Inflatable Boats Cost Less and are Lots of Fun

A good friend of mine CT Wilson wrote an article on inflatable boats that I would like to share with you. With summer upon us and water sports being on the top of the list of things to do I think this article has plenty of great information in it. Inflatable boats have come along way in safety and are much more affordable than the fiberglass boats. I think what is the most appealing to me is the fact that you can put inflatable boats anywhere in the water, unlike the fiberglass boats with a trailer that has to have a ramp of some sort to place them in the water. I can see where the inflatable boat could be much more convenient in that aspect. Enjoy the article!

Inflatables – The Pleasures of Boating Without the Hassles

For many people the idea of spending a leisurely day floating on a river or lake sounds just heavenly. The high costs of maintaining a boat, however, do not. Fortunately, inflatables provide an excellent alternative to their fiberglass counterparts.

Inflatable boats may have been around since prehistoric times. Archaeologists have found drawings of man using inflated animal skins to cross rivers and get across lakes. In many waterside cultures, young children were taught sailing and swimming skills by using inflated animal bladders.

It wasn’t until 1838 when Charles Goodyear perfected the process of vulcanizing rubber that inflatables really had widespread potential. The following year, 1839, the Duke of Wellington tested the very first inflatable pontoons. This was followed very shortly by the development of two types of inflatable boats which were meant to be used in Arctic expeditions.

These first inflatables were often made from Mackintosh cloth which was most commonly used for raincoats. The cloth was infused with rubber to make it more durable and airproof. There was a pocket created to contain the bellows which was used to inflate the boats.

It wasn’t until the early 1900′s, when rubber manufacturing really took off, that the inflatable boats used were developed. Now inflatables are used for dive boats, rescue operations, lifesaving rafts, military maneuvers, and so much more.

For most of these boats, the sides and bow are made up of flexible tubes which can be filled with pressurized gas. These tubes are frequently separate chambers to help reduce the impact of a puncture and will have independent valves for inflation.

For smaller inflatable boats the floor and hull are frequently left flexible, but for boats 10 feet or more the floor and hull may consist of 3-5 pieces of plywood or aluminum sheets. These braces will be placed between the tubes but are not rigidly joined to enable them to be easily removed.

In many cases the transom will also be made of rigid material so that it’s possible to mount an outboard motor.

The tubes are made of a rubberized, synthetic hypalon or PVC. These materials are very lightweight and provide secure buoyancy. Different manufacturers use slightly differing variations on these which can result in some inflatables having thicker walls than others (something to consider when selecting the boat you want to use).

One of the best aspects of inflatables is that they are designed to be taken apart and stored in a small area. This means you don’t have to find some place to park a large boat, not do you have to worry about maintaining property insurance on inflatable boats. Furthermore, most of these types of boats don’t even require a trailer or boat ramp for putting them in the water. You can simply carry or pull your boat to the water’s edge and inflate it right there.

When conducting your homework on brands of inflatables, the two names that are sure to pop up are Intex and Stansport. Both companies are known for producing high quality, safe and reliable inflatable boats.

Intex is, in fact, known for manufacturing boats with an extra degree of safety against punctures because their tubes have the thickest walls while still maintaining the flexibility needed for ease of storage.

Stansport, a name known in the outdoor industry for producing a huge range of products, also manufactures one of the top 4 and 6 man inflatable boats. Both of these companies routinely exceed regulation standards in the production of their boats and other items.

If you just don’t have the space or the money, but you have the desire to have a boat, inflatable boats may be a viable option to consider. These boats have high safety ratings, and they have to adhere to the same testing and regulations as other vehicles, but they won’t break your wallet.

Happy boating this summer! Let us know how you like your inflatable boat.

There are so Many Camping Tents to Choose From.

If you are going camping for the first time and want to get the right tent for you, the selections out there can be overwhelming. There are all kinds of shapes and sizes and styles like a cabin tent or dome tent and backpacking tent not to mention family tents. So how do you pick the right tent?

First of all, what kind of camping would you like to do? Lets take backpacking for instance, how many people are going to sleep in the tent. Most backpacking tents are for 1 to 4 people, unlike car camping, backpackers use their tent to sleep in only, the rest of the time is usually hiking and exploring new places. Packing a tent in a backpack to carry on your back for miles at a time, weight will be a big consideration, the lighter the better I say. More than likely, because of the weight, the smaller the tent the better just enough room to sleep in. Which brings up the close sleeping quarters, make sure you pick a tent with plenty of ventilation. Most popular backpacking tents are dome tent style, there is also  A-frame styles too.

Car Camping is the most popular type of camping for people that like to camp with friends or families. If this type of camping interests you, first determine how many people you want to sleep in the tent, this will help you decide what size tent you will need. With family camping it is important to understand that elbow room is essential. If you under-size the tent you and your family members will be tripping over each other and probably trampling on your sleeping bags as you get in and out of the tent. Plan on at the very least 30 to 32 square feet per person. Example, if I have 4 people in my party I am going to look for a tent that sleeps 6 to 8 people. The more days you camp out you might want to increase that square footage. The family tents are popular in the dome tent style and the cabin tent styles.

Some of the larger camping tents like the cabin tent are known for their tent walls being more vertical which enables you to have more usable floor space, this means, if you like using a camping cot this is the tent for you, cots will fit close to the tent wall giving you extra space to move around inside the tent and to enter and exit the tent easily. The large dome tents have angled walls making it impossible to get a camping cot next to the tent wall therefore, you loose floor space. In dome tents you will want to sleep on air mattresses or camping mats to get closer to the tent walls so that you can have some floor space.

Most camping tents used by campers today are 3 season tents, this means the tent can be used during the spring, summer and fall seasons. If you are thinking of camping during the winter season you will need to look at a 4 season tent. The 4 season tent is made up of heavier materials and will stand up better in extreme cold and snowy conditions. The 4 season tent can be used year around, although it can be a little warm in the summer, unlike the 3 season tent which can only be used during moderate temperatures.

You could always borrow a tent from a friend or family member your first time out to get an idea of size and the style of a tent before you actually buy one yourself. When you are selecting your first tent just use common sense, ask yourself how many people are going to sleep in the tent, am I going to use cots, air mattresses or camping mats, what season am I camping in the most. Don’t stress, you’ll make the right decision. Have fun and happy camping!

Camping Can Be Comfortable

Camping in the rugged outdoors, sleeping on the floor of a tent doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. Most seasoned campers are using air mattress beds.  Camping air mattresses have several purposes, the most obvious is a thick cushion of air to sleep on versus the hard ground. An air mattress that keeps you off the ground will also have an insulating affect and will keep you warmer. Most airbeds have a flocked surface that will keep your bedding or sleeping bag from slipping off of the air mattress.

The Intex Prestige Downy air mattress is one of the most versatile air beds. This air mattress has a pump that operates on 4 D cell batteries, this means you can take this air mattress virtually anywhere! This air bed is rugged for camping use and nice enough to use at home as an extra bed for guests.

When you are getting your camping gear together for you next outing don’t forget the air mattress, after all who says sleeping outdoors has to be sleepless. We all love our creature comforts, sleeping outdoors should be a pleasant experience!

Family Camping at its Best!

The Copper Canyon 1312 is one of Eureka’s most popular family camping tents. The 1312 is a cabin style tent that sleeps 8 people and its vertical walls offer maximum interior floor space that is ideal for use with cots. The floor space is 13′ x 12′ but has more area than a 14′ x 10′ tent because the vertical walls make the tent so spacious. The 1312 can be one large room or use the removable divider curtain to make two rooms. Parents can sleep in one room and kids in the other or, sleep in one room and store your gear in the other. Bring along friends and have your own private room, the possibilities are endless!

Eureka! uses StormShield cloth in its large family tents because it withstands longer periods of exposure to UV rays, and it has excellent tear strength and waterproofness. Durability has not been over looked by Eureka! You expect long term durability for you money and who could blame you, the Copper Canyon 1312 is designed for heavy traffic and years of quality family camping.

Portable Power for Camping

Camping enthusiasts who enjoy adventuring “off the grid” but hate lugging around power cords or batteries will love the convenience of this alternative energy source. Items such as a portable solar charger are typically lightweight and can provide power to a multitude of devices, including laptops, small TV’s, air-pumps, cell phones and AM/FM radios.

An example of a portable solar charger tailor made for campers is the Solo 15 by Brunton. It uses a lithium battery pack that weighs only 4 pounds and is rechargeable through a vehicle, a household wall outlet or by using Brunton’s Solar Panels. The Solo15 provides enough juice to run any video camera for up to 100 hours.

Using portable solar devices, we can tap into this power in even the most remote places in the world.

Coffee Lovers are Going to Love this Coffee Maker

The Brunton BrewFire is the most portable coffee maker ever. This is a new product for Brunton and I must say they have soared like an eagle with this 8 cup beauty. The BrewFire looks just like a coffee maker you would have at home the only difference is you don’t have to plug it in. No it’s not battery operated, it is fueled by either propane or butane fuel so you can take it anywhere. Just put in your favorite coffee, add water, turn the knob and flip a switch, that’s all there is to it and in 10 to 12 min. you will have a nice cup of hot coffee. The double walled, vacuum sealed stainless steel carafe will keep coffee hot for 2.5 hours. The Brewfire coffee maker is perfect for camping, tailgate parties, picnics or anywhere you want to make a pot of coffee. This coffee maker will definitely not be disappointing.

Lightweight Mummy Bags Just for Women!

I like that Eureka! has taken the time to consider that women who love to camp and hike need a sleeping bag made just for them and Eureka! has done something about it. Eureka! has produced the Woman’s Silver City and Casper sleeping bags, specifically patterned to fit a woman’s body. The Silver City and Casper mummy bag is cut narrower in the shoulder section and has a more generous cut in the hip area. The woman’s Silver City sleeping bag is rated at +30F, the carry weight is 2lbs. which is very lightweight and has a space saving compression sack that packs down the ultra performance sleeping bag to a small size. This excellent sleeping bag also comes in 2 lengths, more short to average height women will enjoy the regular length while taller women will want the long length. The woman’s Casper sleeping bag is rated at +15F, the carry weight is 2lbs. 12ozs. which is also lightweight. The carrying weight difference in the long length vs. the regular length of the Silver City and Casper sleeping bags are just a few ozs. Both the Silver City and Casper sleeping bag have an inside stash pocket that is a perfect for an MP3 player.

Women who love camping, hunting, hiking, kayaking or any outdoor activity that demand the best out of their outdoor sleeping gear, will appreciate the quality of Eureka! women’s Silver City and Casper ultra performance sleeping bags for years to come.

Hammock Camping is Great Fun!

What a way to enjoy the outdoors! I can’t imagine a better way to relax, than to kick back in a hammock stretched out over a stream, listening to the sounds of the water moving moving over the rocks below me or the sounds of a breeze moving thru the trees above me. The great thing about hammock camping is, the hammocks are lightweight to carry and pack down small. A single wide ENO hammock will pack down to the size of a softball, a double hammock will pack down to the sized of a grapefruit. Backpackers love the hammocks as another option to packing a tent simply because of the lightweight and small size. Most popular hammocks today weigh around 12 to 22 ozs. and are made from a high strength nylon that will support 250 to 400 lbs. of body weight. There are hammocks made from cotton, like the Roatan Hammock that will weigh over 3 lbs. and support 450 lbs. of body weight. Hammocks come in an array of fun colors! Hammocks are versatile and can be used in the backyard, for camping, on a boat, on a deck or anywhere your imagination leads you. Give hammock camping a try, venture out, create new experiences! Happy Camping!

Mountain Breeze

This backpacking tent weighs a mere 4lbs. 14ozs. so light you won’t even know you have it in your pack! The Mountain Breeze is a rectangular dome tent using a single piece pole constructed of DAC featherlite NSL aluminum for lightweight and ulta simple set up. The rectangular dome design offers ample headroom and legroom, you can sit up, lie down, or stretch out. The no-see-um mesh tent body provides excellent ventilation and comes with a full cover fly for inclement weather.

Chinook Twin Peaks Guide 6

The Twin Peaks Guide is a family sized 6+ person, 3 season tent. This tent is a 2-tent-in-1 system for double the living space, one very roomy sleeping dome plus a functional and practical screened dome. Camping by a lake, stream or other places that mosquitoes like to congregate won’t be a problem for the owner of this tent. The large screened dome will give lots of protection from those pesky critters plus the dome is big enough to hold a picnic table, enjoy meals and the views of your campsite from within the large 3 sided screened room. With the Twin Peaks Guide 6 you will be the envy of the campground.