Environmental Digg News Site

For all of those who like to hear about whats going on in the crusade to save the earth Hugg.com should be in your bookmarks. This site is just like Digg but only deals with environmental news. Its a great place to find out whats happening. Looking on it today I found that there was a sighting of the thought to be extinct Baiji dolphin. I also found an article explaining why ethanol fuel contributes more to global warming than gasoline. Apparently more CO2 is produced when using ethanol in your car than when using gasoline.

Get informed with the latest green news because its as simple as checking out Hugg.com.

Written by admin on August 31st, 2007 with no comments.
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What’s your Carbon Footprint

I keep hearing about carbon footprints and how we should try and minimized or offset them. Here is the definition. A carbon footprint is the total amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, emitted over the full life cycle of a product or service. It is expressed as grams of CO2 equivalents, which accounts for the different global warming effects of different greenhouse gases (Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology POST, 2006).

With global warming awareness at an all time, people are pushing for carbon reduction. People and corporations are under scrutiny to reduce their carbon emissions. Going green is the new business fad. At this year’s Outdoor Retail show, the owners of the show inked a deal with the City of Salt Lake within a couple of years all the electricity to power the OR show must be sustainable.

So what can we do to minimize our footprint.

We can make our homes more energy efficient.
Use adjustable thermostats in for our AC and furnaces
Turn off and unplug all electronics when going on vacation (even standby mode uses some energy)
Close doors to unused rooms
Use energy efficient lights such compact fluorescent lightbulbs
Clean all filters to heating and cooling devices (makes the appliance work less when they get clean air)
Wash dishes manually or only using the dishwasher when its full
Walk or ride a bike instead of driving a car
Recycle as much as possible
Plant trees to shade your house and paint your interior light for warm climates and dark if you live in cold climates
Turn the refrigerator down
Buy Energystar appliances when you need to replace old ones
Slow down and drive more efficiently. When you drive fast and accelerate quickly you burn more gas
Plant more plants to help absorb CO2

There are lots of ways to reduce waste we generate. Some others include paperless statements for bills and using biofuels. However we choose to do it a little bit can go a long ways. Here at Campman we use boxes that have already been used to ship something. So if you get a box that doesn’t look right then you should know that we use 100% recycled boxes. We also pay for sustainable wind energy to power our office.

So this Labor Day drive a little less or plant a couple of trees to offset your driving.

Written by admin on August 29th, 2007 with 1 comment.
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Hennessy Expedition ASYM Hammock Review

We have been selling a lot of these hammocks lately so I decided to give one a try. Its an ultralight alternative to carrying a tent. They are extremely light. It is a must better alternative to a tent if the weather isn’t really nasty. I’ve read that it can stand up to just about anything but haven’t gotten to test it in inclement weather yet. It really interesting that you get into the hammock from the bottom. At first this seem like it could cause some problems but once your in the hammock just closes around you and it fastened shut with strips of hook and loop fastener.

The Expedition ASYM hammock has a rain fly and no see-um mesh to protect you from the elements and bugs. In additions it comes with the tree-hugger straps that allow it to be tree friendly. The straps help minimize tree wear. You can set it up it up in 2-3 minutes. It also sits up off the ground so you don’t need to worry about if it rains and the ground gets wet. You are safely suspended in the air.

Overall if you do your research you will find that the line of hammocks and accessories made by Hennessy are top quality and are a reasonably priced. The other hammock that I haven’t had time to test yet it the Explorer Model. It is built for a the larger backpacker. However I hear that it get just as many rave reviews. A Hennessy Hammock is on my list of things to bring on my next backpacking trip.

Written by admin on August 24th, 2007 with no comments.
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Symbiot Sportback Review

I blogged about this product briefly a couple of months ago. However at the time I really hadn’t had time to use it. It really is a cool pack. It applies the stress caused by weight in a more uniform manner. The Symbiot Sportback is great pack for running as well as just utility around town.

It may look funny and feel a bit weird at first, but you soon become accustom to it and hardly even notice its there after awhile. It fits quite securely to the body so you can even run without it bouncing around much. There are tons of pockets for all your gadgets and room for quite a bit of stuff in the back pocket.

Here is another review of the product from the Travel Gear Blog. So if you’re tired of back pains after wearing a pack try this new product.

Written by admin on August 22nd, 2007 with no comments.
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Bear Grylls a faker?

I wish it wasn’t so, but I found a blog stating that some of the stunts were staged. Here is the Simple Hiker article as well as the BBC News Article. Apparently he had some help and didn’t even spend all the nights he claimed in the wilderness. While I thought that the whole show was a bit on the dramatic side, I never thought that it would be fake. He is definitely more man than anyone else, but faking it is really disappointing.

The article goes on to claim that this show is not a documentary but more of a how to guide. I realize that he does have a support team with him the entire time so I never thought that if it got too hairy that he wouldn’t get bailed out. His coolness scale just dropped quite a bit due to the misleading that he is on his own battling the elements. Well maybe next season he will not compromise the show and actually make it more real. For now I will have to switch over to survivor man. He seems to be the real deal. However maybe I’ll find an article about him. Only time will tell. Maybe I could convince him to let Campman sponsor his show and make him do it for real.

Written by admin on August 9th, 2007 with no comments.
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Outdoor Retailer Summer Market is Here

Its time once again for the Outdoor Retailer show. The greatest place to check out all the newest and greatest outdoor equipment for the year. Its a sensory overload for any gear whore like myself. Along with the gear are tons of activities and all the beer you can drink. This year will feature a beer pong tournament. I even hear one of the companies is bringing in The Roots to play a concert at Port O Call.

This is my pre-show excitement generator. I will report on the new products about to hit the market later in the week. So if your in the area try and get a pass and check out the best show in town. You might see your favorite action sports hero. I know that all the big time climbers will be in town for the bouldering championships on Saturday. It will be held on the top level of the Shilo Hotel Parking lot. That should be entertaining as well.

Written by admin on August 7th, 2007 with 1 comment.
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Fire Season is here. Coaxsher packs a hot commodity

Low snowpacks have left a lot of the west with severely dry conditions. Here in Utah we have had the largest fire in the history of the state. We have had a huge influx of help from forest firefighters from all over the country to help keep the entire state from going up in flames. Thanks guys.

Here at Campman.com we pride ourselves on carrying great gear. The search and rescue packs from Coaxsher are the best in the business. They recently have been flying off the shelves. I am all about being prepared when out in the woods, but when fighting fires its even more important. So here is a little plug/review for them. All of the products are almost bombproof and come with a 100% satisfaction warranty.

The Scout is the most basic model that will carry your communication and navigational gadgets on your chest so as to have quick easy access.

The RCP-1 Pro is one step up from the Scout. It has a couple of more pockets in case you need to carry some extra gear.

Lastly the FS-1 Ranger is a backpack system that will carry everything you need. It is modular and you can taylor it to your needs for the day.

All of them are made with the highest quality materials so as to last through the most tenuous of situations. If you are a forest firefighter, ski patroler, search & rescue, firefighter or anyone else who needs a high quality modular chestpack or backpack then pick up a Coaxsher pack. You won’t be disappointed.

Written by admin on August 1st, 2007 with no comments.
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