shoes on at. They will also know how to properly come up with the correct boot fit.

Boots That Fall Apart

Finally, men complain about their boots simply falling apart.

You would be amazed at why this happens. The biggest reason is that men don’t dry their boots out properly. When their hiking boots are wet from a long walk through wet conditions, they sit the boots next to the fire or some other heat source like a gas stove.

This quick heating, adversely affects the glues and adhesives on the hiking boot…quick heating, adversely affects the glues and adhesives on the hiking boot…. The result is problems with the sole and the fabric. All of a sudden, the next day, your shoes arent snug anymore or you might find out that your waterproof boots arent waterproof anymore.

Hiking boots are one of your most critical pieces of camping gear. Everything you do is on your feet. And if you dont get the right shoes, you’ll be complaining for a long time. If you can learn from these, you might avoid a nightmare on your next trip.

Posted in Clothing For Camping, Hiking Boots | Leave a comment