Great Outdoor Blog

This summer, our goal is your happiness. As a member of the MULEteam, you are entitled to exclusive deals spanning the gamut of outdoor activities, from hiking and camping to boating and disk golf. Essential tools for the young outdoor enthusiast in the family, such as the Kelty Junior Tioga or the Swiss Army Classic Knife, are available through this summertime MULEteam exclusive for almost 50% off. Rugged footwear (take the Salomon Techamphibian, for instance) – priced beforehand at around eighty dollars – is available now for $64. All folding chairs & stools are 20% OFF! Great deals on sea kayaks, Wenonah canoes, and even disc golf gear round out this exciting summertime MULEteam offer.

» View the current list of exclusives for more deals on outdoor “toys” that’ll get your summer rolling!

Umstead caters to runners and cyclists http://www.newsobserver.com/print/friday/city_state/story/802585.html

PVC or Polyvinyl Chloride is a thermoplastic polymer that is second only to Polyethylene in terms of industrial and commercial use. While PVC has some good industrial applications (for example, as a building material), the production, use and disposal of PVC has been linked to some significant health and environmental concerns by credible sources. While nearly every known substance can be considered toxic in the right dose, PVC does seem to be getting a lot of press lately and perhaps rightly so.

For example, PVC production utilizes plasticizers and other additives to make PVC easier to work with. Many of these additives have known health risks and they leach out of the PVC over time in a process called outgassing. Also, PVC is based on a vinyl chloride monomer that has been known to be carcinogenic since the 1960s. PVC disposal can also release Dioxins into the environment in sufficient concentrations to be a health concern.

For some good information on PVC that isn’t anti-industry, look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_chloride

While there will always be debate over heath risks and environmental concerns related to PVC, we at Great Outdoor Provision Co feel it is prudent to be conservative with our own health and backyards. In the paddlesports industry, PVC is most frequently used as a buoyancy aid in PFDs (lifevests) and as a material used in the production of drybags. If a viable alternative to PVC is available for a comparable price, why not use it? If the alternative actually performs better than PVC for its intended use, everyone wins.

Here are some manufacturers who offer not only viable alternatives to PVC but in many cases better alternatives to PVC:
www.astralbuoyancy.com
www.drybags.com/
www.patagonia.com

» Featured PFDs in the Shop

Way too much of what is made these days ends up in the trash at the end of its useful life. Patagonia & GOPC are working to change that.

In 2005 Patagonia launched their Common Threads Garment Recycling Program, through which customers could return their worn out Capilene® Performance Baselayers for recycling. They’ve now added Patagonia fleece, Polartec® fleece from other manufacturers and Patagonia organic cotton T-shirts to the list of recyclables. » Learn More

» Drop Boxes are located in each of our shops

The gear we sell at Great Outdoor Provision Co. is made to last many years of hard wilderness use. While outdoor gear has to take all sorts of knocks, abrasion, dirt, sweat, water/sun, and then be put up dirty and wet for another day in a backpack, all gear needs care between trips to maximize product life.

» http://greatoutdoorprovision.com/resources/howto/

When getting water to pump through a water filter or add iodine tabs for treatment, lower the number of pathogens by collecting the water from a still pool or center of the lake where the bacteria and amoebas will have had a chance to settle out. Never collect water from the inviting froth of waterfalls. Some wilderness travelers get water from the center of lakes and forgo treatment! Although such practice would be unwise as a regular regimen, it may help in a pinch.

Tom Valone, Founder

When getting water to pump through a water filter or add iodine tabs for treatment, lower the number of pathogens by collecting the water from a still pool or center of the lake where the bacteria and amoebas will have had a chance to settle out. Never collect water from the inviting froth of waterfalls. Some wilderness travelers get water from the center of lakes and forgo treatment! Although such practice would be unwise as a regular regimen, it may help in a pinch.

Tom Valone - Owner

Dry off a lean, ½ in piece of flank steak or other lean cut, wrap in brown paper, and wipe off any juices that the meat leaks at the end of each day. It will take on that wonderful flavor you associate with France, where such cuts of meat hang out in the market for days. Rub down with garlic and fresh ground sea salt and pepper, sauté in a tablespoon of olive oil until medium rare, garnish with a pat of unsalted real butter and take a break from the freeze dried glop.

Tom Valone - Owner

The best way to keep fresh food from spoiling on a backpacking trip is to wrap the perishables in plain brown paper bags or kraft paper. This allows air to circulate and kill the anaerobic bacteria responsible for the spoilage. Never wrap in plastic wrap, foil or zip locks, which should be reserved for dry foodstuffs. Be sure the veggies or meat is dry before wrapping. The paper can be used for scrubbing pots or starting fires after its role as packaging is finished.

Tom Valone - Owner