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Articles by Mark Anders
How to Get Started With Stand-Up Paddleboarding
Like a cross between surfing, kayaking and skateboarding, “Paddleboarding is like walking on water,” says Jimmy Blakeney, interim president of the watersports division at Solo Brands. Need more reasons to love paddleboarding? “You can surf, tour, fish, explore, hang out and more,” Blakeney says.
What You Need to Get Started Mountain Biking
Mountain biking mixes exploring nature with high-speed fun. It’s a great way to conquer rugged trails, and it’s a lot quicker than going on foot. “On a mountain bike, you can cover a lot of ground,” says Lea Davison, a cross-country mountain biker and two-time Olympian. “You can challenge yourself or have fun with friends, and you can set and achieve goals and overcome obstacles.” Here are a few things you should know before buying a mountain bike.
How To Buy a Good Rain Jacket for Outdoor Activities
Rain doesn’t have to ruin your fun. A good rain jacket will help keep you dry and comfortable, whether you’re caught in a sprinkle or hiking for days in a steady rain. Get a jacket that’s made for outdoor sports, meaning it’s both waterproof and breathable. Wearing a rain jacket that’s not breathable is a little like wearing a trash bag: You’ll get wet from your sweat on the inside. You’ll also want one that’s packable.
How to Buy a Good Pocketknife or Multitool
With proper training, many Scouts can use a knife — a valuable tool for camping or working on a whittling project. A multitool provides multiple blades and other tools. Examples are saws, drivers and even forks and spoons. A knife is not a toy. If you’re a Bear, Webelos or Arrow of Light Cub Scout, earn your Whittling Chip. If you’re in Scouts BSA, earn your Totin’ Chip. Then you will know how to safely carry and use one of these tools. KNIFE BASICS There are several types of knives.
How to Buy Good Sunglasses
If you bought your last pair of sunglasses in a convenience store or got them free somewhere, they’re probably fun to wear, but they might not be protecting your eyes. Glare reflecting off snow, sand, water and even the sidewalk can burn your eyeballs and impact your vision. It’s worth spending a few extra bucks to get sunglasses that block ultraviolet light, fit your face and have the right lenses for the activities you like to do. Here’s how to be a smart sunglass shopper.
Combining Electrically Detected Magnetic Resonance Techniques to Study Atomic-Scale Defects Generated by Hot-Carrier Stressing in HfO2/SiO2/Si Transistors
Author(s) , James P Ashton, Mark Anders, Abstract This work explores the atomic-scale nature of defects within hafnium dioxide/silicon dioxide/silicon (HfO2/SiO2/Si) transistors generated by hot-carrier stressing. The defects are studied via electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR) through both spin-dependent charge pumping (SDCP) and spin-dependent tunneling (SDT). When combined, these techniques probe defects both at the Si-side interface, and within the oxide-based gate stack.
Every Packing List Starts With the 10 Scout Basic Outdoor Essentials
You’re going on your first camping trip or backpacking trek. What should you bring? Every packing list starts with these 10 items, and they’re called “essentials” for a reason. Then you’ll want to add other items depending on the outing.
How to Buy a Great Headlamp or Flashlight
Whether you’re spelunking, digging through your pack at night or walking around camp after sundown, you need a good light. It’s one of the Scout Basic Essentials for outdoor adventures. A flashlight or headlamp can help keep you safe while exploring in the dark, serve as an emergency signal or provide a little illumination on a good book before bed. Let’s shine some light on which headlamp of flashlight to consider before buying. THE BASICS Think about how you will use your light.
How to Buy a Safe and Comfortable Helmet
Wearing a bicycle helmet cuts the chance of seriously hurting your head if you’re in a bike accident. But that same helmet might not provide good protection if you wear it while rock climbing or skating. Here’s how to pick a safe and comfortable helmet. CERTIFICATION Get a helmet designed specifically for your sport. Don’t be distracted by the helmet’s style. What’s more important is if the helmet meets the proper protection standards.
How to Buy Rock Climbing Gear
Whether you want to scale the walls at your local climbing gym, go bouldering or rope up outside, you’ll want to know the basic and best gear you’ll need. Talk with a qualified instructor who can help you decide what equipment is appropriate for your skill level. THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLIMBING: Bouldering involves practicing climbing moves close to the ground while not attached to a belay rope.
How to Treat Backcountry Water to Make it Safer
Going into the outdoors? Always start a trip with one or more full water bottles, and replenish your supply from tested public systems whenever you can. On adventures of longer duration, streams, lakes, springs and snow are potential sources of water, but you must treat all drinking water in the wild, no matter how clear and clean it appears to be. Even clean-looking streams can be full of bacteria, protozoa and other nasty bugs that can cause serious illness.
Wilmington: Where to Eat and Drink – Garden & Gun
Barbary Coast Opened in 1946, this is Wilmington’s oldest watering hole and, by a long shot, the most colorful bar in town. It’s divey in the best way, drawing all sorts, from career drinkers and their dogs to local businessmen to adventurous tourists. There are about a hundred beers on offer, but PBR is the drink of choice here. 116 S.
Wilmington: What to See and Do – Garden & Gun
Where to Stay Figure Eight Island There are plenty of beach cottages and condos for rent on Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach, but if you really want to escape, Figure Eight Island is the place. There are zero shops and restaurants on this quiet five-mile-long private island, just empty beaches with beautiful oceanfront and soundfront homes for rent.
Wilmington: Meet the Locals – Garden & Gun
Keith Rhodes photo: Joshua Paul Star Chef Keith Rhodes. Growing up around the farms and waterways on Wilmington’s outskirts, Keith Rhodes was living “farm to table” long before it was a restaurant industry tagline. “My granddad would come home with peach baskets loaded with tomatoes, cucumbers, and lots of fish,” Rhodes says of the talented cook who inspired him to become a chef.
How to Buy a Good Pocketknife or Multitool
A good blade is essential to Scouting. Whether you’re camping, backpacking, fishing or simply preparing for your next outing, a good knife or multitool will give you an edge in the outdoors. The size and design of your knife — whether its blade is fixed or folding — should be determined by how you’ll use it. Here is some advice, along with five knives that are best of class.
Fitness Pros Swear By These 35 Best Workout Tips
Want to know the secrets to getting a fit-as-hell body in record time? We did too, so we went straight to research, personal trainers, exercise physiologists, and fitness instructors to round up the best workout tips to kick a fitness routine into high gear. Put a few of these moves, motivation, and mantras into action each week and you're guaranteed to see faster results! The Best Workout Tips: Why You Should Exercise 1.
How to Buy a Good Rain Jacket
There’s no bad weather — just bad gear and bad attitudes. Rainy and windy? No problem. Just bring along a waterproof and windproof rain jacket. Here’s how to buy a good one that is sure to keep you dry and warm in any type of downpour. THE LOW DOWN ON RAIN JACKETS When experts talk about rain jackets, they usually categorize them as either hard shells or soft shells. Hard shells are what most people think of when they talk about outdoor rain jackets.
How to Buy a Mess Kit and Camp Cooking Gear
Chow time is one of our favorite things about camping. Whether it’s a steamy pot of cheesy pasta or warm biscuits fresh out of the Dutch oven, good food makes for good times on the trail. Proper nutrition is key when you’re hiking and spending time in the outdoors because it nourishes your body and your spirits. But cooking takes a little work and the right kind of gear. Just try to damage the BSA STAINLESS STEEL MESS KIT ($19.95, scoutshop.org) — it’s not likely.
How to Buy an Action Camera
Ready to record YouTube-worthy video on your outdoor adventure? Here’s what you need to know before you buy an action camera. ALL ABOUT ACTION CAMERAS An action camera is a lightweight, hands-free digital video camera capable of producing high-quality, wide-angle video in almost any outdoor environment. That means it must be impact-resistant, dust-proof and waterproof, and must operate in a wide range of temperatures.
5 Near-Death Experiences from the Adventurers Who Lived
How do you save someone who's already dead? Rafa Ortiz, Rush Sturges, and Gerd Serrasolses found out. The Rio Tulijá is a remote white-water river that snakes its way through the rainforest of southern Mexico. Often called Agua Azul because of its swimming-pool-blue color, it features a stunning stretch of five waterfalls ranging from 40 to 70 feet tall.
The Best, Expert-tested Surfboards You Can Buy in 2018
This summer, spend more time on the water at your favorite surf spot with these maneuverable, expert-tested surfboards.
How to Buy Rock Climbing Gear
Feeling comfortable and confident on the walls at your local climbing gym? Maybe you’re ready to head outdoors and try some real rock walls. Here’s all the gear you need to get started rock climbing. BSA climbing guidelines require you to be protected with a belay rope during all activities when your feet are more than shoulder height above the ground. We suggest these two types of climbing: In TOP-ROPE CLIMBING, you’re secured to ropes anchored above you and throughout your climb.
How to Buy a Safe and Comfortable Helmet
Helmets can reduce head injuries in an accident by 85 percent. Always wear one when climbing, skateboarding, biking, horseback riding and participating in other activities in which you need to protect your brain. No matter what, pick one that fits well and is comfortable. Here’s how to pick a safe and comfortable helmet. Buy only a helmet that is certified for the activity you’ll be using it for.
Trekking Across Israel's 637-Mile National Trail - Men's Journal
After snaking my way up the slopes of 1,929-foot Mount Tabor, I reach a rocky footpath that weaves among the pines before opening up for sweeping views of the hills of Nazareth and Galilee below. At the summit, I ditch my pack and clamber over a centuries-old stone wall to discover a graceful limestone church commemorating the spot where it’s said Jesus spoke to Moses and Elijah. This is just one of the many surprises found along the 637-mile Israel National Trail.
Space-Age Surfing: Putting the Latest High-Tech Board to the Test - Men's Journal
In the late 1950s, surfers made the transition from riding heavy wooden planks to lighter more responsive boards built of foam and fiberglass. That switch was an absolute game changer. Since then surfboard construction techniques have remained largely the same — but the folks at Varial Surf Technology are finally looking to change all that.
Packing Checklists for Camping Trips
THE SCOUT OUTDOOR ESSENTIALS They’re called “essentials” for a reason. Every packing list starts with these 10 items. 1. A pocketknife or multitool can be handy in a wide variety of situations. It’s useful for tasks as large as building an emergency shelter or lighting a campfire with poor fuel, or as small as repairing a damaged backpack. Keep you knife sharp and clean, and don’t forget to first earn your Whittling Chip (for older Cub Scouts) or Totin’ Chip (for Boy Scouts). 2.
Tips to make hiking with Cub Scouts meaningful and fun
When Debbie Gulledge worked at the Philmont Training Center in the 1990s, she went hiking weekly with Webelos Scout to Philmont’s fossilized Tyrannosaurus rex footprint. The first week, she recalls, the boys spent the entire hike looking at the ground and talking about their favorite movies — though they did find the T. rex print to be pretty cool. Before her second hike, Gulledge, who lives in Lehi, Utah, had educated herself about the trail and its surroundings.
C&K Hero Steve Fisher | Canoe & Kayak Magazine
1. He turned pro in 1998 and won countless kayak rodeos while inventing (or helping invent) moves like the freewheel, helix, and air screw. 2. He was the three-time porridge-eating champion of the Weston High School in Escourt, South Africa. 3. His jaunty South African accent makes everything he says sound proper, even when it’s not. 4. He says things like: “I don’t just cruise around mindlessly hucking off shit. A lot of thought goes into where I paddle, when I paddle, and what I do. 5.
How to Buy the Best Sleeping Bag
Find expert tips to help you get a good night’s sleep Picking the right sleeping pad, bag liner, pillow or cot How to minimize smelly sleeping bag odor A sleeping bag can make the difference between blissful comfort and a verrry long, miserable night. It can even help you ward off life-threatening hypothermia if you get cold and wet. Choosing the right sleeping bag can be tricky.
Pocketknife and Multitool Buying Guide
Getting your first knife is one of those cool life events that makes you feel grown up. But knives are more than self-affirming pieces of personal property. You’ll use one in the backcountry for everything from slicing cheese to cleaning fish (and so much more). The size and design of your knife — whether its blade is fixed or folding — should be determined by how you’ll use it. Here is some advice, along with seven knives that are best of class. There are several types of knives.
How to Treat Backcountry Water to Make it Safer
Going into the outdoors? Always start a trip with one or more full water bottles, and replenish your supply from tested public systems whenever you can. On adventures of longer duration, streams, lakes, springs and snow are potential sources of water, but you must treat all drinking water in the wild, no matter how clear and clean it appears to be. Even clean-looking streams can be full of bacteria, protozoa and other nasty bugs that can cause serious illness.
Fat Biking the Outer Banks
Fat bikes were originally designed for winter riding on Alaska's Iditarod Trail. But those cartoonish four-inch-wide tires are tailor-made for soft sand, something I discovered last fall on an expedition to North Carolina's Outer Banks.
If You Live Near the Beach, You Need This Bike
There was a time in my life when a beach cruiser was my only form of transport. I was living and surfing in Encinitas, California. The bike was a black, rusted-out steel Schwinn from the ’80s with a board rack. It was heavy, slow, and creaked. I loved that bike but would have gladly taken the new Priority Coast instead.
Fishing gear buying guide
The thing about fishing is that all you really need to catch a fish is a simple cane pole, some line, a hook and a good dose of patience. That said, there’s lots of cool new gear out there that can make fishing easier and more enjoyable. And yes, some of it might even help you catch more fish. Your Gear Guy did the shopping for you to uncover some of the newest, coolest and most affordable fishing tackle on the market. Read on, and reel ’em in.
How to Build Your Own First-Aid Kit
You’re on an outing with your troop when a buddy slips off the trail and messes up his leg. Miles and at least a day’s hike from the nearest trailhead, what are you gonna do? Hopefully, you have the first-aid training and supplies needed to care for your friend. If not, earn your First Aid merit badge ASAP — and read on for advice on assembling a useful first-aid kit filled with the right contents. THE LOW DOWN ON FIRST-AID KITS Build It or Buy It?
How to buy good sunglasses
That rack of $10 sunglasses at the local discount or drug store? Walk right on past that thing while repeating after me: “You get what you pay for, you get what you pay for … .” Buy cheap sunglasses and you’ll get cheap sunglasses — poorly made ones that won’t offer good vision, won’t last long and, worst of all, might not protect your eyes from the damaging ultraviolet rays of the sun. But buy quality ones — not necessarily pricey ones — and you’ll take care of your eyesight.
The Five Best Snow Sleds
Upgrade from the flimsy lunch tray in the snow to a fast and furious snow sled! Mark Anders tests out the best of the best at the Sugar Mountain Resort. THE BEAUTY of sledding is, in part, that there are so many ways to fly down a hill. You can ride a handcrafted wooden toboggan or a high-tech carbon-fiber model, even a plastic trash bag or purloined cafeteria tray. But the question remains: Which sled is best?
Beginner-Friendly Surf Gear
THIS COULD BE IT: the summer you put down the iPad and that fruity drink with the paper-umbrella garnish, relinquish your beach chair and hit the surf. We get it—if you've never ventured past the breakers, the ocean can seem like a daunting place, populated solely by chiseled surfers with perfectly disheveled blond hair. But we're here to say, you don't need the aquatic aptitude of Michael Phelps or the surfer cool of Jeff Spicoli to head out there and ride the waves.
12 Tips to Help You Sleep Well on the Trail
Picking the right sleeping pad, bag liner, pillow or cot How to buy the right sleeping bag You’re trying to sleep, but there’s a baseball-size rock poking you in the back. You keep sliding downhill in your sleeping bag. Just as you drift off to sleep, you’re jolted awake by the sound of your Scoutmaster snoring like a gorilla with a head cold.
Checklist for a Basic Cold Weather Outing
Get checklists for other types of outings Download a PDF version of the cold-weather checklist You’re frantic. Panicked even. In exactly one hour, your troop is heading out the door on a cold weather outing — and you’re struggling to pack. What clothes do you need to bring? How about extra gear? No worries. Just take a deep breath and use this handy checklist.
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