Outdoor Backpack

When you are going on a outdoor backpack trip all you can think off is how great and relaxing it will be. And so it should be, when you take a little time to prepare yourself for the trip when it comes to safety. Many accidents happen to outdoor enthusiasts that didn’t prepare for the trip in the wild. There are many things you can do up front to make your adventure as save as possible but in this article we will talk about 5 of the most important things you can do to increase your safety when going on a outdoor backpack adventure.

1. Make a plan, know your environment.

When you know what kind of area you will hike in, take the time to learn more about that area. Things you can look up are: local wildlife you should avoid, weather conditions, detailed map of the area. Try to contact the local ranger and ask them if there is anything else you should be aware of when you hike in the area. When you know all this, packing your backpack will also be more adjusted to the area.

2. Water and Food

It may sound silly, but think about how much water and food you are going to need for your trip, if you run short…well we all know where that ends. A common question is how much water you should carry along, because water also brings more weight. A common rule here is that you should drink about one gallon(4 liters) a day in a hot environment. You can also choose to drink from the rivers/streams that you encounter to spare water, but never drink this before you boiled it or treated it with iodine tablets and filters. Drinking water that was not purified can result in sickness, so bad that you are unable to continue the hike.

Food is also an important thing you should think about. Try to pack some high energy foods, salty snacks and complete meals along. Both food and water keep you energized and make sure your body stays fit to complete the hike. A good tip here is to pack your food items in a sealed bag or container. Local wild life may smell your food and come in for a closer investigation, resulting in injury or worse and loss of food.

3. Think about your Fire source

When you go on a outdoor backpack trip, never forget to bring something along that allows you to start a fire. Whether it is for heating, cooking or just a warm cozy fireplace at night think about it. You can ask the local ranger about the regulations in your hiking area regarding fireplaces. He can also advice you what kind of wood will give you the best fires if you don’t know this and if there are any existing fire places in the area. When you choose to bring matches, make sure you pack them waterproof or you wont have a fire at all. Some areas are known to get very cold during the night even though they are hot during daytime.

4. First aid kit and knowledge

Always bring along a first aid kit and if necessary update it with special items used for outdoor injuries. With this first aid kit also bring along a cell phone. When first aid is not sufficient you may need outside help. Again, you can ask the local ranger if there are special measures you should take in the area of first aid or any encountered emergencies. It’s also life saving to know what to do with the first aid kid, so take lessons and bring your first aid knowledge up to date. If you are going to hike as a group, there should be more then one person that knows first aid. If this person gets injured now one will know what to do.

5. Never go on a hike alone

Going on a outdoor backpack adventure all by yourself is never a good plan. If you get lost, or injured it is much harder to get back than in the safety of a group. And even if you carry a cell phone rescuers may not get to you in time, if you hike in a group others can start immediately with first aid care or guide rescuers to the spot. Even when you hike in a group, let the homefront know where you are going and which route you are planning to take and when you think you will be back. Also inform the local ranger of these things.

These are just a few tips to make your outdoor backpack adventure a little more safe so it can be a lot of fun in stead of a disaster. If you have any additional tips please don’t hesitate to comment on this post.

Most backpacks can get real dirty after a longer period of use, some even so dirty that you would seriously consider buying a new one because all hope of getting it clean and smell good has been lost. On top of that outdoor backpack cleaning isn’t exactly the most exiting thing you can do with your time. So i have put together a few tips for outdoor backpack cleaning that will make the job a little bit easier and maybe even bring new hope for your “dirty smelly backpack”.

First things first, i want to tell you how you should not clean your backpack. Never put it in the washing machine. Even on the lowest temperature and on the delicate cycle most backpacks cannot endure this. It can bring damage to the seams, sometimes there is a chemical waterproof layer that will fall apart or the different laminate layers of your backpack will melt or stick together. So only use this method if the label says you can, or when all else fails. For the dryer it’s the same story, always check the label if it is possible to machine dry your backpack, most backpacks won’t survive this, due to the high temperature and the rolling around in the machine.

Oke so lets start with the right cleaning method.

First we start with the vacuum cleaner. Make sure that you suck all the loose dirt out of the inside of the backpack and also out of all the exterior pockets. You do this first so you wont rub even more dirt into your backpack when cleaning it. If you have any sand or other dry dirt on your backpack, try to rub it off with a brush or anything like that and vacuum clean it again. You can use one of the vacuum attachments for this, or do it at the local car wash.

After the vacuum cleaning it’s time for the real cleaning. What you need for this is a bucket or something else to put in some hand warm water. As a cleaning substance i always use dishwasher cleaner with degreaser. You can use about 2 tablespoons on a bucket. You’re also going to need a sponge or rag or something. You then start cleaning the inside of the backpack first. Dampen the sponge or rag with the cleaning water and begin to wipe the backpack clean. Do this for as long as you need to, just make sure that you clean the sponge or rag many times so you do not spread the dirty water all over your backpack, use fresh cleaning water if you have to.

For the outside of the backpack you do the same thing. Again, use clean water, if you use dirty water the only thing you’ll do is wipe in the dirty water. If your sponge or brush can’t get into the smaller pockets of your backpack, use an old toothbrush to get into those little corners. Once this is done inside and out, do it all over again but this time with pure water and no cleaning substance. This is to get rid of any soapy water and remaing dirt water. Ring out the rag or sponge because we don’t want to soak the backpack material with water.

When you are done it’s time to dry the bag. You can hang it upside down on a line, preferably outside where the wind will help drying it through and through. If the weather conditions don’t allow it you can hang it indoors, but make sure it has enough “breathing” area so it won’t get smelly after all.

That was it, if you use this outdoor backpack cleaning method on a regular basis it won’t take too much time and it will extend the lifetime of your backpack. Hope this article was useful, if you have any cleaning tips of your own, please share them in the comment section down below.

I need a backpack that will keep my books dry while walking through torrential rain. What features should I look for?
What specific features makes one bag more water resistant than another?

It really depends on the size and distance your looking for. The Berghaus Freeflow 2/3 is an excellent choice if your looking for a small bag. Its a day sac hiking bag and has a water proof cover but for extreme rain it has a pull out cover which is designed to cover the bag whilst on your back. As an avid mountain biker I have to use the bags which really do protect whats inside and I Can say that a bag from Camel Back, Berghaus, Karimoor or the north face will be good and be as waterproof as a bag can be.

I’m not talking about putting a plastic bag in a backpack. I’m talking about a backpack that you could throw some pieces of paper in, swim with for several hours (and then some), and open the pack later to find that the papers and the inside of the backpack are completely dry. Is there such a thing and where could I find it? (Price isn’t a concern).

Rainwalker Waterproof Internal Frame BackPack

This unique German made waterproof Class 3 roll-top backpack contains many features in common with a typical hiking backpack. This 28 liter day pack is built with an internal frame sheet supported by an aluminum stay, padded back, padded shoulder straps, sternum strap, and waist belt – which all work together to create a very comfortable backpacking experience.

Other features include side mesh pockets, an internal sleeve built for a hydration bladder (bladder not included), an 8in x 8in external pocket with a water resistant zipper and Velcro flap, and a removable PVC-FREE roll-top main compartment assured to keep all your valuables dry. Note: the internal sleeve for the hydration bladder is built into the packs back side, and not inside the waterproof main compartment, as to not interfere with the waterproof integrity of the main compartment

For my outdoor education class, I need to know basic facts about a day of backpacking. How far did you go in one day? How long did you sleep? When did you cook? That sort of thing. Thanks!

As others have mentioned how far you go in a day depends on the group, the terrain and the amount of gear you are carrying. In my experience, unless it is a very good trail over even ground, anything over 8 miles is a pretty good distance in day and anything over 15 is really pushing it. Heck, 20 miles in one day is a pretty hard day hike without a pack (basically a fast walking pace non-stop for 10 straight hours).

Typically, I aim for 6 to 12 miles a day depending on the area. Presumably you are hiking through a pretty and enjoyable place and will want to stop along the way to take pictures and enjoy it rather than troop through at full speed without stopping. Outdoor exercise experts also recommend that you stop at least once every 1-2 hours and elevate your feet for 10-15 minutes to improve circulation and clear out lactic acids that build up in the legs and feet.

A typical day goes as follows:
Get up around sunrise. Breakfast, bathroom activities and repacking at a relaxed pace usually takes about an hour and a half.

Hit the trail for about 3-4 hours, with maybe one 15 minute break along the way. Find a nice spot for lunch and just hang out and relax a bit for an hour or more. Hit the trail again for 3-4 hours, with at least one 15 minute break.

I try to reach camp a good two hours before sunset to allow plenty of time to check out the area and setup (plus it is nice to be done with everything and relax during sunset). Finding the nearest water source and filtering enough water (hand-pump filter) to last to the next camp is a high priority.

If fires are allowed at the camp, than gathering firewood is a top priority while there is day light, but I usually won’t start the fire until I need it for light or cooking. I like to do my cooking right after enjoying the sunset (or the days are long, cook right before sunset and find a good sunset spot to eat at). In the last few years, I have become a fan of the dehydrated meals (Mountain House, etc) which are light, calorie packed and not bad tasting. I don’t need to bring pots, separated ingredients, etc and can eat right out of the package. The new JetBoils are great for quickly boiling water with minimum weight and fuel.

I am normally a night owl, but after a day or two of backpacking I usually get into a natural rytheme with the daylight and find myself happily going to bed and waking up earlier than I would at home. Hitting the tent by 9PM and sleeping a good 8-9 hours is not uncommon.

The above is pretty typical, but no two days are exactly the same. Some days you don’t to camp until after dark and others you may only go an easy 4 or 5 miles between camps. For extended trips (over 4-5 days) I often like to find a nice spot to hold over 2 nights (a dead day) to really relax and explore a bit without having to constantly get up and go each morning.

Where you are going makes a big difference too. I do most of my backpacking in the southwest where water sources are few and far between and so you often have to carry more water (heavy!) on you than at other places. On the other hand, we have much fewer mosquitos, fleas, and ticks so I usually never have to bother with bug spray.

Dogs will get twice the exercise if they are carrying a backpack; learn more tips on how put a backpack on your dog in this free pet obedience video.

Expert: Ryan Gwilliam
Bio: Ryan Gwilliam has trained over 10 dogs. He specializes in obedience training.
Filmmaker: joseph wilkins

Duration : 0:1:29

Read the rest of this entry »

In the middle of June, I’m planning to go on a four week backpacking trip with NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School). It will involve hiking with a 60ish pound backpack in mountains at altitudes 8,000-13,000 feet. Right now I lift weights and jog 3-5 miles as often as I can (about 3-5 days a week), and in the Spring/Fall I normally ride my bike for 30 miles once a week. Still, I’m not really sure how else I can prepare for the trip. I know it’s a long ways away, but the earlier the better. Are there any good rule-of-thumb goals I could work to (such as being able to run X distance in X time, or something else like it) or any creative ideas? I’d love to hear from somebody, because I really just don’t have a lot of experience.

It sounds like you are already in pretty good shape and are doing a good job with the cardio-vascular exercise and prepartion. It sounds like you just need to focus on things that are not covered by your current exercises.

As the poster above notes, it would be good to do some practice trips with a full pack (similar to the one that you will be carrying on the trip). Making sure that you do plenty of exercises that strengthen your lower back and stomach muscles (situps, stomach crunches) will help with carrying a large pack.

Even aside from the weight itself, running or hiking without a pack is very different than with one - it takes some getting used to the lack of agility and change in your center of gravity. You should try to at least do some long weekend backpacking trips (especially if you have not backpacked before).

Another biggie based on your current exercises, is trying to get your body used to moving over rough terrain instead of flat surfaces like roads and sidewalks. This can make a big difference since hiking over rough dirt trails requires more muscle control and more joint stress than flat surfaces. I have known people that were in good running/biking shape that have had problems with weak knees and sore joints when they go on a rough trail for the first time (also a danger of falling and tripping because your feet are not used to it).

Being at that high of an altitude will also have a big impact on you (although less if you are good cardio shape, which it sounds like you are). If you don’t live at or near that elevation, than it may be hard to train for it. Try to arrive at the area where you will be hiking a couple days before your trip begins to allow your body some time to adjust.

Lastly, make sure that you are training for long term endurance and not just exercises that involve a short burst of intense energy. With either biking or hiking, make sure you do some sessions that last for multiple hours - maintaining a good pace for a long time period is more important than speed or distance. You want a lean efficient body, not necessarily a muscle-bound one. I known some weight-lifters who have very hard times on even moderate packing trips because their big muscles add so much weight and drain so many calories that they hit the wall early (they have trained themselves for short bursts of intense muscle activity rather than very long periods of moderate activity).

Sounds like a great trip - have fun!

I want to decorate my black Outdoor Sports backpack with fabric paint or dye. I wanna know which brands are good and last long.

“Want to.” Say ‘wanna’ all you want to, but it is spelled “want to” — just like you did the first time you used it. Writing ‘wanna’ makes you sound whiny, which I’m guessing was probably not your goal.

Your backpack is black? How do you expect to be able to dye something that’s already so dark dye will not show? It won’t work. Fabric paint, on the other hand, can be made to work on black fabrics if you’re careful. Tulip brand is very good. You need to follow the directions for use and care exactly if you want the best results, of course, but if you do follow them carefully, your design will last a long time.

Tulip makes several kinds of fabric paint. The one that will work best for this is the “Soft” line. It comes in little bottles, not in writing tubes. You’ll need a small paintbrush to use with it. It says it’s opaque, but on black it still needs some helps. Get a bottle of the “cream” color (or off-white or eggshell, or whatever they’re calling it this week) and paint all your designs in that. Once that’s dry (give it time-and-a-half to be really dry so this will really work well — i.e., if it says 60 minutes, let it dry for 90) paint your designs with all the colors you were planning to use. Then let that dry for time-and-a-half, too. Let the pack cure before getting it wet at all. I think it says it needs to cure for a couple of days. Read the label so you get the best results possible. Have fun!