Four of My Favorite Outdoor Reference Books

In continuing with my mini series on camping for beginners, I want to share with you a few of my favorite outdoor reference books. While the internet is full of blogs and forums and websites dedicated to providing you with a wealth of outdoor information, books are a great resource to use as well.

Camping for Dummies
If you think of all the things you do in a day, the For Dummies series has probably written a book on most of them. Targeting a specific audience, the Camping for Dummies book is a great way to learn the basics of everything camping, and then some. It has 350 pages filled with useful information, supplemented with pictures and diagrams for the more confusing subjects. The writing style is quirky and funny, making it a joy to read. It’s the quintessential book for anyone looking to take up camping as a hobby.

The Ultimate Hang
This book also has a very specific audience- hammock campers. Hammocks are a great cost effective and easy way to kick off your camping years. The book small enough to put in you’re pack or trunk when you go out for the weekend, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything when you set up camp. This book is filled with just about everything about hammocks, and like the For Dummies book, has over 200 illustrations to help you figure things out. Between two pieces of cardboard, it pretty much sums up all of the Hammock Forums website. The author of the book- Derek Hanson- is actually a member on the forums.

The Ultimate Hikers Gear Guide
Andrew Skurka, a world renown hiker and lightweight backpacker wrote this book. With literally thousands of miles under his feet, you know this will be a very informative book. I had an opportunity a few years ago to attend one of the number of speeches he does around the country, and was able to get my hands on the signed copy of this book. If his speech doesn’t sell you on how well he knows his stuff, his book certainly will (even of it’s not the signed version). Everything is split into three sections- why people backpack, the tools and techniques they use, and sample gear lists. In less than 230 pages, he has written about everything there is to know about lightweight backpacking. While this subject may be a little advanced for beginners, it will still offer an enormous amount of useful information.

The Boy Scout Handbook
No outdoor reference list is complete with out this one, and it’s pretty self explanatory why. The Boy Scout motto is to “be prepared” and the handbook encompasses this and so many other things in its pages. Though it is written in a different format and with a different purpose (rank advancement) than a normal book, it will provide very informative writings on things like navigation, wilderness first aid, cooking, and shelter making. Perhaps the best thing about this book is that you can find used ones for less than a dollar at your local book store.

-The Urban Outdoorsman
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Pictures were obtained from respective author’s web pages.

Choosing a Sleep System That’s Right For You

Since the goal of this blog is to get people outdoors, I think it is only fitting to do a series of posts on camping for beginners. If there is any specific thing you would like me to write about for this series, feel free to email me via the connect page. This will be the first of a few posts addressing some of the major considerations for people thinking about getting into camping.  As the title states, it is all about selecting a sleep system.

There are three major “sleep systems”, or shelters, when it comes to camping/ backpacking. Each of these systems have a vast number of variations, so many I could write a blog solely about the types of sleep systems available. I will keep this post as simple as I can and address each of the three as generally as possible. So let’s dig in.

The tent
Arguably the most popular of the three systems, an image of a tent is probably what pops into peoples minds when they hear camping or backpacking. Because it is so popular, it is also one of the most varied pieces of equipment out there- styles include A frame tents, expedition tents, tents set up with hiking poles, tents that fit one person, tents that fit 10 people. The list goes on and on. So let’s look at some of the advantages of using a tent for your system. To start, they are available anywhere that sells outdoor gear. A good one will run you 2-300 dollars, but they can be had for $75 or even $50 if you’re lucky. They will easily shelter you and your gear from the elements at night, and depending on the type, can fit more than just one person. The major downside to tents are their bulk and weight. Most middle ground tents will weigh between one and three pounds, and that’s a lot if you plan on backpacking. They also take time to set up, which can be a problem if you are in an area prone to heavy rains at just a moments notice. Despite their downfalls, I think a tent would be a great option for car camping, or backpacking with a group of people who can split the weight amongst themselves.

The bivy sack
Similar to the tent, a bivy sack is a shelter that while encase your entire body. It’s essentially a waterproof fabric bag that you slip your sleeping bag into, with a small space elevated by a pole at the end for your head. The advantage to using bivy sacks is in their ease of use and compactness. They not only pack small, but the weigh very little. They are much simpler than a tent, setting them up is merely a matter of taking it out and putting your sleeping bag inside. The one thing that keeps me away from this sleep system is the fact that they offer little space for gear storage. I will stay dry when it rains out, but who knows how wet my pack will be come morning. All things considered, the bivy sack is a good option for ultralight backpackers, or people living in drier climates.

The hammock
A few years ago, it would be hard to come by one of these in the backcountry. But these beautifully versatile pieces of equipment are quickly becoming mainstream, and hammocks are my personal favorite sleep system. Simply put, a hammock is as versatile as your imagination. They are better than the two former systems in that you can hang anywhere you can find anchor points. I’ve personally hung over streams, off the side of a rocky hill, and there are countless other stories of people sleeping in crazy places never before possible. I have spent zero, ZERO, uncomfortable nights in a hammock. Everyone I have talked to say they sleep like babies., hammocks are a swinging cloud of comfort. Made of super lightweight materials, and compacting to the size of a softball make them a great option for backpackers and car campers alike. It is impossible to express how great an option hammocks are in one paragraph, so I encourage you to check out hammock forums and 52 Nights Off Ground for more information.

So that wraps up the first post of this series. If I missed anything, shoot me an email and I will add it to the respective paragraph, with you’re name. Stay tuned for more posts in this series.

-The Urban Outdoorsman
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Advantages of Hiking and Camping in the Winter

For those of you living far north or south of the equator, you know just how bitter cold the winters can get. This cold and other challenges you may face during the winter deter a lot of people from being outside for anything but run between their car and a building. So let’s take a look at some of the top reasons to head outside when the mercury drops low.

1. No bugs- leave that DEET and mosquito netting at home. You can finally walk in peace without swatting at buzzing black dots, and go to bed at night without itchy welts

2. Comfort- if it’s hot out, you can only take off so many clothes before it becomes illegal. But there are no laws defining the amount of layers you can put on

3. Solitude- if this is what you’re after, there is no better time to find it then the winter. Like I said above, most people don’t care to go for a tromp through the woods when it’s cold enough for the white stuff to stick around

4. Higher visibility- the trees have lost their leaves, so if your favorite hiking spot happens to be overgrown with green in the summer, you will he able to see better and further in the winter. You may even discover some new things you hadn’t noticed before

5. New activities- there are so many things you can do in the winter that just aren’t possible in the summer. Throw a pair of snowshoes on, hit the ski slopes, or outfit your bike with some new snow tires and go explore

6. More access- if you’re really into exploring, keep in mind lakes and streams will be frozen. That means some of them will be crossable, opening new routes and more places to explore. Watch for animal tracks to- they are easier to spot and follow in the snow, and may lead you to something cool

7. Sleeping weather- if you’re into the overnight camping, the cold air makes for very comfortable and refreshing nights. Provided you have a warm sleeping bag, of course

8. Under the stars- its much easier to get a true “under the stars” experience in the winter. The ground isn’t wet, and any precipitation coming down will be snow. If you have a proper sleeping bag, the snow will stay frozen on top until you shake it off in the morning. just be sure to protect yourself from the bitter winds

9. Hot coca- c’mon guys, who doesn’t like sitting down to a cup of hot chocolate after an evening of being outdoors

-The Urban Outdoorsman
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It’s easy. It’s cheap. It’s worth it.

I’m sure some of you are reading this post after getting off a long day at work. You are stressed, tired, and willing to read a write up on on how a birds feathers control how it flies just to push off whatever remaining chores you have left today. Well, I’m no doctor- but I think I’m allowed to prescribe one medicine. Nature. In this age of hustle and bustle, the era of instant everything, it’s important to take a step back and relax once in a while. I suggest you take a step back and reconnect with nature. Tap into your inner caveman.

It’s easy. You don’t have to climb mount Everest or sail the Pacific Ocean. Just lace up a pair of shoes and head out to your local park to sit on a bench and let the world drift by. Better yet, find a state park in your area and take a hike through the woods. Listen to the birds chirping, the leaves rustling in the trees, and feel the soft ground under your feet as you breathe the invigorating fresh air.

It’s cheap. Sure, you can go check out your local outdoor gear retailer and find gadgets and gizmos for the people who do climb Everest or sail the Pacific, but it’s all so expensive. The choices are overwhelming, and you’ll find solutions to problems you didn’t even know existed in the backcountry. But the truth of the matter is, you don’t need this stuff. All you need is the will to get going and a pair of shoes to get you there. If you decide the outdoors are to die for, then join the club and indulge in some fancy new gear. But you don’t need the most ventilated light weight rain jacket or that new backpack that all the gear websites are raving about just to get out a few evenings and enjoy nature.

It’s worth it. As I mentioned before, everyone seems to be stressed out these days. It’s seems the “get it done instantly” mentality has really take off with this new era of technology and communication, but that’s not to say it comes easy. A number of studies have been published linking higher depression and anxiety rates to the technology of today. So I encourage you to take the next weekend, or you’re next free night, and go check out this beautiful world we are living in. Step out of the loud noisy city, let go of all your worries, and relax. I and so many others have already discovered the healing powers of nature, and I encourage you to as well.

-The Urban Outdoorsman
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