Live Alternative Blog
How Does It Feel to Leave Everything & Move into a Van? VAI-KØ Entrepreneurs Henri and Maria Know the Price of Freedom
The automobile has long symbolized freedom in popculture, freedom to go wherever, whenever. It's no wonder vanlife has gained popularity especially among young adults in the past couple of years. Urban day-to-day life and its hectic nature drove VAI-KØ's entrepreneurs, Henri and Maria, too to look for freedom in the van lifestyle. It turns out freedom is not free and in this article our Finnish couple tells us their ups and downs of living in a van. "YOU'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT FREEDOM AND HAPPINESS MEAN TO YOU IN EVERYDAY LIFE, AND WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO COMPROMISE TO ACHIEVE THAT." - MARIA “We both noticed a longing in us for a more simple lifestyle close to nature. We had both previously lived in a camper van for short periods, and so making the final decision to buy a van and move into it didn't feel rushed", Maria says. The first time Maria and Henri moved into a van was on their trip to New Zealand. Back then they slept at the back of a station wagon with surfboards on the roof and a will to catch the best waves. But the very first time they fell in love with vanlife was even earlier: with Maria it was driving around with her grandfather in her childhood and with Henri moment came around his 18th birthday driving around, biking and sleeping in a car with his friends. "I remember thinking, this could some day become a lifestyle to me", Henri recalls. It took almost ten years for this dream of having their own camper van to become a reality. But finally the couple's other dream, of having their own clothing brand, made it possible for them to jump into vanlife. And so two years ago the VAI-kØ entrepreneurs sealed the deal and bought an old German mail van and named it Urho. "Urho earned its name on our maiden voyage to Lapland, as it climbed, to your great surprise, a steep and rocky hill", Maria explains. In addition to living in a campervan, Henri and Maria share an apartment with a senior relative: "The name Urho is also a tribute to our 91-year-old flatmate that has the same name and has traveled over 50 countries with lots of stories to tell", Maria recounts. In six months the yellow 1995 Mercedes 308D van transformed into a light blue scandinavian styled camper van. Friends and relatives lended a hand in the building process and in the last few months Henri and Maria got rid of their old apartment, most of their posessions and worked on the van full time. Maria's degree in Industrial Design was helpful and so was social media with great instructions from people that had done a van conversion of their own. Still the work took quite a lot more time than planned. "We have definitely learned that surprises are a part of vanlife, you never know what to expect", Henri says with a laugh. Shop here! If one searches hashtag vanlife on Instagram, up comes a vast selection of polished pictures of sunsets and fancy breakfasts. Updating social media is a source of income to a lot of full-time vanlifers, that's why the images that represent this phenomenon are professional quality. Combined with the tendency to post only the beautifully visual parts of life the end result is often a highly deceptive vision the reality of living in a van. "Sometimes it rains and the whole van is damp, we haven't been able to find a public toilet and it's been days since our last shower. Those moments are rarely shown on Instagram but they definitely are a part of regular vanlife", Henri summarises. The mood can go from euphoric to horrified in an instant: a week ago the couple had been rock-climbing in the glistening evening sun in Southern France and were coming back a couple hundread meters to the van. Soon they noticed the van had been broken into: a camera and some cash was missing and things were all over the place. Despite the hardships and compromises, Henri and Maria are positive vanlife gives more than it takes. "We get to spend a lot of time in nature doing the things we love, such as hiking, climbing and surfing. We get to work from a cute coffee shop or the beach, more on rainy days and less when the sun is shining. Urban life and its schedules don't bind us when we're living in our van", Henri lists. "On the road life is spontanious: we are free to change our plans according to weather or how we feel. I also really enjoy being free of all that extra stuff, getting rid of it was great", Maria blazes and adds, "To us, freedom means being free to go but to also have someplace to come back to. Not all vanlifers have a fixed home to come back to but my opinion is, a mental hometown is a healty thing to have. Two years ago we met a man that had gotten stuck on travelling with a van. He said that if you travel without a place to return to, you're no different from a refugee, and I do belive that." Henri & Maria's 4 tips on getting started with Vanlife: 1 Figure out what freedom means to you in everyday life and what you are willing to compomise to achieve that. 2 First, try living in a station wagon during a weekend trip or rent a van or a mobile home for a longer road trip. You'll quickly find out your deal-breakers and must-haves for a van. 3 Ask for help.Building a camper van and moving in is a big project. Often help and know-how is closer than you think, if only you ask. 4 Search online. There's a lot of tips and tricks on converting a van into a camper and living the vanlife on social media. Writer RIINA, is the communications person at VAI-KØ, who is learning to include some of that Live Alternative -attitude in every area of her day-to-day life. Writer's weakness is watching family vlogs on YouTube.
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Social Responsibility: Ethical Fashion has Everything to Do with Being Transparent
In this article, we talk about social responsibility in the fashion industry. What are the key issues, who's responsible for fixing them and how transparency is the way to ethical fashion. 1,134 fashion workers lost their lives and over 2,500 were left injured, when a building holding multiple clothing factories in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed on 24th of April in 2013. It was the dedliest garment-factory accident ever recorded. From that tragedy, Fashion Revolution was born to change the course of the fashion industry. What happened in Rana Plaza brought much needed attention to what had been going on in the fashion industry for decades: serious occupational health violations, wages that keep workers and their families in deep poverty and working conditions that in many cases would be considered modern slavery. But there's light at the end of the tunnel. Ethical fashion is on the rise and consumers are voicing their demands for better alternatives. On this year's Fashion Transparency Index 84% of the big fashion brands included increased their transparency score from last year. Still, 12% of the brands don't disclose any information about their production and even the highest scoring brands have a less than 60% transparency score. (Source: fashionrevolution.org) Transparency, What's so Difficult About it? In countries like Finland the law and officials protect the rights of workers, yet still annual labour trafficking convictions are given. So just think about the way things are in countries where labour laws are lacking or non-existent, standard of living is low and corruption is common. Poor circumstances make exploitation quite easy and wide-spread. And this is why transparency is the only way forward. Many times, when fashion brands are asked about social responsibility and how it's carried out, the bottom answer is 'we don't know'. So if the brand says they don't know, it's practically impossible for consumers to get any information about the working conditions of the people who make their clothes. So what's there to do & who should do it? Ethical Fashion, Who's Responsible? We believe corporate social responsibility means doing business the fair way or no way. The fair way is to consider and minimize all negative effects on nature and people, seeing the big picture. There's a lot of authority that comes with leading a fashion brand. But still... Consumers are the one's holding the money and with it the power. No company would keep producing products that didn't sell. Ethical fashion companies are able to offer sustainable, alternative clothing to consumers, but it can't be done without conscious consumers on their side. Transparency by Proximity We believe in proximity as a way to execute social responsibility and control the ethicality of our production. To us at VAI-KØ proximity means all our apparel and accessories are made in the EU. This means we are familiar with the status of worker's rights and the standards set by the EU and the coutry in question. Proximity also enables us to visit the factories and work closely with them to ensure sustainable production. Yet bringing all stages of the product cycle close is often not possible (for example merino sheep are not farmed in Europe). You could also argue that boycotting certain production countries or areas is not the way to change things or handle these ethical issues. That's where certificates come into play! Cerificates = Highway to Social Responsibility Certificates can be seen as your eyes and our eyes on the field. They offer a third party view to clothing production that is as close to objectivity as possible. Ofcourse, there's always a chance of abuse, but the chances are immensely higher if there's no supervision at all, don't you think? Certificates are a great way to advance worker's rights and influence the surrounding society. You know, certificates don’t only supervise and work with the collaborating factories but in many cases, the ethical and ecological standards work as an example for companies outside the certificates. These companies can then seek consultation on how to take charge of social and environmental responsibility. And that is how transparency changes the world! Read more about our certificates HERE, and about our materials & manufacturing HERE! Writer RIINA, is the communications dudette at VAI-KØ, who is learning to live with a Live Alternative -attitude in every area of her life. Writer's weakness is watching family vlogs on Youtube.
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Recycled Materials: the New Normal in Sustainable Textiles
In this article, I'll tell you about the expanding trend of using recycled materials in clothing. Making clothing out of recycled materials has it's challenges. But the prizes are big: reduced energy consumption, smaller carbon footprint, reduced resource consumption and reduced chemical consumption make it well worth-while. If you stilll haven't noticed, recycled materials have taken the fashion world by storm. Even big fashion brands and fast fashion companies have embraced the growing phenomenon of sustainable textiles and with it recycled materials. And you know what? The only reason for this development is you, our beloved conscious consumers, and your greener shopping habits. Cheers! What are Recycled Materials? When we talk about recycled materials, in all simplicity, it means that a material that has been used for one purpose is re-molded to be used again for the same purpose or for another. For example, cotton or wool can be torn appart into fibers and put back together into new yarn. Or old PET-bottle can be molded into fibers and yarn and sown into a swimsuit. VAI-KØ Cavas Bags are made of 100% recycled cotton. Check out all the designs, click the picture! Saving the Environment with Recycled Materials Recycling materials is game-changing with both synthetic and natural materials. With recycled polyester it is estimated that 76% of the energy and 71% of the carbon dioxide emissions can be saved compared to using virgin polyester. And the same goes with natural fibers: it takes 11,000 liters of fresh water to grow 1 kilogram of cotton and recycling it takes a tiny tiny fraction of that. In a areas where cotton is mostly grown, fresh water is not something taken for granted, so saving about 11,000 liters of water per kg is a life-saving amount. Eco-friendly Doesn't Often Mean Ethical This recycled materials revolution, if you may, is great progress that is mandatory if we'd like to have clothes and a somewhat healthy planet in the future. But eco-friendly doesn't automatically come with ethical production. We've collected a nice tight infopack on How to Recognize a Sustainable Fashion Brand HERE! Check it out. Challenges with Quality The number one challenge with using sustainable recycled materials is with quality. In order to succesfully tear apart and re-mold a material into usable clothing the source material has to be good quality. That is why recycled materials are most often blended with other materials, which decreases the environmental benefits. Cheaply made fast fashion clothing is made of bad quality material: the fibers are short resulting in fizzing and tearing. It's quite common for holes appear in fast fashion pieces after just a couple uses. This kind of material cannot be recycled into new clothing. Natural fibres are the easiest to take apart and put back together. So that's one more reason to favour natural materials. Also pure not blended material fibres require the smallest amount of processing. Solid coloured textiles allow easy re-dying and white clothes are naturally the easiest to reuse. Could Wool Be Anymore Eco-friendly? We at VAI-KØ want to always go further with doing clothing as environmentally friendly as possible. We already use only Organic Merino Wool that is certified by two systems to ensure ethical and eco-friendly production (read more about certificates HERE). But what about recycled wool? With recycled pure wool fabric, energy consumption is thought to be half of that needed to produce virgin material. However, recycling is not yet where it should be to produce high-quality products. For 200 years wool recycling technology has stayed the same: fibers are extracted from used fabric by mechanically tearing the fabric apart using carding machines. The process breaks the fibers, producing more shortened lengths that tend to make a low-quality yarn. New innovations are developed all the time and we are confident that in the future we won’t have to compromise on quality to have highly energy-efficient and exceptionally sustainable recycled wool products. Therefore we are continuously on the look for new materials and production technologies! (For example, read more about Tencel HERE!) How you noticed more recycled material clothing in stores? Have purchased any & how have you liked them? Comment down below! Writer RIINA, is the communications manager at VAI-KØ, who is learning to live with a Live Alternative -attitude in every area of her life. Writer's weakness is watching family vlogs on Youtube.
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Merino Wool: Nature's Techwear from Merino Sheep
In this article we'll tell you what exactly Merino Wool is, what are those magical creatures called Merino sheep and list all the great properties & uses of wool. What is Merino Wool? Merino Wool is the nature's own super fibre that comes from a special sheep breed called Merino. Merino sheep are farmed traditionally in Autralia and New Zealand but today they are farmed in new continents such as South America where VAI-KØ Merino Wool comes from. It has a great variety of properties no synthetic textile fiber can beat. Merino wool has outstanding heat regulative properties. The individual fibers can absorb up to 30% of their own weight in moisture, moving moisture away from the skin, so that the merino wool accessorie or clothing feels comfortable to wear regardless of weather conditions or sweating. Merino wool fibre is also naturally odour- and stain-resistant, so your VAI-KØ beanie will not start to smell like most synthetic fibers would. Merino Wool doesn't really need washing, just airing it out or freezing it is enough to freshen up. If you still want to wash it, just soak in lukewarm water with a drop of wool detergent, then mold it and line-dry in desired shape. Efficient Merino Wool Wool is often the secondary product of sheep farming with meat being the primary product. That’s why the wool is often badly taken care of and is a wasted resource because of its low quality and coarseness. These factors are followed by a low market value. Merino sheep make an exception to this fact! Merino wool is to fine and valued that Merino sheep are farmed solely for their hair. The hair of one sheep can produce around 5 kg of fine, good quality material. Merino Wool fibers are much more fine and thin than regular wool fibers. Merino fibers are also curly so they lock air between then, making it a super warm and breathing material. It is fine enough to be used in underwear and tough enough for outdoor gear. The Eco-friendly Material Choosing to use natural fibers in textile is often the green choice because of oil needed to produce plastic-based materials and mirco-plastics these materials leave in nature everytime they are washed (check out HERE how to do laundry sustainably). VAI-KØ's Merino Wool is 100% organic, recyclable and biodegradable, so it's a perfect choice for for people looking for sustainable and eco friendly clothing. Our Merino products are manufactured under strict bluesing and Global Organic Textile Standard (G.O.T.S) systems. This means third parties supervise, that merino wool yarn is produced sustainably with human and nature's health in mind. No harsh chemicals such as chlorine bleach or formaldehyde are used during the manufacturing process. Welface of Animals = Anti-mulesign A lot of concern has been around animal welfare when it comes to merino wool products. Especailly mulesign has been an issue, it is a very painful surgical operation where skin is removed around a sheep's breech to prevent flystrike-parasite (myasis) contamination. All organizations promoting ethical treatment of animals are strongly against it. We want all parties involved in our production cycle to be treated with respect and certainly not suffer for us to have our heads warm. That is why it is fundamental to us at VAI-KØ that we use bluesign- and GOTS-certified wool yarn that is produced with human, animal and nature’s wellbeing in mind. For that reason we work only with farmers in areas where mulesign is not practiced. Our merino wool comes from a handful of licenced farms in Patagonia, Argentina. Read more of our production cycle HERE! Merino Wool is the Ethical Eco Wool Merino wool is the choice for those looking for functional garments that last through variable conditions. When processed right it also meets ecological and ethical standards that are key aspects in a sustainable lifestyle. Do you have any experience using Merino Wool? Has it passed the test? Share you thoughts with us! Writer RIINA, is the communications manager at VAI-KØ, who is learning to live with a Live Alternative -attitude in every area of her life.
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Textile Waste Management: A Few Tips to Up Your Waste Game
Living in a modern society, we cause a lot of waste unnoticed or even unknowingly. The price and quality of the clothes we use are constantly on the fall, they are designed to be disposed and not fixed. So we just dump them. In this article I'll tell you how much textile waste you produce & how to easily reduce your number with textile waste management. The challenge of textile waste from the consumer's perspective is twofold: one, there are the purchasing and disposing of clothing and two, there is laundering. Read our tips for more sustainable laundering HERE! Now, I have good news and bad news, let’s start with the bad… How Much Textile Waste Do I Produce? An average person in the UK produces nearly 40 kilograms of textile waste per year, in Finland this number is 13 kilograms. That means an average Finn produces over 1000 kilograms of textile waste during their lifetime and their British comparisons produce over 3000 kilos. In addition there are chemicals and micro-plastics that burden the environment and its living creatures in all stages of producing, using and disposing the garment. More about chemicals in wool HERE, and how to avoid micro-plastics HERE! And the good news then... Multi-Purpose Design Multi-purpose design means resourcefulness in production, consumption, use and disposal. The product has to be made in a way that ensures multiple uses and purposes during and after the life of the original product. With VAI-KØ products this means our materials and designs serve multiple uses from urban to wilderness. Our products are durable, practical, timeless also made of natural materials so they are designed to be recycled. Designed to be recycled means not including glues or staples that are often used to minimize production costs. Materials have to be high quality so it can be re-processed, bad quality synthetic fibres frizz in use and can’t be re-processed. Natural fibres are the easiest to take apart and put back together, also pure not blended fibres require the least processing. Solid coloured textiles allow easy re-dying and white clothes are naturally the easiest to reuse. Composted Beanies and Climbing Mount Everest So when a beanie reaches the end of its life it can be carded and spin into recycled wool yarn, composted with coffee grounds and banana peels or felted into whatever imagined. Multi-purpose design and saving resources can also mean lending and switching your pieces with friends or even renting your clothing especially for rare occasions like formal parties or topping Mount Everest. This requires that the pieces are high quality and lasting design. Reducing textile waste benefits us all in very practical ways: not having a textile landfill in your backyard is one, but having quality clothes that last and not having to replace and fix your clothes all the time frees up time and space for other more worthwhile things. Read our photograghy pro-tips here & packing tips for a hike here! Sources: www.syke.fi/hankkeet/texjate Sustainable Fashion & Textiles: Kate Fletcher Writer RIINA, is the communications manager at VAI-KØ, who is learning to live with a Live Alternative -attitude in every area of her life.
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From The Base Layer to Trekking Footwear: 5 Things Scouts Always Wear on a Hike
Hiking is wonderful and easy to start! Here's a beginners guide to picking the right base layer and great trekking shoes for a hike. And well, scouts are experts in this field so I'll let then tell you... We, scouts, love being in nature and breathing in the fresh air. But, if you are cold or wet or uncomfortable in anyway the experience often becomes less fun memorable and more traumatic memorable. Of course, it is less important if you are only planning to do a day trip, but if you're like us and trek for several days, you want to stay warm and dry without carrying a million pieces of clothing. So, these are our suggestions for what to wear on a hike: 1. The Base Layer As Finland is fairly cold throughout the year we recommend you invest in a warming merino wool base layer. Merino wool is excellent at retaining the body heat, it breaths and lets sweat evaporate to keep you dry and warm, plus it's stain and odor resistant. You can also use your merino wool base layer as pajamas during the summer months when the temperature drops during the nights. Breathing merino wool is good to use even on summer hikes, other options are for example technical activewear made of (recycled) polyester. 2. Trekking Trousers On top of your base layer, you will want to wear trekking trousers with a durable and stretchy material. Breathable and water resistant materials are the best and often consist of a mix of polyester and cotton. Luckily nowadays some outdoor brands offer alternative products that are made of recycled materials, so if you have a choice, choose sustainable! And then a true deal-breaker... 3. Trekking Footwear Your feet are your most valuable body part during a hike. Even a tiny blister can easily become so painful and irritating that it is hard to push through a full day of trekking. Thus, investing in a good pair of hiking shoes will pay off. Make sure to break the shoes in properly, by for example shorter day tours and never ever head out into the woods with brand new shoes. Also, wear proper hiking socks that are sweat absorbent and keep your feet at a stable temperature. 4. Trekking Jacket As an outermost layer wear a trekking- or a shell jacket. A trekking jacket that is breathable and waterproof is recommended as hiking is a strenuous activity and you can easily get fairly hot. If you don’t want to invest in a special trekking jacket a basic shell jacket often does the trick of protecting you from the cold wind. 5. Warm Wool Sweater During a hike you will want to take plenty of breaks, sometimes just to take in the breath-taking nature but also during meal times. As you move around all day you will generate a lot of body heat and it is important not to let your body cool down too much during the breaks - that is how you will catch a cold. Therefore, bring a (merino) wool sweater or a light down jacket with you to keep warm. They add almost no extra weight to your packing and you will be extremely glad you brought something warm and cozy along. Happy Hiking! Love,the Spanarna Scouts
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5 Steps to Great Weekend Photography
1. Know your surroundings and embrace them. This takes time but get to know your area very well. Put on the adventure mode and head for long walks in the neighborhood. Look for interesting subjects: check every street, park, forest, beach or any location that seems worth checking out. I have found some of my absolute favorite spots by accident when exploring aimlessly around my home area. You’ll save a ton of time on the weekends if you already know where to go in advance. Photo by Teppo Tirkkonen 2. Wait for special conditions. When you have found your favorite locations, keep coming back to them. The chances are that the location turns into a whole another place when the season and the weather changes. This way, you don’t always have to go to a new location but instead work out something different from what is familiar. Take notes while exploring: Look at how the light is hitting during that time of the year – or maybe it’s the way the ice starts to build on the rocks at the beach. Keep track of the small changes in the environment. Photo by Teppo Tirkkonen 3. Start chasing the light. Start chasing light instead of places. Train your eye for light and shadows. Come up with abstract photos and look for shapes. The great thing is that light is everywhere so you’re not attached to any specific location. Let your imagination run free and play around with unusual compositions. I often used to practice photography at home by playing around with my coffee mug in lights andshadows. I learned a lot about light even I didn’t truly realize it back then. Photo by Teppo Tirkkonen 4. Build your own photos. If you feel like you have nothing to shoot: build the photo you’ve always wanted to see and utilize props to tell the story. This is a great exercise for the weekends! Keep an eye on the small details (like the sparks in this photo), composition and the feel. Does it feel authentic? If not, why? Ask yourself these questions until you figure out the answers and achieve the photo you visioned. Photo by Teppo Tirkkonen 5. Go have fun! Don’t set too high expectations for your weekend photography in terms of making amazing photographs: Instead, go have fun with friends, make a campfire on the beach or go on a bicycle trip around the town but keep the camera with you on these everyday excursions. Tell the story. Even if you don’t get stunning shots, you still had a wonderful day and plenty of stories to tell later on. Photo by Teppo Tirkkonen I hope you can find value in these tips! Best, Teppo Tirkkonen
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Mountaineering with Class: 5 Tips to Get You to the Top & Back Home Safely
Either you’re trekking the moderate fjellds in the Finnish Lapland or climbing the highest peaks of the Himalaya, there are a few mountain gear essentials you need to get to the top of a mountain. And more importantly – to back down. 1. Preparing the Gear Every success is built in beforehand, so do your homework. A good preparation is what usually makes the difference between reaching your summit or not. Plan the route. Get to know the logistics. Study maps, blogs, pics and vids to get an idea. Find the cruxes on your route. Work out, make sure you’re ready for the physical push. Eat your proteins. You can not prepare too well for a trip. Bear in mind that things usually go wrong so be prepared for surprises as well. 2. The Mountain Gear Good gear won’t guarantee you success but bad mountain gear will make sure you won’t have any. So gear up! Make sure you have all you need and everything works, always go through your gear a few times before take-off. Don’t compromise, bad or broken mountain gear can make the difference in getting to the top. Always bring a wool beanie, your head is your most vulnerable place in terms of heat loss. 3. Pace Ok, so now you’re prepared, you've got the mountain gear, you’re at your destination and you’re moving. You’ve planned this for a long time and you finally have the summit in sight. Don’t rush! Rushing will make you miss the sights. You want to breathe in the landscape, taste the views and enjoy your steps. This is what it’s eventually all about, not just the summit. Remember that distance has never killed anyone, only speed has. Take it easy and save your energy, you’ll need it on your way down. 4. The Will to Climb Climbing any mountain is about 30% physical and 70% of mental strength. You’ll want to turn around like a dozen times on your way up so it’s eventually a matter of will that will get you on top. The further you push it, the more your body wants to quit, but it’s amazing what the human body is capable of when you set your mind to it. But always keep in mind that in mountaineering the summit is only the halfway point. You have reached nothing until you are safely back down. 5. Respect the Nature You can have all the fitness, mountain gear and willpower in the world but you can never beat the conditions. If nature turns on you, don’t fight it. Bailing and going down in face of a storm is way more heroic than trying to fight one through for nothing more than a summit pic. Respect the fact that you are but a grain of sand and let nature decide if you make it or break it. Climb safe! Best, Teemu Suominen
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Adventure Gear Must-Haves: 10 Items Every Scout Packs for a Hike
From the base layer to snacks and entertainment, in this article we'll tell you about the ins and outs of adventure gear you need while hiking and camping in nature. Let's go! All hikers know how heavy that backpack feels on the second day of the hike. Especially after you have been exploring the woods for hours, somehow managing to get lost and end up walking 10 kilometers more than planned. If you don’t recognise this scenario, I envy you. In order to survive that part of the hike, where your legs seem to be disconnected from the rest of your body and your shoulders are screaming for a massage, we scouts live by the simple rule of 10 must-haves for adventure gear. With 10 must haves we eliminate the unnecessary gadgets and clothing that we can live without and leave our backpacks as light as possible. Throughout the years the list has gotten smaller and smaller and now it is as close to complete as it will get. 1. The Base layer Hiking anywhere can often be a cold or wet experience so wearing a warming, sweat absorbent thermal base layer is extremely important. We suggest a base layer of wool for the colder periods and a lighter base layer of polyester or netted merino wool (up to 15 degrees celcius) during the warmer days. Merino wool accessories can be worn basically all year round, because if its breathing, warming, stain-resistant and odour-resistant properties. Also, if you are one of those people who find wool particularly itchy, merino wool is a good alternative for you as it is softer and less irritating for the skin than other types of wool. 2. Water Bottles: How many a day? There is no use in even getting out there if you haven’t planned your source of water. Many national parks now have water stations where you can refill your bottle. But if you, like us, would rather hike where no one else has hiked before you, then you can simply boil up some lake or spring water to get rid of the bacteria and let it cool. Humans need at least 2 liters of water per day to remain hydrated, so that means 4 regular water bottles in one day. Ofcourse it all depends on the person and the intesivity of the hike, but two liters is the minimum quantity of water you need in a day. 3. Hammock Tents are long forgotten, the only proper way of sleeping in style and with maximal comfort is in a hammock tent. Also, if the weather is good, there is no need for a tarp over your head and you will get the most wonderful morning view. 4. Hiking Shoes Your feet are your most valuable possession (okay, well maybe not a possession but body part) during a nature hike, so you must take care of them by wearing proper hiking shoes. If your shoes are the wrong fit, or not properly worn in none of your other adventure gear will save you from the suffer - and the whole experience will be more painful than pleasant. 5. Extra Pair of Socks Again, if your feet are wet or cold you will be miserable - no matter how beautiful the nature is, it cannot make up for the fact that you would give anything for a hot bath and warm toes. Through years of experience and numerous ice-cold toes, we are careful to always bring at least one extra pair of socks. 6. Warm Sweater Hiking is a sweaty business, especially with a heavy backpack on your shoulders. To avoid getting too cold and subsequently ill it is important to have at least one warmer sweater that you can wear at night time or during breaks. Wool is the preferred material as it is very compact and light but at the same time extremely warming. 7. Dehydrated / Dried Food Okay, so dehydrated food might not be the most delicious meal you will eat in your life, but it will give you all the energy and nutrients you need without taking up half of your packing. Dehydrating vegetables and especially meat before heading to the woods is something that you can easily do yourself, it also makes it easier to portion out your food into ready meals that you simply mix with water and heat up when you are ready to eat. Most importantly your food will be about a hundred times lighter to carry plus it preseves for years, depending on the food, so it can be eaten on hikes to come for a long time (also a great saving tip). 8. Quality Sleeping Bag If you plan on sleeping outside in the nature, which is an amazing experience, you will definitely need a warm quality sleeping bag. There are not many experiences worse than getting a bad night's sleep during a hike because you are too cold. Thus, getting a thick sleeping bag and a sleeping bag liner is recommended. With a sleeping bag liner (which functions much like sheets) you can use your sleeping bag as a blanket if it gets too hot, or just keep the zipper open throughout the night. Plus the it's easy to wash and the bag stays in good condition longer. 9. Snacks If you are anything like us and get moody with low blood sugar levels, then snacks are a must. Trekking all day in challenging conditions and with meals carefully planned out and rationed, snacks quickly become your best friend - it will elevate your mood and give you bursts of energy when you most need it. Our favourite is a trail mix made of dark chocolate, a variety of nuts and some dried fruits. Cliff bars or flapjacks are also a good alternative - just make sure not to leave the wrappers lying around in the woods! 10. Hiker entertainment: Playing Cards Hiking for several days is fun! But it is also tiring and you'll need to take breaks - especially because it's too easy to stay up all night with hiking buddies. So bringing at least one set of playing cards with you on a hike is essential for a good time! It is not only cozy to sit around a fire with a hot cup of tea and play cards, it can also be a competitive and fun bonding experience - why not play a game over who gets to carry the trash-bag the following day, or over who gets to do the morning dishes? Love, the Spanarna Scouts
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