Spring is here! Lets make sure you and your gear are ready before your adventure.

 

- Discussion

1. Is your equipment happy – damaged, new, test important things
2. Lets plan for your trip – Self, Reach, and Hike
3. Adventure at home – Try the local flavor
4. Keep yourself healthy – Microgreens!

- Product Release

Chisler Outdoor Travel Bags!

- Final Thoughts

Share your experience with us!

 

Is your equipment happy?

Just like all of us the last time we used most of our camping things is the last trip we took last Fall (wow that was way too long ago..) Some of your items may be dirty or need some love before your next adventure. That ripped bag you were going to fix is still ripped. But luckily those ripped things can be fixed with a needle and thread or some epoxy.

Fixing your gear can extend its life expectancy for years. This is the most economical and environmentally friendly option in most cases. But fixing things only lasts for so long – sometimes it is time for a new piece of gear. These hiking shoes have been epoxied before and this is probably their last season.

After getting that new/fixed piece of gear, its time to test it. Some of the time just taking your rain collector out of the bag to give it a test setup is all it takes to get you familiar with the product so your first time setting it up is not in the field. Luckily every Chisler Outdoor rain collector comes with a waterproof instruction page so whether its your 1^st or 100^th time using your collector, it will be there for you.

For most of us, our gear is still in pretty good condition. Sometimes just a nice clean with a soft brush and some soap is enough to get that dirty pair of Chacos back to a sexy pair of Chacos.

How is that bike doing?

A quick look at your handlebars, chain, and brakes is about 80% of a $150 professional maintenance service. Its way easier and safer to do this self-service in your garage pre-ride than not doing this and having that rusty chain snap 6 miles from your house (DON’T ASK ME HOW I KNOW THIS).  

 

Lets plan that trip!

Yeeeeewwwwww! Its happening! You have the time and gear you need for that trip. Lets cover the main things you need for your next adventure.

 

There are three main areas of note: Self, Reach, and Hike distances.

 

Self: What is on you and accessible to you immediately

Reach: What is in your bag and immediate surroundings

Hike: What is around you (now and later) from the trailhead to trailhead

 

Self: water bottle, snacks, knife, flashlight

Things located in your pockets or straps. Easily accessible items that don’t require you to take off you bag.

Reach: Cheddar, tent, Clementine, sleeping pad and tent, cooking equipment, food, filters, medical kit, folding saw

Pretty much everything else in your kit that you would need for your trip.

Keeping these things in a dry and usage condition is very important. Particularly in areas where being wet is commonplace. Its start of the rainy season in many locations. Throwing your wet things in your bag and hoping they will be OK hours later may be dangerous. Luckily, we have a solution to that - use your Clementine!

Adam Colton - master packer. Here is a snip of him packing for a thousand mile longboard trip across China.

Hike: More about weather, planning, emergencies, water locations, cat activity

OK so your kit is looking great, your snacks are on point, your flashlights are charged, and you are making those eyes at your sweetheart. Now lets get to camp and do some fun things!

A few main things you must consider before heading out – some obvious and some maybe not so obvious.

What is the weather looking like for your desired location? Are you camping in an area that may be prone to flash flooding? Then weather consideration for your location and weather 400 miles away must be something that is checked regularly.

Snow melting in the Uintas will flow for days and hundreds of miles before showing up; something like a distant Uncle showing up unexpectedly for a week to see the niece and nephew..

If the weather is fine or there is no immediate threat of Uncles… I mean flash floods, then lets have a look at your spot. Water is one of the most important resources in the West and knowing where to find it is key.

Camping in locations with regular or intermittent rain is fantastic. Check out this Muenster running wild in Flagstaff!

Having a portable water source in locations where there is no reliable source of water could save your life.

More popular trails in the National Parks or National Forests generally are great when it comes to finding out where reliable sources of water are. Check your places Ranger Station for this info or use one of the apps like AllTrails, Earthmate, or onX.  

Make sure your location for camp is at a designated location or spot where you are not disturbing the environment too much. You know I have harped about Cryptobiotic soil in the past, but its real! Keeping a small footprint on our public lands keeps them beautiful for future generations.

Having a small emergency kit is helpful too. A few band aids, Neosporin, athletes tape, nail clippers, and a couple pieces of Moleskin are a solid starter for any emergency kit.

Don’t look too tasty when in the wild. No, that new full brim hat looks great, Im talking about Cougars and other cats that may look at you as your next meal. Doing some research on your area to find out what the cat activity is very important.

A friend who did tree planting in Canada for many years once said:

If a Brown bear attacks you, play dead.

If a Black bear attacks you, fight back.

If a Cougar attacks you, say your prayers.

I was hiking near Kanab, Utah and I saw a heard of dear running up this hillside. About 15 seconds later this Lynx was on the same path. The picture is fairly zoomed in but I estimate it was 50-60 lbs.

Planning for your adventure can feel daunting, but it really doesn’t have to be. Keep your Self, Reach, and Hike areas in mind and you will be golden.

 

Adventure at home  – try the local flavor

There are adventures in your area!

Some big, some little, but adventures none the less. We have been camping in Moab, Yellowstone, Ibapah, the Tetons, Telluride, St. George, Grand Escalante, Flaming Gorge, the Grand Canyon – these places are awesome and we highly, highly recommend checking these places out at some point, but every weekend? Nah.

Salt Lake City is a diamond when it comes to adventure. We boarder a large mountainous area called the Wasatch Range. We have access to many canyons for hiking, biking, and so much more. A quick drive up one of the canyons to a trailhead or camp ground is an easy day/weekend adventure that will allow you to feel like a champ.

Not so much into camping right now? Try checking out the local parks and unique features of your city. A quick look on google maps could reveal some cool things in your hood. Not far from the office we have some fun things that can fill an afternoon.

Mount Olympus Overlook

Classic make out spot for the Utah youth. Great view over the valley. In summer, the sun sets over the GSL which creates some wild views. Highly recommended for a good picture and making out.

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Temple Granite Quarry

This place was way cooler than I expected. A paved loop that gives amazing views of the canyon walls and river. Great place for folks who are not super interested in getting too deep in the woods, but like the flavor.

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Bear Bridge

A great hike for the morning. This trail is a little exposed to the sun and is semi-steep in some locations so best to get this one done before it gets too hot. Trail is also dog and bike friendly.

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The DCP (Draper Bike Park)

Arguably the best bike park in the city. The 900 S bike park is pretty great, but you cant beat this view. Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced trails available for all skill levels.

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Wheeler Historic Farm

A gem for the mid valley. Community activities, farmers markets, and lots and lots of goats.

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Gilgal Sculpture Garden

A quirky place filled with fun statues. Next to Ex-Wives club.

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Liberty Park

The most popular park in SLC by a country mile. From sun up to sun down this place is filled with life. The picture above is a random dance collab in the middle of the park. Wild.

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Living Room Trail

I would have taken a better picture of the Living Room but this is a typical person density for this trail. 1 out of 5 stars.

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The Whale

Yes I caved and visited the whale but I was not the only dork there taking pictures. ALL HAIL THE WHALE.

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All of these things can be a quick drive/bike ride/walk you can do. What cool things are by you? Let us know!

 

Keep yourself healthy – Microgreens!

 

Microgreens microgreens microgreens.

Keeping your self healthy for the season is very important. One fun thing to do is to plant a small garden for microgreens. It does not require a lot of specialized gardening equipment or fancy seeds to make a pretty and productive garden.  

An easy setup is to take a few seeds from your bird seed bag, put them into a used can with wet soil, cover the top in plastic wrap (to keep the moisture in), put the can in direct sun, and before you know it you will have a great little garden producing some really tasty treats.

New Chisler Outdoor Product!

You are the first persons to hear about these and will have first dibs before they hit the market. Email us and we can send you one before they are released!

Check them out here

Our bags are made from the same high performance 70D Ripstop we use with our rain collectors. Water resistant, UV safe, rip proof, and suspiciously great zip tightness.

No more lost small items in your backpack/travel bags!!

We are introducing the large bag at $13.95 and $10.95 for the standard size for individuals and $19.95 for a combination pack (one large plus one standard). Black and Orange available. As always, free shipping is standard on all purchases.

Thank you for supporting a small, Utah business!

 

Final Thoughts

This year we are really pushing yall to let us know what you are doing with your Chisler Outdoor gear. We have been getting great feedback from a few of our users and that is amazing hearing what adventures they have been on and how they use their gear and we want to continue that trend.

If you want to send us an update on what your plans are, we would be so happy to share with everyone.

Good luck and happy adventurers to you!

Alex

 

Published 18 April 2023