Developing A Family Camping Gear Checklist

Going out on a camping trip with family members is a splendid moment worth preparing for. It is the perfect time to spend with the children as well as catch up with friends and romantic partners. But as exciting as a family camping trip can be, it can easily be ruined by a lack of sufficient preparation. There are so many things that can go wrong when pitching outdoors, such as unexpected weather, limited food or water, and sudden dangers and threats presented by the surroundings. These potential disruptions can be minimised and even eliminated by careful planning, and the best way to do this is to develop a family camping gear checklist.

A camping checklist can be as simple as a linear list of items needed for the camp. For large scale outdoor trips, such as a family reunion or a camp which involves multiple families, a slightly more “complicated” checklist may be needed. In such large scale camps, it is necessary for all parties involved to plan things together and integrate the plan with a “to do” checklist to make sure all items are not skipped or totally neglected.

When developing the camping gear checklist, make sure you categorize each item into several headings. Group each piece of equipment according to function, size, individual ownership, and in order of importance. Let’s go through each of these categories one by one:

1. Function. Each piece of equipment you bring must fall under a specific function or use. For example, all outdoor wear must be grouped under a single main category. The same thing should be done for tents and tent components, as well as for bags, day packs, cooking gear, and first aid medical supplies.

2. Size. It is also important to group camping gear according to their size, so that the campers will have an idea how to fit them into their bags and inside the vehicle. A lot of time is spent on arranging baggage inside the car prior to an outdoor trip, and this time can be minimized or shortened if attention is given towards planning, days before the trip.

3. Individual Ownership. In some instances, it is necessary to group the outdoor equipment according to who owns them. This helps the camping organizer or planner (usually the mother or father), to determine who among the family members already has a full set of outdoor equipment. This will help avoid last minute cramming among individual participants.

4. Order of importance. Not all the items in your checklist are equally important. Some of them, such as medicine and first aid kits, are a matter of life and death and should therefore be given top priority. Other top priority items are food, shelter and clothing. Make sure you have an ample supply of these needs inside your baggage before thinking of adding the items that you simply “want” (such as sports equipment, mobile gadgets, and other non-essential stuff).

Planning a family camping trip may seem like a daunting task, but it is well worth the effort. The prize for that effort is enjoyment, unforgettable experiences, a stronger family bond, and ultimately, the safety of your family.






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How to Protect Your Skin During Outdoor Activities

by IVY GUINGAB: Going on a camping, hiking, bushwalking or a solo travel? There’s the sun, the fresh air, the wonderful views, the exciting activities – these all sound fun and exciting. But there are some things you need to know before you can cause serious problems to your skin from the outdoors. If you’re planning on going outdoors, you would also want to make sure you include skin care to your outdoor plan. Keep the following tips in mind to make every outdoor activity fun and memorable without damaging your skin:

Protect your skin from the sun

Enjoy the outdoors while avoiding the painful sunburn. It’s no way fun to suffer serious and painful burns while you are away from home. More than the sunburn, prolonged sun exposure, according to dermatologists, can also cause spots, drying, wrinkling and the worst is skin cancer.

Protect your skin from the sun with sunscreen lotions or sprays with SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 30 or higher.

Protect your skin from insect bites

There are so many ways to protect skin from insect bites but most outdoor lovers prefer insect repellent clothes. They do it for one simple reason -- they get rid of the hassle of having to rub insect repellent lotion on their skin. One more tip is to minimize exposed skin areas by wearing the right outdoor clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, long pants, boots and hats. Hop in an outdoor camping store and you should be able to check out recommended outdoor clothing for camping, hiking and the like.

Avoid skin chaffing

Skin chafing, a painful skin problem, is a result of skin rubbing against skin or clothing. It occurs mostly on your thighs, groin and underarms. First tip is to apply lubricants like petroleum jelly to these hot spots to avoid friction to the skin. Second tip is to stay dry. However, sweating is unavoidable during any outdoor activity. But you can avoid this by wearing proper outdoor clothing – choose the ones that fits right on you and the ones that are moisture-wicking.

Stay hydrated

Your body consume a lot of water during outdoor activities basically to get you going, to maintain proper pH balance, and to regulate body temperature. While it’s important to stay hydrated, your skin as well needs enough hydration to avoid drying and wrinkling. Instead of the ordinary water bottle, bring with you Camelbak 1L drink bottles. Camelback drink bottles are spill proof, and are 100% BPA-Free.

Features Of Exofficio Boxers For Outdoor Wear

One of the most cozy under-clothing that outdoor campers can wear (particularly men campers) are boxer briefs made by Exofficio. The said brand is known worldwide for underwear items that are suitable for camping, hiking, mountain climbing and other outdoor camping activities. If you are planning to purchase any Exofficio products soon, here is a quickstart guide that will help you:

 The Exofficio Give and Go Brief

 This is the most popular underwear line of Exofficio boxer briefs. Give and Go  (trademarked name) is breathable, meaning, air can easily penetrate through it so that the skin beneath will not sweat too much especially in humid conditions. It's clothing is also known to prevent too much moisture from occurring with the inner thigh area as well as the intimate areas.

Exofficio boxers and briefs are made of nylon or spandex, making it more comfortable to the one wearing it. Another good aspect of the Exofficio brief is its antibacterial finish. The boxer brief is actually created in such a way that it wards off harmful bacteria, therefore preventing skin allergies and infections from happening.

This is by no means a comprehensive Exofficio boxers review, but it sure does give you an idea of what to expect from this product line. The next time you think of going outdoors for a camping or hiking trip, consider buying any Give and Go brie from your local outdoor equipment store. 

Important Things You Shouldn't Forget When Camping Outdoors

Going camping is like going to a party. There are stuff that should be there, or else it wouldn't be fun. A typical party without food and drinks, good location, decoration, invited guests, chairs and invited guests just wouldn't be a lot of fun in most cases. The same is true with camping, if you don't bring the necessary stuff associated with the Great Outdoors, you run the risk of being bored out there.

Here are the things that you should bring with you and not forget:

Standard Set Of Camping Gear

A standard set of camping gear is the bare essentials. This involves a tent, camping shoes, a decent Black Wolf daypacks and a water canteen. Make sure you get high quality items from well known brands such as Exofficio, Northface, and Icebreaker, so that you won't have to worry about your items breaking down in the middle of your trip. It;s just plain annoying if suddenly your tent cloth tears or breaks down, isn't it? So make sure to get a sturdy tent and other gear.

The Icing On The Cake

After securing your standard camping gear set, now is the time to get the "icing on the cake". These are stuff that technically, you don't need to in able to survive, but they are indispensible for the camp to look at least like a fun expedition instead of a survival trip. Some examples of gear that fall under this category are Barmah hats, specialized liquid containers, comfy Northface fleeces, and digital radars. You know, things that you really don't need, but will make the camping trip more exciting to do.

Featured Camping Gear: Black Wolf Backpack

Today's featured camping gear is the Black Wolf Backpack. The term "black wolf" is simply a brand name and does not indicate any level of danger pertaining to black wolves in an outdoor campaign setting. That being said, let's look at the features and main highlights of this backpack:

 Sternum Strap

The bag can be carried by the shoulders, then supported by a horizontal fastener that embraces the waistline. This makes it easier for a camper or hiker to carry heavy luggage without hurting himself or herself in the process.

Single Main Compartment

The bag has only one main compartment or division, making it easier on the user to stack all clothing or equipment in one place. More often, backpacks are not able to carry enough equipment because too many compartments eat up a lot of space.

Hydration Packets

The Black Wolf backpack exterior has two hydration packets on the left and right side. This provides a good place to put water bottles or extra hydration beverages for the trip.

Outdoor Wear Reviews: Exofficio Underwear and Icebreaker Shirts

When going on an outdoor camping trip, you have to make sure that you are using the very best camping wear. While there are many types of outdoor wear available in the market today, you should only choose the ones that are well known in the industry for quality.

What I want to review today are two products: The Exofficio camping undies and the Icebreaker Tee shirts.

Exofficio Underwear Options

Exofficio is known worldwide for their extensive line of outdoor clothing, including foot wear, protective wear, and underwear clothing. Having a nice set of Exofficio undies is proven beneficial in outdoor activities because when you are in a camp, you tend to sweat more than you normally do.

The Exofficio underwear clothing line is known for its odor resistance Microbe Shield that prevents foul smell coming from dried sweat. It also prevents the massive buildup of microbes that sometimes lead to skin abnormalities.

Icebreaker T-Shirts

Icebreaker is another brand that is popular in Australia and New Zealand. They have a variety of outdoor wear such as Icebreaker tee shirts, jackets, leggings, vests, coats and many more. What’s amazing about their materials is that they are made from Merino wool, a material known for being able to regulate temperature . This means, if you are in extremely warm surroundings, you’ll feel just a little bit colder. If you are in cold surroundings, you’ll feel a sense of warmth with you. I’ve personally tried Icebreaker Merino clothing and can pretty much attest that it is really very comfortable and snug.

You can try out these amazing outdoor clothing and gear by visiting your local camping store today.

Exofficio Sizing Boxers: Vital Outdoor Camping Wear

Do you love going outdoors for camps and overnight hiking trips? If so, you may have experienced a lot of challenges during camps. Most of the time, insects can really be a nuisance. They bite at night or crawl inside your tent. In a lot of instances, the outside temperature can cause you to perspire more than usual, and when you perspiration dries off, this can cause a lot of skin problems. To prevent these bad things from happening and ruining your trip, make sure you use the right outdoor wear. And the most important piece of outdoor wear is your underwear.

Yes, you may laugh but your underwear is really very important to your protection during outdoor camping trips. Your typical home or office underwear just won’t cut it during camping and mountain climbing trips. I mean, do you honestly think that wearing undies with typical cloth material can really protect you against the elements of nature? The answer is a resounding “of course not”. What you need is specialized outdoor wear that is designed specifically for camping, hiking, climbing, skiing, and other types of activities.

I hate to drop names of brands in my blog posts, but the truth is I have found no other outdoor underwear brand that really does it all and gets the job done for campers. The name of the brand is Exofficio sizing boxer briefs. Ok, this is for men, but Exofficio has an entire line of products and items for both men and women. Of course, for me, I’ve personally found their boxer brief product really comfortable. Each time I wear it in an outdoor exploration trip, I can rest assured that no beetle or ant will crawl inside unwanted areas. Honestly, don't laugh. This is important. Even in humid situations, the Exofficio helps cool you down, resulting in little or no perspiration in the extremities of your body.

So the next time nyou go out on a camping vacation, make sure you add this item to your checklist and you’ll see the difference. For more outdoor camping tips, visit http://www.paddypallin.com.au today.

Outdoor Camping: Protect Yourself From Insects and Bacteria

Whenever you go out on a camping trip, there is always the danger of getting insect bites, especially if you are staying for the night in a wild forest or just about any bushy camp site. Mosquitoes carry the danger of many potential diseases, such as Malaria, Dengue, and other kinds of fevers. For this reason, you must ensure that you and your loved ones are safe from insect bites when camping outdoors. 

Aside from insect bites, another danger present in the Great Outdoors is bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and other microorganisms. These microscopic creatures could be present stagnant water, or in the soil. It is common for campers and outdoor lovers to contract some sort of viral or bacterial infection from various sources while camping outside. You must protect yourself from this as well. 

To ensure that you are protected against insect bites, as well as infections from germs and bacteria, try the following recommended products:

Exofficio Insect Shield – Bugs Away

The Exofficio insect shield “bugs away” comes in the form of pants for men. It provides sun protection, and the cloth is thick enough to prevent insects from biting through the skin. The surface of the cloth contains Permethrin, an odourless substance that repels mosquitoes, ants, ticks, chiggers and other bugs. This is perfect for those who want to ward off outdoor mosquitoes completely. 

Steripen Classic

To protect yourself from bacteria, you can use the Steripenclassic with Prefilter. What this does is sterilize water by use of ultraviolet rays. The Steripen classic acts as a water agitator and looks pretty much like a liquid dropper but it effectively purifies water by means of ultra violet rays. This is ideal to use in camping trips where there are limited water supplies.

Helpful video for all outdoor campers!

Going outdoors for a camping or hiking trip is extremely important. When you go out to the wild, try to do the tips mentioned in this video!

Click here for more outdoor gear and equipment.

Outdoor Camping Tips: How To Ensure The Safety of Your Kids

While camping is generally a fun-filled activity, it also happens to be fraught with many risks and dangers. These dangers are just present beneath the surface, and if you fail to take the necessary precautions, you or your children may be in for a nightmarish experience outdoors.

Here are some tips that should guide you if you are camping outdoors, or doing things such as hiking or living in a tent for a few days:

1. Have your kids vaccinated. It is strongly suggested that your kids undergo the routine vaccinations for kids. Some vaccinations are only required to be done once in a lifetime, while some types of vaccines should be performed several times in a certain span of years. If you and your kids are vaccinated, there is nothing to fear against outdoor related sicknesses like malaria, meningitis or hepatitis A. See your doctor for a complete checklist of required vaccinations for all children.

2. Engage in safe physical activities only. This is important because many people do extremely daring and wild activities when they go outdoors. Instead of letting your children or your teens go rock climbing immediately, why not opt for some safe fun like frisbee throwing, bonfire stories, or some healthy team games.

3. Steer clear of wild, deadly animals. To be able to do this, avoid camping in the wild forest where no human life is near you. Instead, try to camp in places where there can be privacy, but help is available when needed.

4. Use protection against the sun. Try to use hats like the all popular Barmah hats in order to guard yourself against the searing heat of the sun. This will help avoid sun burns and heat strokes.

For more information about outdoor camping, visit http://www.paddypallin.com.au

The Need For Insect Protection During Outdoor Camping

Outdoor camping is an extremely enjoyable activity. Hundreds of people enjoy camping trips with their families, especially at specific times of the year. However, what's not enjoyable is the amount of insect bites that any camper can get when he or she is out there in the field.

Mosquitoes are rampant in warm environments. Other "icky" insects can be present when you sleep outdoors, such as bugs and other crawling creatures. For the sake of protection, is is best to shiled yourself and your loved ones completely by using an insect repellent clothing.

As the name obviously suggests, insect repellent clothing guards you from insect bites, plain and simple. But that's not all. They also provide sun protection as well as protection from abrasion due to hot air. It is highly advisable that you invest in these types of clothing for you and your children if you ever want your camping trips to be safe. Visit your nearest outdoor camping store to ask for the best insect repellent clothing available.

Some of the popular brands that manufacture this type of protective wear are Northface, Icebreaker and Exofficio clothing lines.

The Outdoor Benefits Of Icebreaker Merino Clothing

Icebreaker, a brand of clothing that originated in New Zealand, focuses on providing outdoor wear for people who are fond of camping, hiking, and basically any outdoor activity. Using Icebreaker clothing is important because it helps people in many facets, and that’s what this article will tell you how to do.

First, many campers and hiking enthusiasts are doing themselves a big disservice because they don’t invest in proper gear, equipment and attire for their outdoor activities. The result is that they end up getting damage to their skin and muscles, or they go home with bone injuries or infections. The first major benefit of Icebreaker merino clothing is that it shields the body from dangerous outside factors such as extremely cold weather, or poisonous insect bites.

Secondly, merino is known worldwide as a type of wool that regulates temperature. If the temperature is too hot, merino can help cool down the surface. If the temperature is too cold, it is normal for a merino wearer to feel just a little bit warmer than others who are not wearing this kind of material. Icebreaker clothing is made of 100% merino wool and that is why it is preferred by majority of outdoor enthusiasts, and that includes mountain climbers, hikers, bikers and any other outdoor activity you can think of.

The third biggest benefit of merino wool is that it provides cushion for the surface of the body, therefore lessening the risk of the wearer from ever suffering concussions or bruises when accidentally hit by outside forces. It is a known fact that the great outdoors is a fun place to enjoy and relax and have fun, but it is also home to many perils. Many possible accidents can happen out there in the field, that is why taking all the necessary precautions actually goes a long way in protecting yourself and your fellow enthusiasts.

If you want a reliable outdoor camping store in Australia where you can buy Icebreaker merino clothing at insanely affordable cost, visit Paddy Pallin. In fact, you can order online today. Just visit their website at

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Indispensible Camping Gear: Icebreaker Socks and Footwear

When going out on a camping trip, it is necessary for a camper to leave nothing to chance. The outdoor environment is fraught with many risks, and it is best to go out to camp prepared against the forces of nature. In an outdoor trip, a lot of unexpected things can happen and one of the best ways to protect yourself is by bringing the right gear and equipment with you. The most vital piece of gear that you should have is proper footwear.

Icebreaker is a company which is known in New Zealand and Australia (and worldwide) as a maker of high quality outdoor footwear, such as shoes, boots, and socks. By obtaining high quality footwear, such as the ones created by Icebreaker, you will be able to shield yourself from possible dangers in the outdoor environment.

Importance Of Using Outdoor Socks

Camping socks usually come in the form of “calf socks”, meaning they are able to cover the entire length of the wearer’s calves. And because such outdoor Icebreaker socks usually come in the form of Merino wool, they are able to protect wearers from either extremely hot or cold weather. Merino wool is best known for regulating temperature and relieving the skin surface from outside moisture. Wearing this type of footwear is useful for mountain climbing, hiking, skating on ice, and many other outdoor activities. 

Outdoor socks may vary, depending on the type of outdoor activity you will engage in. If you are setting up camp for the sake of camping, typical outdoor socks with ample to moderate padding would do. However, if you are setting up camp for a mountain climbing or skiing activity, it is better to use to heavily padded socks to protect your skin from abrasion and effects of cold weather.

Where To Get Outdoor Footwear and Other Camping Gear

In many cases, your local department store and specialized camping stores would have sufficient supply of high quality outdoor footwear to choose from. The internet is also a good place to look for leading suppliers of camping equipment. For all types of camping gear, visit http://www.paddypallin.com.au

Perfect Times Of The Year To Buy Camping Gear

A busy schedule is often the greatest hindrance to maximum enjoyment and fun during vacations. The reason for this is that for a memorable and pleasurable vacation to take place, one must take a considerable amount of time preparing for it. Aside from the time needed to prepare for say, a camping trip, one must also spend ample money and resources to make the dream getaway possible.

People often use the excuse “I didn’t have enough time to buy new camping gear before the trip”. The truth is, if your upcoming vacation is truly important to you, you will find time to set aside a particular day to go to the nearest camping store and purchase whatever it is that you need for your upcoming camping or hiking trip. Here are perfect occasions during the year to get your gear on:

1. During a family weekend. Many people think of buying camping gear as a sort of chore that keeps on getting put off for many weeks on end. Avoid that mindset. How about taking the kids on a Saturday morning to watch a football game, and then drop by a local camping equipment store to shop for supplies needed in your next outdoor trip. That would actually be a fun idea.

2. Get your camping gear before the winter comes. Before winter season arrives, make sure you already have your outdoor gear ready because when the weather is already extremely cold, you won’t have a lot of determination to go out and visit the local camping store.

3. Get your equipment at least three weeks before your proposed camping trip. It is always a great idea to prepare early and have everything ready weeks before the camp date. This will give you sufficient time to pay attention to other things, such as food, camp site scouting and analysis, and other things.

Regardless of how you want to spend your outdoor trip, it is a universal truth that your gear and equipment should be bought, not by accident, by intentionally. You’ll find that shopping for outdoor equipment is very enjoyable as well.

For more information on where to get camping gear in your area, visit

http://www.paddypallin.com.au/equipment/camping.html

Camping Store Checklist Before A Major Camp

Ok, so let's say you are scheduled to go an outdoor camping trip which is just weeks or several days away. You are probably very excited. You have all the gear in place, including the cameras, grillers, tents, and many others. The kids can't wait for camp day to take place.

But hold your horses.

Make sure you don't forget anything important. To ensure that everything is A-OK when you actually go camping, use this simple checklist in a camping store to simply go through in the days leading up to your camping trip:

1. Make sure you have the necessary bags to carry your gear. This may sound like it is pretty much basic. It is. But it is also something that you should never forget. Remember this. When you are on your way to a camp, your bags may seem like they are able to hold everything in one place. But when you are about to go home, you'll notice a little bit of bulk on your baggage. I don;t know why this is always the case. Thus, it is better to carry an extra bag or two. Buy these immediately from the store.

2. Purchase appropriate clothing. Depending on what kind of trip you will be going to, make sure you buy the necessary clothing for it. If it's a mountain climbing adventure that requires camping at night, make it a point to buy specialized clothing that can withstand cold and can protect you from insects or frost.

3. Buy flashlights, ample supply of batteries, emergency ropes, and jack knife. There is a reason why boy scouts always go out in the field with flashlights, jack knife, and ropes: these are all important in times of emergency. Flashlights can support you at night when a fire cannot be started. A jack knife can help

4. Make sure you  get rid of bulky stuff that you don't need. Things such as excess music equipment, too many shoe pairs, bulky home pillows, or carrying your entire house with you on a camping trip is not advisable. It's best to bring all the necessary equipment and get rid of the ones that you don't need.

The bottomline of all these is that you should get out of your way just to buy camping gear and clothing. This will ensure that you will maximise your camping trip, and enjoy it to the fullest.

Visit the following website to browse through a 100% online camping store: http://www.paddypallin.com.au

Top Five Camping Gear That You Should Bring Outdoors

Going out for an outdoor camping trip can be very exciting for family, friends or loved ones. However, any camp adventure will not be complete and as exciting if you don’t bring the necessary camping gear. Make sure that you have these pieces of equipment with you to ensure that you will maximise your outdoor experience: 

Tents 

Tents serve as your shelter for several days that you are in camp. For this reason, pay attention to purchasing the best tent available out there. 

Never settle for worn out tents, or those with holders that already have rust on them. 

If possible, buy a brand new tent which can hold enough room for you, a companion and your important belongings. After all, getting snug inside this temporary shelter is pretty cool, especially if you are spending the night with Mother Nature. 

All Purpose Knife 

Remember the axiom of the boy scouts? “Be Prepared”. One of the ways that they show their preparedness is by carrying an emergency all purpose knife at all times. You should have that same level of preparedness with you. When you are in a camping field, there are lots of uses for knives. You can use it to cut loose ends, create emergency cups, kill wild animals (gross), unpack your stuff, etc. 

Flashlight and Ample Battery Supply 

If you are out there in the camping field and can’t see through the night, a flashlight can save the day. And make sure you bring sufficient supply of batteries. We’ve heard of camping trips that went south just because some people forgot the batteries. If you are concerned with compact space on your baggage, try bringing a relatively small flashlight with small batteries as well. Never lose your flashlight in the field. It can save lives. 

Jackets and Other Clothing

In camps that require a lot of physical endurance, your jacket can be a life saver. For example, if you are mountain hiking or climbing, do you expect to survive long enough if you are using cheap leatherware or thin cushioned jackets? Of course not. Don’t forget to buy your branded camping gear (such as Northface). This is a must, except if you are camping in a very hot tropical weather.

Protection Against Insects

Insect bites can be a nightmare in camp. Mosquitoes can bring rashes and other forms of fever such as Dengue and Malaria. To ensure that you are safe from insect bites, make sure that you wear appropriate clothing that protects against insects. For these situations, top brands such as Exofficio insect shield clothing are necessary to make your camping trip worthwhile.