Tips and Gadgets

AdventureDad’s gadgets and tips section is designed to present a variety of gadgets and “how-to” tips which we’ve discovered over the years and which have made our adventures more efficient and enjoyable. Our gadgets section will
highlight a variety of products that we personally like to use (No, we are not being paid to endorse these products!). While cost will vary, we try to present items that are affordable to most dads.

For tips postings, we will focus on techniques that will help make your adventures safer, more successful and more enjoyable for you and your kids. We hope you enjoy what you read and watch. Please share with us the tips you’ve learned or the products you and your kids like to use!

Fire It Up! »

Posted on October 26, 2010

Perhaps the most iconic skill of dads camping with their kids is the ability to start a fire. While there are many products you can buy to increase your chances (including old fashioned lighter fluid), it always impresses your kids when you can do it with the wood around you and with just one match.

The key to any good fire is lots and lots of kindling. While it takes time getting it split thin (especially when it’s cold and wet out), it’s a classic example of patience and time spent up front saves you a lot of time in the long run. In this video segment Alex was using wood that was out in the rain for days on end (in this case we bought chopped wood in town as there wasn’t going to be much at the altitude we were camping). Chopping off the wet wood exterior reveals a dryer interior that’s perfect for kindling when split small enough.

As for fire structure, you’ll see a tepee in the middle with a log cabin style around the outside. About a month after filming this, we found an article in the September issue of Men’s Health entitled, “Build The Perfect Campfire”. It shows the tepee/cabin structure as well and has some great illustrations. And just in case it doesn’t work, it’s always a good idea to carry along a fire starter in your camping equipment!

As for your kids, one of the earliest thrills a younger camper can have is lighting the fire. It ranks up there in rites of passage as a child measures themselves against their dad. Once you’ve taught you preschool child a healthy respect for fire (I used to rope off an area around the fire or wood burning stove), you can then teach them how to strike the match and get it going. As they age, let them build the structure and then move on to splitting kindling and eventually chopping the wood.

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Posted in Tips and Gadgets | Tagged Camping Skills | 3 Comments

Carve It Up! »

Posted on October 29, 2010

One of the classic family traditions involves the fall harvest and Halloween festivities. Of these, going to the store or the farmer’s field to pick out pumpkins is a child favorite. I have great memories of my Dad taking his 5 kids to pick out the perfect one. Alex and I have had the fortune of going to the same farm for the past 17 years to pick in the fields for our home and for a charity program we run.

For carving, here are a few tips we’ve picked up along the way to make it a little easier and fun. We’ve also attached a video sent in by Nathaniel and his son Devon. This flaming pumpkin goes into the very cool category for pumpkin adventures. He wrote in that his secret is a roll of toilet paper and kerosene. I’d make sure your homeowner’s policy is up to date!

For bigger cuts, use a drywall saw. It cuts right through and is safer than gutting with a big kitchen knife.
We like to thin out the inside by scrapping some of the meat out with a sturdy spoon or ice cream scoop. This helps with making more detailed patterns.
There are great carving kits out there that make the finer cuts a whole lot easier. They also come with a variety of templates for carving and an assortment of designs. Just pin it on and punch holes with a pin through the pattern. If you make a mistake and cut something off, toothpicks work great for reattaching parts.
For more unique designs, you can make a pattern out of just about any design or picture. Just photocopy it and pin it on. Our favorite designs have been sports logos and mountain scenes. Not to mention a great Darth Maul several years ago.
For eyes and stars, try drilling a small hole in your pumpkin and putting a marble in it. The candle will send light through it for glowing effects.
Once finished, try coating the inside cuts with Vaseline if you live in a dryer climate. This will help your design last for several days.

For costume adventures, it’s a whole lot of fun to do a theme with your kids and march around the school parade or neighborhood.

Posted in Tips and Gadgets | Tagged Great Adventrue Ideas | Leave a comment

Tips and Gadgets

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