Great Bear Outdoors » Outdoor Gear

Back to School Backpacks

gmoore — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:04:09 +0000

It is almost that time of year again. Everyone takes out their old backpacks and realizes that they are completely trashed from the year before. I took one look at my sons backpack and don’t really know how anything survived in there. Half of the zipper compartments had holes from being dragged around.

The good news is all of those retailers want your dollar and are actively looking for ways to entice you into a new pack. It seems that there are as many types of backpacks as there are people. If you find one for a good price at a local store by all means go for it, but if you don’t there are tons of options online.

Another thing you can do is get some cool patches for your back packs. If you have a couple of kids you might want to consder putting their initials on the pack somehow. It is a lot easier than remembering that Bobby’s is blue and Cindy’s is orange.

Some other considerations include the type of activity your child is involved with. Certain sports such as soccer or basketball have packs that are designed to hold the ball. Other packs feature unique features tailored to other sports as well.

Hybrid Bikes

gmoore — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:27:29 +0000

If you’re like me you enjoy mountain biking, but probably spend a fair amount of time riding your bike on pavement as well. Hybrid bikes are designed for just that purpose. These bikes are designed to handle the mountain as well as the potholes. Often the tires on these bikes are not as knobby and are flatter. They don’t produce quite as much hum when rolling over pavement. They still offer good traction on the hills. If you really need some more traction you can always change out your tires. They can also be lighter in weight which makes it easier to go a little faster on the pavement.

Trekking Poles

gmoore — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:21:43 +0000

Most younger people typically do not use trekking poles. As we get a little older it may become a very useful tool. Age brings with it change in our bodies that can make it difficult to enjoy activities. Trekking poles add support after surgery. Using Trekking Poles helps distribute weight evenly and absorbs added shock to your knees and back when traveling different terrain. Probably not as necessary for a flat trail, but good for diverse trails.

Some of the newer poles are not just a solid shaft. These poles actually have built in springs to help cushion the load. Particularly helpful for those with hip problems as well.