In this issue, we discuss how one would benefit from a little planning before a weekend trip as well as the proper selection of Sleeping bags, Backpacks and Binoculars available at Weekender Gear

Planning

What things may a person need for the day to be safe and fun during an outdoor adventure? That actually depends on a few conditions as to how, where and when you are going to be enjoying Mother Nature. For example, if you were going to climb in the Rocky Mountains in the month of January on a seven-day expedition, you will need a bigger list of things to aid in your survival, Whereas if you were taking a day hike with your child in his/her day camp in the month of July, the list of necessities shrink.
Now suppose you were planning on going on a camping trip that may last a few days for the first time and you are not quite sure as to what you’ll need. We suggest that before your trip, you acquire some basic information will definitely come in handy in deciding on what things you should be putting into your pack.
What will the relative temperature be on the day (or days) of the adventure?
How many hours (or days) will the experience last?
How many miles will be covered while hiking with your gear?
Are there some established usable facilities?
Some things that you may want to have on your wish list may include:
____A comfortable hiking pack for your gear
____A comfortable pair of boots
____First aid kit
____Compass (Magnetic compasses are recommended.)
____Food (nutritious meals and snacks provide the needed energy)
____Map of the area
____Drinking water
____Pocket knife
____Toilet paper
____Insect Repellent

If the trip is going to last more than one day, you might want to take along
____Sleeping bag (have one that is appropriate to your relative night temperature) ____Tarp
____Camp stove (With extra fuel)
____Trash bags
____Comb or Hairbrush
____Deodorant
____Complete change of clothes for each day of the hike
____Two pairs of comfortable, clean socks for each day of the hike
____Extra food and water
____Gloves
____Camera (Plus batteries and rolls of film)
____A Global positioning system (GPS)
____A cellular phone (Check with your service provider to ensure the hiking area is within their coverage range)

Sleeping Bag

This is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is know the relative temperature of your surroundings in which you plan to sleep, then shop for a bag accordingly. The materials that the higher end sleeping bags use is called “Down” and is generally rated by fill power. The higher the fill power, the longer the bag insulation will last. The breakdown is as follows

Fill power is the measurement of space of one ounce of down occupying in each cubic inch.Weekender Gear carries mummy-sleeping bags that offer high fill power that usually display a rating of 700-750-fill power. Premium goose down and High fill power goose down material that is composed of natural fiber. While highly variable in nature, it does provide more warmth per ounce than anything else around. The Down fill's unique structure is responsible for it's tremendous ability to trap warm air. Its filaments are divided and sub-divided to reach out into its surroundings to create dead air space that slows the movement of warm air. Because of this, sleeping bags made with down material are about 35% lighter than synthetic bags. It is also much more compressible than synthetic insulation, therefore allowing it to provide the most warmth with the least bulk. Although down may be a little more expensive, it is definitely worth it in the long run to the seasoned sleeping bag enthusiasts.

Backpacks

Have you thought about how you are going to handle the weight of your gear, both on and off the trail? When you have all the things that you need for any overnighter (And a few things that are just fun to bring along), Your pack is going to have some weight to it. Naturally, you are going to need a pack that is capable of efficient weight management. Depending on the amount of items you are taking with you (sleeping bags, tarps, portable stoves, clothes, Etc.) will determine what kind of hiking bag you want to pack all of your equipment into.
When considering purchasing a backpack, ask yourself

What type of pack do I need?

How big should it be?

How big

There are three different styles of backpacks to choose from, depending on your scenario

The Day Pack-This is used for light loads that are usually carried on short distances such as day hikes and rock climbing. Some of the more technical packs feature a waist belt designed to transfer the load of the gear to the waist. These bags even can be used as ordinary school bags due to their appearance as well as their capacity, which range from 500 to 2500 cubic inches.

The External Frame-These packs are similar to the Daypack except they have a metal frame and harness attached to the exterior of the pack for added stability. They are easy to pack and are relatively inexpensive. These packs are most effective when used on open, man made trails. They are not however, suited for skiing, off trail hiking, and climbing. These packs can range from 2500 cubic inches to 7000 cubic inches and feature an abundance of room on the outside of the pack to strap sleeping bags, Ground pads, small lanterns, tents, or other miscellaneous gear. However, these packs have a tendency to be less comfortable on longer hikes than their counterpart, The Internal Frame

The Internal Frame- This bag has the frame built inside the pack. The frame is usually made from, fiberglass, aluminum stays, carbon fibers, or a combination. Any of these materials can be formed to fit your body via the natural curvature of the back, offering only the most comfortable fit. It works by transferring the load of the pack to the harness system, thus placing the weight onto the waist. This pack was designed with the veteran hiker in mind and is an excellent choice for all extreme skiers, alpine climbers, and the off trail hikers. However, they have recently become very popular for every kind of use. The capacity of internal packs generally run about 2500 to 7000 cubic inches. The Internal frame packs carries the sleeping bag on the inside of the pack, while the external frame pack can carry a greater load than the same capacity internal frame pack due to the higher Cubic inch volume.

There are secondary straps on both the External and the Internal Frame backpacks. In the industry, these are generally called compression straps, which pull the pack and load closer to your body. What most hikers and campers find is that the onboard compression straps give the pack greater load adjustments, which alter the way the pack is carried. Most internal frame packs generally have more adjustments available and in turn are usually more comfortable. But notice that does not imply that external frame packs are uncomfortable, because they specialize in effectively distributing the load to the hips. Internal frame packs just give better contact with the back. Some backpacks are customizable to fit certain torso sizes. To find out your torso size, simply take a flexible tape measure and wrap it around your midsection, then read the dimensions in inches. Congratulations!! You now know your torso size.

Binoculars

If you notice that the selection of binoculars that are offered at Weekender Gear have numbers in front of their descriptions. You may be asking yourself what these numbers mean. To illustrate this, we will use this example: Trooper Zoom 7-15x35

The first series of numbers represent the magnification power of the device. This example shows the numbers 7 – 15, telling us that this device has an adjustable magnification capability, allowing the user to see the target 7 – 15 times closer than when using the naked eye alone (the user, of course can adjust the device until it is comfortable.)

The second number indicates the diameter (in millimeters) of the objective lens - in this case, 35mm. The objective lens is the lens closest to the object you're looking at (not the lens that's closest to your eye). This is always a good indicator of the binoculars' total light-gathering power, which will affect the view of your target.

Well we hope this gives you a good idea as to what kind questions to ask yourself while you are selecting your Weekender Gear. As a thank you for reading, we would like to give you chance to save 10 percent off your entire purchase. Enter promo code 7742 at the checkout and have a Great Weekend!

Written By Edward Hunt

Edward has written various newsletters for newspaper articles offline, raging in many topics ranging from outdoor advice to dealing with divorce.