We decided at the last minute to go camping, despite the warnings from the authorities about fire hazards. What made our trip a little safer was that we had just retired our old large bulky pair of 1960’s Bushnell binoculars in favour of a new pair, the “Nikon Action 7x35”. The reason for the purchase was for us to be able to monitor the hills, ridges and valleys for smoke activity. This mainly for our own camping safety and not having to turn around in a hurry or having a rude smok...

    Hey, what’s going on here? I thought this was a site showing and recommending quality recreational and camping equipment!

Yes - but a lot of today’s campers and recreationalists have become avid bloggers and photographers, so stuff sacks have become very hi-tech! There is so much you can do with your laptop computer during those seemingly endless rainy days huddled under the tarp or those hot summer afternoons lazing by ...

      Before we know it, spring will be here again. I am already feeling the urge to go camping welling up in me. It’s time to start bringing out my old hiking camping gear. But...yikes…my tent has a rip in it! It also stinks after a winter in a damp storage locker. I guess it’s time to look for a new tent! This time, however I’ve made a wish list. It has to be easy to erect and be a tall tent with tons of space. Tall and spacious enough to comfortably stand and walk around in. Happil...

When deciding on which of the many diverse types of children’s sleeping bags to choose, I think the first question is what type of child is it for? For instance, if your child doesn’t like to be bundled up, a mummy type sleeping bag might not be the way to go. On the other hand, if your child squirms around a lot in the night, a mummy bag with an attached sleeping pad might be perfect. For the child who likes to feel unencumbered, perhaps the jumpsuit type of sleeping bag would be...

   A favorite summer tradition for many families is to rent a cottage for a couple of weeks.  With these difficult financial times it can be tough to justify the expense, however, with a little ingenuity, I think that we have found a wonderful alternative that might even outshine the cottage tradition. Take a look at this Sarengo 10 person family camping tent. This large family tent costs only a portion of what a two-week cottage rental costs and it can be utilized over and over again. An exc...

   Take a look at this beauty. I admit I’m in love! Even though this is considered a family tent, and an excellent one at that, and even though there’s only two of us, I really want this tent. I find camping is so much more comfortable if you don’t feel cramped and the Eros 6 Person Family Camping Tent would provide us with ample space to spread out in. Its’ two pod design is perfect. With us sleeping in one pod, we can have our dog sleeping on her own bed made up in the other pod and...

     Imagine a relaxing soak in your very own hot tub spa after a long days travel in your RV to your favourite campsite? Even if you don’t own an RV or even go camping, this spa is for you, too! This Portable Affordable 211 gallon Aero Hot Tub Spa provides relaxation at its best! It is self-inflating, seats up to 4 adults and plugs into any 110 V outlet. You set it up without tools and you can fold it away easily for storing or traveling. Visualize bringing it in you...

         Let me tell you about this phenomenal new trailer. It's the one everybody is raving about (I even saw it mentioned on Twitter!). It’s called the SylvanSport GO. Gone are the days when you had to have 2 trailers, one tent trailer for weekend camping and another trailer for hauling garden waste, building material, your ATV and mountain bikes etc. That did work in a pinch but remember how you had to have a certain rack for your bikes and a different setup for your dirt bikes. And when...

                
                                                            
Time to go fishing for flies…I mean WITH flies and a rod that can handle those heavy salmon and steelheads! We have seen some wonderful rivers on our travels. Some with those deep dark shoals where you know those elusive heavyweights lurk but they have always been way over on the other side, well out of reach for a regular casting rod. After looking around in our local fishing supply stores, we found this great 4-p...

  What? A wilderness recliner? Yes, I know, it sounds like a pretty bad oxy moron! But the fact is that you CAN include a recliner in your outdoor equipment gear! This elegant recliner is super comfortable because of it’s patented back support technology. It’s easy to set up, has a frame with a durable powder coat finish and weighs only 9 lbs. It’s called the GCI Outdoors Wilderness Recliner and it has an amazingly strong and tough aluminum frame, which will effortlessly support up to a...

  Today I was reading through some promo material that I sent for last week. We have decided to do something we have never done before. We are going whitewater rafting on the Fraser River!! I know we will get a kick out of it and, after we’ve learned some useful information about how to have safe outdoors fun on the water, a river kayak is next on our wish list. But I know that first we need good PFD’s and, after looking through some ads on the web, this one looks pretty darn good to me. ...

          Today I smelled the pines in a gentle breeze from the forest behind me and one thing popped up in my mind: I need new hiking shoes! Not hiking boots - but lightweight durable hiking shoes. So over to the computer I went and lo and behold, the first hiking shoe that appeared on my search was the Merrell Women’s Moab Ventilator Hiking Shoe. These shoes are named Ventilator due to their ability to breathe and keep the foot cool and dry thanks to the mesh lining. These hiking shoes ar...

        Here we go again, sorting through our camping equipment and hiking gear for our first real outdoor hiking trip of the season. Yey!! Back to camping in wild places! Because our dog Aero loves all kinds of physical challenges (and eats like a horse), to pack dog food around, we decided to get her a new dog pack to share the load. We’ve been looking at various types of dog packs so she can get her much needed workout and at the same time carry her own water and food dishes, leash, coll...

                    Are you nervous being dependant on ground water for a drinking water supply during long camping and hiking trips? It’s a concern, isn’t it? It means that you have to purify the water before drinking it or using it in cooking. There used to be a time when you either had to boil the water for a long time to be able to use it or dissolve chemicals tablets in it but neither of these methods is very safe unless you know exactly what you are doing. Well, consider that worry ...

                Even if you are still on diaper duty, it’s not to early to begin the wonderful process of passing your enthusiasm for outdoor fun activities on to your little ones. To make your life easier, acquiring a diaper bag waist pack is a great idea. I have found that the Molehill Diaper Waist Pack is just the thing. This pack has a fold out changing pad (for super convenience if your baby needs changing while on the trail) and a removable, washable “dirty duds” bag that keeps th...

          OK. Here we go. All ready for a fabulous weeklong family outdoor camping hiking trip. Now, the puzzle of how to get that big pile of very necessary outdoor equipment gear into (or onto) our vehicle. Luckily, I do believe I’ve found a solution to the problem. It’s a terrific roof rack system that makes it easy even if you have to load 4 bikes, 4 kayaks or 4 big backpacks. There is even a special tire-mounting bracket for if you want to temporarily relocate the spare tire to free ...

   As the sun was starting to warm up our backyard again, I realized that it was time to go through the upcoming camping and hiking seasons’ clothing supply and – there they were! Horror of horrors! - My husband’s ugly, ratty, torn army surplus pants. I rushed to the computer for help and, phew, there I found the consummate pair of mountain pants to replace those disgusting old things! Yes, these US made Mountain Khakis Original Mountain Pants are outstanding. They’re soft and comfort...

    Instilling an appreciation and respect for the great outdoors is one of the most valuable gifts we can give to the children in our lives. Having their own hydration pack, especially made for kids, gives them control and responsibility of their hiking and camping needs because they can carry their own water, snacks and hiking gear. This particular kids’ hydration pack has all the necessary elements they could want even though it’s nice and light, weighing around 20 ounces. It’s built...

    Actually, while this fantastic camping chair is ideal for hunting, ice fishing or camping, it would also be great for soccer moms and dads. This special camping chair has an integrated sleeping bag to keep you toasty warm on those cold, blustery days while you are dutifully watching your kids out on the pitch. In fact, it would be great to use for any outdoor, cold weather sports watching. It has a removable hood and a rubberized foot area. It’s called the Therma-One Ultimate Outdoor Fo...

Most kids love the outdoors. Outdoors camping, hiking or even just walking on a trail through the forest.  Because they enjoy it so much, they often tend not to notice if they are getting too cold until their little hands turn blue.  A sure way to keep their tender hands protected and comfortable is to provide them with really excellent insulating gloves.  May I suggest the Patagonia Kid’s Synchilla Gloves? These gloves are made with a unique polyester (85% recycled) fabric and the ribbed c...

  Here comes the sun! With the weather getting nicer as spring slowly approaches, thoughts turn to the outdoors. In the fresh outdoors, hiking along a lush forest trail is particularly appealing. Day hikes are a great way to start the outdoor camping hiking season. I think that, for a simple day hike, the ideal backpack is the Kelty Duo Pack 6. This versatile little backpack is actually two packs in one. You can carry it like a tote bag if you’re going on a short hike, or use it as a backpa...

     Sleeping bags - the word says it all, bags made for sleeping (in) – but – what if you could get a sleeping bag that you could dance in! As I notice that the season is changing, I find myself sometimes lost in the vast world of sleeping bags! But this is time well spent, because one should definitely spend time researching all the options of this important part of one’s hiking outdoor gear. Why? Because you will be amazed to find that today, there is a sleeping bag for almost every ...

  An important consideration that is essential for survival out there in the subzero temperatures is underwear that can protect you from the cold and wind. However, I think the most important factor is choosing good quality wicking underwear. When snow hiking and backpacking camping in the winter, it is imperative to wear undergarments made of material that spreads out moisture and dries quickly.  Having your next-to-skin clothes damp is not only horribly uncomfortable, it is also extremely d...

   When you go family camping with kids of varying ages, sometimes it’s hard for the youngest ones to feel included in all of the fun activities. What’s great about this cool kids’ bike is that it’s perfect for young children to get a head start at cycling. This little beauty develops muscles, coordination and motor skills but is a super light (less than 7 pounds – 1/3 the weight of a typical 12 inch pedal bike) addition to the family’s tent & camping gear.  While it provides the ...

   Here is another fabulous snow hiking boot, this time for women! These boots come in the prettiest ice blue colour.  They are super comfortable and have a Dri-Best lining that keeps your feet completely dry.  They’re really easy to put on and the removable EZ Flex tongue is highly adjustable so you can have a totally personalized fit. These are great hiking boots for the “all round” hiker.  They are excellent if you are traveling on a mixed route that includes heavy snow and alpine tr...

  Isn’t it amazing the variety of snow hiking boots that there are available! A great choice to add to your hiking outdoor gear might  be these super light and very comfortable alpine boots that are noted for minimizing any blisters or hotspots that are often encountered on the trail. These snow hiking boots are very light at just over 3 pounds and they are designed for all types of climbing, from mixed climbing, big walls and dry rock climbing to alpine ascents. The reinforced heels provid...

   This camping grill stove is as versatile as it is cute!  It has been rated as “excellent” in stability, ease of operation and cold weather use. This remarkable camping grill stove has a 285 square inch surface area with dual burners that have independent controls that makes for perfect open flame grilling. It has detachable side tables and lid and folds to a compact, easy to handle and pack size. It comes with very convenient hooks for hanging utensils and has scissor legs that provide...

     This ultra light tent would just be perfect to add to anyone’s hiking outdoor gear.  This 3 person, 4 season lightweight camping tent is ideal to take tent hiking.  The knee pole design allows for maximum interior space and it only take about 5 minutes to set up.  It also has no-see-um mesh panels that provide bug free ventilation. Another important feature is the bathtub floor.  Even if you’re caught in the rain, you’ll stay cozy and dry in this great tent. It has a six pole struc...

     I’m the born optimist, so much so that I was dreaming of a new hiking camping tent (& camping gear of all kinds), and delicious warm weather, on New Year’s Eve, oh my! I was daydreaming of all the diverse outdoor equipment gear that’s available out there. One tent in particular caught my eye.  A great advantage of this tent is that it is a 2-pole square dome tent, not the standard 3 pole. In addition, it has a hanging gear loft organizer, 2 built in water bottle holders, a corner o...

     I just had a great idea.  I’ve been looking at all the different kinds of tents there are out there and had this thought that, wouldn’t it be great to have a hiking camping tent that was big enough to put Aero’s  dogs camping tent inside during the night.  Cool.  Especially if we were camping in wild places and there were bears and cougars around.  I’d feel way more secure if we were all together in the night.  What made me think of this was finding the Kelty Mantra 7 Tent.  This...

  “Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful”… and I’m dreaming of a summer camping trip.  There are avalanche warnings on all of the local mountains so I’m sitting here fantasizing about all of the different summer outdoor camps we’ve enjoyed.  This year Conny and I will be treating Aero to her very own dogs tent.  We have found the perfect one.  It has a detachable floor for easy cleaning and a clear side window so she can see out.  It is freestanding a...

New item #8 – new cozy long johns underwear. What a day for going shopping for long thermal underwear for our snow hiking trip!! It is a cold, snowy, chaotic day here in town.  I hope it won’t snow so much that we have to postpone our much anticipated backpacking camping trip in the mountains.  I’m excited to use all of the great new snow hiking outdoor gear we just ordered.  I am going to assume that this snowfall will stop soon, and go ahead and order some new long thermal underwear. ...

New item #5 – finding the best ski jacket.  Oh, my goodness!  I just proved the old adage “seek and ye shall find”! And what a find I found.  It’s called the Burton LTD Heated Dream Snowboard Jacket 2009.  An electric jacket!  Can you believe it?  It has Thermo-Tex Integrated Heating Technology and even comes with a rechargeable battery.  I’m going to be sitting in front of the fire, watching the moon and the stars, wrapped in what amounts to an electric blanket.  I’m blown away. ...

New Item #4 – brand new snow hiking boots. Yippee! My next favorite thing, after camping, is shoes. I love buying shoes.  This has been a fun time. I know that it’s really important to have good, comfortable hiking waterproof boots (snow can get pretty wet at the bottom of the mountain).  Both Conny and I like to have fairly wide hiking boots so that we can wear thick socks.  We’ve looked at lots of different styles but it’s been hard for me to decide on just one.  I finally did decid...

New Item #3 – choosing the best sleeping bag.  This was serious business.  There was a lot to consider.  We had to find the best possible sleeping bags to keep us toasty warm.  There is nothing worse than waking up cold in the middle of the night.  They also had to be light and east to pack.  We could choose one of the special cold weather mummy type bags or an old-fashioned rectangular type.  We need to be concerned about these sleeping bags weight as well. Although the temperature might h...

New item #2 – the perfect hiking backpacking tent. Okay, now the search for the best lightweight camping tent is complete.  This one has been fun because there are so many hiking camping tents to choose from.  I felt like a kid in a candy store.  We’ve chosen an ultra lightweight, free standing, 3 man tent that weights around 5 pounds. It uses lift technology and DAC Featherlite NSL aluminum poles and is really easy to set up. It also has very good ventilation. That ventilation is certain...

New item #1 – a great canister stove.  This will be perfect for me to cook up some tasty, hearty meals on.  I might even get the title of “Great Chef of Camp Stoves”.  I think that this little gem is the ideal portable camping stove. It weighs just over 2 pounds, it’s dimensions are only 4.5 x 8.25 inches and it has a 2 liter capacity.  Plenty large enough for the three of us (Aero likes to share our meals with us after she’s eaten her own).  This all-in-one canister stove system ha...

Conny and I are totally getting into the planning of our up coming tent hiking weekend.  We’ve decided to go all out and first class.  We’re going to get a lot of new hiking outdoor gear as Christmas presents to ourselves (and each other).  It’s all very exciting.  I’ve decided that, for the next few days, I will share with you what wonderful and amazing items we’re choosing to indulge in, with snow hiking in mind. I really love camping and equipment browsing and buying is one of my...

The rain has finally turned to snow in the local mountains so Conny and I are busily planning a weekend tent hiking trip.  As we were going through our hiking camping gear we realized that it was time to invest in a new camping hiking backpack for each of us.  We already got Aero her new backpack (see my blog from December 2^nd) and it’s working out really well, but Conny and I definitely need to upgrade.  We’ve been doing some research on different types of backpacks and have decided to g...

I asked my sister that very question.  You see, my niece wants a snowboard for Christmas and I didn’t know anything about snowboard boards.  My sister knew about as much as I did so, what I did was, sneakily (I hope) asked some of her friends which snowboard would be best and they all unanimously recommended the LTD Betty Snowboard.  I checked it out and, WOW, that is a cute board. Mind you, I don’t think the fact that it’s cute is what makes it so popular.  I think the fact that it has...

                               I’m a wimp. Okay, I admit it. I am. I have a terrifying fear of what may be underneath me in a body of water… just beyond my vision. The crazy thing is – I love water!! So, when I found this sweet Wild River Tube at UpsideOver I went wild! YES! It has everything anyone could want in a fun floatation devise; a tough, 30 gauge PVC Inner Tube covered with comfy but rugged 840 Denier Nylon. And, most importantly, it has exactly what I need; a Tube with two cha...

Oh, to be a capable outdoorsy woman. Even better, an outdoorsy woman with access to so many time and energy saving options! Forget about having to rely on a big strong man to carry around everything. I remember the first time I packed the truck up with all our gear for camping and equipment for boating for a fortnight camping trip. I was amazed that I did it! All by my lonesome! At that moment I realized that the door of backpacking, hiking and camping no longer needed to be opened for me bec...

Nothing beats sleeping in the outback… except when a big, heavy dog is squishing you off your bed! Luckily, Conny and I have found the perfect solution to Aero’s reluctance about  sleeping on her own bed while we’re backpacking camping. It’s the Adventure Dog Dream Bed found at REI that will let her feel like she’s still on our comfy bed but will give us all the room we need to enjoy sweet outdoor dreams!  This wonderful bed has an inflatable insert that gives it a truly people-bed ...

   One often hears how things were so much better in the old days, but it isn’t true with everything.  Today, while I was browsing through UpsideOver, I found the Astral Otter kids’ PFD – comfy, safe and environmentally friendly. Wow! What an improvement! It brought me back to a beautiful summer morning many years ago.  My family and I were camping at the side of a loon filled fishing lake and this special morning my dad decided that I could go early morning fishing with him. I was only...

   When my husband, Conny, came home one night last week with a Tubbs Xplore 21 Snowshoe Walking Kit, I had no idea he had purchased it for me, since I have never had any experience in snowshoeing.

When I realized he was serious about us doing it together, I couldn’t stop laughing.  Then I started to read about the product.  How easy it is to “strap on and go” and that you can use a variety of different boots and still getting a perfect fit. But, how can this be? Let me tell you. This...

Check it out!  The Transparent Canoe Kayak! Using this kayak-canoe hybrid, made of a transparent polymer hull, could prove to be one the most fun, exciting, educational and , maybe, sometimes a little unnerving experiences you could have.  Kids would love it.  Last month Conny, Aero and I went camping at Harrison Lake, which is a local lake that gets quite a big salmon run this time of year.  The salmon (Coho, I think) were running thick quite near the shore and up into all the little creeks....

I think it’s finally time for me to listen to the experts.  I was just reading Cesar (the dog whisperer) Millan’s latest book and he strongly reiterates his recommendation to use a backpack for a dog that is not getting enough exercise. I have to admit that we’ve been falling down on the job lately due to tack of time.  I know it’s hard for our dog, Aero, to get only a short walk in the morning and be stuck in the house all day while we’re at work.  I’ve been looking at different ...

I just got back from a visit with our local Porta-Bote representative and I’m quite impressed.  For a long time now my husband, Conny, and I have been wishing that we had a small boat to take backcountry camping with us.  We often go on 4x4 logging roads that are too rough to pull a boat and trailer and some of these roads are quite narrow with tree branches brushing the top of the canopy that makes strapping a bulky boat on the roof not an option.  We find it so frustrating to camp at the ...

The Big Agnes is another great REI tent.  I think it's just about the perfect 4 person tent.  It's got two doors for easy access and the front door has a welcome mat attached. It is very roomy and, unless you're over 6 feet tall, you can stand up in it.  It also has a large poly-vinyl skylight so you can stargaze when you go to bed (very romantic).
Even though we are "tentally challenged", we still found Agnes fairly easy to put up. The only future problem might be the thin floor, since we som...