Three insights from over 50 years of outdoor activities in the mountains.

Looking in the rearview mirror of my experiences under over 40 years, I can see three basic learnings. The first is the weather. There is much things that we can affect, but weather is not one of them. This meaning that I must adapt to it instead. The wind, the chill, the precipitation and the heat will affect us. So this is something I really have to take in consideration of planning an adventure.

The second will be humility, you must understand that in the mountain environment you are nothing when the nature playing its instruments. By listening and stay calm you will have much more effort from your tours. Interact with others by having a great deal of humility will help you to grow, and building knowledge and a nice network as well.

The third will be to keep an open mind. But, what will this mean? This will mean that you must stay curious. Interesting in new ways and angles of point of view. By challenge your own values and your sight of things, you will develop your self in a good way. This learning also includes to have this behavior even in stressed situation. Its when the shit hits the fan, this quality becomes very important. By training this ability in calm situations, you will have the skills to use it when you are stressed. This will help you to solve a problem in more efficient way. So what tools can I use for developing this ability? 1. Learn to question yourself. Next time you say no, try to understand why. 2. Set a goal to experience at least one new thing each month, a new kind of workout. Read a book that isn’t from your preferred genre, or change radio station one day. 3. Examine your precious from another perspective. This including politics, morals and religion for example. 4. Let yourself become vulnerability, of you shall be able to open your mind this is one of the most important things to do. 5. Stop making assumptions, if you put people or fact into subjects you lock your mind. Challenge your own rules and restrictions, this will help you to open your mind into new worlds…

How to choose/buy a jacket?

Hard-shell, soft-shell, hybrid, wind-proof, fleece, synthetic…

Today it is a jungle to choose a jacket. The 4^th of December I blogged about the optimized shell jacket. Today it will be more of a study of the whole area of jackets. First of all you need to ask yourself: What are you going to use the jacket for? If its for alpinism in stormy weather, it will be a three layer shell-jacket with good ventilation. If it is an a area with cold temperature and dry air, pressed wool could work-out. A dry hiking tour between cabins you can use soft-shell jacket with a wind and rain jacket to add if necessary. A 2,5 layer jacket can be used for speed hiking etc. So back to where I began – It’s a jungle…But how should I think when I am buying a jacket then? First of all you must decide what you will use the jacket for. If it for all type of activities you will need a 3 layer jacket. If you going to use it for fast and physical demanding activities you will need a 2,5 layer or a soft shell jacket with wind and rain repellent shell. A jacket over 200Euro shall have ventilation zippers, at least three pockets outside and at least one inner pocket. If you also with add the sustainability angle as well, you need to by a jacket with long life. From my side the soft-shell jackets is nice to have, not need to have. I use them for dog walks in good weather, and nothing to bring to the mountains.

This week I will have a review of a hybrid jacket. As always with a combined solution there is a risk it will be bad or just a half good in both ways. First of all the question -would I bring this one into the mountains? Yes, for a hike between cabins or peak tours. For a longer hike -no! I missing zippers under the arms for ventilation, and also an inner pocket. I really like the finish, and for peak tours it will workout fine. With its Gore-Tex reinforcement on the hood, arms and front it will work fine for shorter tours…But it cant get more then NNN due to the price and missing of zippers and pocket. The upcoming week I will review a Deuter back-pack. The Freescape lite 24 SL, this will very interesting. I like to laboratory with small backpack for forcing me to reduce my stuff to bring at my adventures…

Loner Deer – I Hold You [Official Music Video] – YouTube

See ya soon…