How To Take Care Of Your Zippers

When it comes to camping, the quality of tent zippers cannot be compromised. Imagine tucking in for the night after a very rainy day of camping, only to find that the tent zipper refuses to zip close and its teeth has come loose. Without a repair kit and replacement zipper on hand, the campers will soon be in for a very wet, cold, and windy night.

Its important to look for high quality and top grade zippers while choosing your tent. There are some which are simply not stable and can break because of pressure as they start to become rusty and tarnish due to the exposure of light. There are mainly two types of zippers,

1. Coil Zippers
2. Tooth zip, which is also known as the Vislon or “chunky” zip

How to Take Care of Tent Zippers

• Always keep the tent and its zippers free from grit and dirt. After using the tent, shake it out to remove the dust and dirt, and wipe the zippers with a piece of cloth.
• Don’t force zippers if they refuse to budge. If fabric somehow gets caught in the teeth, gently work it out instead of pulling on it. The slider or coil can be easily damaged if the zipper is pulled too hard.
• Use zipper lubes so the tent can be zipped up smoothly and without snags. However, do take note that applying lube or any other grease-based product on the zipper makes it more prone to dirt and dust. Wipe and clean the zippers fairly regularly if lubrication is used.

Here are some tools to fix some of the problems:

A Set of Pliers

Normal pliers or tool like plass, will help fix the uneven teeth of the zipper. If you don’t really have the set of pliers needed to fix the zippers, then you can also use bi-scrip/locking tool to fix the teeth back which people normally prefer to have better grip.

Glue

Glue can basically help us fixing the torn out zipper from your tent, it increases the stability and shields the tent. The best glues which are available in the market right now are as follows:

1. Tear Mender TG06H Fabric and Leather Adhesive
2. Beacon FT4D Fabri-Tac Adhesive
3. Permatex Fabric Repair Kit 25247
4. Silnet Glue.

Lubricant/Oil/Crayon/Grease

Sometimes, the zippers get stuck in the middle and doesn't move back or forth.  A Lubricant/Oil/Crayon or Grease (anyone of these) can help smooth it out and keep the canvas tent zippers intact.

Spare Zippers or Zipper Parts

It’s important to keep spare zippers, just in case a zipper gets broken and you need to get rid of the insects and bugs.

Bit by Bit Process

Identify the problem: There might be various reasons due to which your zippers might not work properly. For example, stuck zippers, broken slider, and teeth that won't clinch are only some of these common issues. To resolve these problems you first need to understand what is causing your zipper not to work properly.

Apply lubricant: If your zipper is not working properly and it is getting caught, take a graphite pencil and rub it on the teeth of zipper. If this trick doesn’t work then you need to apply lubricant, which is not oil based. Also check the slider as sometimes it comes out which may cause it to stop clinching the tent's zipper teeth together.

Check stuck fabric in the zipper: Occasionally, you may discover that your zipper or slider is not working properly because of a piece of thread or cloth that is stuck in the zipper. When this thing happens, the first important thing to remember is to be gentle. This tip is important because you do not want to ruin your tent by creating any tears or rips. Pull your zipper to the direction where it is going from where it is stuck, and pull the fabric in the opposite direction.

Properly position the locking pliers: Make sure you use locking pliers when they are in locked position. Use the screw adjustment, when closing on the zipper slider. Be careful when clamping the zipper slider. Ensure that you do not clamp the zipper fabric or zipper pulls. Remove the pliers and slightly tighten the screw adjustment. A 1/8th or 1/16th of a turn would be enough. Remember to apply the slightest pressure possible to both sides of your zipper slipper when re-applying it.

Clamp down the locking mechanism, after you place the locking pliers again to its right position on the zipper slider. Make sure that the locking pliers lock moderately as you clamp down. On both sides, press the zipper slider using the same setting before you change anything. You may need to do a few tries using successively tighter settings on your locking pliers, but rest assured that your tent zipper will zip properly again.

Determine if the slider needs replacement: Zipper will not be able to work if the slider is broken. So if in case this happens ensure that you have another slider to fix your tent zipper.

To replace the slider, firstly locate the broken zipper and then remove the zipper stops with the help of pair of pliers. Pull down the zipper slider to detach it from the zipper till the point where it starts. Next you will have to put the top at the top and bottom and use the pliers to crimp the bottom and top stop. To make sure that it works fine, slide the zipper up and down. Lastly, apply some glue on the zipper's bottom.

When you are buying the outdoor shelter, quality of the zippers is very important to check as it is the crucial factor before making the purchase.

Ways to make your zipper lasts longer

Here are some quick tips that will not surely prevent your zipper from early damage.

Never force your zipper: which means don’t over stuff your tent as this will put weight on zipper especially when closing the tent. Never force your zipper that is stuck, instead do it gently, hold the zipper’s track using your one hand and back the slider up. Free the stuck textile by sliding  the zipper from one side to the other.

Regularly clean your zippers: Without proper maintenance your tent zipper will less likely live longer especially when it continuously accumulates dirt and grit between its zippers. Regularly clean your zipper as it takes a very less time to clean it and remove all impurities that accumulate into the teeth which may impede the free movement of your zipper.

Sea salt can be one of the destructive elements to your tent zippers, so make sure that you do the cleaning after your tent gets near to the sea. Use cool and fresh water when rinsing your tent zippers.

Lubricate the zipper: This tip is one of most effective ways of prolonging the lifespan of your tent zipper. Zippers also deserve to have healthy teeth and body, so go an extra mile in taking care of it by applying a dry grease on zipper tracks and post ends. While applying lubricant is generally helpful, it is also important to take the type of lubricant into account if you decide to use one. Manufacturers have come up with several products which they design specifically for outdoor gears, and these items are what typically works best for your tent zippers. Some campers, hikers, and backpackers do not recommend the use of wax as this lubricant may cause dirt to get stuck in the zipper while scented wax has the tendency to attract bugs and other insects.

Greasing your tent zippers up is a great way to protect your gears. Greasing up the tent zippers is one effective way to keep them running. Before applying any lubricant, make sure you have cleaned the zipper because you want to avoid catching any dirt in your tent zipper. You may have also come across various zipper lubricant products. You may use pastels or powdered graphite. Others use beeswax which they can soften using a hairdryer or a heat gun to make it quick-to-apply whereas some people prefer using Teflon-Silicone Lubricant which allows easy handling of the tent zipper.

How Camping Helps In Preventing Stress and Depression

How Camping Helps In Preventing Stress & Depression

Have you ever find yourself feeling tranquil, more relaxed, or more attentive after spending time in nature? That’s because nature is very pleasing and compelling and time outside has studied and proven benefits for your mental health.

Relieving anxiety, stress and depression.

A humble and unpretentious stay in the outdoors can do wonders for relieving anxiety, stress, and depression. Manifold studies have demonstrated that nature has a very constructive and positive effect on your mental health. What you see, hear, and experience in nature can revamp your mood in a moment.

There is a well-built relationship between time-spent in nature and reduced negative emotions. This includes symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychosomatic illnesses like irritability, insomnia, tension headaches, and indigestion.

Feeling stressed? Research have shown various links between exposure to nature and stress reduction. The moment you start exposing nature and looking around for fascinating views, Stress is relieved within minutes of exposure to nature as measured by muscle tension, blood pressure, and brain activity. The cortisol, which is a stress hormone, reduces significantly when you spent time in green spaces. Nature also increase endorphin levels and dopamine production, which promotes happiness.

Other mental benefits.

Nature has a numerous of other brain benefits as well. Contact with nature has restorative properties, increasing energy and improving feelings of vitality and focus. Symptoms of ADHD also starts reducing when you are nearby the nature.

Being at a place surrounded with glorious views of mountains, waterfalls, greenery, and natural beauty enhance creative thinking and restore capacity for concentration and attention. Also for people who have problem of sleeplessness, a two-hour walk in the woods is enough to improve sleep quality and help relieve sleep problems. The process of circadian rhythm gets reset when you wake up with natural sunlight instead of artificial lights, which will help you feel refreshed after a better night’s sleep. 

Grief process of a human mind and body gets refine when they experience nature. This is because exposure to nature causes better coping, including improved self-awareness, self-concept, and positively affected mood. These positive effects of nature helps people to be make good relation with other and caring towards others.

What you can do.

Getting outdoors doesn’t have to be a lot of work. There are lots of simple ways you can get quality time in nature.

Walks in woods or in green spaces. Daily nature walks improves physical and mental strength of people. It helps them combat stress while improving mental well-being.

Move your workout into the outdoors. Regular use of natural areas for physical activity can reduce the risk of mental health problem. Bodily activities like walking, cycling, jogging, or doing yoga in a natural environment makes you happier than in the city.

Book a camping trip. Immersing yourself in nature for a longer period of time is the best way to absorb the health benefits of the outdoors. Especially when you are on a trip with your partner, family, or with friends you share your problems with them, which make you feel lighter and you get ideas or solutions to resolve your problems which lessen the stress on your mind and helps you feel the beauty of life and nature.

Ready for your nature dose?

Find a park near you to walk and look for the beautiful or dreamed places to camp where you along with your friends and family can relieve your stress or help someone to relieve his/her stress or depression.

roasting marshmallow on campfire

Campfire & Marshmallows — a Match made in Heaven

When people think about camping in the winters so eventually people picture those warming bonfires and those gatherings and stories told around camp fire and most important of all those marshmallows roasting by the heat of the fire.

These are off course memories that stay alive in your head for a lifetime. Marshmallows are the most fun part of a bonfire wherever it is set at a beach or in the woods. So to make the process of easier there are some tips and tricks that will help make it easier and tastier.

First of all, the things on the list that we need to to know is how to set up fire ? A pile of grass, dryer lint, paper, char cloth. Small twigs to use as kindling. Build it gradually outward and upward from small to large, leaving plenty of free space for air. Gradually add branches as soon as it has caught fire.

Secondly, choosing the right the stick for roasting and also the way of that you would be inserting the to roast the marshmallow as there are some sticks that don’t melt from heat or even break .You are also recommended to insert the whole stick inside to prevent slipping of the marshmallow. But eventually stacking one by one and roasting them one by one is always recommended.

Once the tree branches start becomes ashes and getting less you will disappear then the red coals will start glowing. By then the place just above the fire is the right place to roast your marshmallow. Start handling the stick in which you inserted the marshmallow above that fire and start rotating it rotate the stick as you go so the heat toasts the marshmallow equally on every side.

You’ll see the outer surface turn brown as it cooks. You can either keep up a steady rotation until the marshmallow is light brown all over, or cook one side until it’s done, then start rotating again but from another side, The heat coming off from this coal oven will caramelize that sugar , and there are no gout of fire to ruin the majestic white.

Precautions: If you aim for the perfect marshmallow toast try placing it over a blown out fire because placing it directly over the fire will might end up with a black coal as output. Also if the heat causes the marshmallow catch up fire then don’t violently just pull over the marshmallow to your side because if it interacts with interacts with your skin then it might cause some really serious burns that will really hurt. After pulling it out wait at least 30–70 seconds because they are extremely hot as soon as they are taken out.

They are so many different options you can try with Marshmallows in addition to roasting them while camping or setting up tent:

Roasted Marshmallow with Hot Chocolate is the perfect blend for a chilly night

Nutella sandwich cookie with marshmallow sandwiched in between is also the crunchy gooey treat

Ooey, gooey and slightly singed, is there anything better than a sticky-sweet toasted marshmallow? Skewered and cooked over an open camp fire or sandwiched between chocolate and graham crackers to make s’mores, they’re basically the most decadent treat on Earth esp when you get to enjoy with family, partner or friend.

Which marshmallow treat do you usually enjoy the most? Comment below if you have used any of the above or if you have more interesting ideas. Cheers!!

#walltent #canvastent #walltents #canvastents #canvaswalltents#elkhunting#elkcamp #basecamp#outdoors #camping #outfitter#outfittertent #huntingtents #deerhunting#campingtents#familytents #whiteduckoutdoors#safaritent #huntingcamp#wilderness#glamping #snow #winter #walltentlife #tentlife

Guide on setting up good tent - white Duck Outdoors

How to Set Up a Good Tent?

Camping is one of the most fun and exciting activities that can be done in the outdoors although it is most preferable to be with big group of people as it becomes more exciter and a more memorable experience.

Although the Tent’s quality is also an essential part in determining the amount of enjoyment and comfortableness while camping in the outdoors.

To choose the best tent and quality relies on many different mindsets you should decide the specs and features you want to be in the Tent while camping there outdoors, you will need to decide the best tent for you, pick a tent type, size, and shape that meet your specific needs.

In this blog we would help you with some tips that will make is a lot easier and effective while choosing the best and most suitable tent for you.

1) The Seasonal Tent: You will need to choose a 3 season tent that maybe used in all seasons which is the best and most adaptable tent out there as it also can handle different weather conditions. These type of tents provide good ventilation in the summer heat, and includes a roof canopy that successfully keeps out rain.

2) Choosing the Size: Sometimes it becomes very hard to choose the accurate and most suitable size so that everybody can get enough space. Make sure there’s 30 square feet (2.8 square meters) of space per person. Don’t go for too big tents if you are not in need of them because it might get a lot heavier and awkward while carrying it around. A-frame tents have the most common shape and are desirable because they’re less expensive and lighter.

3) Features: Tents have a various and big range if specs in them. You may also look for a fireproof, waterproof tent it will make your camping trip a lot safer and it would also expand the tents lifetime. You will also be needing to be looking for tents with windows so that if you plan to go in the summers and you feel like opening the windows if you want to refresh the air inside. If you are a large group of people then it’s more preferable to use a bell tent and this tent comes in a more like umbrella shaped. Always focus on tents that are easy to set up. Make sure the tent provides adequate weather protection that is against the sunny and rainy weather. Buy a tent made of tightly woven, rip-resistant material.

4) Double and Single Walls: There are always pros and cons of both type of tents. Tents are divided into two categories Double and Single Wall tents, the Double have high storage place and protection while the single wall tents lacks in them bit the single wall tents outcomes the double wall tents by being a lot lighter and easier to set up.

#walltent #canvastent #walltents #canvastents #canvaswalltents#elkhunting#elkcamp #basecamp #outdoors #camping #outfitter#outfittertent #huntingtents #deerhunting #campingtents#familytents #whiteduckoutdoors#safaritent #huntingcamp #wilderness#glamping #snow #winter #walltentlife #tentlife