Brett

Do you like camping with your family or loved one, but don’t like setting up the tent? If so, you can minimize your hassle by using instant pop up camping tent. When you are camping all alone, you can take the risk of setting a tent quickly. On the contrary, it kills time when you are camping with the family or loved one.

Most people like to spend some quality time when they are heading out with their loved one. Thus, they don’t want to spend half a day setting up a tent. For those people, the manufacturer brings instant pop up camping tents for couple or families. In short, the instant tent idea is perfect for enjoying outdoor properly. 

OutdoorLifestyleExpert.com

If you are new here, then you may wonder what instant pop up tents are. Or what is the function of these tents? What to consider while choosing one? A whole lot of questions comes in mind, right? No worries, we’ll clarify all these queries. All you need to do is to read our article prudently. Let’s get started!

What Is An Instant Pop Up Tent?

Instant pop up camping tent is basically a ready-to-go tent used for camping. It is the most accessible tent which takes only a few minutes to set up. This tent comes with an integrated pole or single frame design that can collapse faster. The rest part stays attached to the body of the tent. 

Instant pop up tent takes one person to unfold the tent, spread the poles after then lock it in place. All you need to do is to unpack the tent and place it on the ground. It will open automatically, and everything will be all-set within 60 seconds. 

Why Invest In an Instant Pop Tent?

Well, if you are one of those who enjoy the outdoors with family but hates installing the tent. It is worth to invest in an instant pop up tent. These tents are becoming popular among camper due to its easy setup. You get more time to enjoy camping with your loved one. Here are some points that explain the reason for investing in an instant pop up tent. 

• You can quickly set up the tent.
• Similarly, it is easy to take down.
• These tents require less space in a storage bag.
• Perfect for kids as it doesn’t require tent stakes or poles.
• In the case of wind, you can use additional pegs to fix the tent to the ground.

What To Consider While Choosing An Instant Pop Up Tent? 

Indeed, instant pop up tents is an excellent option for a couple or families and best as a backup tent. If you are heading toward the market for purchasing one, then stop, here are few things you should consider;

Ease of Setup

The word “Pop up” says it all. These tents highlight the feature set up easily and quickly. It employs numerous mechanisms and technologies to enable the easy setup. Most pop up tent uses a hydraulic system which let it open within a few seconds. So, the first thing you should keep in mind is its ease of setup. 

Size

The size of the pop-up tent is another crucial factor that you should consider. It depends on the number of occupants. Most tents on the market can accommodate 1 to 4 person. So, in case you are heading with a full family, then you may need more than one. 

There are lots of things that are related to the size, for example, setting up and tearing down functionality. It also determines the storage and portability. Smaller units are best for backpacking trips.

Weight

Weight of pop up tents also plays a vital role in camping. Heavy tents are relatively stronger, and they can endure strong winds. Conversely, lightweight pop up tents is much more expansive. So, choose according to your needs.

Weather Shield

Usually, pop up tents are lighter compared to traditional ones. It may not withstand heavy wind or rain like others. In case you are camping in rainy or windy days, some units can withstand weather context without any extra gear. 

Ventilation

Instant pop up tent with poor ventilation and stifling interior may ruin your comfort. So, make sure it has proper ventilation. Like, some pop-up tent has a window and a large door to enhance airflow. Excellent ventilation also increases tent stability by minimizing the effect of disruptive exterior wind. 

Durability and Strength

Most pop up tents are made with nylon or polyester, which makes it sturdy and light as well. It has a UV coating to protect against sun rays that mean it can last for long. The most tent has Ripstop feature for making it resistant to tearing and ripping. Also, you can go with fire-resistant tents for use in an emergency. 

Design

The pop-up tent comes in various designs along with different functionality. Like, dome-shaped tents are best for use in inclement weather. Tube-shaped tents are perfect for a large number of peoples. Likewise, backpacking tents are suitable for outdoor enthusiasts. As you are camping with family, you may go with tube-shaped tents. 

Any Drawbacks? 

Even the moon has spots, then why not for instant pop up tents? Let’s know more about them.

• Although you can use pegs for making it stable, still it provides limited benefits in extreme weather conditions.
• It is quite challenging to move when you are inside the tent for inadequate headroom. That’s why people often use it for sitting in and sleeping.
• Pop up tents also has narrow entrances, screen rooms, and other convenient features. 

Maintenance and Safety Tips

• Select a suitable ground for setting to prevent damages. 
• Don’t forget to cover the ground using a cloth to provide abrasion protection. 
• Make sure to use the zipper carefully for entry and exit to prevent from getting stuck.
• Try to keep foodstuff away from the tent to keep critters away.
• Avoid using a sharp object which may prick or tear the tent.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, by now on you are well aware of instant pop up camping tent. We tried to include every single detail since you are heading out with your family. Undeniably, instant pop up tents is a great addition for beginners, kids, couples, or families. It allows you to enjoy every single moment by doing recreational things.Therefore, the search for easy to set up tents is over, pick one, and enjoy your next trip!

 

A two-person sofa, minimal furniture and expensive decor is fine for two adults but if you’re thinking of expanding your family then you may need to consider making some changes to your home. There...

The post When Two Becomes Three – Changes To Make To Your Home As Your Family Grows appeared first on The Homestead Survival.

Akupää might be one the least visited summits in the Ivalo region. Once you have seen it’s views, though, you’ll want to come back during every season!

Disclosure: This trip was supported financially by the Arctic Outdoor project. As you know: I’m keepin’ it real and tell you how it is – I maintain full editorial control of the content published on Hiking in Finland. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on affiliate links & blogger transparency.

During my visit at Saariselkä I participated in several Polarlife Outdoors activities, and hiking with Henna was one of the highlights. Not only do I know how to hike, after five days in the Wilderness of Hammastunturi it was nice to have a chat with another person again! Henna from Laplandlife picked me up at my Hotel in Saariselkä and we hit it off right from the bat. She’s an upbeat, happy young women who after studying across Finland decided to return home to Lapland and combine all her passions and create her own business. That business is Laplandlife, and with it Henna takes people who visit the Ivalo-Saariselkä Region hiking, camping and berry picking in the summer, and snowshoeing, arctic swimming and ice fishing in the winter. As a professional massage therapist she also can help you relax after a day outdoors, and her Wilderness Cabins are so far off-the-beaten track that you can be sure to not encounter anyone else during your stay there!

Henna and I, however, were off to hike to the summit of Akupää. “It’s in my backyard” she told me as we drove to Ivalo, and silently I was wondering what that meant. What it meant became clear when we arrived: We passed a gate while she explained that all this land here, hundreds of hectares, belong to her dad. We drove to the end of a gravel road next to a most picturesque lake, the start of our hike. “At the other side of the lake, well-hidden between the trees and far apart, are the two cabins” Henna hold me, and I was already wondering how amazing it must be to spend a holiday here. No noise except the wind in the trees and the calls of birds could be heard, it’s exactly the kind of sounds I love and which you don’t get in the city.

Along the lake we hiked on game trails and small forest roads, all the time chatting about outdoor life in Lapland. After half an hour Henna offered me some home-made berry juice which was delicious, and then we set off slowly to climb towards the summit of Akupää. Completely off-trail we hiked through the most beautiful autumn birch and pine forests, often stopping to pick some bilberries and lingonberries which were growing in abundance on the floor of the forest.

Here and there the forest opened up where trees have fallen, and we revelled in the beauty of it all under the sunshine on this autumn day. The conversation was flowing, we laughed together while steadily climbing higher and higher on this fjell. And then, through the low-grown birch trees, the summit came into view. My natural reaction when seeing the summit is to turn around and see what kind of view is to be seen, and here, just below the summit of Akupää, the view was beautiful. Low, pine-covered hills with small lakes who were glistening from the sunlight, we could see far into the distance.

But, this wasn’t the summit yet. It was a few minutes further, and what awaited me there really was gorgeous.

We could see till Russia from the summit, observed how two Raven and an Eagle were having an air show, and in every direction you could see forest-covered hill after forest-covered hill, creating an absolutely stunning panorama of silhouettes. After spending over half an hour at the summit Henna was ready to continue, and while I could have stood there and take in the view till past sunset, I shouldered my backpack and followed her. We passed beautiful little ponds which were so still and created dazzling mirror images, and soon we were back in the embrace of the forest with its golden leafs.

After a while we made a proper break, with a fire, sitting down, eating a tasty meal and drinking fresh coffee. I lay down on the soft forest floor, on my bed of moss and shrubbery, while lounging in the sun and drinking another cup of coffee. “This is the good life” I proclaimed, and Henna agreed. We sat there in the forest, silently, happy.

A small detour on the way back was made, to a gorge, and Henna showed me where she takes guests to go camping in Tentsile tree-tents – a beautiful spot high above the gorge, which must have great views at night to the stars. We didn’t wait for the stars to come out, though – we continued on game trails back to the lake.

At the lake I was able to get very close to the Dragonfly you see above. Dragonflies are without a doubt my favourite insects, I love their grace and how beautiful they are. If I ever would get a tattoo, then the tattoo of a dragonfly would be high up on the list. Back at the car I thanked Henna for the beautiful hike in her backyard, and thought to myself that if more people would have a backyard like her, and care as deeply for it, the world would be a better place. On the drive back to Saariselkä I spotted a juvenile Golden Eagle which made me smile, as these birds are not so often seen that dar in the north. I also wished for a longer lens to capture it even more up-close (You can send me a tip via PayPal if you want that I can take better photos of wildlife in the future!), but I think the photo underneath is pretty good, too!

Practicalities!

I stayed in Saariselkä, which is probably THE place to be when you want to explore the North-Eastern corner of Finnish Lapland. Besides a dozen or more options for accommodation options – I stayed at the Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna‎ – the village lays right at the border of the Urho Kekkonen National Park and is just a short 2 hour stroll away from the Hammastunturi Wilderness Area. This means you don’t need a car to go outdoors in Saariselkä, as you can walk in a few minutes from your Hotel or log cabin to the start of a trail. Here’s the full list of Hotels and Cabins in Saariselkä, and feel free to use that Affiliate Link when you’re making a reservation!

Getting to Saariselkä happens in one of three ways: You drive your car north for a veeeeeeery long time but are mobile there. Useful if you want to drive to different places, but hopefully you’re not alone in that car! The second and best option is to take the train and Bus. Taking the Bus from Rovaniemi to Saariselkä is a short and scenic 3 hour ride, and it really gets you in the mood for the outdoors as you ride past lakes and forests and every so often slow down to let the Reindeer get off the road. Taking an (overnight) train to Rovaniemi from Southern Finland is also very convenient, as you wake up well rested and just a short ride away from your next outdoor adventure. This is also a good way to travel if you want to explore Helsinki before or after a visit in Lapland. Finally, if you come from abroad you also can fly directly to Ivalo, from where you can take a bus or Taxi to Saariselkä.

Saariselkä has for a village its size a variety of different options for eating out, from Anne’s Garden which serves delicious Burgers (great for backpackers who just returned to civilization!) to fine dining at Santa’s Hotel Tunturi and Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna‎ or the tasty Buffet at the Holiday Club. Cafe Porotupa at the market square makes really good coffee (On a side note, I’m always baffled how much bad coffee you get served in a variety of places in Finland, the World Champion in coffee consumption) and also fresh pancakes and cakes. If you rather cook yourself, then the supermarket in the village has everything you need, or if you need to stock-up on dehydrated meals for another backpacking trip then visit the Partioaitta Saariselkä, probably the most-northern Outdoor Store in Finland!

During my visit at Saariselkä I participated in many different Polarlife Outdoors activities, include going to the Sauna and Spa at the Holiday Club, hiking on one of the dozen of trails around the village, visiting the AMAZING Aurora Open Wilderness Hut when you want to see Northern Lights, participate in a wild herbs Workshop, visit a Sauna and going to swim in a stream, or rent a Mountainbike and explore one of the many single track trails and holler with joy when you ride down the fjell! During the next weeks you’ll be able to read more about my adventures in the far north and some of these activities, so consider becoming a Fan on Facebook or Twitter to not miss the next instalments!

Support me on Patreon and get some useful rewards (like hanging out on Discord with me, and Discount codes for kit from partners!) or buy me a coffee – I work Full-Time on Hiking in Finland to bring you inspiring trip reports, in-depth gear reviews and the latest news from the outdoors. You also could subscribe to the rarer-than-ever Newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube for more outdoorsy updates!

Go Ape!, which has 34 activity sites across the UK, was the first-ever recipient of the prestigious RoSPA Leisure Safety Trophy in 2019, in recognition of its practices and achievements in managing risks at its sites. Sponsored by Sportscover, the Leisure Safety Trophy is part of RoSPA Health and Safety Awards and celebrates organisations that embrace and appropriately manage risks in leisure settings.

We spoke to Linda Green, the Head of Health and Safety at Go Ape! about her health and safety background and how she helped Go Ape! attain the high standards needed to win the Leisure Safety Trophy…

What motivates your organisation to enter the RoSPA Awards?

We have worked with the RoSPA leisure safety team for a number of years and are firm believers of not being risk-averse when it comes to people enjoying themselves. This new award allowed Go Ape! the opportunity to promote and be recognised for our excellent approach to risk management of visitor safety.

What benefits does winning a RoSPA Award have for your organisation?

At Go Ape! we have spent the last 15 years fighting for the social benefits of risk. We are a high-risk activity and believe that people, particularly young people, get huge developmental benefit through the experience of well-managed risk. Winning this trophy demonstrates to the community that well-managed risk is a good thing!

Which innovative approaches, risk assessment practices and/or control measures to manage health and safety are you particularly proud of from your most recent RoSPA Awards submission?

We are proud of the role each member of our team plays in creating conditions for others to thrive. We are very clear about our risk appetite not only for our staff but for visitors as well. We have developed our own practical instructor training supported by a bespoke online training package together with coaching, shadowing and mentoring which we believe was a particular strength of this submission.

What outcomes have come from your organisation’s approach to health and safety management?

What is our approach to risk? We all know that exposure to well-managed risk generates all sorts of societal benefits and is “a good thing”. But too often this is only until the well-managed risk translates into an injury. When this happens, the hue-and-cry assumes that all risk is unacceptable and that changes should be made to prevent the accident from ever happening again.

At Go Ape! We have spent the last 15 years fighting for the social benefits of risk.

With self-belay, the safety of the participant is maintained by at least one of the participant’s two safety lanyards remaining attached to the safety system at all times. Participants are trained to transfer between parts of the safety system by moving only one lanyard at a time, ensuring they are always attached. It is this reliance on the actions of the participants to maintain safety that stands out in today’s culture of infantilising risk aversion.

This is, physically, a very simple system with a very low risk of mechanical failure. The main risk, that of a fall from a height, is obvious to all and there are no hidden hazards. However, compared to continuous belay systems, it relies on a greater degree of training of customers in the safe operation of the course to achieve the required levels of safety.

How have the RoSPA Awards inspired your organisation to continually improve health and safety management?

We are striving to introduce new products into our portfolio – new thrilling challenges within the high ropes courses, plus the introduction of axe throwing. Safety of visitors, staff and contractors is built onto our everyday working lives, polices and procedures.

In 2016, we introduced a 24/7 employee assistance programme for employees and their families. This has proved extremely successful in helping site managers direct staff with everyday issues (stress, relationship breakdowns, drugs, finance etc.) to free and confidential support and advice guidance, from self-help online tools to face-to-face counselling.

The company philosophy is to “create adventure and to encourage everyone to live life adventurously” – including our staff. An Adventure fund supports staff expeditions as well as organised adventure activities throughout the season.

What do you enjoy most about the RoSPA Awards process?

The opportunity to speak to colleagues about progress and the positive emphasis on getting things right every time for staff and visitors alike.

What do you think entrants could do over the year to keep drafting an awards submission simple?

Create a space in your day every couple of weeks to think about the questions and pick out the best example of each. It may well be that a better example comes up a few weeks later but building a portfolio of good evidence over time really works.

 

Have you used the reflective practice involved in drafting a submission for CPD purposes?

Drafting the awards submission provided us with the opportunity to look back over what has been achieved and how well everyone has worked together to deliver experiences that help people understand themselves and their ability to manage and overcome risk.

 

What advice would you give to organisations considering entering the RoSPA Awards for the first time?

Get ready to share your passion for safety and paint as rich a picture as you can when you draft your submission. You might be pushing yourself out of your comfort zone first time around, but success makes it all worthwhile.

How would you convince organisations not entering the RoSPA Awards to start entering?

I would encourage any visitor attraction company to apply for the award. By doing so you actually recognise how well your staff support your company’s vision in achieving this award. I am currently doing site audits and taking the trophy on tour with me, any opportunity to share success works for us.

Click here to find out more about the Leisure Safety Award, sponsored by Sportscover. To read more from our RoSPA Awards ‘Meet the Winners’ series, click here.

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Security overload leads to apathy. How often do you hear a car alarm go off and roll your eyes hoping the owner would disable the blasted thing before the incoming headache comes a knocking? The primary objection I have to such systems is they work too well. Every week I hear an alarm being triggered […]

This is just the start of the post Security Information Overload: From Panic to Apathy & the Remedy. Continue reading and be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!

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Security Information Overload: From Panic to Apathy & the Remedy, written by Thomas Xavier, was created exclusively for readers of the survival blog More Than Just Surviving.

Believe it or not, though Christmas is now only two days away, you still have time to order last-minute stocking stuffers from Amazon. If you’re looking for one last gift for that happy hiker in your life, there’s still plenty of time to download the Kindle e-book version of my book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking!

Ramble On: A History of Hiking is a great gift idea for anyone who loves hiking, and wishes to learn more about the rich and amazing history of one of the world’s top pastimes.

For more information on the book, and to purchase, please click here.

Thank you very much, and hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

Jeff
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Ramble On: A History of Hiking