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Outdoor Tips, Tricks, Inspiration and Activities | MEC Blog

I’m interested in what folks keep in their packs for emergencies, and I like to compare notes so I can create the ultimate kit suited to my style of backcountry travel. My trips are usually one-day missions, where I depart from home at 3am and venture into the darkness. During early season, I start thinking about what I should include or pull from my bag. Contents might change depending on the mission or how remote my destination is.

There’s always a focus on lightening our loads in the backcountry and I cringe at the idea of adding more gear, but there should be a few minimum items carried by all enthusiasts. I’d like to think this list, made with one- to three-day excursions in mind, hits the sweet spot. Some of these items never leave my bag and would see me through an injury or unplanned bivy. Wherever possible, I try to use items that are multi-purpose to save space. Coordinate with your trip partners to find out what gear can be shared amongst a group and adjust your first aid kit to group numbers and personal requirements.

***Note:**** This list does not include backcountry safety essentials. Visit [Avalanche Canada](http://www.avalanche.ca/) for further information, and make sure you’re trained in avalanche safety before venturing into any backcountry situation.*

##### Ski straps
I carry four [ski straps](/en/products/snow/ski-straps/c/2142): two 15cm straps and two 24cm straps as a minimum. The uses are endless, from keeping you organized and efficient when loading a helicopter to lashing your skies/poles together like a pro.

Other strap hacks:

- Use the strap to bind your skins to your skis in the event they aren’t sticking.
- If your skins aren’t sticking to the snow, these add grip to your stride.
- Lash extras to your pack.
- Compress stuff sacks.
- You can immobilize limbs for a variety of injuries when you use them with ski poles or sticks. They can also hold pressure on soft tissue injuries or soakers on large open wounds.
- Helps MacGyver a rescue toboggan by fastening skis together.

##### Small headlamp
If I know I’m going to need a lamp, I’ll usually take a high powered model. I wouldn’t recommend a small [headlamp](/en/products/gear/lighting-and-headlamps/headlamps/c/1306?q=%3Asales-rank) as your primary light source, but I carry one as a backup unit for navigation. I’m a fan of the [Petzl Zipka headlamp](/en/product/5051-147/Zipka-Headlamp).

##### Tape
Tape can be used for injury aid, taping parts and skins to skis, and general resourcefulness.

- Electrician tape is great until temperatures dip.
- [Duct tape](/en/product/1999-804/Duct-Tape---Silver-48mm-x-25m-Roll) is best, but you can’t avoid the sticky residue.
- White medical tape is great, and can help in a real emergency.

##### Emergency bivy or tarp and sleeping pad
[Bivies](/en/products/gear/tents-and-shelters/bivy-sacks/c/1437?q=%3Asales-rank) or [tarps](/en/products/gear/tents-and-shelters/tarps-and-light-shelters/c/1441?q=%3Asales-rank) are great to have if an injury crops up. These lightweight shelters provide insulation from the snow and protection from the elements. And should you ever get trapped by the dark, you’ll need a stronghold.

- There are many emergency models of bivies to choose from. I tend to carry a siltarp that can fit two people for additional warmth and can also double as a shelter. A bright color helps you be seen.
- A [bivy sleeping pad](/en/product/0808-097/Evazote-Bivy-Sleeping-Pad) is cut to fit flat inside your pack, making it a great seat or extra insulation for an unexpected night out. I’ll often sit on my pack and put this under my feet, and it definitely makes a difference in heat loss.

##### Lighter and firestarter
In cases of delayed exit or unexpected overnights, fire is a great asset. Also, if someone incurs an injury and you’re stuck awaiting evacuation, it can help with shock prevention.

- A waterproof and impact-resistant [lighter](/en/product/5041-318/Floating-Lighter) case is great. I always store mine in an additional re-sealable plastic bag, because you can’t be too prepared. It’s best to make sure your ski partner has one as well.
- There are a few different kinds of [firestarters](/en/products/gear/camp-kitchen/stoves%2c-fuel-and-fire/fire-starters%2c-matches-and-lighters/c/1282?q=%3Asales-rank), so select the one best for you and test it out before you depart. I prefer the [sticks](/en/product/5006-888/Fire-Starter) and have had good success starting a fire in doubtful conditions.

##### Multi-tool
You never know when you might need to do a field repair. Find a [multi-tool](/en/products/gear/knives-and-tools/multi-tools/c/1291?q=%3Asales-rank) that works to cover your needs in an unexpected situation. Look at driver bits that suit the equipment you carry.



##### First aid kit
Taking a Wilderness First Aid course will help you think outside the box in case you end up dealing with backcountry emergencies. A [first aid kit](/en/products/gear/health-and-safety/first-aid-kits/c/1210) is a definite necessity. Being able to modify or tweak your gear can be a real lifesaver.

- One thing I always make sure I have is one pressure dressing. The soaker gauze utilizes tensor bandage-like wrap for pressure, but can also be used as support for sprains and strains.
- Suture bandages, and lots of them.
- Bring along some Ibuprofen for that early season hip flexor pain.

##### Bailing wire
Simply put, if something starts falling apart or breaks, this is a great way to hold it together.

##### Synthetic jacket**
**
I carry my [MEC Commix Hoodie](/en/product/5036-944/Commix-Hoodie) (women can grab the [MEC Spicy Hoodie](/en/product/5037-102/Spicy-Hoodie)) in a light dry bag and squeeze all the air out so it’s totally compact. Warm, compressible layers are essential to any backcountry outing. I bring mine every single time.

##### Pole baskets
In serious powder, poles are useless without baskets, so bring an extra pair and it could save your day, or at the very least, get you a few more turns. [Black Diamond Powder Baskets](/en/product/5005-941/Powder-Baskets) are a great option.

##### Prima Bar
Fight the bonk and fuel the engine! These [tasty bars](/en/brand/prima/products/gear/food-and-drink/energy-bars/c/1178?q=%3Asales-rank&text=) are equally good frozen or thawed and pack a decent calorie punch for their size and weight. Cherry Coconut is my favourite flavour.

##### Small hot packs
[Hot packs](/en/products/gear/health-and-safety/hand-and-toe-warmers/c/1212) make the coldest part of the night bearable. Make sure you bring multiple, and place these small packs in key areas to keep you warm, like around your femoral arteries (target it at your inner upper thigh or where they branch out at your tailbone). It’s amazing how long a single night can feel, and these little guys give you the confidence boost to see the night through.

##### Skin wax
When you’re out spring skiing with sticky snow conditions, it’s almost mandatory to keep a small block of [skin wax](/en/product/4006-110/Glop-Stopper-Wax) to prevent snow building up on your skin bases. Bringing this wax along helps you save your hip flexors and energy.

##### Batteries
Someone always forgets to put fresh [batteries](/en/products/gear/electronics/batteries/c/1113) in either their headlamp or the transceiver. Pack a couple as backup and be the hero of the day.



See some of the essentials and a few clever hacks to up your safety quotient.

What to pack for a day of backcountry skiing | MEC Blog

What to pack for a day of backcountry skiing

Most people think about tents when they think about camping, only a few hardcore minimalists picture a tarp hung over a bivy sack. But a tent combined with a tarp can revolutionize your camping experience

## Kitchen and assembly zone
At the end of a long hiking or paddling day, you might find yourself in heavy rain, wet and chilled. In this case, the first thing to do is set up a tarp. Once up, you change into your dry clothes and pitch the tent underneath it while you stay dry. Once the tent is set up, you can move it to another spot if you don’t plan to sleep under the tarp.

While you’re dry and warm (and assured of staying that way), you can contemplate supper or start getting warmed with a mug of hot soup. Rain isn’t the only reason to put up the tarp. If you rig end one low to the ground or a windbreak, it can block gusts and make it much easier to cook and more pleasant to hang out.



## Living room and porch
If you wake to bad weather or you’re taking a day off, you have a spacious refuge where you can hang out, sip coffee and observe changing weather, light and tides. You can even bask in the warmth of a wood stove or a small fire. Just try that in a tent.



## Which tarp?
A light, practical option is a lightweight nylon tarp impregnated with silicone. Water beads and runs off and they can be rigged in a variety of ways. An excellent option is the [MEC Silicone Guides Tarp](/en/product/5027-716/Silicone-Guides-Tarp). It fits into a small stuff sack that’s hardly bigger than a 1L water bottle will provide a 4 x 3-meter space, big enough for two people to sit and relax.

Once you get used to adding a tarp to your camp setup, it will become as essential as hot soup or fine chocolate to your camping weekends and multi-day adventures.



Tarp + tent = the ultimate camp set-up | MEC Blog

Tarp + tent = the ultimate camp set-up

You might not guess it from looking at serene paddlers, casually gliding along, but stand up paddleboarding is a workout. Like, a full body “burn up to 500 calories in an hour” kind of workout.

To give you some moves you can add to your everyday paddling, we asked Emily Hinton (certified SUP instructor, avid yogi and MEC staffer) to share her favourite exercises to build strength, burn calories and mix up your SUP routine.



## Things to keep in mind before you start
- The best part of incorporating exercises into paddleboarding is the built-in warm up. A quick paddle on the water gets your blood moving to warm up your core, legs and body.
- SUP is all about balance. So to give yourself an even workout, be sure to paddle and do every exercise on both sides of your body.
- Your [paddle](/en/ideal-for/watersports+paddleboarding/products/gear/paddles/c/1363?q=%3Asales-rank) can float beside you in the water, you can loop your leash around it to tether it to your board, or you can set it next to you if there’s space on your board.
- You can do exercises on any board, but wider or [yoga-specific boards](/en/ideal-for/sup-yoga/products/gear/c/gear?q=%3Asales-rank) are more stable and offer more displacement to make your paddling more efficient. Plus they often have space to store your [PFD](/en/ideal-for/watersports+paddleboarding/products/gear/safety-equipment/pfds/c/1398?q=%3Asales-rank), props and any other items you might need (like a [water bottle](/en/products/gear/hydration/water-bottles/bottles/c/1235) or [sunscreen](/en/ideal-for/watersports/products/gear/health-and-safety/sun-protection/sunscreen/c/1219?q=%3Asales-rank&text=)).
- Whether or not you anchor your board while you perform these exercises depends on the water conditions, the moves you want to do, and any hazards that might exist around you. If you want to focus on your workout without worrying about drifting off, then anchoring is a good way to secure peace of mind. Also, if there’s traffic or a strong current, it’s a really good idea to anchor your board or attach some kind of leash rope to a deck or buoy.

### Core
“One of my favourite poses to do with a paddle is the classic – and thematic – boat pose,” says Emily. “Depending on the level of difficulty you want, there are a number of ways to do boat pose. But no matter the level, your core will feel the burn – especially when it’s done on water.”

- Keeping your shins parallel to the ground (bent at the knees, as Emily demos in the photo) is easier than having them straight out.
- To include the paddle in your pose, keep your shins parallel to the ground, and hold the paddle perpendicular to your arms and legs.
- If you want a little extra core work, add movement. Keep your paddle stretched out, perpendicular to your legs, and pulse the paddle up and down. This helps strengthen your core, especially your psoas muscles. These deep core muscles connect all the way to your hip flexors, and help support your posture and provide more stability in balancing poses.

**Bonus:** Incorporating your paddle to an exercise adds an element of balance (which means more core work!). Plus, it solves the problem of where to put your paddle when you’re performing an on-SUP exercise.



### Squats
Chair pose is a great way to get the movement of squats on your board, and is much more challenging than it looks,” says Emily. “Playing around with how far apart your feet are will change the level of difficulty.”

- It’s very important to always keep your weight balanced behind your knees, and to keep your back as straight as possible. Try tucking your tailbone to maintain a neutral spine and discourage your back from arching.
- An option is to raise your paddle above your shoulders at the same time as you lower back into your chair pose, and hold the pose until your legs start to burn.

**Bonus:** To add more shoulder burn, come in and out of your squatting position, lowering and raising your paddle with every up and down.



### Chest stretch
“Paddling is a great way to strengthen your arms and shoulders, so it’s a good idea to balance out all that muscle work with a good stretch,” says Emily. “Bow pose is a great way to open up your chest and is especially fun to do while bobbing around on the waves.”

- Start on your stomach and breathe as you gently lift your chest up with your hands under your armpits. After coming in and out of this gentle warm-up pose a few times, reach behind you and grab your feet with your hands. You will feel yourself naturally rock backwards and forwards with your breath.
- Try not to rely too much on your arms in this pose – pushing your feet against your hands creates a great resistance and helps to work your legs a little more too.

**Bonus:** Because of the rocking that occurs in this pose, it’s also a great way to stimulate your organs, helping to increase their efficiency and flush out toxins.



### Plank
“Plank is one of the all-around best strengthening poses, on and off the water,” says Emily. “These variations allow you to ‘test the water,’ while also challenging your balance.”

- From plank pose (either full plank or plank on your forearms, as shown below), breathe out and lift one leg, moving it off the side of your board. This weight shift will mean your board will be slightly tilted – don’t panic, this instability is great for your core. Dip your toe just over the edge of the board into the water. Breathe out, and return your foot to its original position. As with all exercises, repeat on other side.
- Another plank variation is to reach your leg to the opposite side of the board. Stretch your right leg under your left leg to “test the water” on the left side of the board. Alternate legs and repeat.

**Bonus:**Dolphin plank is a variation where you place your forearms on the board and lift your hips up in the air (almost like a half-plank/half-down dog). The change in angle demands a lot from your core, and it works as a great shoulder opener, which your body will like after all of the paddling.



### Straight up cardio
“In addition to a vigorous paddling session, there are a lot of exercises you can do on a SUP to get your cardio fix,” says Emily.

- **Jump to it**. Instead of just standing up and down as you’re coming in and out of your squat, try adding a jump – it’ll get your heart going and really challenges your balance!
- **Go with the flow**. Move through a fluid sequence of downward dog, plank and dolphin (and repeat) to get your heart pumping and your mind calm.
- **Add a burst.**Interval training is easy to do on a board by repeating short bursts of fast paddling (say 30 seconds), followed by long, strong strokes for two minutes. Do a few repeats of this interval to get your heart going and build your endurance.

**Bonus:**Working out on a moving board helps engage your entire body. The water’s waves and currents add an element of playfulness and extra element to your workout. Not only does it challenge your core, but there’s also the chance of falling out of a pose and into the water. Just think of it as *really* getting to tune into nature.



5 great SUP exercises | MEC Blog

5 great SUP exercises

Years ago, when the MEC spring catalogue arrived in my mailbox, the cover immediately caught my eye. It showed a young woman wading the chest-deep Homathko River, with a mountain bike hoisted overhead. Half the image was taken above the water and half below.



### 

Known in the photographic world as “*under overs,”* I instantly knew I wanted to shoot something similar myself. It just looked so cool!

But how? My first guess was Steve Ogle, the photographer who took the cover shot, had used a waterproof point-n-shoot camera, carefully aligning the small lens with the surface of the river. So I borrowed a buddy’s waterproof camera for a kayak trip and gave it a shot, but no luck. Those early attempts all appeared blurred, and either showed everything above surface, or below – but never a mix.



Next I investigated waterproof housings. Not wanting to invest the thousands required to buy a proper diving case for my DSLR, I decided to risk one of the cheaper ($120) plastic bag-like solutions. (*Note: my camera survived this ‘plastic bag’ experiment, but you must be VERY careful any time you mix cameras and water, for potential disaster is always lurking*!) During a trip to the Hakai on BC’s central coast I captured a few so-so images of friends diving for crabs and starfish, but was ultimately disappointed with the results. I knew something was missing.



Later that year, *Canadian Geographic* assigned me a story on the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s new flagship property, [The Darkwoods](http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/saving-darkwoods). When I heard rumours of streams clogged with bull trout during the autumn spawning run, it provided motivation to explore under-over imagery more thoroughly.

Research revealed under overs require specialized equipment: specifically an oversized dome port, measuring 9in. or more in diameter. Unfortunately, such things don’t come cheap. The housing would cost more than my entire assignment fee, and represent several months of work.  But wanted to nail a great story – it was my first time shooting for the magazine – so I went ahead I ordered an under over dome port from SPL Surf Housings in California.

Weeks later, on the edge of a chilly mountain stream in BC’s southern Selkirk Mountains, I pulled on a damp [neoprene wetsuit](/en/ideal-for/watersports/products/clothing/wetsuits-and-neoprene-clothing/c/1058?q=%3Asales-rank) and then carefully licked my new dome port to prevent it from fogging. Then I slipped in.

Pool after pool I found large bull trout, displaying full fall colours, most 70cm in length or more. How glorious! One apparently fell in love with its reflection, returning again and again to rub against the domeport as I shot! I later described the magic of that day in a column for the [Globe and Mail](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/travel-news/a-wild-chase-for-bull-trout-in-my-own-backyard/article4199332/).



I remain a big fan of under over images. They offer a unique glimpse of the world; one we could never see with our eyes alone, but a vision that feels natural and true. I continue to use my dome port – from travels to the Caribbean island of Saba to sea kayaking in Kyuquot Sound – and anytime I’m near water, I find myself seeking new and inventive under over opportunities.



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MEC Blog

What to pack for a day of backcountry skiing

Tarp + tent = the ultimate camp set-up

5 great SUP exercises

The world of under over photography