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I’m amazed at all the things this GPS does.  Just to check out my GPS, thought I’d try it close to home so I spent Christamas Eve day in the Sunol Regional Park and it worked great (it even told me when I missed the trail I was supposed to take and got off on another one).  This new gadget is going to be my 11th item in my camping gear for my 10 essentials.  By the way, there’s a great place to get your ten essentials kit all pre-done - go to Tacoma Mountain Rescue and you can order one.  I also went alone on this trip so it’s important to be ever more cautious and overly prepare and be sure to tell folks where you’re going.  For this area, it’s also good to take a hydration pack as there’s not many sources of water.

Well the technological nerd in me finally hit and I got a GPS for my birthday.  At the same time I received this great guide to survival in the wilderness and it reminded me to always know the basics and have the good ol’ compass around as part of your camping gear.  Along with that, don’t forget your orienteering skills.  Technology is great but don’t forget the basics.

Well I finally did it.  I had been wanting to change the look of our Camping Gear web site for a better shopping experience and it now has a new look and feel.  We will soon be adding a new line of canoe and kayak trailers plus other exciting products.  The holidays have been busy with everyone getting prepared for the next camping season.  Also, don’t forget to get some camping supplies for your disaster preparedness needs - you can use it for camping and to be prepared for the Big One.  Happy Holidays.

I never believed the part about loosing body heat through the top of your head until I went snow camping.  I woke up in the middle of the night shivering.  I relented and put on the fleece hat and what a difference, now a part of my camping gear.  A sleeping pad with a few blankets underneath also made all the difference.  Snow camping can be a great  twist on traditional camping but don’t forget the hat!

My kids are always acusing me of being Mr. Safety but if you’re miles from the trailhead, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.  There a great addition to your camping gear that can also be part of your emergeny supplies - the “forever” or “wind up” technology of flashlights and emergency radios.  These can be invaluable out on the trail especially if your stranded for a period of time and can also double as emergency gear at home.  It also doesn’t hurt to go a little “green” with these.

Who said you can’t take it with you? I love to canoe but the thought of lugging the old canoe up on top of the truck causes me to keep it stored more often than I would like. Yes, a canoe is part of my favorite camping gear so I bought a sports trailer to haul it along. We can also mix and match these trailers so add on a few bicycles and kayaks and everyone can bring their toys.

Some of it tastes like cardboard or a preservative casserole but it doesn’t have to !!!  I like to eat well out on the trail but some of what most people think of backpacking food is that it’s just fair.  You like to have good camping gear so why not get good backpacking food?  There’s a secret source known as Cache Lake Camping Foods and the tastes are incredible - especially their specialty, fry bread.  Yes, this is a blatant commercial for the stuff, but it’s great.

Just when you think camping season is over, don’t forget a pair of snowshoes for your camping gear.  While you may not want to go to the extreme of snow camping (try it it’s fun), it is always a great hike in the woods with a pair of snowshoes for a good workout.  Yosemite can be a great place to try out the backcountry.

I was in my local camping store looking for camping tents and wanted to see if it was a good price.  Armed with my phone, I found I could check out camping gear via my phones internet browser on a mobile camping web site.  It was good to see the item in person, but my phone quickly told me there was a better deal on line complete with pictures and specs.

It’s often hard to choose what kind of backpacking stove is right for you. First of all, a stove should have a minimum of 10,000 BTU’s output. Liquid fuel stoves are a little harder to get going but burn hotter than other types of fuels. If you’re considering backpacking abroad, you should consider a multi-fuel stove. For the long trekker, check out one of the simple alcohol fuel stoves as part of your camping gear. Try out the stove on a practice run at such places shown at Two-Heel Drive.