The Ultimate Safety Device for the Outdoors Guy

I have finally realized that I am no longer the spring chicken I used to be, scampering up 14,000+ peaks, hiking many miles into the Everglades or fishing 20 miles offshore of my home in South Florida by myself may not be the smartest thing to do. Don’t get me wrong, I love my adventures and they will have to pry the throttle or walking stick out of my cold dead hands before I am relegated to a rocker on some front porch. It is for these reasons that I have decided to purchase some sort of Personal locator beacon that will not only give me the peace of mind that I can be found and rescued in the event of an emergency, but will also ease the fears of those that care about me and have concerns over my adventure lifestyle.

I spent quite a bit of time researching various products, asking many questions at the local Bass Pro Shops in Fort Lauderdale and Gander Mountain in West palm Beach and comparing the answers of the sales staff with my own personal needs. They were all very informative and were all also in agreement that for my needs I needed something that was extremely reliable and hopefully would never need to be used. There were several models that were reviewed, some that allowed friends to track your progress and send text messages and others that were geared strictly for imminent danger and life threatening situations.

After weighing all my options and needs, and deciding that reliability in such a device outweighed price and occasionally used features, I had narrowed my decision down to a select few, all made by the company ACR which deals primarily in Epirbs, PLB’s and other life support devices. The several models I looked at from this company confused me for a while as they all seemed quite similar. I visited their website and then sent an email to their customer service manger detailing my intended uses for a Personal Locator Beacon and how my journeys are quite often water related. I was very pleased with his response and have copied here in hopes it helps others contemplating purchasing one of these units.

Dear Noah,

Look no further than one of the two units below.

• SARLink 406 GPS PLB

http://www.acrelectronics.com/product2.aspx?sku=2883

• AquaLink 406 GPS PLB

http://www.acrelectronics.com/product2.aspx?sku=2882

The SARLink is sold by the Outdoor Industry because the voice of the Outdoor customer tells us that they want smaller and lighter. So we responded by taking all of the air out of it to make it as small as possible, and because of this it doesn’t float. However, because a small portion of the Outdoor consumers also recreate around water, we do offer a floatation pouch accessory.

The AquaLink is sold by the Marine Industry because they need a product that will float. This product has a larger back making it inherently buoyant, as size is not as important to the boater.

The following is the physical differences.

AQUALINK P/N 2882 9.2 oz OR 260g 2.3 x 5.8 x 1.45″ 5.9 x 14.8 x 3.7 cm

SARLINK P/N 2883 8.9 oz OR 252g 2.3 x 5.8 x 1.25″ 5.9 x 14.8 x 3.2 cm

Because it floats and you have no problems with a unit a little bigger than the Sarlink, the Aqualink would be your best bet.

You can then also use it for any overland excursions you may want to add to your travelling itinerary.

I am now planning to purchase the AquaLink 406 GPS PLB this week and regain my confidence that if I Journey into the great outdoors I will also be coming home with more great stories to share. Remember that when purchasing such units, they should be considered a method of last resort and not because you ran out of gas but because your survival is seriously in question.

Choosing a Down or Synthetic sleeping bag

More and more people than ever before are hitting the national parks and local campgrounds for a relatively inexpensive way in a difficult economic period to enjoy the great outdoors and spend time with family and friends.  With experience short hikes may turn into overnights and a good night’s sleep can make the difference between planning you next expedition and making reservations and the nearest super 8 motel. We’ve decided to begin our series of articles on camping equipment with sleeping bags. This is the bare minimum information but should get you started searching for the sleeping bag that suits you best.

 

Sleeping bags are most commonly made using either down or synthetic materials as insulation, each has its important points to consider before making a purchase.  Sleeping bags that utilize down for insulation generally provide more warmth for their weight and can be compacted into a smaller volume than synthetic sleeping bags. Did I mention how wonderful it feels to crawl inside a down sleeping bag at the end of a long day? The downside, pardon my pun, is that they are also quite a bit more expensive and if they get wet, you may as well be lying in a wet rag. You can take many precautions against getting a down sleeping bag wet such as good insulators such as DryLoft, but chances are if you camp or live in area prone to moisture or wet climates, it will get damp. If for whatever the reason including condensation caused by breathing in the tent, you are prone to moisture buildup, the synthetic sleeping bag may be the choice for you.

 

The shell fabric can go along way in saving you from a miserable night in the tent and should play a considerable role in which sleeping bag you purchase.  For those who are merely the occasional camper and are constrained buy a tight budget, the shell material of choice might be polyester and nylon taffeta. Nylon Taffeta has a reputation for being resistant to abrasion, while the polyester taffeta does a great job in standing up to the menacing effects of ultra violet rays.  The poly taffeta also will absorb less moisture than the nylon.

 

The next level of fabric choice for the shell would be microfiber. This will cost more than the previously mentioned fabrics but also offers more in protection and resistance from both wind and moisture. It is a good choice for tent campers in the mid range but brings us to the next level of shell known as DryLoft.

 

The cost of purchasing a DryLoft sleeping bag is higher than the other two materials and with the increase in price there is also an increase of the overall weight of the bag. You will however now have the ultimate in wind protection and breathability with a substantial increase in water-resistance. If you are the type of camper who likes to sleep outside on a cool night and gaze at the stars, this might be the sleeping bag for you.