1/2 Length Believer

I've recently switched from a full length air bed to a half length. Here's how the two mattresses look side by side:

The old one used to get the job done, but for all that bulk it provided very little comfort. Probably because I've had it since back in my Brownie days. It is one of the very early models of self-inflating sleep pads.

Then Mountain Man, wonderful guy that he is, got me the new Thermarest for Christmas. It's tiny, it's light, and it's actually more comfortable than the old one!

The key to this item being so minuscule is that it's a torso length pad instead of a full length. I was weary at first worrying that I'd get cold feet and lower legs, but this hasn't been an issue whatsoever.

Of course this summer Mountain Man decided to show me up and when he downsized to this little guy:

Has anyone else jumped on the torso length bandwagon? If you're looking for a new sleeping pad and you value a compact and light product I highly recommend you check it out.

Welcome Outdoor Vancouver Readers

Huge thanks to Karl over at Outdoor Vancouver for his shout out.

Welcome to anyone who may have wandered on over. My blog is small and completely recreational (very similar to my outdoor adventures in that way) but I hope you'll find it useful. When I started writing a few months ago I realized I was most interested in putting out "how-to" type articles, since that's what I most enjoy reading from other bloggers. Meanwhile, I'm not nearly a veteran outdoors person (please don't expect an expert post about how to ice climb Shannon Falls or anything equally insane...umm, I mean...exhilarating...) just an avid recreationalist who's eager to learn more.

So with that understood, I figured I'd share a few favorite posts with you:

• This one takes on a topic that was once very foreign and scary for me: How to Poop in the Woods


• This one gives a solid intro to leave no trace cooking: Backcountry Cooking Tips


• And this isn't really even a post, but it's sure good for a laugh: Bears. Eat. Bells.

Because we all like pictures here's on taken in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. Have you been there? You MUST go there. It's amazing how different wild spaces can be only a few (ok, a few by plane) hours away.

And if there's something else you're interested in I encourage you to explore the "Categories" menu to the right. And I'd be more than thrilled if you drop me a comment on something that interests you or just to say hi.

Welcome!

Travel Footprint Calculator

Beautiful summer bike rides into work have gotten me thinking a lot about my commuting footprint.

My local transit authority has put a pretty rad calculator online to help you see your current travel carbon footprint based on the length of your commute and the number of days per week you drive/carpool/walk or bike/take transit/telecommute. It's pretty thorough and in my opinion, extremely well done.

Currently my commuting pattern creates a carbon footprint of 0.26 tons of emissions per year. I think that's fairly good. I moved about a year and a half ago so that I'd be really close to work which not only decreased the mileage that I drive but also increased my opportunities for biking to the office. (Side note: I think that living close to your office is a good yet often over looked eco strategy.)

The really cool thing about this little application is that it allows you to make a plan for the future and see how many tonnes of emissions you'll save by following your plan.

Check it out!

Gearing up on the Cheap

These days, thrifty is trendy. And what thriftier way to vacation is there than camping? The nightly accommodation costs little to nothing and gallivanting around during the day is free. Right?

Not so fast. Camping is a cost effective vacation option IF you have all the gear. Once you get past that initial investment it’s smooth sailing.

So you’ve decided that camping is the way for you but you need to add a few pieces to your arsenal in order to make it happen. Here are some cost effective ways to get suited up.

Rent

Not sure if camping is for you? Just trying to get a little extra gear for a friend who’s joining the trip? Renting is a great option. Both MEC (in Canada) and REI (in the USA) have great rental programs and I’ll bet that many of your other local outdoors shops do too. And I can’t speak for your local store, but the MEC and REI rental rates are awesome. Think of this when you are trying to get your hands on gear that you want to test out like tents, avalanche equipment, kayaks, and more.

Borrow

Cheaper than renting with all the same benefits. Tons of people have outdoor gear that spends most weekends just sitting in the closet. See if you can borrow from a friend and make sure to bring their gear back clean. And maybe with some homemade cookies. Or a case of beer.

Buy Used

Buying used is a new thing for me, but I’m kind of getting into it. Not only is it super cheap, but it’s very eco friendly. Craigslist and EBay are great standby’s, but some outdoor shops even have annual used gear sales or free online sales forums.

Do Without

I’m not going to bad mouth any particular store here, but the outdoor shops that make my not-so-favorite list are the ones that carry every piece of crap in the world. Regardless of quality and regardless of if it’s something you actually NEED.

Don’t let the flashy gizmos distract you. When you go camping you don’t actually need much.

Yes, I like fresh margaritas too. No you do not need this when you are camping.

Is everyone ready to camp this summer? Anyone looking to add a particular piece of equipment to the stash?