Cooper State Park

People in the Northeast Texas area have a lot of great state parks and lakes to check out and experience, but one of the best is right down the road from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Cooper Lake State Park is located around Cooper Lake on both the Cooper side, and the Sulphur Springs's side. There are great outdoor opportunities throughout the park. If you are looking to get outside, but don't want to travel to far, you should definitely check it out.

Here's a video shot at Cooper State park from the Outdoor Adventure crew here at Texas A&M Commerce -

ESEE Knives

Whether you are camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, or just meandering outside, it is always a good idea to have a knife on you. It is even better to have a sharp pocket knife and a fixed blade knife.

A pocket knife can be used to do a lot of the smaller more intricate cutting tasks that might be required and is small enough that it won't get in its own way when doing so.

ESEE makes knives in several sizes and configurations.

I believe in carrying a fixed blade knife on or in my pack most of the time when doing something outside because a fixed blade knife is going to be a lot stronger and more durable that its little brother, the pocket knife. With a fixed blade knife, you cut wood, start a fire (if you have a fire starting rod or flint), and even defend yourself. In my humble opinion, one of the best fixed blade knife brands on the market is ESEE.

ESEE specializes in fixed blade knives that are tough enough for any task you throw at them. I own an ESEE 4 knife that I have put through hell in the time I have owned it and because of the quality that it was made with, you can hardly tell.

When you buy an ESEE knife, you are getting more that a hunk of sharp metal. You are getting a finely designed and roughly tested knife that will handle anything that you can.

Most ESEE knives come with a kydex plastic sheath that has adjustable retention screws in order to hold the knife with just the right amount of force that you need. You can also attach the sheath to nearly anything by using molle-loks, tek-loks or any number of accessories

ESEE knives receiving their patented powder coat finish.

Made out of 1095 carbon steel that is easy to sharpen and hold an edge for a long time, ESEE definitely knew what they were doing when they designed these knives. They are also covered in a tough, bed-liner like powder coating that helps protect from rust and scratches. The knives themselves come razor sharp out of the box.

But by far, my favorite thing about ESEE knives is the warranty. These guys really stand behind their product and aren't afraid to back up their talk of making some of the toughest knives around. ESEE's warranty is a no questions asked replacement guarantee. I have heard several stories of people abusing their knives just for the sake of it, and after they were damaged or broke, ESEE replacing them for free. While I don't condone damaging your knife on purpose, it is good to know if something happens to it, the company that made it has your back. In fact, I have heard from 2 or 3 people a story of someone accidentally (or on purpose) cutting their ESEE knife in half with a blow torch and ESSEE replacing it within a few days.

ESEE knives are available in several different lengths, colors, and blade options so if you are looking for a new fixed blade knife, don't hesitate to pick up an ESEE.

ESEE Knives

Storing and Transporting Water

So now that you've got some ideas of how to get clean, safe to drink water, how are you going to carry that with you? There are several options available, ranging in costs from free to quite expensive. Here are a couple of options:

1. The common, everyday disposable plastic water bottle. These are available everywhere, are cheap, lightweight, and can be disposed of to get rid of weight.

2. A hydration pack. These are flexible, compact, tough water bladders that hold large quantities of water that you can carry on your back. These are great for when you don't or can't use both hands opening and closing a water bottle. Most of these have tubes that can attach/detach from the bladder and allow you to drink straight from the bladder via the tube. The only downsides to these that I have found are that they can be pretty expensive (although you can find cheap versions too), and don't let you easily pass the water around to others.

3. Metal or plastic water bottle. These are tough, yet still lightweight and can be reused indefinitely. They also allow you to pass around the water source to others. Some of the designs, like the Naglene bottles have several available attachments that will allow you to do everything from filter water, to self-sealing spouts for drinking. The downside to these bottles are they can be bulky, and cumbersome to open for drinking.

Staying Hydrated
Hydration Pack Choices
Water Bottle Choices

Coleman 8 Person Tent

I posted earlier this week about the Coleman Instant Tent lineup and how I thought the 8 person model was an ideal tent for camping if you aren't going to be going to far from your car or truck to set it up. I decided to make a video showing how easy it is to set this tent up. My video only included me for setup, yet I still managed to completely set it up in less than 5 minutes.

There are several websites and reviews out there that claim the tent can be setup in under 60 seconds if a couple people are involved, and I would have to agree with those claims.
These tents are so quick and easy to setup, allowing you to spend more time having fun instead of trying fight with the tent poles, flaps, ropes and stakes of other tents.

Check this video out and let me know what kind of tent do you use when size or weight doesn't matter, but comfort and ease of use do.

A Tent for the Whole Family

If you aren't worried about carrying a tent 3 or 4 miles off the beaten path, you should look into a big tent. This gives you a lot of room to set up various stuff, and more people can sleep in the tent compared to backpack tents, which barely allow room for one person.

One of the best tents in this category is the Coleman series of instant tents. These tents have the poles built into the tent so there is no fumbling around with inserting poles, trying to make sure they don't come apart, and accidentally snapping.

I have used the Coleman Instant 8 Person Tent on several occasions, and have never had a problem, I can set it up by myself in less than 5 minutes, and take it down by myself too. The tent is very spacious, even with 4 or 5 people in it. You probably wouldn't want to put 8 people in it unless you don't mind being a little cramped. There is also a divider that divides the tent into 2 rooms. The windows are large and can be unzipped to allow air to circulate in hotter months. All in all, if you are looking for a bigger tent, don't care about weight, and want easy set up and take down, look at the Coleman Instant Series of tents.

This is what Coleman says about the tent -

Coleman Instant 8- Person Two Room Tent

The Coleman Instant 8 person 14- by 10- Foot tent is perfect for the family that is looking to get their campsite set up quickly to start enjoying the outdoors. This is an 8 person, two room tent that has straight walls that make standing up in this tent easy with plenty of head room at 6'5" center height. Fully taped seems with 150D fabric allows Coleman to provide the keeps you dry guaranteed without the need to install a rain fly.

Features
• Spacious 8-person, 2-room tent designed for quick assembly
• Poles come pre-attached to tent, ensuring setup in 1 minute or less
• Exclusive WeatherTec system with thick waterproof walls and welded floor
• 2 doors and 7 windows for full ventilation; removable divider between rooms
• Base measures 14 by 10 feet; center height of 6 feet 5 inches; 1-year warranty

Link - 

Coleman Instant Tents

Staying Hydrated

Staying hydrated is essential just sitting at home on the couch, but that need is magnified when you are outside doing something physically taxing or rigorous. There are several ways to purify, store, and consume water when outside.

As far as purification of water goes, there are three basic methods that I am willing to use in the outdoors. The first is the most reliable, and least complicated at least the way I see it, is boiling water to get rid of unwanted bacteria and other pathogens. Most sources recommend boiling water for at least 1 minute to sterilize it. But remember, any time heated or boiling is better than nothing as far as getting rid of bacteria and other nasty stuff is concerned. I have used my Jetboil Zip to boil water on hiking and camping trips in the past.

Another method of purifying water so that is safe to drink is by using chemicals. Usually the recommended chemicals are iodine or chlorine. Iodine tablets are available for purification purposes at most outdoor retailers. As far as chlorine goes, simple household bleach can be used. Simply mix 1/4 teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water, and let it sit for 60 minutes before drinking. 

The last, and quickest way to make water safe for drinking is by using a handmade, or store-bought filter. There are several filters available for sale at most outdoor retailers like Academy, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Gander Mountain, and even most Walmart stores. I have a simple Lifestraw Personal Water Filter that I keep in my bag for this specific purpose. I can fill up a water bottle, and drink through the Lifestraw to get clean safe water.

 If you find yourself in an emergency where none of these options are available, you can always crush some charcoal from your fire, put it inside a t-shirt, bandana, or any other type of cloth, and filter water through that. The charcoal will filter out most of the impurities and bacteria.

Link - 

Purifying Water

Camelbak M.U.L.E Review

Before going on a ski trip right after Christmas, I was looking for a pack or a bag that would let me carry an extra set of gloves, sunglasses, water, snacks and my GPS unit. I looked at a lot of packs at Cabela's, Gander Mountain, REI, and other places but most of the packs were either too big, too small, or too expensive.

Eventually I stumbled across the Camelbak M.U.L.E series of packs. These seemed to be just the right size, could carry the included 3 liter water bladder and a few miscellaneous items, along with the price being in my budget. After further research I learned that Camelbak made a regular version and a Military/Tactical version. The only differences are the colors and materials used in construction of the packs and the fact that the Military/Tactical version came with the mil-spec water bladder, which is made of tougher, durable material, and it had an insulated tube. While I certainly wasn't going to be going into any combat zones or police raids with the pack, the added durability sold me on the Military/Tactical version. It was also only about $10 dollars more than the regular version when I purchased it on Amazon right before Christmas.

I took this pack on the ski trip and was very happy with the way it performed. The straps kept it firmly secured to my back, it wasn't too big and bulky when riding the lifts although it held everything I needed it to. The insulated drinking tube also kept it from freezing even though it was below 10 degrees on a couple of the days. I was able to carry snacks, and even a sandwich in one of the top pockets, along with my sunglasses, extra gloves, a GPS unit, and some extra hand warmers. 

After using it for 6 days skiing, I can honestly say that there is not one thing that I could improve about it. I have since used it when going on fishing trips, camping, and even playing paintball. The materials used are very tough and durable, and the black color doesn't stand out like some of the colors of the regular version.

Here is a quick slideshow that shows the ins and outs of the pack - 

If you are looking for a new, lightweight pack don't hesitate to check out the Camelbak M.U.L.E series, both the regular versions and the Mil/Tac versions.

Knife Sharpening

I already posted the reasons you should have a sharp knife, and a couple different methods to get your knife sharp, but here is a video of how I sharpen MY knives. I know there are better methods, and I know I don't have completely perfect technique, but so far, this method has worked good enough for me. I use a Smith's 3-in-1 Sharpener, with ceramic rods to get the knife pretty sharp, then I finish it off with 10-12 passes on my homemade leather strop that I made from a fence picket and an old belt rubbed with some car polishing compound. Check the video out, and let me know what you use to keep you knives sharp.

Sharpening Knives

If you are going to be doing anything outside, where you think you may need your knife, you owe it to yourself to have a sharp knife.

Having a sharp knife is actually safer than having a dull knife. It takes a lot less force to cut something with a sharp knife so you are less likely to put too much pressure on that rope, fabric or piece of wood and force the knife all the way through what you are trying to cut and into you or something you didn't want to cut.


If your knife is sharp, you can also get more done, quicker. It doesn't take as much force so you can do more. One of the biggest reasons most people don't have sharp knives is because they don't know how to sharpen their knives. Today, with the multitude of electric sharpeners and guided sharpeners, there's no reason not to have all of your knives razor sharp.

Electric Sharpeners-
Work Sharp Sharpener
Chef's Choice Sharpener
Guided Sharpeners-
Gatco Sharpener
Manual Sharpening Systems-
Spyderco Sharpmaker
Smith's Bench Stone

I personally have developed a pretty cheap, but quite effective system for sharpening my knives. I first use a $19.99 Smith's 3-in-1 sharpener to get the knife pretty sharp, then I use my homemade leather strop* to finish the edge off, ending up with a knife that is sharp enough to shave with.

My homemade leather strop is simply portion of an old, wide leather belt rubbed with car polishing compound and secured to a small section of wood. It may be a bootleg version of a real strop, but it works and it was cheap.

First Aid Kit

It's always a good idea to carry a first aid kit with you when you are outdoors. They can be useful and be used to help treat anything from a twisted ankle, scrape, cut, or even bug bites and stings. You can find several capable first aid kits everywhere from Walmart to Cabela's but you should always go through the kit and add or subtract things that you think you might need for your particular situation.

This is my First Aid Kit that I keep in my camping/outdoors bag. It started out as an Adventure Medical Kits - Steelhead model, but I have added a few things that I thought might be useful. These include Benadryl, Chapstick, an emergency blanket, a water filter, water sanitation tablets, a lighter and several other small items.

If you start out with a commercial kit, and then customize it to suit your needs, you should be ready for nearly anything you might encounter.

Stay safe.

Hammocks Pros and Cons

After my last post on hammock camping, I decided to do another post highlighting some of the positives and negatives associated with hammock camping.

Pros:
Cheaper than a tent
Lightweight
Easy to carry
Quick to set up
Easier to stay cool
More versatile (don't have to have flat ground to set it up)
Out in the open, so you can see the stars and wildlife
Doesn't take up a lot of space, either packed up or in use
Comfortable

Cons:
Can be expensive if you buy many accessories
You have to have two trees or vertical objects close enough together
You can damage the trees if you aren't careful
It is harder to stay warm in cooler weather
Can be a strange experience the first time
Exposed to the elements and wildlife (tarps can remedy this)

Check out this video for great info regarding hammocks.

I'm sure there are more pros and cons to the hammock game, but that all I can come up with right now. Have fun and be safe.

Hammocks

I'm going to start off by saying I am by no means an expert at anything, just a regular everyday guy trying to help people out with ideas and choices about exploring the outdoors. With that said, when I first read about people camping in hammocks, I thought there was no way it would be for me, but after a little research and catching a hammock at a great price, I decided to explore the world of hammocks a little bit. Most people probably think of hammocks as those woven machines of death found on beaches and by the pools, where you spend more time trying to not be thrown off than relaxing. A hammock without wooden spreader bars is much more stable, compact, and comfortable.

What I found was that sleeping in a hammock when outside, whether it is a hunting, fishing, camping trip, or just a house that is too crowded during the holidays, makes perfect sense for me and my environment.

These are the hammocks most people think of, but hammocks
without spreader bars are way more comfortable, stable and compact.

As you might know, it gets pretty hot here in the South, and in particular Texas. I used to dread trying to fall asleep when camping in the summer because it would be so hot that you could barely breath. But after trying out a hammock, I've ditched the tent and sleeping bag for a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter Pro Hammock.

When sleeping in a hammock, you are more open to the wind, which can help cool you off. Combine this with the fact that you are laying above the ground, and the wind can blow over AND under you, and you have a setup that can be up to 20-25 degrees cooler than sleeping in a tent. I have tried sleeping in my hammock in the Spring, Summer, and Fall, which can all have temperatures north of 80 degrees. I haven't tried it out in the winter yet because I feel like it would be too hard to stay warm with the equipment I have.

This is the kind you actually want to use for sleeping in.

Using a hammock is quite simple, and a lot easier to carry around and set up that a tent. As long as you have 2 trees close enough to each other, you are in business. Most modern hammocks pack up into bags the smaller than a football. My hammock has a built in mosquito net that comes in pretty handy on muggy days when bugs are out in full force.

It takes less than 5 minutes to set up a hammock and by setting it up so that it sags instead of being tight, you can lay diagonally in the hammock and it will stretch out completely flat. This is by far the most comfortable way to sleep in a hammock and often puts me to sleep within minutes.

If you want to try your hand at sleeping in a hammock, they can be found at most major outdoor retailers for as cheap as $20 and as expensive as $200. It all depends on what features you are looking for. If you are interested, check out Grand Trunk or ENO hammocks as they can be had for reasonable prices and most models are made out of comfortable and durable parachute fabric.

So let me know, have you ever slept in a hammock? What about sleeping in a hammock appeals to you? Leave a comment below.

Links

Combined with a tarp and the right gear, you can sleep in a
hammock anywhere, anytime of the year.

Cabela's - Hammocks
Gander Mountain - Hammocks
Grand Trunk Hammocks
ENO Hammocks
Hammock Tips and Tricks

Camping in Style: RVs

For most of us, camping means a tent, sleeping bag, and maybe a cot or air mattress. For a select few however,  it means a climate controlled king sized bed in an RV.

RVs or Recreational Vehicles allow you to get off the beaten path like camping, but to do it in extreme style and comfort. Personally, I enjoy the tent experience, it's part of what makes camping great, although I certainly don't begrudge anyone who prefers to roll in style.

The only downside is RV camping is exponentially more expensive than traditional camping, although there are companies that rent out RVs to people who don't want to drop a tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars on purchasing one.

If you have a couple million dollars laying around you can have an RV custom designed around your wants and needs like this one:

Me? I think I'll stick with my tried and true tent and cot combination since I haven't won the lottery yet. What about you? Have you ever camped/slept/rode in an RV, or even own one? How was it?

GPS - Do you really need one?

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is a system of satellites in orbit that are used to triangulate a users exact position, nearly anywhere on earth. It was developed in the 60s and 70s with the US military in mind. For a long time, the technology was only available to military forces and select others. It began to be available to civilians in the 90s and really started to gain popularity in the late 90s and early 2000s. The Russian version of GPS, known as GLONASS was in development for a long time and is just now becoming readily available to consumers.

The technology is now all around us. It is in most new cars, cell phones, cameras, computers, and other technology.

If the technology is so readily available and in most phones and cars today, you might wonder why you would need or want a dedicated GPS device.

If you are a person who stays close to civilization and rarely ventures off of the beaten path, you may need or want a dedicated device because your phone or car may    handle all your needs.

But if you are someone who enjoys going off the beaten path, camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, or any other outdoor adventure, you may want to consider getting a dedicated device.

Modern dedicated GPS units have much larger GPS chips than phones or car units. This allows better reception and service than car or phone units. With a dedicated unit you can get reception in much more severe or dramatic environments and unlike a phone, the maps are preloaded on the device.

On an iPhone for example, while you can download specific apps that will tell you your location, most of these rely on cellular service to show the location on an actual map.Devoted GPS devices have maps preloaded so you can view your location no matter what. You can also carry spare batteries to swap out in your device when the batteries die, while most phones have, either non-removable batteries or specific lithium ion batteries that must be charged. This allows much greater versatility in the devices use, as long as you have fresh batteries stored close by, you can continue to use your device.

Another reason for buying and using a dedicated device is the ability dedicated units to show much more data and to do it more precisely. While some phones can tell users their altitude or moving speed, dedicated units allow users to do much of the same and even more, but way more precisely. You can also track your path, and if you get lost, follow the path back to your car, camp, or home.

Some newer GPS units can also be synced with your phone and send texts or even phone calls from your phone via satellite service instead of cellular service. This could be the difference in life and death if you get into a situation where you need to contact someone, but are out of cell phone range.

If you are interested in geocaching, a kind of sport/activity where you travel to a pre-set location to find a "cache", a dedicated unit is essential because most geocache locations are listed only by longitude and latitude, which can be plugged into a GPS unit and provide precise directions to the location.

In short, while most phones can be configured or modified with apps to do the same things a dedicated GPS device can do, a dedicated unit can do the same things better.

As the technology has become more refined, and commonly available, prices have dropped on dedicated units. Today you can go to a Walmart, Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, or Academy and pick a unit that has the exact set of features that you want or need. Some units with lower capability or features start out at less than $100. At the same time, you can find top of the line units that include barometers, digital compasses, cameras with geotagging software, topographic maps, and phone compatibility to send messages or calls via satellite network from three hundred dollars up to multiple thousands of dollars. Units are also available in with external antennas for better reception, physical buttons for use with gloves or other clothing, or touch screens for ease of use and varying interfaces.

Better reception, better features, better usability. If you are going to be "Off The Map" having a dedicated GPS unit is almost a no-brainer.

A basic GPS unit that will allow you to retrace your steps in the event that you get lost or turned around: Bushnell BackTrack II
A mid-level unit that has many essential features including barometer, compass, preloaded maps, and external antenna for better reception (This is the unit that I own): Garmin GPSMap 62s
Top of the line unit that includes communication abilities: Garmin Rino 655T GPS Radio
Top of the line touch screen unit that includes nearly every feature imaginable, including Wi-fi, 1080p video recording, touch screen, preloaded maps, weather radio, FM Radio, and the ability to communicate via satellite instead of cellular system: Garmin Monterra GPS

Weather

March 1, 2014 Commerce Weather Forecast

The recent weather in Texas is a good reminder how unpredictable the weather can be. When you are doing anything in the outdoors, whether it is camping or hunting or fishing, you should always be aware of changing weather and be prepared for the worst.

Texas weather is a good example how fast things can change. I can remember sitting in the drive thru line at a fast food place and before I ordered my food, the temperature was 99, and by the time got my food at the window, the temperature was 72. While a change like this probably wouldn't cause problems for people, it does illustrate exactly how quickly it can change.

March 2, 2014 Commerce Weather Forecast

You should always have a jacket and hat or some other cold weather clothing nearby in case the weather changes rapidly. I also keep a poncho and emergency blanket in my hunting backpack and my camping bag in case I run into bad weather or the temperature drops suddenly.

As far as clothing goes, fleece is always a good option because it is lightweight and can block the wind. Wool, although heavy is another good option because it retains its warmth even when completely wet, unlike cotton. I usually keep an Under Armour jacket packed in my bag as well. It is really compact, zips up into itself forming a pillow, and the Armourloft insulation, which from what I can tell is just Under Armour's version of Primaloft insulation, is incredibly warm and lightweight at the same time. I've worn this while camping in Big Bend where it got down to 17 degrees at night, and I've worn it while hunting for hours on end in temperatures as low as 20 degrees. Another compact, warm clothing option is any number of the jackets made by The North Face.

Links:
Emergency Blankets
Poncho
Disposable Bodywarmers
Under Armour Jacket
Men's North Face Jackets
Women's North Face Jackets

A cool new app for the outdoors

Glympse is a cool new social media tool that allows users to share their location with others. You can send a glympse to anyone you want and it allows that user to track your location in real time. You can input a destination, and a comment with your glympse as well. 

One of the best parts about Glympse is that you don’t have to have the app for it to work. If you send someone a Glympse they can click on the link and it will open up a webpage with your location. When you send a glympse , it shows the recipient your location, direction your traveling, the path you are following, your speed, time until arrival, and estimated time until arrival. 

Another useful aspect of Glympse is you can send someone a glympse and specify how long your location will show up. When the time you choose has passed, your location and tracks will disappear. This is a good safety and privacy feature. You can also choose whether to keep your glympse private, allowing only the person you sent it to, to view it, or you can choose to post a glympse to another social media network such as Facebook or Twitter. This allows all of your followers on those networks to see your glympse.You can also create Glympse Groups where a group of people all have access to each other’s locations. This could be useful if everyone is meeting at a restaurant or has an important meeting to attend.

Glympse is a great idea that doesn’t require any sign-up or registration so it makes getting started easy. By allowing people to see your real-time location and eta, people no longer have to wonder if you really are going to “be there in 5 minutes” or it can allow people to share their location so if they don’t show up when they said they were going to, others might know what happened to them. This could really be helpful for the outdoors. Imagine if Aaron Ralston had sent out a Glympse, there might not have been a “127 Hours”

The ease of use, combined with privacy, and functionality, make Glympse a great new social media tool to have.

Jetboil Zip Quick Look

Here is a quick video of my Jetboil Zip Cooking System in action. It boils water in under 2 minutes in most cases, and packs up quite compact too. I take it with me whenever I go camping or hunting because I can use it to heat food, hot chocolate, or coffee, cook food, boil water, and to just keep me warm.

Check it out -

Camping Essentials - Food

When you're camping, whether it's "on the map" or "Off The Map", you probably would like to skip the grocery store, the ice, the cooler, and all the packaging when it comes to your food.

Who wants to deal with all the trouble of getting all the groceries, packing them in ice, worrying about the ice melting and ruining the food, hauling the cooler around, not to mention hauling a grill around or building a fire to cook the food (another reason to invest in a backpack stove like the Jetboil Zip).

If you're tired of all the food hassle, I've got 2 words for you:
Mountain.
House.

Pick up a few Mountain House dehydrated meals next time you're at Academy, or Gander Mountain or even Walmart. These dehydrated meals are packaged in a resealable foil packaging that doubles as a cooking container. They are so easy to cook it will make you regret ever hauling around that cooler full of soggy food. All you have to do is boil some water, (again, backpack stove), most meals call for 16 ounces but some call for less, and then pour it into the bag the meal came in, stir, then reseal the bag and wait 8-10 minutes. After 10 minutes, open up the bag and give it one more stir and then you're ready to chow down. These are available in several different menu selections, ranging from Spaghetti to Lasagna to Bacon and Eggs. There are several different lunch/dinner options and a few breakfast options.

One of the best aspects of Mountain House meals is they taste great. So good, I am nearly ashamed how much I enjoy eating something out of a foil bag like this. They may not look very appetizing, but just smell them and you will know they're worth trying. I honestly think the Beef Stroganoff variety is the best beef stroganoff I've ever had.

While some may look at the nutritional facts on the back of the packaging and be put off, just remember, you aren't going to eat these while laying on the couch on a Wednesday night, you will be eating these as you're camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, etc. You will be outdoors, getting some much needed air and exercise anyway, so if you have a little more sodium than usual, its not really that big of a deal (at least in my eyes). Also Mountain House has recently begun offering meals in Low Sodium and Gluten Free varieties for those of you worried about those kinds of things

These are also extremely compact and lightweight. I carry my Jetboil Zip and 2 or 3 Mountain House meals in my camping/hiking pack at all times, and I often carry a couple in my hunting bag as well.

Mountain House meals are also sold in #10 Cans which provide 10 servings and have a 25 year shelf life, the regular pouches which have either 1 or 2 servings depending on the variety and have a 10 year shelf life, Pro-Pak pouches which take up even less space, although they forgo the ability to cook inside the packaging, and buckets which contain a variety of meals packaged in the pouches (these are the best bang for the buck).

Mountain House meals are sold at pretty much any outdoor retailer including Academy, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Gander Mountain, and even Walmart. You can also find them at several sites online.

The regular pouches retail for $5-8 dollars in most places.

Staying In Touch

If you decide to camp or enjoy the outdoors for any length of time, and you HAVE to have your phone, tablet, or any other electronic devices, one of the biggest problems you will face is keeping your devices charged.

For a long time I thought the best was way to keep your stuff charged was to buy a car charger if you were going to be close to a vehicle, or a stand alone battery powered charger. Recently though, I have come across a few other ways to stay charged up.

One way is a solar charger. I have never used one, but have heard good things about them from people that have. These are easy to use because you can set them up, and then leave them in the sunlight for a few hours. The only problem with a solar charger is the fact that you will be without power if it's overcast, raining, or you are in a location without sufficient sunlight, like a canyon or the jungle/woods. These come in many different varieties, sizes, and features. One of the more popular products is the Goal Zero line of products. These are available in several different sizes and come in different styles as well. They are available at Cabelas, Bass Pro, Gander Mountain, and if you want to, directions on the internet are easy to find that will show you how to make your own.

Another more flexible option might be The Power Pot. I haven't used this either but after looking at it, it seems like a great idea. The premise of the Power Pot is that you replace the cup or pot that you usually boil water or cook food in with The Power Pot. As you are cooking or boiling, the Power Pot heats up and is turned into electricity. This essentially allows you to kill two birds with one stone. It seems like a great idea, the only problem is the price tag, which is also the main drawback for solar panels (unless you make your own).  Neither option is really cheap, which means that you will either really have to be dependent on technology, or have quite a bit of spare change lying around.

So let me know, do you ever just have to have your technology while outside? Is the cost worth it to you? Also if you have ever used either one of these options, how did it go? Is there another product that you recommend?

Skiing - A Great Experience In The Outdoors

While this blog focuses mainly on camping I would also like to focus on other aspects of being outside and let people know about some great activities available to them.

Spring Break is coming up and most college students are thinking about or already planning a trip. Everyone knows the most popular Spring Break destination is the beach, but in my opinion, people would be remiss to not consider a trip to the mountains.

Skiing (or snowboarding) is an awesome experience that everyone that is physically capable of, should experience. You would be hard pressed to find a better outdoor experience that is as thrilling, physically active, and breathtakingly scenic as skiing or snowboarding.

I have been 4-5 times over the past 5 years and I would go back in an instant if the right opportunity presented itself.

While people in North/Northeast Texas aren't exactly close to any major skiing destinations, there are several places that can be reached fairly quickly by driving.

Ruidosa, New Mexico is a great ski destination that doesn't require 2-3 days of driving to reach. Ski Apache, which is the mountain ski resort, is always groomed, there is a great variety of trails, and you can usually find lodging in town for fairly cheap. 3 years ago I went with 4 friends and we were able to snag an A-frame cabin for under $70 dollars a night. Ski rentals and lift passes also aren't outrageous.

A couple other places that I have heard great things about that don't require a multi-day drive are Angelfire, New Mexico and Red River, New Mexico. I have been to Red River and it was an awesome experience, but it was in the middle of the summer, so I didn't get to experience the skiing.

A few places that require a little more driving, but will be colder and have more snow usually are Durango Mountain Resort (formerly known as Purgatory) north of Durango, Co which is a great place to go that is a little less crowded than other destinations, but has a great variety of trails and runs, and the facilities are incredible, I highly recommend the skiing here. And the entire group of ski resorts west of Denver, including Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, Copper Mountain, and Keystone. Anything in the A-Basin provides great ski/snowboard experiences. While the prices may be a little higher and the driving is a little further, if you can swing it budget wise, these resorts are some of the top destinations in the country as far as skiing and snowboarding are concerned.

I just skied at Breckenridge over Christmas break and it was an awesome experience. The variety of terrain and runs is so much greater than other resorts, its unbelievable. The vast variety of lodging opportunities allows you to pick and choose where, when, and how long you want to stay. You can get a place at the base of the actual ski resort for true ski-in ski-out service or you can find a cabin more secluded in the surrounding area if thats more your style. Of course there are always the chain-style hotels located in the surrounding areas. When you are at Breckenridge, one of the coolest things to do is explore the town. Noted for being one of the best resort towns in the country, Breckenridge has it all. Also if you buy lift tickets for any of the resorts in A-Basin, they will work for several others in the surrounding area as well so you aren't just limited to one resort.

If you have never been skiing or snowboarding before but always wanted to, maybe try to book a trip to one of these destinations over Spring Break instead of the old stand by, the beach.

If you are a student at Texas A&M University-Commerce and were looking to try your hand at skiing, contact Outdoor Adventures at the Morris Rec Center, because they are putting together a trip to Wolf Creek Ski Area over Spring Break and spots are filling up fast


Here is a video from their trip to Wolf Creek last year over Spring Break-

Links
Outdoor Adventures
Ski Apache - Ruidosa, NM
Angelfire
Red River, New Mexico
Breckenridge

Camping Essentials - Stove

A camping stove is one of the most important pieces of equipment you can have in your camping or general outdoor arsenal. When most people hear the words camping stove, they probably think the large, laptop sized Coleman propane/butane stove. But there is another kind of stove that is gaining popularity for camping, hiking, hunting, and general outdoor life. It's the backpacking stove.

These stoves are small and lightweight enough to carry around in a pack or duffel bag. They are multi-purpose too. You can cook food, boil water for sanitation, whip up a pot of coffee, or even use them for heat if necessary. Most stoves these days run off of a propane mix, butane mix, or alcohol. There are different fuel mixes for different altitudes and temperatures. It's a good idea to make sure the fuel you pick will work in your scenario. You can find stoves that are sold as stand alone units, or you can find stoves that are packaged with cups or pots to cook or boil water in, as well as other accessories.

One of the most popular backpacking stove brands on the market is the Jetboil system. The Jetboil line of stoves are famous for their quick cooking/boiling, and packing everything into one small, easy to carry package.

The Jetboil Zip is one of the smallest systems that Jetboil produces, yet it still provides the reliability and quick heating Jetboil is known for.

A neoprene material wraps around the cup, which holds up to 27 ounces, in order to protect the user from burns. It includes a flexible drink through lid that keeps food or drink from spilling out, and allows all of the accessories to fit inside when not in use. There is a handy diagram on the side of the cup that shows how to re-package the accessories inside the cup. On the bottom of the cup is Jetboil's patented FluxRing, which is supposed to help distribute the heat evenly quickly, decreasing boil times.

On the bottom of the cup is a smaller plastic cup that slides into place covering the FluxRing when not in use. This plastic cup also has measuring marks on the inside, and can be used to measure out food or liquids, or as a bowl to eat out of.

The burner is the star of the show though. This small lightweight burner can boil room temperature water in 2:30 minutes, although in my testing, I have found that it often boils even faster. The Zip system is lacking the built in lighting function of other Jetboil stoves, but a lighter or matches in the side pocket of the cup can remedy that problem.

Jetboil also includes a stabilizing base for the stove system that helps prevent accidental tip-overs. Also included in the package is a pot support device with fold out arms that allow you to cook or boil water in containers other than the Jetboil one.

The entire setup weighs less than a pound. Fuel canisters are available at nearly every major outdoor retailer and even some Walmart stores, and can often be found for under $5.

I carry a Jetboil Zip in my camping pack, with a lighter in the side pocket of the cup, so I am ready for anything. I can boil water for dehydrated meals, boil water to get rid of bacteria and other nastiness, cook food, or use it for heat in an emergency scenario.

If you are looking for a system to keep in your camping bag, car, or emergency system that is capable of cooking food, boiling liquids, and even providing a heat source, in a small package that can be stored and forgotten about, look no further that the Jetboil Zip Cooking System.

Jetboil also sells a complete line of accessories for the Jetboil Zip to help you get the job done, whatever that may be.

The Jetboil Zip is available from many retailers, including REI, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, and Academy, and Gander Mountain. It usually retails for around $79.99.

Check out Camp Off The Map on Instagram and Youtube for photos and video of the Jetboil Zip in action.

Do you have a stove for camping? If so what kind? What made you choose that model?

Why do we love the outdoors?

Why do we love the outdoors? What do we love about the outdoors? Is it because it's different? Do we like "being one with nature"? Is it something hard-wired in us from our ancestors living off the wild? I think its a combination of the above.

Personally, I love the outdoors because being outside, experiencing things at a primal level is just so different from everyday life. I love, pardon the cliche, "getting away from it all". When I am camping, fishing, hunting, or doing anything else "Off The Map" from everyday life, I am able to take a step back and notice the smaller things in life. You never notice the color of a sunset, a crisp north wind, or those two squirrels chasing each other up and down a tree when you are driving down the highway at 70 miles per hour, or walking in to Starbucks while talking on the phone.

I love the outdoors because it allows me to spend quality time with friends and family, without being distracted by 739 new tweets I missed, or the latest viral video. There's something relaxing about being off "the grid" having no electricity and you have no cell phone reception or other technological stimuli. It feels like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders when you realize you don't HAVE to be attached to your phone, tablet or laptop at all times. Try backcountry camping at Big Bend sometime and you will know what it truly means to be "off the grid" or "off the map".

I also think there is also a sense of nostalgia that appeals to a person when they are living like their ancestors did. Living without modern comforts, fishing or hunting for dinner, walking from place to place, people don't often do that anymore.

The views aren't too bad either -

Why do you love the outdoors? What appeals the most to you? Let me know below in the comments section.

An Introduction to Camp Off The Map

Welcome to Camp Off The Map, a website devoted to showcasing the best of camping and the outdoors. Over time, this blog will cover reviews of camping gear, discuss interesting places to camp throughout the state of Texas and surrounding areas, and showcase brief how-tos regarding camping set ups. There will also be occasional videos or pictures included in reviews, discussions and how-tos. Comments on any and all posts are always welcome. Enjoy!

Also, don't forget to check out the corresponding Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube pages linked in the sidebar.