Camping is meant to reset your inner clock, connect with nature, restore balance, and refresh your soul. How successful you are at this depends on how well you prepare. Taking too many things can over complicate the experience and rob you of the beautiful simplicity that exists in nature. Not taking enough things can cause you to cut the trip short because you aren't comfortable or safe. Having the right gear, and right amount of gear, along with the correct camping clothes, makes all the difference.

The right pair of warm camping socks can drastically improve your experience. Whether you are hiking or simply enduring a cold temperature drop at night, having a few pair of lush socks is brilliant. They prevent blisters, keep your feet dry and your toes warm, and add that extra level of comfort and enjoyment to your journey. If you are family camping, cold toes on little kids can rapidly ruin your trip. Be smart and have good socks for everyone.

You don't want to have to sleep in your jeans and jacket to keep warm at night. Thermal underwear shouldn't be overlooked. The extra layer of comfort isn't just for temperature drops. They also wick moisture away from your skin to keep you dry and reduce chafing during hikes. Rather than flip flop between being too hot in a coat and too cold in a shirt, balance out your experience with thermal underwear or a highly affordable pair of long johns. Besides, who hasn't wanted to go camping in an old school pair of cotton long johns? They're awesome!

Your outer layer should be a functional and comfortable camping jacket or parka. The best jackets for camping are ones that can be layered. What that means is you have a warm inner jacket and a waterproof outer shell that can be added or removed compatibly depending on your needs. Too hot? Take off a layer. Too cold? Put one on. Raining outside? Put on the waterproof shell.

Having flexible options with your socks, thermal underwear, and jackets will keep you relaxed and comfortable on your camping trip. Camping should be a refreshing experience that rejuvenates you, not one that leaves you dragging yourself home exhausted. Wearing the right camping clothes makes all the difference.

We at Outersports have scoured through the internet and tried several ideas to find which awesome camping hacks work the best. We've gathered together 8 awesome camping hacks into one place for you to try out.

Burning dry bundles of sage in your campfire, or even spreading some smoke around your tent, will keep mosquito swarms away. Apparently it is one smell that reminds them of a desert fire and they will flee for their lives. This is one of those times you will be happy to let the campfire smoke drift over you to keep yourself from being eaten alive by bugs. Besides, the smell of burning sage is very pleasant. Native American tribes often used soft sage bundles for toilet paper. Our staff have tried both and can vouch for the benefits of sage as a camping hack. Once you have a nearly mosquito free campsite you'll always keep a bundle of sage in your gear.

Scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon is one of the best tasting breakfast meals when you are in the outdoors. Keeping your eggs from cracking inside your cooler can be problematic. Some companies offer fancy plastic carrying cases for eggs to keep them safe, but we've found that simply cracking them down a funnel into an empty plastic water bottle before you leave home is the best option. If you are careful you can still have sunny side up too. The mouth of the bottle works well with the texture of raw eggs, allowing you to squeeze out one egg at a time if you take your time to do it right. Simply crack your eggs into the bottle before you leave home and set the bottle in your cooler for worry free egg transportation.

Anybody who has gone camping for the weekend eventually faces the inevitable squat in the woods. Having toilet paper is great, but it always gets smashed or falls in the dirt and twigs. If that happens at an inconvenient time then it can make a situation more awkward than it has to be. Simply use an empty plastic coffee container for a portable toilet paper carrier. Use your knife and cut a small vertical slit in the side of the tub and it becomes a handy toilet paper dispenser. You can even get fancy with paracord rope to allow you to hang it from limbs if you'd like.

Learning how to roll your clothing into an easily accessible skivvy roll will change the way you pack your clothes forever. You can fit an entire change of clothing into one neatly tucked roll for easy storage and packing if you follow these simple steps. First, place your shirt flat on the floor. Second, place your underwear in the center of the shirt where the neck is. Third, fold the arms of the shirt over the underwear. Fourth, lay your merino wool socks in an overlapping manner so the opening of the socks extends out where the sleeves of the shirt used to be. Fifth, roll the shirt down over the socks from top to bottom into a tight skivvy roll. Now you take one sock at a time and fold it back over the shirt. There you have it! You now have a perfectly rolled change of clothes that will fit in your backpack for quick access.

This awesome camping hack is one that has been used by survivalists and hikers for decades. Even if you have a watch on it can be difficult to guess how much daylight you have before you are left in the dark. Standing and looking at the sun to see how fast it might be moving is a horrible idea. What you should do is simply hold out your hand, palm facing toward you, at arms length. Keep your fingers together and horizontal to the horizon. The width of each finger is roughly 15 minutes. Place your hand so the sun is just above your index finger and count how many finger widths are left before the horizon. If the sun is three fingers above the horizon then you have 45 minutes of daylight left. It's really that simple and it works.

Rather than throw away your empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls you can use them as a fire starting log. When you clean out your dryer lint after doing a load of laundry just stuff the lint into the cardboard tube and keep them for your next camping trip. Set it in the bottom of your kindling and light the lint with a spark or lighter and watch it easily catch fire. It is a great way to reuse something you normally send to the landfill and it works perfectly. Keeping the tubes in a plastic bag will keep the lint off the other items in your pack.

In the snow or raining weather it can be difficult to find dry kindling or grass to start a campfire. Find some dead twigs and small branches and use a simple pencil sharpener to create the perfect fire starting shavings. You might think you can do this with your pocket knife, but it will take you a lot longer than you think to create the perfectly dry shaving that a pencil sharpener can. Simply trim off the tiny limbs and keep them for larger kindling, then shave the twig with the pencil sharpener for perfectly dry and paper thin fire starter shavings. Try it once next time you're camping in the snow and you'll keep one handy from them on.

Save empty prescription bottles, and peel off the label, to reuse them for camping storage containers. Depending on the size of the bottle you can place a variety of helpful items inside to keep them safe and dry in the outdoors. They make great portable first aid kits, fire starting kits, or even spice containers for cooking. The child safety locking lid can come in handy if you have children you want to keep out of the items inside as well.

Whether you are a survivalist, hiker, or camper you need to plan for hydration. It's not always convenient to pack in your own water in with you. Sometimes your water supply might run out or get contaminated. If that happens, you should know how to filter your water and purify it for drinking.

There are micro bacteria, fungi, and all sorts of nasty things that might be in the water which you cannot see. Even if it looks clear, smells fine, and tastes good, it could make you very sick if not done properly.

The basic concept of water filtration is to pass the water through layers of filtration, not just one simple screen. The most reliable and safest way to filter your water is to bring a proven water filtration tool with you. Depending on your specific excursion you may have room for a pump system or you might need to cut weight and simply bring a filtration straw.

The Katadyn Dual Microfiltration Vario water filter is the top of the line when it comes to pump style filtration systems. It is designed for fast use and high flow filtering and each cartridge can filter up to 530 gallons before you need to replace it. If you are going out in a group, or not taking any water at all, this is our recommendation. It weighs only 15 ounces, which to some may seem heavy, but compared to packing in gallons of water it is a big advantage. You can pack in a gallon of water from home, or carry a 15 ounce filtration pump that provides 530 gallons along the way.

If you simply need a backup, or emergency, water filtration method for yourself then an Aquamira Frontier Straw is the way to go. I weighs less than 1 ounce and can filter up to 30 gallons of water. They can be purchased in a Two Pack for the same price as other straw type filters on the market. You are practically getting two for the price of one - and they remove 99.9 of Cryptosporidium and Giardia just like the other brands.

But what if you are in a real pinch and didn't bring your own filtration system?

Although they aren't as trusted and safe, you can make your own water filtration system out of things you typically have with you. Creating a Do it yourself Water Filtration system is easier than you might think. Here is what you will need:

*Empty bottle, jug, or bucket

*Charcoal (campfire coals work fine)

*Sand

*Small gravel

*Piece of cloth (bandana, shirt sleeve, etc)

*Knife or sharp cutting tool

All of the items on the list should be with you, close by, or easy to find in the wilderness. For this example we will use an empty bottle as our filtration container, but any sort of container that you can put a hole in will work.

1) Make sure your container is completely clean. Any oil or chemical residue can make you sick.

2) Turn the bottle with the lid facing down and cut the bottom (now facing up) off near the base.

3) Put a piece of cloth down on the lid like a screen, or you can cut the top of the lid off - leaving the threads in tact - and thread the cloth onto the bottle so there is a screen where the top of the lid used to be.

4) Pour charcoal into the bottle first, filling the bottom 1/3 of the bottle.

5) Pour sand on top of the charcoal filling the next 1/3 of the bottle.

6) Pour gravel on top of the sand until the bottle is almost full.

Now that you have the filtration bottle put together, be careful not to tip it over. Don't shake the bottle and mix up the layers. You want the water to pass through the layers in the proper order to remove the debris.

Hold you newly made water filter over the bucket, or bottle you wish to catch the filtered water in, and carefully pour your unfiltered water into your water filter system. Be very careful not to drip or spill the dirty water down into the clean water container below!

The first time you pour water through the filter it will come out with some sediment and discoloration - usually a milky or dirty color. Simply pour it back through the filter as many times as needed until it comes through clear and clean.

Just because water is filtered doesn't mean it is purified! If it is spring water or glacial water you are probably okay, but if it came from a pond, creek, or river you should absolutely boil the water first. After boiling the water, if you have any iodine or bleach, you should drop in 5-8 drops per gallon and mix it thoroughly before drinking to kill any remaining micro bacteria that might have got through.

This do it yourself water filtration method can be applied to any container. It i also scalable - meaning you can create a large scale system out of a fifty gallon barrel if you planned on staying put for a while. Large scale filtration systems can be built as a rain catch at your home or cabin in the woods, providing filtered drinking water when you need it.

Now your water should be much cleaner and safe to drink!

Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies!

Have child and have not slowed down! This blog seeks to chronicle the joys and challenges of taking kids hiking, camping, backpacking, skiing, biking, paddling and all-out exploring in the Canadian Rockies.

This week's outdoor blogger is from the rocky mountains near Calgary Canada. Tanya has created a unique resource for locals who are looking to recreate with their children. While discovering her love for sharing their family camping through blogging, she also discovered that many local families needed a place to find information on family outings in the area.
Tanya's love for the outdoors and sharing her adventures with others spills out of the screen, as you read her blog.
She is the founder of "Calgary Outdoor Playgroup" where their motto is "children running their crazy into the world," where she leads the group ages 2-6. Tnya goes out and explores new places with her children and shares their adventure both online and in her local community.

Connecting families in the outdoors drives Tanya's passion for community and sharing.
"Connecting families, bringing people together, and building an outdoor village here in Calgary of families who want to play outside together."

While inspiring readers online, Tanya and her family hope to connect with other locals and those visiting the area.

For more visit: http://www.rockiesfamilyadventures.com/

Tales of a Mountain Mama!

Amelia brings to us a wonderful, adventurous spirit from Yellowstone National Park! She takes advantage of every opportunity that comes her way to take her little ones outdoors, and share their experiences. Her content has a fun feel and is great information for outdoor enthusiast of all ages, not only families.  Amelia shares her story of what actually inspired her to share herself with the world through blogging about her passion of the outdoors.

"Two years ago, my second child was 4 months old, and I was realizing more than ever that getting out as a family and doing what we love was going to pose some challenges as our family grew.  To be honest, I was sleep-deprived and doing everything I could get outside as much as possible (in "protest" to the 6 weeks I spent on bed rest.)  I realized that I was not alone and, shockingly, there were many parents who chose to "hibernate" with newborns and young children because it was just so HARD to get out.  I understood the feeling, but also knew that my kids (and my husband and I) were happiest in the fresh air of nature.  The challenge was worth it. 
The blog started as an outlet for me and, more importantly, a challenge to myself also to do what was best for myself and my family - to continue doing what we loved outside.  It has grown into a community, and I am ever-learning and challenged by our readers too!"

While "Tales of a Mountain Family" is an outlet for Amelia and her family, she gives a perspective that is inspiring to her readers. A mother who uses her passion of the outdoors and writing combined as a way to inspire others is amazing. You will find a variety on her blog from informative gear reviews to recipes.

Where is "Tales of a Mountain Family" headed? Amelia has a vision that she also shares with us...

In an effort to appeal to readers across the country, Amelia has brought on a contributing writer to "Tales of a Mountain Family."  Ann has three children, and shares Amelia's passion for recreating with her family in the Florida urban environment.

http://talesofamountainmama.com/

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will
flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their
own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will
drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn."
― John Muir

Enjoy our outdoor blogger highlights every Tuesday!

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In a market where products and fads seem to come and go with each season, Optimus cooking and camp stoves have endured for over a century. Created in Stockholm, Sweden in 1899, Optimus has been refining upon its tried and true designs. It has was a favorite at the turn of the century and still persists as a clear choice among outdoor adventurers today.

It is not always convenient to gather up wood and kindling in your surroundings. Bad weather, strong winds, cold and rain can easily disrupt your plans. The Optimus cooking system makes butane canister cooking simple. The oversize burner heads will consistently and evenly distribute heat. Optimus stoves are capable of folding down into a compact and portable size. Serrated pot holders keep your cookware firmly in place to reduce tips and spills.

Optimus has developed a variety of pots, pans, cups and kettles made from ultralight anodized aluminum. These sleek cooking sets easily fit together making it easy and versatile to pack and carry. Most cups and pots can be used for a variety of cooking needs for even the worst environments.

Danny Kennedy has been keeping up an impressively fast pace as he works his way down the Appalachian Trail. Danny passed through Andover, Maine where he hiked for ten miles. Danny is still in great spirits as he has now passed over Moody Mountain, Sawyer Notch, and Wyman Mountain.

Danny has continued another 20 miles down the trail. Facing him next is the most difficult, but reportedly most fun, part of the hike known as the Mahoosuc Notch. After he completes this rugged portion of the trail Bill will hook up with him again in Gorham, NH during a resupply stop.

It was a time for change. 1892 marked the first year in America when Ellis Island would actually begin to accommodate immigrants to the United States. The first rules of a new game called basketball would be published by James Naismith. A new company was formed called General Electric. Thomas Edison would patent the first two-way telegraph device. In a Stockholm, Sweden a factory worker named Frans Wilhelm Lindqvist would create a device that would reach across the globe to make countless lives better. He developed the first soot free stove called the Primus.

Very few products associated with hiking and camping have stood the test of time like the Primus Stove System. When looking at a modern EtaSolo or Omni-Fuel stove you'd think they came from another planet with their advanced design and ruggedly refined features. But the Primus Power Cooking system gets its roots from an era when products were built to last. The original Primus Stove was made of brass, was fueled by kerosene, and used an innovative pressure system to create a clean burning flame. Before its creation you relied upon a standard oil and wick lamp which was inefficient and left black soot on the walls and ceiling wherever it was left.

Today Primus is not only still in operation, but has created a stove that can take almost any type of fuel making the Omni Fuel the perfect stove whether you need it for hiking the Appalachian Trail, winter hiking or just for emergency preparedness. To make it even better, Omni-Fuel has a very exact flame control as well as jet nipples to make it easy to simmer, boil, or whatever you need. With the fuel source being external to the burner you have greater flexibility in packing and storage as well as making it simple to replace and keep cooking even when in use. You can fill the bottle with gasoline, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, LP Gas or any other combustible fuel source that fits your needs.

Primus has also developed a cook system that streamlines the fuel, flame, and cooking cup/pot into a lightweight user friendly system. The EtaSolo by Primus is a compact and lightweight pot and stove that runs on ISO/Butane and can be used for boiling water, cooking your dehydrated or freeze dried meals to cooking the fish or small game you catch on the trail. Boiling water is fast and easy with the Quick-Click locking system and the Piezo ignition, just one click starts your stove, and the water will be ready in just a couple of minutes. You don’t need to worry about the system tipping over even in windy conditions this system is stable and the wrap around heat resistant cover allows you to comfortably grab onto the pot while cooking.

There are a variety of other fantastic Primus product now available in our new hiking and camping section of our Outersports online store. You can't always trust the weather to keep your trail side wood dry and accessible. It is always a good plan to take a reliable Primus system into the outdoors.