10 Essentials for your Outdoor Packing List when Venturing into the Backcountry

No matter your adventure, there are 10 things you must always take with you whether out for the day or a month.


1. Map
2. Compass
3. Sunglasses/ Sunscreen
4. Pocket Knife
5. Headlamp or Flashlight (extra batteries and bulbs)
6. Extra Water, Water purifier or tablets/ Bottles
7. Extra Food
8. 1st Aid kit/ Emergency Whistle
9. Waterproof matches/ Fire Starter
10. Extra Clothes

From experienced mountaineers and the Book Freedom of the Hills. These items are the Ten Essentials that will help you to be prepared for the unexpected, aid in survival and can be life savers in an emergency.

A map and compass prevents one from getting lost in the field. Take along maps that cover the relevant area in sufficient detail and dimension (topography, trails, roads, campsites, towns, etc.) and learn how to use a map and compass together especially when the place you are traveling lacks signs, markings or guides. A GPS is always helpful but should not be taken instead of a map and compass. The accuracy of GPS is dependent on Terrain, foliage, barometric pressure and user knowledge, all of which have an effect on how accurate the GPS readings are.

Sometimes things happen and nightfall comes before we are at our destination. Flashlights and headlamps protect against physical injury when traveling in the dark and are helpful when searching in the dark or signaling if there is an emergency. Always be sure to bring extra batteries and bulbs.

Extra food and water can in case of an emergency prevent hypothermia and give clarity of mind when dealing with an emergency situation. They also keep you healthy and prevent illness from setting in. Never eat without water, as the body needs water to metabolize food.

Extra clothes will protect you from the elements and hypothermia. A multiple layering technique of clothing will keep you warmer than just on single heavy layer, as warm air is trapped between layers of clothing forming an insulating layer. Layering your clothing also prevents over heating but still will protect you from bugs, sun, wind and foliage. They can be used for many things in an emergency situation including bandages.

Sunglasses protect your eye sight and help prevent snow blindness in snowing environments.
A first aid kit usually contains items to treat cuts, abrasions, blisters, punctures and burns plus allow you a place to carry prescription medications. Be sure to take a first aid kit that is fitting to the area you are planning you trip.

A knife is very useful in the backcountry but a multi-tool such as a Leatherman or Swiss Army Knife is a very versatile choice.

Waterproof matches and fire starter such as a magnesium stick will keep you warm preventing hypothermia, food consumption to cook on as well as a signaling device.

A water treatment device such as a water filter or chemical tablets makes water potable and safe for drinking. All water needs to be treated for bacteria and viruses in order to ensure safety and prevent sickness. Water filters work well but are more expensive than alternative chemical treatments of Iodine or chlorine. If neither of these methods is available to you, bring water to a rapid boil for one minute before consuming.

References:

Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills 6th edition, pages 35-40, (1997)
Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, p. 38

Kids Sleeping Bag Comparison Chart

Looking for a sleeping bag that will keep your child warm for a great price. At Upside Over we gathered the best kids sleeping bags for the little ones and the big ones. Check out our kids sleeping bag comparison chart. Click on this chart to view.

Choosing the right sleeping bag for your child

Not all sleeping bags are the same and differ in materials, insulation and shape design. To insure warmth in any bag it is important to size it correctly to your child's height. A bag that is too, big leaves too much dead space for your child to heat and therefore they will be cold. The rule of thumb is that a sleeping bag should have no more than 12 inches of dead space.

There are two choices when is comes to sleeping bag insulation, Down and Synthetic.

Down Insulation: Made up of goose feathers and are rated as the warmest sleeping bags. The more down fill in a sleeping bag, the warmer it will be, an average fill is 600 for a 20 degree bag and 800 for a zero degree bag.

Benefits of Down Insulation: Down is the warmest, softest and lightest sleeping bag insulation.

Drawbacks of Down Insulation: Down is more expensive and loses its loft over time making rating of the sleeping bag rise. If your down bag gets wet it takes a long time to dry out and loses all of its insulation properties. Down Bags are good for winter time, and in areas that see little rain. They work great in the western states.

Synthetic Insulation: Synthetic fibers are usually made from hydrophobic polyester or nylon fibers.

Benefits of Synthetic Insulation: Dry quickly, keep their thermal properties when wet, keeps their loft preserving thermal properties of the bag and can be made for warmer temperatures.

Drawbacks of Synthetic Insulation: Heavier than Down, less compressible, less softness.

Types of Synthetic Insulation:

Polarguard HV Insulation: Water resistant, dries quickly and has a feel similar to down. Polarguard spins their insulation in a way that gives it a hollow core. This hollow core traps warm air keeping you warmer while preserving pack ability and weight.

Climashield: High Loft synthetic insulation that is made from thousands of continuous strands of polyester spreading them into an interlocking insulation that is durable and stretches.

M3 Polyester: Hollow Core Synthetic Fiber, hollow core technology gives more warmth with less fibers making your bag lighter and compressible.

Spirafill 120: consists of 3 denier conjugated spiral hollow fibers for loft and 1 denier polyester fiber giving bag warmth, softness, and compressibility and is lighter in weight.

Synthetic Sleeping Bags work well in wetter climates such as the eastern US where the possibility of your bag getting wet is higher.

Most kids sleeping bags are made with a durable nylon or polyester shell. Some are treated with a water resistant coating and most come with a draft zipper baffles to keep cold air from entering through the zipper. Mummy style bags are warmer than the rectangular bags because there is less dead air space for your child to warm. Heavy Cotton sleeping bags are a thing of the past and only used indoors these days. If your are taking your family into the back country and looking for a lightweight durable bags consider the above options when making your choice. Give Upside Over a call and ask one of our gear consultants if you have any more questions about kids sleeping bags. 888 377 8203

2009 Sherpani Rumba Child Carrier Video Review

One of Upside Over's top kid's gear consultants reviews the 2009 Sherpani Rumba Child Carrier. This video will give you a great overview of the Sherpani Rumba 2009 and help you make a more informed decision when selecting a child carrier. The Sherpani Rumba Child Carrier is one of the best selling carriers for active outdoor families and for everyone in between. They have the best weight rating of all child carriers and has proven over time to be one of the most durable carriers on the market. I hope this review is helpful. Please let us know if you are looking for any more information. More reviews are on the way.

The North Face® Kids now at Upside Over a Leading outdoor kids gear and clothing retailer, Denali jackets, footwear, sleeping bags and more.

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 3, 2008 -- Upside Over Inc., (Upsideover.com), a leading outdoor kids specialty retailer announced today that it will be carrying The North Face® for kids outdoor clothing products. The North Face for kids product line provides the quality and technical features you expect from The North Face, with sizes and colors especially for kids. Kids ski and cold weather jackets, vests, pants, hats and gloves for boys and girls. The North Face Kids consists of everything active boys and girls need to enjoy the outdoors during all seasons.

"Our team is extremely excited to be carrying one of the best brands in the industry for outdoor kids"', said Peter Dean," The North Face continues to be a strong brand that delivers great value to consumers and we are proud to be providing it to Upside Over families and kids that are looking for high quality technical gear that is safe, secure and comfortable for a variety of outdoor activities."

As an example Upside Over will be carrying both the boys and girls The North Face® Denali fleece. The Denali is an essential outerwear item for any kid. It is warm, lightweight, compressible and an ideal all-around fleece..a kids favorite. In addition, the Denali zips perfectly into North Face shell jackets, creating the ultimate layering system. Multi-position underarm zippers regulate temperature and 2-ply Supplex nylon abrasion resistant fabric on elbows and upper body increases durability when you're carrying a pack. The Girls Denali Fleece is perfect for a wide range of outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, backpacking, skiing, kayaking, snowboarding...the list goes on. The unmistakable style of the Denali makes it a big hit with the kids.

Upside Over is committed to providing a wide range of The North Face product line, including but not limited to, the Boys and Girls Bionic Jacket, Momentum Jacket, Venture Jacket, Meridian Convertible Pant, and Meridian Short and much more. Visit us at The North Face Kids.

About Upside Over (Upsideover.com)
Upside Over's, outdoor kids gear and clothing, goal is to inspire, advise, and equip today's active families to give them the confidence to participate in outdoor adventure activities by choosing the right gear for the right activity. The company's online store provides the best available collection of outdoor gear for kids and kids technical clothing. The company exists in one of the fastest growing areas of specialty retailing, the outdoor kid's market. Its online presence is located at http://www.upsideover.com/ and the company's headquarters and warehouse are located in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Upside Over - Kids Outdoor Gear and Clothing

Inspire. Advise. Equip.™###

Finding Dry Camp Wood

Author: Ronald B. Shannon Posted: 02-03-2008

Whenever you pull into a new campsite, one of the first things you think about is a campfire. If you are at a campground you are restricted as to where you can get wood. Usually it is offered at the general store in bundles. When you find yourself in this setting, you can offer to trade some labor for your wood. Campground owners don't always have the time to get everything done. A couple of hours of work can reap great benefits, including free wood, for you and the owner. Best of all, you will pick up new friends.When you are at a remote campsite it can be a different story. It is always best to ask the land owner if possible, however if these are Paper Company lands there are usually policies in place on wood harvesting. You can often take dead and down wood. Old slash piles are also an option.

Do not, under any circumstances, take wood from a log pile. Not only is it how the paper company makes their money, the wood is too green to be of any use anyway.

Most people do not go more than one hundred yards from camp to find campfire wood. You can simply widen your search area or look for standing dead trees. If there are no leaves during the summer it is safe to assume that this tree is dead. If the top is broken off or the tree is broken in half is also a determining factor. Do not cut any tree with any type of growth! This will certainly get you thrown off the property and lose you free access to a camping area.If you run into wet weather, standing wood is the best option. As you split the wood start from the outside and work your way to the middle. Set the outside wood near the fire pit to dry. The inside wood will be dry because the rain runs down the outside of the tree. If the tree is lying down the rain will soak through the log making it harder to burn.You should try to stick to six to eight inch diameter wood as this will be easier to handle, especially if you have kids along. It is light weight, a better chance of being dry and splits easier than larger pieces of wood.

Let the kids help you gather wood. This will keep them involved in the camping experience and it also keeps them busy. The last thing you want is bored kids around a camp. Have your little ones look around camp for twigs on the ground for fire starter. This will let them be a part of the fire building experience.