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Adventure Tips

This blog is a collection of outdoor adventure tips and "how to's" to help the novice to outdoor activities become better equipped or just give ideas to help you through your trekking adventure. Getting out in the vast arenas of our national parks will fill you with wonders you never imagined and wouldn't want to be left out from experiencing.

How to prepare for a trip

The most important factor to remember on your trip is to learn to read maps and use a compass properly. Buy a good compass and a map of the area in which you intend to visit, and study the terrain carefully before you set out, so that you have some idea of what awaits you. You should always put the map into a clear plastic bag and seal it. You might have to cut the map up and seal each section into a separate bag, but it keeps it clean and dry. Most compasses are normally accompanied by a pamphlet with detailed instructions of how to use the instruments.

Try to discover as much as you can about the area as you can just in case of an emergency. Failing to do so will cause you to guess where you are at all times during your hike. But for you thrill seekers part of the adventure is facing the unknown. Becoming familiar with your surrounding areas keeps you accustomed to the types of creatures and vegetation that you are likely to encounter. This information can be helpful and increase your supplement of food supplies.

Make certain that you have the correct clothing for the environment and the weather. Jeans are very tough and do not snag easily. Just always remember that the different seasons require diverse types of outerwear.

Pack your kits in a rational manner into your backpack to help stay organized. Try to keep your required equipment close at hand, in the outer pockets or on your belt, or in pants pockets; for this will make it easy on you to get to whatever you may need fast. Keep in mind that a frame-type rucksack with hip-belt will be most comfortable. Place heavy stuff in the bottom compartment and the lighter on top to make carrying more at ease for you. Before going on your trip try to carry your backpack around the neighborhood for a few hours every day to get use to the feel and weight of your equipment. Do not neglect climbing some steep flights of stairs wearing it for more familiarization with the impact you may endure on your trip. If your backpack is too heavy and unevenly distributed, it will to be impossible to carry in the wilderness. Do not try to carry more than 30% of your own body weight on your back or what you can carry without hurting yourself.

Ensure that the area to which you are going is sufficiently supplied with accessible water. Your map may read that a river or lake is never far from where you are hiking. Knowing that for sure you have water available close by is a safety precaution that should always be taken. Water should always be purified for your safety. Usually, water is cleaned either with a pump or with chemicals such as iodine or chlorine dioxide, both of which can be bought from a camping store or online. These chemicals can sometimes double as a disinfectant for wounds, insect bites and scratches.

A first-aid kit is a must. Include bandages, both gauze and ACE bandages for sprains and strains. An insect repellent is essential for prevention of mosquito and black fly bites and some anti-itch cream will be well appreciated afterward. Pack craisins into your diet or trail mix to help prevent bladder infections. Take enough toilet paper to last you long past your intended trip; it can also be used as padding and to blow noses. Remove the cardboard roll from the inside and it will squash down to save space, or alternatively, store small items inside the toilet roll - just remember to write on the wrapping that it contains something. Always, always bring a headlamp or flashlight with extra batteries and bulb (if needed). Butterfly bandages will close most wounds and will last until you can get to a hospital for serious injuries. Bring some sort of stomach laxative and sun lotion, for obvious reasons. Don’t forget your toothbrush and paste for hygienic reasons.

Unless you are very brave do not venture into the wilderness alone, until you are an old pro at it. Try to have at least one sober, experienced outdoorsman in your group. Everyone in the group should be equipped with a walkie-talkie or some sort of communication device in case of separation; and have extra batteries on hand as well. A whistle for each person is a must. Everyone, especially kids should learn the “I’m lost" signal: three short, sharp blasts followed by a few seconds of silence, so that they can hear whether anyone is answering. In open areas, signaling with mirrors is also helpful. Wear bright reds, oranges and yellow colors, because they are easily seen, especially if lost people wave them above their heads. A pair of compact binoculars is also a helpful item to have on hand when one may be lost.

Tents should be of low profile. Ensure that yours is high enough for you to sit up comfortably in it and that it has bell ends covered by a fly sheet. The bell ends can contain all your equipment and are excellent for cooking in a storm situation. A can of pepper spray deters many creatures that might try to steal your equipment at night. Try to always camp on high grounds with the ground sloping away, and cut trenches around the edges of your tent to carry the water away.

Waterproof your tent thoroughly taking special care with the seams. Dome tents are popular, but they offer too much resistance to high winds, whereas an A-frame can be positioned so that the sloped ends cause the wind to flow around it. Ensure that the fly sheet touches the ground in windy places: this will stop the wind obstructing your cooking and act as an insulating fence against the cold. In hot climes the fly can be folded back to allow air to circulate around the inner tent. Practice pitching your tent at home, if you can. Ensure that the whole structure is tight and smooth and that the fly does not touch the inner anywhere. If the zip closures are made of metal, replace them with nylon ones, as they become stuck very easily and the teeth fall out. If you cannot replace them, rub a candle or beeswax over them regularly to lubricate and waterproof them.

If you intend doing a lot of hiking buy a good pair of soft boots and thick, woolen socks. Coat the boots every day with light mineral oil until they are saturated and wear them in before you hit the trail. Wear a pair of cotton socks against your feet and the woolen ones over them. Padded, inner soles make the boots more comfortable. Give the boots a coat of oil every evening, even on the trail. The oil should go through your socks. This feels strange at first, but you soon get used to it. The oil prevents blisters and stinky feet, and keeps them uninjured and sweet-smelling. In any case, always turn your boots upside down and bang them out before putting them on in the mornings, just in case some creature decided to venture in them during the night. Keep a pair of slip-ons on-hand to wear around camp. Also bring a foldable hat and UV-resistant sunglasses to keep the sun from blinding you.

As for cooking equipment use a compact, camping gas stove to cook your food. A multi-purpose, Swiss Army type knife and a heavy hunting blade should be included, both of which can be kept sharp with a small sharpening stone or a square of medium-grit emery cloth, along with the other cutlery, crockery and cookware you think you’ll need. People who wear glasses should learn to make fire with them; focus on the rays of the sun into a tiny spot on some fine, dry grass and when it begins to smoke, move the lens closer to enlarge the bright area. When the smoke blackens, blow gently, holding the lens steady as you do so.

Food is a matter of choice: some people buy freeze-dried meals and desiccated vegetables and go to all kinds of preparations, only to find that they run out of food before the end of the trip. You can add cereals, nuts, seeds and chopped dried fruit, to your diet for easy carrying. Make a big bowl of it and then separate it into meal-sized plastic bags and be sure to suck all the air out for freshness and seal.

Your bedding is up to you; what you prefer to be comfortable sleeping on. In the winter months, add a double feather sleeping bag and a light sleeping bag in the summer. Inflatable pillows are small, so they take up very little space and can be used comfortably. Put an item of clothing over the pillow, to absorb your perspiration in hot weather and to keep your face warm in the cold. Take a puncture repair kit along with you if you decide on this option. In closure here are some helpful tips before venturing out on your trip into the great outdoors:

Test all your equipment thoroughly before you leave. Use it on a daily basis for a few weeks.
Use and test your communication devices where allowed to ensure that everything is working properly.
Carry spares wherever possible, boot laces, bulbs, batteries, ECT.
Rope always finds a purpose. Polypropylene rope is light and very strong and can be used for many purposes.
Always have large, strong plastic bags on hand. In any case, you should consider packing everything into plastic bags before putting them into your backpack: you never know what the weather is going to do.

Only published comments... Mar 12 2008, 08:15 AM by accarrie with 237 view(s)

Filed under: water, hiking, tents, camping, food, maps, first aid kit, preperation, compass, sunscreen, supplies, cellphone

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