The Hydrapak Morro Right at Home Indoors and Outdoors

Okay, I admit this wasn't my original plan for my new Hydrapak Morro. I'd much rather throw that baby on my back and hit some mountain trails with my bike or boots but when you have a woman in your life who loves cool bags and backpacks and the Hydrapak Morro arrives on a rainy day… well lets just say I was the loving, dashing, debonair, thoughtful guy and let her have first crack at trying it out.

Now ladies, if you are the outdoor adventure type can you see yourself sporting a cool Hydrapak backpack around the mall rather than a bulky purse? But what about the water bladder you might be wondering - well for one if you are in power shopping mode (let's say on Black Friday) who has time to hunt down a drinking fountain or find the food court for a drink? Wouldn't a hydration pack come in quite handy? If you don't see yourself wiping out the drinking straw in the middle of rushing to the next sale the beauty of the Hydrapak is that the water bladder is very easy to remove giving you more storage space.

Some of the Many Cool Features of the 2012 Hydrapak Morro

This time of year, at least for us Northern folks a light jacket is a must, but when you are storming through the mall things get a bit heated - the Hydrapak Morro has plenty of room to stash your jacket. Plus there are tons of smaller pockets for you to get creative with - the side pockets can hold a water bottle if you don't bring the water bladder, and there is a pocket all warm and cozy for your phone or iPod for some calm relaxing music while you push people out of the way to get to the last pair of Keens.

I don't know about you, but I love a bag that can be used for multiple purposes, even if that means I have to be the guy on the sidelines holding my wife's backpack - at least I'll look cool. Plus I know it won't be long before we get outside on some rough terrain so we can put the Hydrapak Morro to its intended use.

Know someone who would love to get their hands on the 2012 Hydrapak Morro? Please share this with them.

Hydrapak Morro: Not Just for the Hardcore Outdoor Adventurer is a post from: Camping Gear Reviews

What is Ultralight Joe's Moose Goo?

Let me backtrack a bit. We just got back from a family camping trip to Gooseberry Falls State Park north of Duluth MN and had some great weather for camping and hiking. And we have another short trip planned for some local camping coming up in a few days. So that leads me to my dilemma and if you've done much camping or hiking I'm sure you can relate… what do you bring for food!

Enter my search for camping food ideas, and lo and behold I ended up getting sidetracked by a pile of moose goo right in the middle of my search, but don't fret it was actually pretty tasty and no it isn't what you may have originally thought.

You see moose goo or Ultralight Joe's Moose Goo as the official creator was, you guessed it Ultralight Joe, is actually an easy to make trail food that is perfect for camping and hiking no matter your level of outdoor experience. Only three ingredients and a few quick turns of a spatula and you have your own moose goo.

The original Ultralight Joe's Moose Goo

(see Ultralight Joe's Moose Goo and Variants for his original story and other fine variations on moose goo)
Basic Recipe:
• 2 parts honey
• 2 parts corn flour (NOT corn meal!)
• 1 part peanut butter (preservative-laden)
• Mix thoroughly, will take some time.
• Pack into Coghlan's Squeeze Tube, or in cold weather wrap in wax paper.

Single Squeeze Tube Proportions (2-3 lunches w/ large tortillas):
• 8 tbsp honey
• 8 tbsp corn flour
• 4 tbsp peanut butter

My Take on Ultralight Joe's Moose Goo

I didn't have the essential corn flour so as any kitchen creative guru will do I improvised and started digging through the pantry to see what we had on hand for my moose goo. I discovered an organic buckwheat pancake mix that would do in a pinch and gave 'er a go.

drum roll please…. and the result of my moose goo experiment.. quite good! And filling, I only had a couple spoon fulls and I was good to go. Which is perfect for hiking when you don't want to pack a ton and you just want a quick meal or snack before hitting the trails. Moose goo would also make a fantastic snack for kids if you are in the middle of a hike and you get the "I'm hungries" with a mile left until you get back to camp.

I still plan on trying the original Ultralight Joe's Moose Goo with the corn flour when I get my hands on some, and of course I have a few ideas that I'll have to share after I try them. So look forward to more variations including one with a powerful secret ingredient that the ancient Aztecs and Native Americans used to use for long endurance runs that I think would be a perfect addition to moose goo - stay tuned!

What other variations of moose goo have you tried, we'd love to hear your stories.

Ultralight Joe’s Moose Goo: Recipes and Variations is a post from: Camping Gear Reviews

These sweet hybrid tents make great backpacking, hiking, biking climbing, or boating tents. Heck I'd even string this camping hammock up in my back yard for a night under the stars. The Rock Hopper Camping Hammock Tent comes in either forest green or a tan and lists for $199.99 - but you may be able to snag a 10% off with coupon code 10Sum11.

Rock Hopper Ultra Lite Camping Hammock Tent Hybrid Features

Model: SAS - Surface to Air Shelter
Dimensions: 13'x4'x2' (385x118x63cm)
Packed Size: 14"x10"x6" (36x25x16cm)
Weight: 4 lbs (2 kgs)
Materials:

• Rain fly: 30D Rip stop nylon, 5000mm silicone coated, UV protection
• Inner tent: Lightweight and breathable mesh walls
• Floor: Super strong oxford polyester, tub style, seam taped floor
• Guy Ropes: Polyester interwoven with reflective 3M Scotch-lite thread for increased visibility in low light conditions
• Suspending Ropes: Extra strong, woven nylon cord can handle up to 200lbs (90 kgs) in weight
• Poles: Lightweight, super strong, air craft grade, aluminum
• Stakes: Lightweight, super strong, air craft grade, anodized aluminum

Find a Similar Hennessy Hammock Tent for Sale from Amazon

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Hennessy Hammock SCOUT Tent NEW Camping Biking Hunting Trekking Hennessy Hammock Sale Price: $95.95   Eligible for free shipping!

Hennessy Hammock Explorer Deluxe Asym for Camping- New List Price: $189.00 Sale Price: $152.95 You save: $36.05 (19%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Rock Hopper Hammock Tent: Play Me Tarzan You Jane is a post from: Camping Gear Reviews

If you are looking for a good backpacking tent at an affordable price the Eureka Apex 2FG is your go to guy. With basically the same features as the 2011 Eureka Apex 2XT but at $45 cheaper it is a great entry level backpacking tent, or maybe even a good backup tent for when those bears get too feisty and you have to run for your life.

Eureka Adventure Apex 2FG 7-Foot by 5-Foot 2-Person Tent Features

• Lightweight backpacking two person tent, with 2 doors and 2 windows
• Double-coated StormShield polyester fly and bathtub floor (a little seam sealer is still a good idea)
• Well ventilated by one entire wall of mesh, protected by Stormshield polyester fly
• Small batwing semi-vestibules offer extra gear protection
• Twin track zippers window to be open when door is zipped
• External guy points on the fly help secure your tent in high winds
• Two mesh gear pockets for internal storage, as well as clothes line and flashlight loops

Eureka Apex 2FG 2-Person Tent Specs

• Area: 36.5 square feet
• Floor size: 7 feet, 5 inches by 4 feet, 11 inches
• Center height: 3 feet, 7.5 inches
• Wall and floor fabrics: 1.9-ounce 70D Polyester taffeta 800mm coating
• Fly fabrics: 1.9-ounce 75D 185T StormShield Polyester 800mm coating
• Pack size: 6 by 18.5 inches
• Weight: 5 pounds, 6 ounces

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Eureka! Apex 2 - Tent (sleeps 2) List Price: $129.99 Sale Price: $91.76 You save: $38.23 (29%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Eureka Adventure Apex 2FG 7-Foot by 5-Foot 2-Person Tent List Price: $109.99

Eureka Adventure Apex 2FG 2-Person Tent Close Out Sale is a post from: Camping Gear Reviews

I suppose you'd like to know how to get this free Coleman sleeping bag huh? Well I suppose I can tell you, no fair keeping the secret to myself after building it up so much. Swing on over to Amazon a buy yourself a Coleman Red Canyon Tent such as the top selling Coleman Red Canyon 17-Foot by 10-Foot 8-Person Modified Dome Tent which is on sale for a freakishly low $99.99 at the time of this writing. There is a special offer banner just below the tent price (all you have to do is hit the add both to cart button and you're all set)

Coleman Red Canyon 8-Person Tent Best Family Tent for the Price

If you are looking for a good family tent the Coleman Red Canyon is a great entry level tent - with 103 reviews it still maintains a 4.5 star rating. With three room dividers, a center height of 72 inches and a footprint of 170 square feet you'll have plenty of room to spread out and play cards in the middle of a rain storm while keeping dry due to Coleman's Weathertec System guaranteed to keep you dry. I would recommend sealing the seams for added protection, as do many other reviews of the tent.

Overall this is one of the best 8-person tents for the money - you really can't beat a $100 family tent. Take some time and peruse the many reviews over at Amazon and then pick one up - tell them Rusty sent you and they'll give you a free Coleman sleeping bag. Well okay they'll give you the sleeping bag anyway but it won't hurt to name drop right?

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Coleman Red Canyon 17-Foot by 10-Foot 8-Person Modified Dome Tent List Price: $139.99 Sale Price: $99.99 You save: $40.00 (29%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Coleman Montana 8 Tent List Price: $189.99 Sale Price: $133.47 You save: $56.52 (30%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Special Offer: Coleman Red Canyon Tent comes with Free Sleeping Bag is a post from: Camping Gear Reviews

On the outside Coleman camp stoves really haven't changed all that much in the 30+ years I've been camping. Good old green Coleman camp stove in a metal box. But under the hood though this baby is all modern - with two independent burners (a 7500 BTU burner and a 6500 BTU burner) totaling 14,000 BTU's of down right manly cooking power. 'grunt grunt' Oh did I mention it can boil a quart of water in 4 minutes? that deserves another grunt.

Introducing the Coleman 2-Burner Dual Fuel Camp Stove

Unlike the old style propane camp stove I was used to this is a dual fuel camp stove, which means it runs on clean burning Coleman liquid fuel or if you are stuck in the woods with nothing but your bare butt, this Coleman 2 Burner Dual Fuel Compact Liquid Fuel Stove, and your jeep you can siphon off some good 'ol unleaded gasoline and fire this baby right up. Or, just keep a can of unleaded on hand... and a spare pair of pants, what were you doing in the woods without any pants anyway?

Coleman also has a beefed up version of this duel fuel camp stove, the Coleman 2-Burner Dual Fuel Powerhouse Liquid Fuel Stove with a burn the hair off your chest 24,500 total BTUs. Oh, what did I just hear? Was that a grunt?

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Coleman 1-Burner Dual Fuel Sporter II Liquid Fuel Stove Sale Price: $49.99   Eligible for free shipping!

Coleman Two-Burner Propane Stove List Price: $49.99 Sale Price: $38.85 You save: $11.14 (22%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Camp Stove Out of Fuel? No Problem with this Coleman Dual Fuel Camp Stove is a post from: Camping Gear Reviews

The Big Agnes Copper Spur UL4 tent was awarded a 2011 Backpacker magazine Editors’ Choice Award. This is the top dog award in the outdoor industry, which is given annually to the best products for outstanding innovation in design, materials and performance.

Michael Anderson the Glowing Defile

And a well deserved award it is - the Big Agnes Copper Spur tent is a beautiful ultra lightweight backpacking tent perfect for three-seasons of ultralight backpacking featuring double doors and vestibules and weighs in at only 5lbs 9oz! That gives you plenty of space to pack in that extra warm sleeping bag if you can't wait to hit the trails until this summer.

Our primary family tent is similarly colored as the Big Agnes Copper Spur with shades of orange and let me tell you when the morning sun sets that baby aglow it is something to behold - like being in the middle of a glowing canyon at the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in Utah.

Check out the sale at Mountains Plus on the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 4 Person Tent. (with FREE Big Agnes Tent Footprint) At the time of this writing you'll snag an extra 11% off and have a bit-o-change left over to pick up a pair of pants to replace the one chewed on by that black bear last year - didn't I tell you not to sleep with an apple in your pocket?

Big Agnes Copper Spur UL4 Tent Specs:

• Three season, free standing, 4-person ultralight backpacking tent
• DAC Featherlite NSL pole system with press fit connectors, and lightweight hubs - eco-friendly anodizing
• DAC poles made from TH72M aluminum: (latest tech in lightweight tent poles)
• New HClip attaches tent body to cross pole
• Ultralight silicone treated nylon rip-stop Fly and Floor with a 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating
• Tent body is ultra lightweight nylon and polyester mesh for excellent ventilation
• Quick and easy set-up with Hub/pole design and New DAC Twist Clips
• Two vestibules with D-shaped doors and storm flap over zipper
• Interior mesh pockets
• Reflective guyline and reflective webbing on tent corners for nighttime visibility
• All seams taped with waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane (No PVC or VOC's) tape
• Includes 10 Superlight aluminum J stakes - with eco-friendly anodizing
• Gear loft loops and Big Agnes' specific footprint included

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Big Agnes Copper Spur UL - 3 Person Tent Sale Price: $389.99

Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 2 - Two Person Tent List Price: $399.95 Sale Price: $295.90 You save: $104.05 (26%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Big Agnes Copper Spur Tent Takes Home the Gold is a post from: Camping Gear Reviews

A line of easy to set up tents brought to us by someone who uses their noggin and finally figured "if the Poles come pre-attached to the tent perhaps it will make tent set-up easier." Our last tent (also a Coleman) was pretty easy to set up with color coded poles and pole tags on the tent, but the Coleman Instant goes one step further and pre-attaches the poles to the tent so we don't have to figure out which poles go where - especially when you are late to camp and trying to set up the tent by car headlights.

For all of us family campers the Coleman Instant 8- Person Two Room Tent is a delightful treat for big groups. In under a minute your tent is up and you have a couple of queen sized air mattresses tossed in (for those who don't like to cozy up to a tree root all night long - air mattresses are a blessing) and you can get to the fun parts of camping... falling asleep in the sun for a quick nap until you wake up to the smell of a campfire and supper magically prepared by your master chef (what you don't camp with a master chef?)

Regardless of your camping culinary preferences the Coleman Instant has proven to be an easy to set up tent that lets you enjoy camping and not the familial cursing over tent set-up. Hey the family that can survive the great outdoors without a few verbal skirmishes should get a merit badge - but all is forgiven when the toasted marshmallows his those graham crackers right?

Coleman Instant 8-Person Tent Product 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

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Coleman 8-Person Instant Tent List Price: $241.99 Sale Price: $163.16 You save: $78.83 (33%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Coleman Instant 14- by 10- Foot 8- Person Two Room Tent List Price: $241.99 Sale Price: $204.98 You save: $37.01 (15%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Coleman Instant: A Tent That Really is Easy to Set Up is a post from: Camping Gear Reviews

I just got in from shoveling the latest beautiful batch of fluffy white snow from the driveway, the kind that is so fine and powdery it feels like talcum powder - and I couldn't help but think how much I wanted to throw on my snowshoes, a backpack and hit the woods.

It also got me thinking as the blow back from a 15 degree blast of ice crystal filled wind caught me by surprise that without the right winter gear outdoor activities like backpacking or winter camping aren't always that fun. Despite the 15 degree day (and face full of snow) it actually felt rather warm, (we just got over a week of rather frigid below zero temps) and it wasn't long before my thoughts turned again to winter camping or at least that snowshoe hike.

I've been looking at 4-season winter tents recently but I keep coming back to the Eureka Apex 2XT Adventure 2-Person Tent - while this is actually rated as a 3-season tent based on a number of people who have been stuck in some pretty wicked weather it holds up pretty well to winter camping.

Granted I wouldn't want to use the Eureka Apex 2XT for all my toughest winter camping outings but for a day like today where the wind is low and the temp is mild (yeah I know my friends in Arizona would call me crazy for saying 15 degrees is mild, but you know us Northerners are just tougher right? or is it that we are a little not right in the head?) this tent just might be perfect - the price is perfect if nothing else.

At $73.95 at the time of this post it is quite a bit more affordable than a 4-season tent and it is a nice lightweight backpacker tent (less than 6 pounds) perfect for my idea of a snowshoe adventure - plus when the weather warms up I can enjoy it all season, hmmm summer... is it too early to dream of summer?

Grab Those Snowshoes and your Eureka Apex 2XT is a post from: Camping Gear Reviews

When we think of technology, it’s natural to think of electronic equipment, and a variety of camping gear and supplies have taken advantage of new developments. For example, you can get high tech combination radio clocks that also give you the temperature and serve as a compass. But if finding your way in the dark with a compass isn’t your idea of fun, then portable GPS systems can now help you to pinpoint your location using satellite positioning. Beyond these items, other advances have been made in camping gear and supplies. Portable water filtration systems make it simple and fast to make water safe to drink or cook with. Personal cooking systems will help you to quickly and safely prepare hot beverages or meals for one or more people over a small fuel cartridge.

Innovations haven’t been limited to smaller camping gear and supplies. There are also new versions of the largest camping gear – trailers. These new types accommodate people who needed something more from their living space while camping. For example, if you like to bring your ATV, dirt bike, water vehicle or other toys out with you on your camping trip, then consider a ‘toy box’ trailer. Half of the trailer is a garage, complete with ramp, for your favorite toy or large camping gear and supplies and the other half is living space to relax in after playing. You can relax in comfort with generators that make your preferred electrical appliances possible.

In another new trailer version, there is now a hybrid vehicle that combines the best of the soft, or pop-up and hard, or fixed, trailers. This flexible space includes some bunks that fold down from the outside of the trailer and a net or screen covering that adds sleeping space by extending it to the outside. But you don’t end up with the extra weight that a larger trailer would add.

When it comes to camping gear and supplies, the fact is that what’s available is constantly evolving. Often these evolutions come in the form of unique, condensed combinations of supplies, such as have been mentioned in this article. But you can also find new developments such as roll-up solar panels that capture and store solar energy for use in your camping appliances. Staying abreast of these kinds of changes will help to ensure that you have the most comfortable, safe camping experience possible for you and your family. Not to mention the latest and greatest gadgets are down right fun to play with.

Have a mighty fine day from Camping Crossroads, and don't forget to tell us about your latest tech toys in a comment below.

The Latest in Camping Gear and Supplies is a post from: Camping Gear Reviews