How to Use Your Trekking Pole for Maximum Benefit

Using a set of trekking poles can make a huge difference in the comfort and enjoyment of your next hike. Using them correctly, however, is important to realize the maximum benefits that hiking trekking poles are designed for. It might take a little practice and experimenting to feel comfortable in using your hiking poles to achieve full benefits.

Here are some tips in how to properly use your hiking trekking poles to achieve the most benefits:

How to Use the Trekking Pole Straps

Using the trekking pole straps correctly will allow you to let go of the pole briefly without it falling to the ground. You should put your hand through the strap and grip the pole, with the strap over the back of your hand without being twisted. Put your hands through the straps when adjusting the length for a 90° bend at your elbow. 

How to Grip the Pole 

You should grip the pole in a relaxed fashion without gripping tightly. Gripping your poles too tightly will wear out your wrists and hands. You will naturally grip a little tighter when you need to for stability. Try using only your thumb and forefinger to fling the pole forward with little effort with your other fingers loosely closed around the pole. 

Arm Motion

Swinging your poles with opposite leg / arm motion is important while you keep your elbows close to your sides. Bring the opposite arm forward with each step and bring your pole forward with a slight flick of the wrist. A loose grip will bring your pole forward correctly. 

Planting Your Pole 

When using your trekking poles for stability, plant the tip lightly before flicking forward with your next step. When trekking uphill you may want to plant your pole with a bit more pressure to give you more thrust or brake a little harder when hiking downhill. This push / pull technique will give you a little more stability when hiking uphill or downhill and gives your upper body more of a workout. 

Trekking Pole Baskets and Tips

Trekking poles usually have a carbide tip for planting into soft trails or ice and a rubber paw is better on pavement or asphalt. Snow baskets and sand baskets will help to keep your trekking pole from sinking into soft surfaces. 

For more tips on how to use your trekking poles with the most advantageous techniques, contact your friends at Cascade Mountain Tech. We offer a wide selection of aluminum, carbide fiber and 3k carbon fiber poles with adjustable lengths to suit any hiker. Ask about our other camping gear to plan the perfect outdoor excursion such as our mummy sleeping bags, super rotomolded coolers, camping chairs and additional camp bedding. 

Cascade Mountain Tech is your one stop for the perfect outdoor excursion. We offer high quality hiking and camping gear with pro tips for planning a successful and enjoyable adventure. Contact us with any questions on how to choose and effectively use hiking trekking poles.

Mummy Sleeping Bags: Material and Other Important Factors

Choosing the right mummy sleeping bag for your outdoor expedition is critical to having a successful, enjoyable adventure. There is nothing worse than realizing that your bag will not keep you warm at night or that you forgot to include a sleeping pad or other camp bedding that provides some comfortable shut-eye. Many factors impact your warmth at night in addition to outdoor temps, thereby impacting the type of mummy bag and camp bedding best for you. 

Sleeping Pads: Do I Need One? 

While selecting your mummy bag with the appropriate temperature rating for your outing is important, other factors play a critical role in impacting your warmth. Ground temperature is an important factor in the warmth your sleeping bag will provide, in spite of the air temp and your body temp. This is where a sleeping pad could be your best friend. 

Not only does a sleeping pad provide a barrier between frigid ground temps and your mummy bag, a sleeping pad will add comfort with some cushion between you and the cold, hard ground. Without the barrier of a sleeping pad, cold ground temperature will seep up into your bag and your body attempting to bring your temperature closer to the ground temp. A sleeping pad puts a layer of air between you and the ground to keep you much warmer and dryer in moist climates or grassy hills. 

Mummy Bag Material: Down vs Synthetic

The two options you will most commonly hear about are down material vs. synthetic. Here is a snapshot of the two types of sleeping bag material with the pros and cons of each. 

Down Material

Down filled sleeping bags will compress a little more than synthetic making it nice to pack into smaller spaces for the weight conscience backpacker. One of the biggest drawbacks of down material, however, is that if it gets wet it will immediately lose any insulating power. Some people also have ethical issues with way down feathers are sourced. Here is a snapshot of the pros and cons of down:

• Pros:

• Longer insulation lifespan

• More compressible

• Higher warmth-to-weight ratio than synthetic

• Cons:

• Not water resistant

• More expensive

• Harder to clean

• Ethical considerations

Synthetic Material

Mummy bags with synthetic insulation provide warmth without worrying about moisture ruining your camping trip. Synthetic material is more durable than down, although may not provide as long of a lifespan when used and packed repeatedly. Synthetic material provides a great, affordable sleeping bag for the average camper and will last quite a long time with proper care. 

Cascade Mountain Tech offers some great options for high quality synthetic mummy bags in either 0° or 30° temp ratings. Here are some of the pros and cons of synthetic material:

• Pros:

• Less expensive

• Hypoallergenic

• No ethical issues

• Dries more quickly than down

• Cons:

• Bulkier and heavier than down

• Shorter insulation lifespan

• Provides less warmth per weight

The perfect sleeping bag for you will depend on the temperature and the season of your outdoor expedition, the ground temperature, potential moisture, and backpack weight restrictions. Contact the outdoor experts at Cascade Mountain Tech for more pro-tips on selecting the right mummy bag and camp bedding for a good night’s sleep in any outdoor environment.

Cascade Mountain Tech offers camp bedding with various temp ratings for mummy sleeping bags, super rotomolded coolers, trekking poles, camp chairs and more. We help to make sure that you enjoy your outing safely and comfortably. Contact us with any questions on choosing the perfect camp bedding with sleeping pads and mummy bags for anyone.

Temperature Ratings on Mummy Bags: What Do They Mean?

Sleeping bags today offer a lot of choices with various materials, weights, shapes, and temperature ratings. Unless you are an experienced backpacker, it may be a bit intimidating to evaluate all your options and get the right sleeping bag for you. When backpacking or camping in high altitude or even slightly chilly nighttime weather, a mummy bag will keep you warmer. 

EN Temperature Ratings for Mummy Sleeping Bags

The temperature rating on a mummy bag is the main factor which will indicate to you the warmth the mummy bag will provide. Most sleeping bag manufacturers use the EN temperature rating system, which indicates the lowest temp that you can expect your sleeping bag to keep the average camper warm at night. 

For example, if your mummy bag says it is rated for 30°, you should expect the average person would be comfortable if the temp got as low as 30°F, but they may not be warm at a temperature less than that. A good practice is to choose a bag with a rating of 25° less than what you expect the coldest weather to be. 

In spite of the direction these ratings can provide, the United States currently has no standard to measure these ratings and many variables can affect how warm a person will feel that just cannot be replicated in a testing lab. For example, a person with a high metabolism may not feel as chilled as someone else and most women sleep colder than men. Other factors include whether you are using a sleeping pad (highly recommended), the clothing you wear and the material of your mummy bag. 

Mummy Sleeping Bag Temp Ratings for Different Seasons

You should always keep your regional climate in mind as the temperatures across the U.S. vary widely during the seasons. This is a rough seasonal guide to mummy bag temp ratings for the average person in average seasonal temps, all listed in °F:

• Indoors: any bag with 45° and up will do

• Summertime tent camping outdoors: 30° or greater

• Spring and Fall tent camping outdoors: 20° to 30°

• Winter camping outdoors: 0° to 20°

• Deep winter outdoor expeditions: -40° to 20°

It is important to evaluate each outing and compare to the seasonal temps and any expected variations such as an exceptionally cold winter or warm summer. For additional questions on choosing the right mummy bag for your adventure, contact the outdoor experts at Cascade Mountain Tech. Here you will find a large selection of high quality mummy sleeping bags, rotomolded coolers that keep your ice for several days with bear proof ratings, and a wide selection of hiking trekking poles to suit any hiker of any size. Our camping chairs are the best in quality with a wide selection for any setting.

Cascade Mountain Tech believes in providing affordable adventure to anyone, with a wide selection of hiking and camping gear. We offer expert tips from experienced outdoor enthusiasts and high quality gear for a successful camping trip. Contact us with any questions and to learn more about how to choose the right mummy sleeping bag.

Hiking Trekking Poles: How to Properly Adjust Length

Hiking trekking poles are sold in tandem and used as a pair compared to using a single hiking staff. Hiking trekking poles improve your balance and stability while hiking and reduce the amount of force impacted on your knees. Most hiking trekking poles are adjustable to get the perfect height while hiking uphill, downhill or across rugged terrain. 

Hiking poles are properly sized when your elbows are bent at a 90° angle when holding the poles with the tips on the ground at your feet. This is easy to achieve with adjustable length hiking poles. Here are some additional tips to adjust your poles to the right length in various environments. 

Choosing the Right Hiking Poles for Your Height

If you are shorter than 6 feet, most adjustable hiking poles should allow you to shorten to the right height for you in any hiking scenario. 

If you are 6 feet or taller, you will want to choose a trekking pole that provides a maximum length of at least 51 inches. 

Adjust Your Trekking Poles for General Hiking

When hiking or backpacking, it is important to adjust your trekking poles so that your elbows are bent at a 90° angle. This prevents undue stress on your back, neck, shoulders and arms. 

If your hiking trekking poles have three sections, adjust the top section in the middle of the range with some room for movement. Then you can adjust the bottom section to put your arms at the right bent angle. This allows you to adjust the top section only when hiking which is quicker and more convenient. 

Adjust Hiking Poles for Uphill Treks

If trekking uphill, you will want to shorten your trekking poles about 5 to 10 cm. This allows you to plant your pole more securely and provides greater leverage when hiking uphill. If you feel like your poles are pushing up into your backpack straps or if they feel unnatural and uncomfortable, it may cause strain and fatigue on your shoulders and they should be adjusted even more. 

Adjust Hiking Poles for Downhill Hikes

When hiking downhill, you will want to do the opposite and lengthen your poles by 5 to 10 cm to help keep your body more upright and provide greater balance and stability. If traversing a long section, you will want to lengthen your trekking poles on the downhill side and shorten your poles on the uphill side as needed to improve stability. 

You can learn more about how to effectively use your hiking trekking poles from the outdoor enthusiasts at Cascade Mountain Tech. Here you’ll find high quality hiking trekking poles, mummy sleeping bags, super rotomolded coolers that keep ice for several days. 

Cascade Mountain Tech believes in providing accessible outdoor adventure to everyone. We offer a wide selection of the most comfortable camping chairs, mummy bags, super coolers, and various adjustable hiking trekking poles. Contact us to learn more about our wide selection of aluminum, carbon fiber and 3k carbon fiber trekking poles.

What to Look for When Buying a Good Cooler for Camping

Packing a cooler is a big part of any camping trip as it is important to make sure that you have plenty of food and drinks for family and friends. A lot of thought often goes into planning out the meals and making sure that you’ve got all the right food and condiments as it is often not feasible to run to the store. Just as much thought should go into choosing the best cooler for your trip to keep your food fresher and keep your ice as long as possible. 

No one wants to drain melted water and keep filling a cooler with ice every day, hoping your food did not get soggy or ruined. Coolers are available today that provide long lasting freshness without breaking the bank. Stop wasting time re-organizing your cooler and searching for more ice to keep your food fresh throughout your adventure. 

Here are some of the most important considerations when evaluating the best cooler for your camping trip:

Rotomolded Cooler Construction

Learn about the high-performance, rotomolded coolers that let you enjoy the outdoors without worrying about your food or replenishing ice. Coolers manufactured with rotational molding, rotomolded, are more durable than other types as the entire outer shell is made with durable, consistent wall thickness to keep in the cold. Rotomolded coolers from Cascade Mountain Tech are proven to keep ice for days! 

Cooler Storage Capacity

The capacity of the cooler you need depends upon your adventure and the number in your group. Ideally, start with a cooler that fits in your car or truck and can fit the food items you will need for the length of your trip. It will not hurt to pack your large rotomolded cooler with a lot of ice and take a smaller, portable one for a quick hike or dip in the lake. This way you will always have ice. 

Drain Plug

A cooler with a drain plug is a must if you do not want to remove all your food items and turn your cooler upside down to re-pack it. Draining out excess water keeps your food from getting soggy, makes your ice last longer and reduces the weight of your cooler. 

Bear Resistant Seal

Depending on where you plan to set up camp, you need to be sure your food is protected from wildlife and especially bears. Rotomolded coolers from Cascade Mountain Tech carry the Bear Proof Seal from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, certified bear resistant when using a lock. 

Cascade Mountain Tech offers high quality rotomolded coolers with durable rope handles and rubber latches, built-in bottle openers, non-slip feet and are certified Bear-Resistant. Check out all the camping and hiking gear from Cascade Mountain Tech such as mummy sleeping bags to keep you warm in any climate, high-quality hiking trekking poles for a fun and safe hike and camping chairs for any occasion. 

Cascade Mountain Tech offers high-quality hiking and camping gear to make the most of any camping trip. We believe in making outdoor adventure accessible to anyone. Contact us with any questions and to learn more about the benefits of our super rotomolded coolers.