Camping Gear & Outdoor Equipment

Well, i have to say that this is probably one of those things that everyone wishes they had thought of. Similar to the simplicity of the twist-tie or ironing board, the Stickpic camera holder is a staple for the hiker or mountaineer. What good is climbing unimaginable heights and enduring blistering weather conditions if nobody believes you? With the help of Stickpic you can capture your greatest achievements on film and at an angle that people will know wasn’t photo shopped.

There has been many scenarios in the past that required this unique little device and for those who couldn’t convince their friends to join them on their journey to the peak, you can now make them feel void and empty inside as you whip out your memory stick full of vivid photos. The Stickpic can be suited to almost any trekking stick you could imagine and slides on with ease. Just screw your camera onto the tripod socket and start taking stunning and stable self portraits. Most newer cameras have self timers that can be set to your desired interval which makes the Stickpic a success.

At first glance the Atlas Elektra 10 snowshoes look like some kind of futuristic bear traps. I guess snow shoes have come a long way since the old tennis racket waffle style the pioneers used to use. Apparently these ones are for the ladies as they are much lighter and short which is perfect for a women’s stride. These snowshoes provide the perfect amount of traction and will not exhaust you on long treks. Honestly I feel sorry for those poor Eskimos in the Arctic. This is only a guess but I’m betting they don’t have any outdoor and camping gear stores out there and even if they did it probably would not stock these revolutionary snowshoes. Supposedly Atlas creates snowshoes with comfort, durability and natural articulation of the foot in mind. The Elektra series provide padded insulation for your feel so you don’t end up losing circulation and having your toes turn black. It just looks bad when you go to the beach with your friends and the majority of your toes are missing.

I used to live in the Yukon in a small town called whitehorse and I can recall many times needing a pair of these. The winter months last around 9 months out of the year and the temperatures are often 30 below. One year our Ford F-150 ended up with a frozen fuel line and so if we were to get anywhere it was going to be by foot. Now i was just a young strapping lad who had just received my first big paycheck from McDicks and i was eager to pick up the Sony stereo i had on layaway. Needless to say I walked 2 miles in deep snow and below freezing conditions and carried the thing back home. When my mother saw me my nose was pure white from frostbite and the same with my feet. Anyway, i could have used the Elektra 10 snowshoes and probably some common sense. When your only 14 years old you just don’t care and honestly I could barely feel any pain and not just because I was frozen numb.

Having the proper camping equipment is essential going out on long trips. With the GSI camping cooking system you will feel like you havn’t left the comforts of your home kitchen. I remember back in the day when i would go hunt moose with my father we never had camping dishes as nice as these. Come to think of it i don’t think we had much besides a thermos cup and some grocery bags full of dry food. Yup, we really knew how t rough it and i’m kind of disappointed that the newer generation of kids won’t be able to know what it feels like to sleep in a tent in 40 below weather with nothing but a thin blanket to keep you snug. Back to the GSI cookware, aren’t they gorgeous?  The pots and pans of course are made from aluminum and on many occasions i have left a pot like these in a fire pit for far to long and burnt a hole clean through.

Aluminum pots i guess are not meant to withstand extreme heat but the upside is they weigh next to nothing and when hiking this is important. The way this cook set is designed allows for easy stacking and packing. The bowls, plates and cups are all made from biodegradable material. Don’t worry it takes years to disintegrate. Now if you are like me and only think you know how to cook GSI has made the bottoms of the pans non-stick for those of us who burn most everything. When your out in the bush drinking wobbly pops these things can happen. Either way GSI makes an excellent set of outdoor cookware that will stand up to the heat on your next camping expedition.

If you enjoy camping and love to cook than why not take a long the GSI Kitchen Camping Utensils. This cute little set is perfect for those hungry woodsmen that fancy themselves as highly skilled outdoor chefs who can create gourmet meals from small animals and questionable forest vegetables they find while hiking. If you are one of the top food contest winners who is tired of looking like a filthy pig with pumpkin pie filling all over your face than don’t forget to bring the ultimate tool set to the table which has a vast array of helpful camping utensils. The set includes a whisk for making brilliant omelets on romantic camping trips with your spouse, a grater (again omelet), salt and pepper shakers (same).

I’m sure you can think of other things to cook especially since the GSI Kitchen set is eqipped with telescoping spatulas and spoons, a cutting board for dicing up poison berries, a scrubby and a couple of towels. Of course the set also has all the other little odds and ends you would find in a kitchen drawer. All this is contained in a tight little carrying case which of course you may get mildly irrated fitting all of this back in. Especially if you wake up at the camp site hung over like i normally am. But  needless to say it is pretty cool and handy and that is why it made it to APEQS.

And here it is the Buck Camp Axe in all it’s glory. Do not go camping without one. It’s yellow in color, not because it is appealing to the eyes but so you don’t roll over onto it in the the cramped tent at 2am after you got sloshed with your buddies. The Buck camping axe is made small and compact and is made for a wide array of uses. The back of the axe can be used to drive in tent stakes or just open up a can of beans by the fire. It comes with a sheath that conveniently keeps the sharp blade protected and secure.

Last year i bought one of these and found the rubber grip to be very helpful when swinging the axe as it dampens the vibrations that are felt from the typical wooden hatchets on the market. I also like the fact that it was under 50 bucks and was a highly durable and skillfully designed camping tool. I ended up dropping mine in a deep crevice in the back of my closet and i’m just way to lazy to dig it out. I think it’s about time for a new camping axe, one that won’t run away on me.

Light your way through the forest with the Egear 12 led lantern. This lantern has 12 super bright LED lights that can last on high power for up to 40 hours and ten days on the lowest setting. Egear makes camping equipment that can take abuse and offer extreme durability and performance. Great for your emergency preparedness kit or replacement flashlight. The led lantern requires 4 1.5 volt batteries which are not include. Not that they ever are.

Obviously carrying rechargeable would make good sense although the power consumption on these units is ultra low. The adjustable lighting dimmer switch allows for precision tuning so that you can create the perfect ambiance. No fear of dropping this one in a puddle as it it water resistant and  has a strong carrying handle made for those instances when your being chased by an unforgiving grizzly. The beauty of LED lanterns is that it is safe to use in or out of the house and remains always at a cool temp. Don’t be caught without out property lighting on your next outdoor camping adventure.

This is a tiny pump that can fit practically anywhere. Stick it in a shirt pocket or a camping bag and pull it out in emergency’s. The Topeak Pocket Shock Pump can inflate up to 300psi and has an analogue gauge for checking your tire pressure so that you get it just the way you like it.

It’s rotating hose makes for easy maneuverability and has an air tight valve so you don’t lose any pressure while pumping. This pump is not meant for bicycle tires it is only for inflating inflatable devices such as tents and air mattresses. The full featured gauge on the pump can measure millibars and pounds per square inch. There are a lot of quality pumps on the market but nothing matches the mobility and compact use of the Topeak Pock Shock Pump.

Wind, rain or snow you will always have a warm and dry place to sleep when out camping with your partner. The Nemo Morpho AR is a bright and spacious 2 person tent that is light and roomy. The air filled poles will stand up to strong winds and water beads off the Nemo Osmo™ fabric. The tent comes with a fairly large front door so you won’t have difficulty bringing in your sleeping bags.

The mesh removable cover makes for romatic nights staring at the stars and breathing in that fresh outdoor scent. The Morpho comes with a foot pump to fill up the air beams which makes for ultra easy setup and disassembly. This tent may not look like much at first glance but after using it you we’ll find it is very practical and worthy of a post on this blog.