First things first: summer in Australia is the direct opposite of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Yes, you heard right. In Australia, summer actually happens from December to February. Which means Aussies celebrate their Christmas at the height of summer. Which means they get to do more things they otherwise couldn’t do if they were in the wintry, arctic regions on the Northern Hemisphere. Blessed be the Australian summer.

But watch out: the Australian summer can be very hot and unforgiving, but this is just fine as long as you keep a handy bottle of sunscreen with you and arm yourself with a good pair of UV-proof sunglasses. For Aussie families, summer generally is the time to hit the beach and frolic in the waters. Summer also marks the mid-year break for students; instead of springbreak, they enjoy summer holidays or Christmas holidays. And for backpackers who roam and travel Australia, the Aussie summer can be a liberating experience. Even businesspeople who like to keep busy with work even during the holidays prefer to leave their freezing homelands and travel Australia to seek its cosy warmth.

Before you get any misplaced ideas about Australia as being just pure hard summer, you have to realise that Australia is such a large country that each region experiences different weather patterns. Up north where the tropical rainforests reign, it’s mainly high temperatures and high humidity and distinct wet and dry seasons. In the centre of the country, where the Outback sprawls, it’s dry, desert regions with high daytime temperatures and occasional bursts of rain. In the south are the temperate regions with moderate rainfall and temperatures ranging from hot to cold.  Read more...

There are many times out in the woods that people end up not having fun because they do not have the proper hiking backpacking equipment. There are many companies out there that manufacture hiking backpacking equipment, but not all of it is high quality equipment. If you have never had to purchase hiking backpacking equipment before you may have no idea what out there is good and bad. There are several ways you can be assured that you get quality hiking backpacking equipment.

How to Find the Right Hiking Backpacking Equipment

Once you have decided what equipment you need you are going to have to shop around and see what equipment is available. There are many places that advertise having camping and hiking backpacking equipment, but for the most part these places do not have the expertise nor the proper equipment for you to make the right decision.

I would recommend going to a store that specializes in hiking and backpacking gear. These stores will have not only a variety of different products to choose from but will also have experts there that can help you decide what to get. My favorite store to go to is Eastern Mountain Sports.

This store was founded in 1967 by two rock climbers who were not satisfied with selection of climbing equipment they found in other stores. They soon added camping equipment and grew from these humble beginnings to more than 80 retail outlets. They carry the philosophy of a dedication to outdoor sports to all of the different outlet chains that they have. They carry brands that many other stores do not and will not ever carry. Some of these products are the best in the field.  Read more...

Two of the best known names in the travel insurance industry are CSA and HTH travel insurance. Both of these insurance companies have been around for a while insuring travelers. They both offer packages that will insure the investment that you have made in your travel package.

Keeping your Money Safe while Traveling

When you are spending money for travel, you will want to make sure that the money is safe by insuring the travel plans. The more you spend on the travel arrangements and the riskier the travel arrangements, the more money the travel insurance will cost you. Both CSA and HTH are travel insurance companies that weigh risk of the venture with the premium. Not everyone gets the same flat premium for their travel coverage when they are using these companies. Nor do they get the same coverage. Everything depends on the type of travel that you are doing and the type of coverage that you desire.

Comprehensive Travel Insurance with CSA and HTH Travel Insurance

CSA is a name that is known to most travel agents and is one of the most popular travel insurance companies that is used. Many travel agencies will try to get travelers to get insurance when they are going on a trip, just in case of a cancellation or inclement weather that can prevent their enjoyment. CSA is one of the companies that will protect travelers against poor weather when they are going on a trip where they expect the weather to be good. The amount for which they offer insurance depends on the type of insurance that someone is getting and the likelihood of something going wrong. CSA is a company that will weigh out the risks of the insurance and balance it with the cost of the insurance.  Read more...

TENT ADVICE – Camping Tent & Equipment Advice

Going camping is one of the best ways to enjoy the outdoors. Choosing a tent and buying camping equipment that is right for you is fun too, so make sure you know which camping tent is the best suited for you, whether it be a family tent, backpacking tent or group tent. CheapTents.com has the right advice and guidance to help you in this decision.

What type of tent do you need?

Choosing which of the many different designs and sizes of tents from the many available is a difficult task. To start narrowing down the options, we suggest listing your particular requirements. The first question has to be how many people is the tent for? If the tent is for solo use then you’re really looking for a tent weighing 1-2.5kg, which immediately eliminates well over half the tent models available. Most people share tents though, so this is where the greatest choice lie, with weights ranging from 1.75 to 5 kilos, the latter being a sensible upper weight limit for a tent that is being carried.  Read more...

These lightweight backpacking tips and techniques are options or ideas, not recommendations. I tend towards the extreme side of ultralight backpacking, and if you don’t know yourself or your skills, some of these techniques will get you into trouble.

A good example of this is the “natural mattress” that allows you to leave your sleeping bag behind. With this technique, I’ve slept with no pad, and only a five-ounce sleeping bag liner, on a night when it was near freezing. It took fifteen minutes to collect enough bracken ferns to make a two-foot thick mattress, but it was comfortable and warm.

You can use leaves, pine needles, dead grass or dry bracken ferns. All you do is make a pile big enough to set your tent or bivy sack on. This could damage the enviroment in some areas, so use common sense, and collect only DEAD vegetation. Also, scatter your materials in the morning, so they won’t smother the plants underneath.

An important point here is that you have to know your enviroment, so you know you’ll be able to find proper mattress materials. Otherwise, you could have a very cold night or worse. Also, gloves make it easier and safer to collect the ferns or grass. Try this first near home.

Knowledge Reduces Weight

Learn certain backpacking techniques, like the one above, and you can carry a lighter sleeping bag, less clothing, and even less food. Wilderness survival knowledge can help you reduce weight, but it also lets you travel the wilds more safely.  Read more...