Archive for the ‘Sports Related’ Category
Choosing the best water bottle for yourself or your family can be tricky. With millions of disposable plastic water bottles ending up in landfill each year, we encourage you to find the best reusable water bottle for your daily needs so that you are more likely to carry your water bottle with you everywhere.
When choosing the best water bottle these are the key things to consider (generally in order of how we find people prioritize the criteria):
- Size – A one litre bottle full of water can be very heavy to carry around all day. Will you be able to fill it up during the day? Is it just to sit on your desk and help you monitor how much you are drinking? How much will the child drink during the day? For children, a large bottle when full can be quite dangerous.
- Leak-proof lid – most metal bottles and hard plastic bottles (which can not be squeezed to force water out) do not allow a leak proof sports sipper top because there needs to be a very small hole for air to escape and allow a strong flow of water to your mouth). Will your bottle be tossed around in a bag without any water leaking on to your phone, iPad, text books, or other contents. Or, will you be able to keep this bottle upright, such as on your desk or in a backpack that has a drink bottle holder or in your bike’s bottle holder. Note that some water bottle ranges do offer interchangeable lids, so while the original bottle may be sold with a lid that leaks, there may be other options to add on. With Klean Kanteen, you can simply choose the lid that you prefer: sports top that is not leak proof, but very easy to drink from ; or a screw top lid.
- Material — Many people already have an idea of whether they prefer glass, metal or BPA free plastic. Each has its benefits. Our strong, thick quality plastic is light, robust and does not dent. Glass is absolutely the safest (no toxins) and best for not tainting the flavour, particularly for smoothies and sports drinks. Metal is also robust but it can dent and the paint can scratch off. SIGG bottles are as light as strong plastic, while stainless steel is a little heavier. However, stainless steel is less likely to dent than a SIGG bottle. Even though a SIGG bottle may dent, the lining never cracks and they remain taste-free and non-toxic for many, many years.
- Cost — You do pay for quality and all bottles sold at Biome are great quality and backed up by the guarantee of the manufacturer. Our manufacturers are not nameless or faceless. They are companies like Klean Kanteen where you can check their website and read all about their track record and approach to manufacturing. For kids, you might also consider whether the child will be at risk of losing the bottle?
- Appearance — Does the look of the bottle matter to you? Will an attractive bottle make you more likely to use it?
- Mouth size — Do you wish to put ice cubes inside your bottle? In that case, you will need a wide mouth bottle (not a SIGG bottle). A standard Klean Kanteen and Nathan are big enough for ice. Mouth size is also important for the ease of cleaning. If you are just putting water in the bottle, you only need to rinse out the bottle and occasionally use a long handle bottle brush on the inside. However, if you are carrying milk drinks or smoothies, you want to have good access to scrub the inside. In that case, you want a Life factory glass bottle or a Klean Kanteen wide mouth insulated bottle.
- Insulated or not – If you wish to use your water bottle for hot drinks, you must have a double walled insulated bottle. Plastic mouth pieces such as straws and sports tops are also not suitable for hot drinks. Never choose plastic for hot drinks – only ever choose stainless steel for hot drinks.
(by Biome team )
Here is more water bottle information to consider about:
Brand |
Price Range |
Material |
Sizes available |
Mouth type |
Leak proof |
| SIGG | $32 – $44 | Aluminium + lining | 300ml – 1L | normal & wide | yes – all tops |
| Klean Kanteen | $20 – $33 | Stainless Steel | 355ml – 1182ml | wide neck | loop cap – yessports top – no |
| Ecococoon Insulated |
$25 – $35 | Stainless Steel | 350ml – 600ml | wide neck | yes |
| Thermos Insulated |
$27 – $35 | Stainless Steel | 335ml -750ml | wide neck | yes |
| Lifefactory | $20 – $38 | Glass + silicone sleeve | 250ml – 650ml | wide neck | screw top – yesflip top – no |
| Klean Kanteen Insulated |
$35 – $41 | Stainless Steel | 355ml – 590ml | wide neck | yes |
What are the best water bottles for your contents?
Water
All bottles are of course safe for water! And best of all, using a reusable drink bottle for water will save you plenty of dollars. We recommend filling your drink bottle with filtered water wherever possible as this will help to stop mineral deposits forming in the bottle.
Juice
Acidic fruit juices should not be kept in all bottles as the lining may react with the juice. SIGG, with its taste neutral inert lining, is perfectly safe for fruit juice, as we believe is the best choice for juice. Stainless steel bottles such as Klean Kanteen are also safe for fruit juice and will not corrode the high grade stainless steel – although you may experience a slight metallic taste.
Also remember to never store fruit juice for any longer than 24 hours, as the contents will ferment, and to keep the bottle as cool as possible. Wash your drink bottle with warm soapy water each day and leave open to dry out completely.
Milk
Stainless steel is the best water bottle for milk, breast milk and formula. Create a stainless steel sippy with a Klean Kanteen 12oz bottle and Avent sippy cup spout. Food-grade stainless steel is used in the dairy, brewing, food and winemaking industries and is safe for milk. It’s the material of choice for a drink bottle because it doesn’t retain or impart flavors. Your child’s Kid Kanteen Sippy is totally safe and flavour-free.
Hot drink
You should not use single-walled Klean Kanteen or SIGG drink bottles for hot beverages because you can burn yourself. Warm beverages can be used at your own personal comfort level.
For hot drinks, the best water bottle is a double-walled vacuum insulated Klean Kanteen bottle or SIGG Thermo mug. These insulated bottles will keep food or drink hot and cold for a number of hours.
(From: http://www.biome.com.au/content/60-best-water-bottle)
Once you’ve bought your tent, your next major consideration will be what equipment to buy to ensure you get the best night’s sleep possible. Here’s a guide to help you choose.
Sleeping on the Floor?
Whilst some people can adapt to the challenges of sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a regular sleeping bag with only the groundsheet between yourself and the floor does not often lead to a comfortable night’s sleep. For some added comfort, you have two main options – a camping mattress or a Sleeping Bed. Both offer their own advantages and are discussed in more detail below. But whilst both provide added comfort, neither will raise your body particularly far off the ground. Therefore if you don’t like the sensation of sleeping close to the ground, however comfortable, there is also the option of buying a camp bed. Whilst it will not be suitable for some smaller, lower tents, inside a larger family tent it offers you a solution to this problem.
Camping Mattress
There are several factors to consider in terms of deciding which sleeping mat or camping mattress to choose. The first is perhaps the simplest – do you need a single or a double mattress? A key factor in deciding this is to look at the floor space inside your tent, as this will determine how large a mattress you can actually fit inside. The second factor is whether to go for an inflatable mattress or a foam mattress that remains at a constant thickness. Inflatable mattresses can offer greater levels of comfort, but must be inflated and deflated before and after use. A third option is a self-inflatable mattress such as the Quechua A300 Mattress, which offer a compromise between the convenience of a foam mattress and the comfort of an inflatable mattress.
Another important consideration is the ‘folded size’ of the mattress. Whilst a mattress might fit inside your tent, but if it is too large for you to actually transport it then it will not be a worthwhile purchase. Studying the folded size (and weight) of the mattress is essential for any backpackers, but even if you will have access to a car during your camping holiday, it is still worth considering as a mattress with a smaller folded size will be easier to store at home following your holiday.
Sleeping Bed
The Sleeping Bed offers an alternative to the traditional pattern of buying a separate sleeping bag and mattress, and come in two main varieties. The first is a sleeping bag with an integrated self-inflatable mattress built-in, such as the 15° Sleeping Bed. This built-in mattress can be detached, meaning that both the mattress or the sleeping bag can be used on their own as well as together, offering a 3-in-1 sleeping solution. The other variety is mattresses with integrated duvets such as the Single Sleeping Bed Camp, providing a more portable option for people who prefer duvets to sleeping bags.
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping bags come in a range of varieties, but there are a number of features to consider when deciding which is the best for you. One of the most essential features is the temperature that your sleeping bag is designed to cope with. For example, the O° Quechua Light Hiking Sleeping Bag is designed to be comfortable at O°. Therefore if you are camping in that sort of temperature, it will be an ideal sleeping bag to ensure your temperature is comfortable throughout the night. Yet if you are camping in warm temperatures, other sleeping bags will be more suitable, such as the 20° Basic Camping Sleeping Bag, which is designed for use when the temperature is 20° and above. Therefore identifying the likely temperatures during your camping trip will help you to choose a sleeping bag that will provide the most comfortable night’s sleep. If you will be camping in a wide range of temperatures and don’t want to buy multiple sleeping bags, choose a bag that is suitable for the lowest temperature you expect to encounter as it is easier to find ways to lower the temperature in the tent at night than increase it.
Size is again another important consideration. The sleeping bag should be large enough for you to sleep inside of comfortably, so check both the size and the dimensions prior to buying to ensure that this will be the case. As with the camping mattress, the folded size is also important, particularly for backpackers. The smaller the folded size of your sleeping bag, the more space you’ll have available for additional equipment and supplies. And finally, if you are going to be using the sleeping bag regularly, it is worth investigating whether it is machine washable or suitable for a tumble drier.
Bed sheets, duvets and blankets
Sleeping bags are not the only option. Your normal duvets or blankets will work too, and depending on the type of mattress you choose a bed sheet is an option too. The advantages of this set up is that it brings the comforts of home with you when you are camping. However, the major problem is that they are not designed specifically for the purpose of camping. Duvets in particular are notoriously difficult to transport, taking up a lot of space and being difficult to reduce down into a smaller size. This clearly rules them out for anyone backpacking, and even if you have access to a car, anything more than one duvet will be too large for most hatchbacks. However, if do have a car available offering the necessary space, it’s an option that will give you added comfort.
Additional Equipment
If you have perhaps already got a sleeping bag that maybe isn’t completely suitable for what you need to ensure a comfortable night’s sleep, other sleeping equipment can help you get the comfort you need. Liners and pillows can help provide additional comfort, whilst if your sleeping bag is not designed for the cold temperatures you are encountering, then a Fleece Blanket is an option for providing additional warmth. More camping equipment, you can click Basic Tent Camping Equipment | Sports Related.
(This entry was posted by Colin)
More summer camping information, you can see:
10 best national park campsites across the USA | Sporting Life.
Selecting the Right Hiking Equipment Before Going on a Outdoor camping Trip | Sports and Exercise.
Which Exercise Burns More Calories: Brisk Walking or Grocery Shopping? |Sports Related
Posted on: March 18, 2013
Everyday activities like shopping for groceries burn calories, just like standard exercises. A one-hour shopping trip includes activities such as pushing your cart through the aisles, loading the groceries into your car and putting them away once you arrive home. Whether you burn more calories grocery shopping than walking depends on your speed.
Grocery Shopping
You arrive at the grocery store and spend 45 minutes pushing your cart up and down the aisles, temporarily pausing to place an item into your cart: that alone burns 105 calories in a 130-pound person, and even more — 146 calories in 45 minutes — in a 180-pound person. Spend five minutes loading the groceries into your car after checking out and you’ll burn another 16 calories if you weigh 130 pounds; up that to another 22 calories if you weigh 180 pounds. Take 10 minutes to unpack your groceries and put them away in your pantry once you arrive home and burn another 26 calories if you’re 130 pounds, or another 36 if you’re 180 pounds. In all, a 130-pound person burns 147 in a one-hour shopping trip; a 180-pound person burns 204 calories.
Grocery Shopping Vs. Leisurely Walking
A one-hour trip to the grocery store burns more calories than a leisurely walk. Walking at a a slow pace — less than 2 mph — for an hour burns 118 calories if you weigh 130 pounds and 163 calories if you weigh 180 pounds. You’d have to up your speed to 2 mph for your hour-long walk to burn the same number of calories as your hour-long trip to the grocery store.
Grocery Shopping Vs. Moderately Paced Walking
Increase your walking speed to 2.5 mph and you’ll start burning more calories than you did during your one-hour trip to the grocery store. Walking for an hour at that pace burns 177 calories if you weigh 130 pounds, 30 calories more than if that same person spent an hour grocery shopping. A 180-pound person burns 40 more calories walking at this pace for an hour than she would grocery shopping for 60 minutes. Increase your speed to 3 miles an hour and you increase your calorie burn to 195 if you weigh 130 pounds and 270 calories if you weigh 180 pounds.
Grocery Shopping Vs. Brisk Walking
Walk at a brisk pace — 3.5 mph or faster — for an hour and you’ll burn significantly more calories than you would during a one-hour trip to the grocery store. An hour’s walk at 3.5 mph burns 224 calories if you weigh 130 pounds and 311 calories if you weigh 180 pounds. Up your speed to 4 mph and you’ll double the number of calories you burned on your shopping trip: 295 calories an hour for a 130-pound person and 409 calories for a 180-pound person.
Calories burned walking
|
Activity (1 hour)
|
130 lb
|
155 lb
|
180 lb
|
205 lb
|
| Walking, under 2.0 mph, very slow |
118
|
141
|
163
|
186
|
| Walking 2.0 mph, slow |
148
|
176
|
204
|
233
|
| Walking 2.5 mph |
177
|
211
|
245
|
279
|
| Walking 3.0 mph, moderate |
195
|
232
|
270
|
307
|
| Walking 3.5 mph, brisk pace |
224
|
267
|
311
|
354
|
| Walking 3.5 mph, uphill |
354
|
422
|
490
|
558
|
| Walking 4.0 mph, very brisk |
295
|
352
|
409
|
465
|
| Walking 4.5 mph |
372
|
443
|
515
|
586
|
| Walking 5.0 mph |
472
|
563
|
654
|
745
|
(By Elizabeth Falwell )
Camping Equipment
1. Tent – Whether you’re on a solo trip or camping with the family, for protection from the elements you’ll need a shelter in the form of a tent. Where you’re camping and the time of year will determine the details, but in general you should always try to get as much tent as you can for the money. By “as much tent” I don’t mean size (though I’ll cover that in a moment); I’m talking about quality, workmanship and durability. Believe me, you will not enjoy being awakened in the middle of the night to find rain leaking into your tent because you bought the bargain brand. Also, buy the next size up from your needs. In other words, if you’re camping solo, take a 2-person tent, if it’s you and a buddy take a 3-4 person tent, and so on until you need to split up the people. You’ll appreciate the extra room, if for nothing else but storage, but in particular because you’ll find that a 2 person tent usually means 2 small persons. I’m 6’4″ and another person can make a 2-person tent feel very crowded.
2. Sleeping Bag – Again, where and when you’re camping will dictate the details, but keep in mind you’ll be spending several hours each night in that bag, so make it as comfortable a sleeping bag as you can. Taking a 40-degree rated bag into a freezing or snowy area guarantees you’ll be wishing you had the minus-20-degree bag as you shiver through the night. Also, if you’re not going to be using a pad or air mattress, make sure you have a thick bag with quality stuffing. Otherwise, your body will feel every bump, rock and twig you lay on throughout the night.
3. Food/Water – The kind of food you take will depend on your personal tastes and the tastes of those camping with you. The amount of food and water will depend on how many campers there are and how long and remote your camping trip will be. Water is more necessary than food. Current recommendations call for each of us to drink a half-gallon (64 ounces) of water a day. In an outdoor camping environment where you are probably exerting yourself more than usual by hiking, canoeing, biking, etc. it would be prudent to double that to a gallon per person per day just for water consumption. If you need water for washing utensils or other needs, then take a separate supply for those requirements.
4. Ice Chest – Unless you’re camping in the dead of winter and using the nearby river to keep your perishable food cold, or you’re just not taking any perishable food and don’t need one, take an ice chest. I tried out one of the 5-day models during this past hurricane season and they work great for keeping things cold for days (mine went 6) even in hot, humid Florida weather.
5. Stove/Campfire – I’ve done this both ways and generally I prefer to build a campfire, especially for the heat it generates in cool or cold weather, but a stove can be good too, particularly if you’re using cookware that would not stand up to the direct flame of a campfire. This Spring and Summer, I intend to try out the new self-heating dinner packets (they just recently arrived at my local store) to see how those work/taste, but I’ll probably use those mostly when backpacking.
6. Flashlights/Lanterns – Unless you’re going to get up every hour or so to feed the campfire through the night, you’ll appreciate having a good flashlight or lantern to supply light in the darkness. Plus, if you’re looking for something in your kit at dusk or just before dawn, they’re more helpful than holding a flaming torch.
7. First Aid Kit – This can range from a very bare bones kit to one that would be more at home on an EMT’s truck, depending on your wants and needs. I always carry one that has band-aids, bandages, gauze, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, a topical anti-biotic, aspirin, burn spray and insect repellant.
8. Cookware/Dinnerware/Utensils – A good frying pan, Dutch oven and pot will go a long way toward making cooking a manageable event, plus some plastic plates, cups and eating utensils will make your dining experience a bit more civilized.
9. Matches/Lighters – I know, I know, we’re all mountain men (and women) and we can start a fire by rubbing two sticks together. This is easier.
10. Personal Items – These will vary according to your own personal wants, interests, hobbies, etc. For instance, I prefer to sleep on an air mattress, so when I can I take one along. A hammer or small hatchet for driving tent stakes into the ground beats using a rock. A multi-purpose knife can help with a multitude of tasks. I take reading material, music and sometimes, if I’m at a site with power, I’ll even take my laptop to write, watch a DVD or work on photos I’ve taken during the day.
These basic pieces of camping equipment, used as determined by length and location of your camping experience, will cover your needs when you go tent camping, insuring that you have a minimum level of comfort and safety.
(SOURCE: Jeff Wetherington)
Sporting Life- Sports, Exercise Blog 