There are three essential pieces of equipment that any would-be outdoorsman must contemplate purchasing before heading out to the wide open spaces. We will give you a basic understanding of what to look for and how to maintain the most important parts of your kit. Fear not because at the Prepared Idiot, I have made all the mistakes for you so that you don’t have to look like an idiot when you are shopping, carrying, and maintaining your gear. So, let take a look at the big three of camping. 
equipment
The Prepared Idiot’s Guide to Buying and Maintaining a Sleeping Bag
Your sleeping bag is one of the m
ost important pieces of equipment that you carry with you on your camping trips. It’s also one of the most expensive. The key to getting the most out of your money is to buy the right sleeping bag for your needs, and then to take care of it.
The Real Outdoor Menace!!
For more great tips on backpacking check out the Podcast!
You can also get this and ot
her episodes on iTunes and Stitcher!
I want to here your backpacking stories! Do you have any tips or awesome pics you want to share? I would love to here from you! Post a comment or shoot me an email at Preparedidiot@gmail.com.
There are three essential pieces of equipment that any would-be outdoorsman must contemplate purchasing before heading out to the wide open spaces. We will give you a basic understanding of what to look for and how to maintain the most important parts of your kit. Fear not because at the Prepared Idiot, I have made all the mistakes for you so that you don’t have to look like an idiot when you are shopping, carrying, and maintaining your gear. So, let take a look at the big three of camping.
Get the book on Amazon NOW! Click here.
The Prepared Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking (Part 2 of a Series)
The more I learn ab
out backpacking the more it becomes clear the thing that moves most people into the sport is freedom. Freedom from busy daily lives, form cluttered houses, and from the sterile concrete world that we have created. In this episode I continue to work on finding and answering all the dumb questions about backpacking in the great outdoors
Those Sneaky Bears!
Subscribe to the Podcast and listen to our new series on Backpacking!!!
For more great tips on hiking check out the Podcast! You can also get this and other episodes on iTunes and Stitcher!
I want to here you backpacking stories! Do you have any tips or awesome pics you want to share? I would love to here from you! Post a comment or shoot me an email at Preparedidiot@gmail.com.
There are three essential pieces of equipment that any would-be outdoorsman must contemplate purchasing before heading out to the wide open spaces. We will give you a basic understanding of what to look for and how to maintain the most important parts of your kit. Fear not because at the Prepared Idiot, I have made all the mistakes for you so that you don’t have to look like an idiot when you are shopping, carrying, and maintaining your gear. So, let take a look at the big three of camping.
Get the book on Amazon NOW! Click here.
The Prepared Idiot’s Guide to Hiking (Part 1of the Backpacking series)
In the age of social m
edia and jobs that require long hours of cubical sitting most modern humans have forgotten the basic skill of walking. Except for in large cities where motor vehicle travel is unpractical the quick trip around the corner to get a gallon of milk is done in our cars. Many children in the Southern California area where I live don’t walk to school anymore and thought of and evening stroll is a terror inducing event for many teenagers. So, we are increasingly spending more and more time sitting on our posteriors plugged into a screen and watching others have adventures and live their lives. While it is not realistic to think that you can escape the modern day working environments entirely you should also be aware of the potential risks of all that sitting. Continue reading
How to use a Suction Dredge for Gold Prospecting
Most people have heard old 
stories of the California Gold Rush in the mid-19th century. Prospectors from across the United States, and even across the world, headed for the West Coast in hopes of striking it rich. Some of them found their fortunes, others were not so lucky, but the thought of such an endeavor may be exciting enough to make 21st century folks wish it were 1848 all over again.
What many people don’t realize is that the gold rush is not over. Well, perhaps the ‘rush’ part is a thing of the past, but that is not to say that people don’t still find gold. Gold prospecting is alive and well for those that have the ambition and spirit to do it. For those adventurous few, there may be no better method than suction dredging.
Continue reading
The Prepared Idiot’s Guide to Backpacking
About three weeks 
ago one of my older sons came up to me and stated that he wanted to go backpacking. It is amazing as an adult how easy it is to put things off and then before you know it you can’t seem to figure out how to fit fun and adventure into the schedule. I would like to change this. Continue reading
How to Pan for Gold
To be the most su
ccessful in your endeavor to pan for gold you will need some basic equipment and some practice. The good news is that the equipment is fairly easy to get. As for the practice that is up to you. Here is list of basic equipment for the job.
- Gold Pan Black or Green Plastic doesn’t matter you just need something to contrast the color of gold.
- Shovel
- Magnet
- Tweezers
- Snuffer bottle
- Small squeeze bottle of dish soap
- Classifier in size 1/4 inch (4 mesh)
- Small glass vial with lid
The First Three Upgrades You Should Do on Your 4X4
Did you just buy your first Jeep or 4X4 vehicle and decide you want to try some four wheeling? I bet you are already scouring all the aftermarket websites and catalogs trying to figure out which upgrades you are going to do first. I recently had a discussion with long time off-roading enthusiast Donnie Langdale about this and he had some great advice on how to settle on what modifications you should start with. Continue reading
The Prepared Idiot 